“Charlie hit the nail on the head," I agree.
"The good news is that it’s all over," Holden reminds us.
"You’re right," I say. "I'm sure that Ralph and his friends won't find prison life pleasant and now that Abigail has disgraced herself, it's going to be hard for her to show her face in public. I doubt you'll ever have to worry about either of them ever again."
"Let's hope not, but rest assured that Brandon and I will always be here to protect you," Holden says before leaning down and dropping a soft kiss on her cheek.
“I know that. Thank you,” she smiles.
"Sweetie, you still haven't shared how your father knows about us." The anticipation is killing me. The sooner it’s out, the better.”
"At the end of his long tale, my father came clean and admitted that given the amount of unsettling information, he became extremely worried. To ensure nothing happened to me, he hired extra security."
"You already have four officers on rotation," Charlie exclaims.
“Oh, trust me, I argued with him because I didn't understand his logic. Why not inform my officers of what was happening?"
"I think it was a strategic decision on his part," Holden says.
"As in, the Prime Minister didn't want to rock the boat?" Barrett asks.
"Yes," Holden nods. "Had Ralph, David and Milo turned out to be more dangerous or if Amelia was their next target, I'm sure the last thing her father wanted was to tip them off. If anything changed in your officers’ routine, that could’ve been a red flag," Holden offers.
"Exactly," I agree. “Who knows who else was on their payroll?" I add.
"That's exactly what Daddy said," Amelia confirms. "This new backup security team followed me twenty-four-seven and they were to report to my father three times a day, every day.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I say, dread washing over me.
“My father knew of my every step."
"Oh my God," Charlie chimes in.
"He had a full report the very next morning after the two of you took me on the cinema boat ride on the River Thames." She pauses and shifts her eyes from mine to Holden's. "He knew when you took me out for dinner to celebrate when we made it on the front page of the top business newspapers." I become more and more worried as she goes down the list. "Daddy was fully aware when Ciara's car dropped us off in a part of town he never thought I'd venture to. He also knew that the two of you had arrived earlier. Luckily, his investigators weren't on the guest list, therefore Daddy remains oblivious as to what goes on at Nightfall.” During the day, Chris’ club looks like any other high-end gentlemen’s social club in the city. He has two floors set up to hide what really goes on. The rest of the building is dedicated to his nighttime patrons. “He knew before Charlie did that you offered me those gorgeous emerald earrings last night. The investigators provided him with photos. A lot of them."
"Christ," I grumble.
"Since we’re on the twelfth floor and there are no buildings facing us, unless your father hired helicopters or drones, I assume he doesn't know what was happening here?" Holden asks.
Amelia shakes her head. "No, but he does know you two are roommates. He only has photos of us when we stepped outside. So even the most casual trips were captured on camera."
My mind races, trying to remember if Holden and I were always on our best behavior around her. So much has happened in the last six weeks and given how we feel about Amelia, we might have slipped up.
“Did they catch us doing anything inappropriate?" Holden asks the question that’s preoccupying me.
She shakes her head again. "There are several photos from the past week showing us walking to Whole Foods, the park, and the bakery.” Yeah, maybe we did slip up last week. “Sometimes I would hold your hand and sometimes I would hold Brandon's. There’s another photo on the boat where I might have gotten excited and jumped in Brandon's arms and kissed him while you were smiling at us. My father couldn't understand why a grown man needed a wingman when he’s out on a date with a woman. He knows you've been inseparable since you were kids, but that doesn't justify the intimate kiss I shared with Brandon. He did a bit of research and realized it was possible for a woman to be in a relationship with two men.”
I rake my fingers through my hair. "Did he ask you to put an end to it?” I continue without letting her answer. “I understand he's in the middle of an embarrassing sex scandal, but our relationship has nothing to do with his soon-to-be-ex-wife cheating on him. If we have to fight for you, Holden and I need to prepare." I might as well get to the point.
“You’d do that?" she asks, amazed.
"Damn right," I answer with conviction. "I love you. I don't know what it'll take to convince your father, but I'll do it."
