Epilogue
***~Riley~***
“Turns out you had the hots for the new teacher, huh?” Vera nudged me in the shoulder gleefully the exact minute Draven walked away to give us some space. He was, thankfully, out of earshot but his eyes didn’t budge from where Vera and I stood as he sipped on his drink. The club was buzzing with energy tonight and usually, I felt incredibly unsafe in such unpredictable settings. Usually, but not anymore.
“Technically, he was never my teacher.” I roll my eyes, refusing to remind her that we met before he showed up at the university. I didn’t need a replay of her reaction when I told her about that one-night stand. I could almost conjure the distinct ringing in my left.
Draven allowed me to clue her and Aiden into some of our life but we were still careful with their involvement. Either way, I was grateful to no longer hide from them. I was even more grateful that Draven kept his word to help me accommodate them into my new life. My next plan of action was to introduce them to Fran, Levi and Talia.
Talia had become an ally after she found out the extent of her father’s involvement in her kidnapping. However, her decision was still pending. She felt unsure of her place with the new developments and I couldn’t blame her.
Vera’s laughter filled my ears and I was dragged out of my musing, “I’m happy for you, Ri.” Her smile was wide and generous as her hands reached out to grab me in a warm hug. She always was a bit of a lightweight. A couple of drinks and her soft, mushy side came to the forefront.
“This carefree, glowing version of you is my absolute favourite.” She squeezed and I swayed with her, her lavender shampoo enveloped me in a fog of comfort. Draven was my home but before that so was Vera and Aiden and this nostalgia only filled me with content.
“Speaking of glowing,” I tug back as Aiden made his way through the crowd with our drinks. He’d spent the first few hours getting used to the fact that Draven was no teacher but once that sank in, they were able to converse easily.
“Having heart to hearts without me?” Aiden pouted, his arm immediately draped around Vera’s waist, his hold firm and possessive. I knew it finally happened but witnessing it first-hand gave me so much joy. I spent months pretending to be oblivious to their mutual attraction. This felt a lot like closure.
“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Vera teased and Aiden shot her a playful smirk.
“Nor the last?” he retorted with a sarcastic scoff. Vera nudged him in the stomach, her skin flushed from his proximity.
“We were just discussing Riley’s hots for our teacher.” She clued him in and Aiden grinned like a Cheshire cat.
“Oh my gosh, we’ve been over this.” I threw my hands up in the air to supplement my frustration. I would never hear the end of this. Vera leaned her head against Aiden’s shoulder, staring up at him with absolute reverence. I suppressed a giddy smile. I should have disappeared a long time ago, it seemed my absence really gave them that much-needed push.
“An upgrade nonetheless.” Aiden directed at me with unmasked approval. I parted my lips to speak but a formidable presence clogged my space, stealing the light.
“Your cheeks are red, princess,” the words were a husky accusation against my ear and I shuddered, feeling the object of conversation behind me. Vera and Aiden exchanged a communicative look and then without another word, they let the music guide them away into the crowd. Draven’s arms circled my waist, bringing me back against him, his cock hard against the small of my back, his lips ghosting over my shoulder.
“You know what that does to me?” He spun me around, his forehead against my mine, our lips parted instinctively, our bodies already reacting to each other. Would I ever have enough of him?
“Would you be willing to remind me?” I tip my head up further, mouthing the words against his lips, my chest constricting at the devilish smirk tipping the corners of those luscious lips of his.
“With pleasure.” He captured my mouth with his in a ravenous dance, his nails digging into the fabric at my hips while my arms hooked around his neck for stability. I moaned when his tongue dipped into my mouth, tasting, remembering.
“Fuck,” he growled, his hot breath coming in hurried waves as they fanned over my face. “Let’s go home before I take you right here.” There was a hint of temptation in his voice that caused my heart to accelerate with interest.
I lower myself on the soles of my feet, my hands shifted to cup his face. The movement drew my attention to the ring on my left hand as light reflected off it. Warmth rushed through my veins at the reminder of him sliding it on my finger this morning while were in bed.
“What if we stayed?” I challenged, watching as his lust-softened features hardened bit by bit. God, he was sexy.
“Don’t look at me like that, princess.” He frowned, lips pressed into a thin line and I suppressed a smile by biting down on my bottom lip.
“Like what?” I giggled, unable to ignore the tortured glaze in his eyes.
“Do you think I won’t fuck you right here? Where everyone would listen to you beg for me to fill you?” His voice turned raspy, the image he painted urged my arousal, my nipples perking up beneath my dress.
“I have no problem begging as loudly as you want.” I bat my lashes at him innocently, his eyes narrowing on my lips.
“So greedy.” He grinned, “but I prefer your screams to be mine alone, princess. I’m selfish.” He stepped back, the loss of his body heat made me pout.
“Fine,” I toss the hair off my shoulder and shoot him a coquettish smirk, “but as punishment for keeping me waiting, I’m touching myself on the car ride home and you aren’t allowed to intervene until we’re in our bedroom.”
“Such a tease.” He attempted to carry the weight of my words well, but the darkening of his eyes and the ticks in his jaw were tell-tale signs of his losing battle. My fiancé was an insatiable man but then again, I loved that about him. I loved that I made him this way, even after countless nights and days spent alone.
“Only for you, my love.” I press a quick kiss to his lips, expecting to be led outside, instead, he dragged me towards him again, going in for a deeper kiss.
“God, I love you.” He exhaled. No matter how many times he said those words, I felt a jolt of shock every time. “Thank you for being mine, princess.” A hurried kiss fluttered against my lips, I had no time to react to it as he pulled away to search my features.
“Fuck it,” he shook his head as if he’d just lost some internal battle, “there is no way I can wait until we get home, you are sitting on my cock once we get in the car.” He gripped my arm, tugging me along as we left the club.
A man of the shadows and a girl happily drowning in it.
**THE END.**
************************************************************************************************
**A/N**
*What a ride! I have been obsessed with the story of Riley and Draven for years and I have played around with many ideas regarding them both and well, this is the settled version. This book marks the end of the ‘Assassins Can Love’ series. These stories were my first dip in the pool of dark romances and I am hooked! Hence, I am beginning a new series soon called ‘The Adversary’ series. It is set to be a collection of dark mafia romances. Keep a look out for more information on this on my social media accounts.
Thank you to each and every one of you that has been a part of my journey with these characters. Thank you for reading, commenting and reaching out to me. I appreciate every single show of support. Your support has kept me revitalised and inspired over the years.
Finally, I haven’t forgotten my promise to post some sneak peeks of the original version of ‘Thorn in my Side’ which was originally titled ‘Have we met?”
Those tidbits will be posted directly following this epilogue and appropriately titled so those of you who do not wish to unlock may not do so.
Have fun and if you do read my original drafts, leave a comment or reach out to me and let me know which version you preferred XD
-Shivani S. G.
*