by S. M. Soto
“Thank you, Freya. That means a lot. And for what it’s worth, I never wanted to hurt any of you, and I’m so incredibly sorry if I did.”
Freya’s eyes soften, and she pulls me into a hug. “I know, Selene. We’re sisters now, and sisters stand together. Always.”
I tighten my arms around her and breathe out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Freya.”
“Don’t thank me, just do me a favor and keep my brother off the dance floor tonight? He has two left feet.”
That draws a laugh out of me. Freya locks her arm with mine, and we head back to our families. The weight of guilt sitting on my chest has slowly begun to ease. It may take time, but I’m beginning to forgive myself for the past.
Watching Luna laugh with both sets of her grandparents is the highlight of my night. As is the father-daughter dance. One of the many historic traditions here; it happens every year at Summer Fest.
Endymion scoops our little girl into his arms, and she squeals. They head over to the center of the barn, where every other father and daughter are beginning to dance. He sets her on his feet, and there’s still a ridiculous height difference. He bends, dancing with her to the music, and my heart just about explodes. So do my ovaries. I watch on, warmth filtering through my chest, happiness capsizing my soul.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile this hard.”
I glance up at the sound of my dad’s voice. He’s standing beside me, his gaze darting between End and Luna, then back to me. I shrug, opting for the truth.
“I guess I haven’t been this happy until now.”
He places his hand between us, palm up. “It’s been a while since we’ve danced at this thing. Let’s show them how it’s done, baby girl.”
A mix between a sob and a laugh escapes my lips, and I nod, trying to hold back the sudden bout of tears. It’s been a while since we danced at this thing. Years, in fact. Once I got into my teens, after Endymion had moved here, I stopped, afraid it would make me look too much like a child, though he never noticed me enough to care anyway. I didn’t realize until now that I may have neglected my father long before we stopped talking. The thought is an icepick to the heart.
I place my hand in his bony one and fight to tamp down the emotions barreling to the surface. If I don’t get a cap on this, I’ll turn into a blubbering mess in front of everyone, all because I’m dancing with my father.
Soft music plays as my dad takes me into his arms. Lewis Capaldi’s throaty voice fills the barn as he sings “Before You Go.” With my hands resting on his shoulders, I glance around, taking in the rest of the townsfolk and all the daughters dancing with their fathers. A grin spreads across my face when I spot Luna still dancing with her dad. Her grin is wide and carefree. It’s incredibly beautiful.
“I’m proud of you, Selene.”
I glance back at my dad and make a face. “I don’t know why. I’ve failed at so many things, Dad. My business is just the tip of that iceberg.”
He sighs. “You didn’t fail. You did what so many people are too afraid to do. You chased your dreams. So what if it didn’t work out over there in Pasadena. Because I think, if it had, you might not have ever come back.”
I process his words, knowing there’s some truth to them. Now that Luna has Endymion in her life and we’re in a good place, I can’t imagine not being back here with him. I can’t imagine not being here for my father.
“Never thought of it like that,” I whisper, my voice quiet.
“I think you were always meant to come back here, Selene. Fate, the cosmos you believe, you were always going to end up here. And that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I just…I want you to know I’m proud. So goddamn proud of the woman you’ve become. There hasn’t been one moment where I’ve not been proud of you. Maybe I haven’t said it enough over the years, but I need you to know that.”
A tear slides down my cheek. I hate it when he gets like this. When he starts talking like he’s not going to wake up tomorrow, it makes all of this real. It makes the pain of our reality all the more undeniable.
“Thank you, Dad. Maybe one day I’ll get to show you what the next venture will be.”
His brows raise, a smile lighting his eyes. “So, you are thinking about opening up here.”
I blow out a huff, glancing around with a frown. “I want to. But Dunsmuir is small. I don’t exactly see an apothecary doing well here. I mean, we do get tourists, but I’m not sure it will be enough to keep it afloat.”