She turns around to face Holden. “I'll do whatever it takes to keep you," he says simply.
"My God, those men are so devoted to you, honey. What a beautiful love story." Charlie chokes up.
Amelia smiles at her before returning her attention to me. "I knew I was a lucky girl when I found you," she pauses and turns to face Holden. "and you." She lets out a small laugh. "Your words leave me speechless and fill my heart with so much love."
"Sweetie, you’re our first in so many ways. We’re not about to let you go," I tell her.
"We’ll charter a private jet this afternoon or first thing tomorrow morning to Cyprus to talk to your father and convince him how much we love you," Holden states.
She bites down against her lower lip like a kid who’s keeping a big secret. "Daddy gives us his blessings."
My jaw drops.
"Come again?" Holden asks, his eyes bulging out of his skull.
"Blimey," Charlie and Barrett gasp.
"I thought this was going to be an impossible sell," I say.
"Angel, he's actually okay with our relationship?” Holden presses. “The three of us?" he adds.
She nods. “He wanted to be sure that it wasn’t some sort of kinky sordid debauchery, where you used me like a tissue before tossing me to the side and moving on to the next conquest—”
"We’d never do that," I argue.
She brings her small hand to my face. "I know that, but he didn't," she says before dropping a soft kiss on my lips.
"But he does now?" Holden asks.
She turns to face him again. “I assured him that I love you and that it’s mutual," she says, lifting her chin proudly.
I shake my head, still a little shocked by this turn of events. "It’s a good thing the Prime Minister hasn’t ordered a hit on us, but I'm completely dumbfounded that he'd say, Vaya con Dios, to his only daughter after she admits to having two boyfriends.”
"Honestly, I was as taken aback as you are now. I thought maybe there was a catch-22 I wasn’t picking up on. I was wrong. Daddy wants me to be happy and if it means it's with the two of you, he's willing to accept that. He doesn't understand it, but he has a lot of respect for the two of you and he knows you’ll always protect me.”
"I’d give my life before anything ever happened to you," Holden promises solemnly.
"Trust me, sweetie, with two former Navy SEALs who love you by your side, only a fool with a death wish would ever think of touching a hair on your beautiful head," I declare. She fights off a smile before averting her gaze. "What was that about?" I frown.
"Your prowess as marksmen and bona fide knights might come in handy," she laughs.
"You're going to have to translate that," Holden chuckles.
"According to Daddy, the next few weeks will be an absolute media frenzy. He says it will be worse than throwing a truckload of T-bone steaks to a pack of starved wolves. In other words, reporters will resort to any means to get a scoop."
"Charlotte was just mentioning that," Barrett points out. "As a lawyer who represents high-profile clients, I’ve seen it with my own two eyes and it’s not pretty." He renders his verdict.
"I'm sure it won't take long before someone talks," Charlie says. "People have see
n you come and go and until this morning, it was of little interest to them. Abigail's betrayal changes all that. When you have a reporter brandishing a wad of pound notes in your face, it might be too tempting of an offer to pass up. I was just suggesting that the three of you might want to skip town for a few weeks."
"Actually, my father thinks we should leave London for a month, if not longer.”
"Wow!" Charlie explains. "I guess it's only a matter of time before the media picks up on the Ralph Delaware story. I can understand where your father is coming from."
"He suggests that we head to the apartment in Paris as early as today and from there we find an inconspicuous destination. He's holding a press conference in London on Wednesday morning and he feels strongly that we should be nowhere near Europe by then," Amelia announces.
"I suspect that once your father speaks to the nation it’ll be a real witch hunt after that," Barrett stresses.
The five of us sit in contemplation. There's so much to absorb.
"This is a shitty situation that's going to disrupt our lives," I break the silence. "That said, we should make the most of it," I say. "Maybe Abigail's indiscretion is our blessing."
"I was just thinking the same thing," Holden says. "It's a great opportunity for the three of us. Far away from London, no one will know who Amelia is. We’re free to shower her with as much love as we want." Holden's grin grows wider. “What did you have in mind?"