His smile grows despite the negativity I’m spewing. After telling Julia not to speak negativity into existence earlier, I sure am acting like a hypocrite. “But you’re still thinking about it, that’s all that matters.”
“I am. It was the whole reason I was out on Alpine…”
His eyes grow stormy at the mention of that night. His gaze sweeps over the slight scars. I’ve hidden them well with makeup, but it’s my father, and he knows they’re there.
“You’re brave, Selene. The strongest person I know. Don’t ever let what happened that night bring you down.”
“I won’t. It’s been hard. I almost expect him to hop out when I least expect it, but I have to have faith, faith that when he does turn up, he’ll be put away, and I won’t have to worry about him.”
The soft strains of music play as I sweep across the floor with my dad. We laugh with each other, and it feels good. I’ve missed this. Being this close to him. It makes me want to hold on to him a little tighter, to try to get him to stay here with me just a little while longer. I want him to see Luna go to first grade, then be there when she graduates from high school and so many other pivotal moments in her life—in our lives.
He suddenly grows serious, both of us now people watching while we dance.
“I’ve been thinking,” he starts, and I quirk a brow, waiting for him to elaborate. “I want you to have the house.”
My stomach dips painfully, and I shake my head. “No, we’re not going to talk about this. Not yet.”
He sighs. “We need to. It’s inevitable. And I mean it. I want you to have it. I know you have Endymion’s place now, but…I want you to choose to do with the house as you please.”
My chin quivers with emotion. “But what about Mom?”
He smiles sadly. “We’ve spoken about this already. She agrees with me. She thinks you should have the place. I think it holds too many memories, good and bad, for her to want to hang on to.”
My throat suddenly feels dry and my tongue swollen, not sure what to say. The thought of keeping the house that I grew up in, a house filled with memories, some not always good, but a house that will always hold the memory of my father, is frightening. I’m not sure how that makes me feel, having to carry the weight of that decision on my shoulders. I don’t know if I’d ever be able to part with it.
“I love you, Dad,” I whisper, pulling him into a hug in the middle of the dance floor. His arms wrap around me, and he hugs me back, his grip just as tight as mine, almost like he hears the same ominous clock ticking that I do.
A sudden round of applause erupts in the barn, signaling the end of the father-daughter dance. “C’mon, let’s get some food. I’m starving.”
He’s lying. The man’s appetite has been nonexistent lately, but I go along with it anyway, letting him have this.
My steps falter as I’m walking back toward our families’ tables when I glance at the barn entrance and spot Holly and Reina walking through, looking all dolled up.
I know it isn’t her fault what happened with Thomas, but my mind immediately drifts to thoughts of him and that night, and a cold shiver travels through my body. My gaze clashes with Holly’s, and I don’t know what I was expecting to see there in her eyes, but it certainly wasn’t anger.
What the hell is she angry with me for?
Shaking it off, I head back to the table with everyone else, and Endymion immediately pulls me into his side, Luna resting in his arms. It seems all that dancing has tired her out.
&nbs
p; “You hungry?” he asks, looking down at me. I press a kiss to his lips.
“Yeah, I was already going to head there. I’ll grab a plate for you and Luna.”
Her little head jerks up at the mention of her name. “Aww. I want to pick my food.”
I roll my eyes at her whine, stifling my smile. Hell, she was just on the verge of falling asleep only a few seconds ago. “All right then, let’s go pick some food, Luna Bella.”
Taking her hand in mine, we walk across the barn and get in line behind the others that are already waiting. We’re not standing for long when I hear a giggle behind me, prompting my jaw to clench. I’d know that laugh anywhere. I peek over my shoulder and, of course, it’s Reina and Holly. My annoyance is indeed confirmed. She catches my eyes, still looking angry and blatantly bitchy.
I’m not surprised.
I clutch Luna a little tighter to me, thinking about all the things she said in front of her. I’ve never been much of a violent person, but at this moment, I’d like nothing more than to sock Holly in her pretty face. Obviously, I can’t do that in front of my daughter, so I keep my gaze trained ahead of me, doing my best to tune them out.