"If we have to disappear, let's charter a private jet from Paris and head to the last place on earth where the press would ever think of finding us," I say.
"Where?" Holden and Amelia ask in unison.
"Bora Bora!"
CHAPTER 76
Holden
Epilogue
One year later
“I’m never taking this off," Amelia declares. "Never ever," she stresses. Oh no, here we go again. "And since I can’t wrap my entire body in a plastic bag to avoid getting it wet, showers are out of the question for the rest of my life," she laughs.
"Why have I heard that before?" I chuckle.
The bed creaks as Brandon turns to face her. "Don't make us wrestle you, because we will," he warns.
"Are you kidding me? This is the most incredible necklace I've ever seen in my life. I can't believe it's mine. I've got the best boyfriends in the world," she grins, turning her head from left to right.
She's a drop-dead gorgeous woman, but she's most beautiful like this with the bright sun caressing her face and without a touch of makeup, her rosy cheeks resulting from too many orgasms.
I prop myself up on my elbow beside her. "Angel, we’re going to have to do something about that wild morning hair. You really need a shower," I chuckle at the sight of her messy mane. Yeah, I'll confess. We’re responsible for her disheveled look and we’re unapologetic about it. You’ve guessed it, we didn't spare her last night. How could we? You'd think that after living with her for a year, that would change, but no, we’re addicted to this woman.
When they say Bora Bora is paradise on earth, they aren’t kidding. The three of us are back in the luxurious overwater bungalow that once served as our temporary refuge. It’s hard to put into words how lucky we are to wake up every single day to the stunning views of Mount Otemanu, the enchanting lagoon and the endless miles of beach. Don’t even get me started on the color of the ocean. It's absolutely breathtaking.
We ended up staying here for three months last year in our quest to escape the media. We loved it so much, we didn't want to leave. It's really good to be back. Since we’re severely jetlagged and we’re in no rush to get out of bed, we’re enjoying a lazy morning. I'm sure that'll change when the hunger pains hit, but for now I'm just content lying in bed with my girl’s naked body nestled between my best friend and I.
"Sweetie, you're going to have to remove it at some point."
"No!” she says, firmly clasping her hands around her neck.
“Yes!" Brandon argues.
I'm too amused watching them playfight to interfere.
"Are you crazy? I'm sure this is way more beautiful and more precious than any jewel the Royal Family possesses," she says in a pointed British accent.
"That’s just one of the many tokens we have for you to celebrate our one-year anniversary," Brandon says.
"There's more?" Her eyes grow wide, their dazzling color is good competition for the necklace she's caressing so fondly.
“Yup.” He gazes down at her, softness filling his eyes.
"A lot more," I add.
“Ohhhh.” Her green eyes are dancing with glee and excitement.
"As if one piece of jewelry is sufficient for our girl," Brandon winks knowingly at me.
We might not have had the time to track down her trademark jadeite when we officially asked her to be our girlfriend, but we really wanted to celebrate our return to Bora Bora in style. Brandon and I have been planning this vacation for a few months now. We wanted everything to be perfect. Her first gift in the lineup sets the tone for the rest. Since we knew so little about jewelry, we needed help. And again, Nikolaj came to the rescue. Once the auctioneer he referred us to outbid all the other contenders, Brandon and I were the proud owners of a rare and coveted piece—a gorgeous Cartier antique jadeite necklace with an intricate ruby and diamond clasp. You don't even want to know how many millions that baby set us back, but our princess is worth every single dollar.
"Brandon is right. There's so much for us to be grateful for," I say.
"You already spoil me like a bona fide princess. You do know I don't need any of this," she smiles at us. "Not that I'm giving this one back," she adds quickly. We all laugh. "The mere fact that I’m able to wake up with my two sexy as hell boyfriends by my side is enough. Everything else is icing on the cake."
Every time I think I can't love this woman anymore, she says or does something and just like that, I realize how wrong I am. Living with her feels like I’m falling in love deeper and deeper with every single day. I've always been content with my life, and I never expected that another person could make me this happy.
"And you're a pretty sweet treat," Brandon teases.
"One we can't get enough of," I chime in.
Brandon and I kiss Amelia's cheek at the same time, squeezing her between us. She laughs with laughter.
For the next few minutes, we lie there doing nothing more than enjoying the moment.
“Oooh, it’s so bloody hot," she fans herself.
"Yeah, the cooling breeze that was coming through earlier this morning is long gone. It's going to be another scorching day. Do you want me to turn on the fan?" Brandon asks.
"Yes please," she smiles. Brandon obliges. "I still can't believe it's already been a year since we were here last," she says as he slides back in bed.
"I'll be honest, neither do I," Brandon agrees. “What a difference a year makes," Brandon points out.
"So much has happened, you'd think it was much longer," I say.
Amelia’s father was right. So were Charlie and Barrett. Once the Prime Minister made his speech and shared his side of the story, it became a veritable witch hunt to track down his kids for an interview. Amelia's brothers living in Asia had nothing to worry about. That said, they still beefed-up their security. On the other hand, Sebastian didn't fare so well. He had to escape New York to seek refuge at a family home in Malta.
"The best part is that Milo, David, and Ralph will rot in prison for a very long time," Amelia chirps.
"It might've taken a while to decipher it all, but thank God the lawyers and police were able to unravel that sick bed of lies," Brandon says.
"And here they thought they were going to be able to get away with it," I smirk.
Yeah, the Wallis brothers and that idiot Delaware had done a masterful job rewiring the money they stole from Abigail's charity to different bank accounts in the best tax havens around the world. They figured it would take an eternity for the investigators to piece it all together. They were dead wrong. The
British public was so outraged by their unscrupulous actions, that it fueled the investigators to nail the bastards.
"Thank God justice was served," Amelia says.
The much-publicized trial only ended a few months ago. In the end, it’ll be years before those three con artists are free again. In Ralph's case, not only will he serve a long sentence for embezzlement, but his stay in prison will be longer because he also has to pay for what he did to Amelia.
"I wonder if Abigail is still enjoying her new winter wonderland home?” Amelia lets out an evil laugh.
"You won’t let that one go yet?" I chuckle.
"Nope. Knowing how much she hates winter and that she's freezing her ass off all year-round brings me a lot of joy. It’s not Antarctica, but it’s close enough," Amelia smirks.
The higher powers at Ludlow Abbey unceremoniously fired Reverend Nesmith the second the news broke. Abigail and her lover thought they could start a new quiet life in Blackpool—a little north of Liverpool—but the relentless media scrutiny and animosity forced them to flee the country. They headed north. Way North. And now they live with Nesmith’s brother and sister-in-law in Iceland. Believe it or not, Maude stands by her man. She’s still living in Munich and waiting for Milo to be released from prison.
Amelia’s Dad headed to Australia a month after the transfer of power to new Prime Minister Philippa Fordham. He stayed there for six months and didn't return to London until the beginning of this year.
As for the three of us, we've been able to dodge the bullets. After we left Bora Bora, we headed to New York to show Amelia where we come from and to meet Sebastian. Amelia’s Dad, and Daniel and Patrick came to visit when we were in Bora Bora. We get along with all her brothers. They don’t get it, but they’ll accept it, just as long as their sister is happy. After a week in NYC, we were off to the house in the Hamptons. After a month in the States, we returned to London. Four months away from the epicenter of the kind of drama that shakes a nation to the core, and everything had settled down. The media was once more focused on King Albert's grandkids and Amelia became of little importance to them. Just to play it safe and to avoid having a money monger usurp our news, Brandon and I hired Charlie to organize an interview to quiet any rumors. Two weeks after our return, we told our staff and Amelia told Isla. Once that was done, we sat down with Carla McCahill, reporter for BBC News, and shared the reality of our unusual relationship. Sure, there was a backlash, but we expected it. That said, once we came clean, no one would ever be able to blackmail us.
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