The line moves along slowly with no issues. That is, until they purposely raise their voices, so I can hear their conversation.
“She was out in the middle of the night. Probably asking for it,” Holly confirms under her breath. “I don’t feel bad for her. Everyone is acting like she’s some kind of victim. She just wants the attention. She always has.”
Something inside me snaps at her words. A spark of anger lights within my chest, and I grind my back teeth together. I turn, softly pulling Luna behind me, shielding her.
“I didn’t ask for anything. Your boyfriend assaulted me. I don’t know what your problem is with me, Holly, but get over it. So what, I had a child with Endymion. Stop blaming me for your failed relationship. I feel sorry for you. The fact that you have to belittle me and name call my daughter is just sad. All for what? To make your miserable, boring life seem all that better?”
Holly jerks back as if I’ve slapped her. Color rises to her cheeks, and she looks like she’s going to blow. “You’re a stupid cunt, and so is your daughter.”
My arm swings out, and I strike her across the face. Resounding gasps from bystanders ring out across the expanse of the barn.
“That’s enough.” Endymion’s sharp voice materializes from thin air. Silence descends around the barn. He steps up beside me, frustration emanating off him in waves, and takes Luna into his protective arms. He’s a knight in shining armor at this moment, slaying every dragon out to cause us harm. “Back away now, or you’ll regret it.”
“You never cared about me, did you?” End’s jaw clenches with anger at Holly’s accusation. He’s so close to losing it. “It was always her, wasn’t it?” The way she utters “her” while glaring daggers at me takes me by surprise.
She can’t mean me, can she?
Endymion didn’t even know I was alive back then.
“You think I didn’t notice the way you would look at her? You never looked at me the way you do her. You never fought for my honor or got upset when someone flirted with me.”
“That’s because I love her. That should be answer enough for you. Now leave.”
Holly looks as if she’s going to argue, but she tosses the plate down and storms away. I watch her go, a frown marring my face as I try to make sense of what she said. Does she really believe End cared more about me all those years ago than he did her?
What the hell is she smoking?
I jolt at the sensation of End’s hand sliding around the nape of my neck. He squeezes me reassuringly, prompting me to glance up at him.
“You okay?” he asks, his intense gaze searching mine.
I smile, though it comes out wobbly. “Yeah, I’m okay. I didn’t mean to snap like that,” I mumble, glancing around at all the eyes that are now firmly fixed on us.
Great.
His brows dip. “Don’t apologize for defending yourself or our daughter, Selene. Holly is and will always be a troublemaker. Angry with the whole world because the attention isn’t on her.”
I want to ask him about all the other things she said, but as I glance around at the barn filled with people, I realize now may not be the best time.
As if sensing I’m ready to let this go, End presses a kiss against my lips in front of everyone, and I feel my cheeks redden in embarrassment. There are a few whistles and hollers from everyone around us, but all I see is him.
Always him.
From the doorway, I watch as Endymion lies down in that small bed with Luna snuggled on his chest. He’s been reading the same princess book for the past hour, and my sweet girl is still cuddled against him, hanging on to his every word. Warmth swirls in my chest, and I rest my hand over my heart.
As if sensing my presence, End glances my way, a smirk twisting his lips. The effect of it hits me straight in my core. After we got back from the barn, we all came home, showered, and got ready for bed. As part of her nightly routine, Luna wanted her daddy to read her a story. It’s something I’ve gladly given him full rein over.
I watch for a bit longer until she falls asleep in his arms. He gently slips out from beneath her, pulling the covers over her. It’s such a dichotomy, watching this broad-shouldered man be so gentle with her. It’s like he was born to do this.
He meets me at the door, his hands sliding around my waist. His hold is a possessive one, one I find that I adore. Pressing a kiss against my neck, he inhales deeply, and it sends a wave of flutters through me. End guides us into our bedroom, and my core clenches when he locks the door behind him, prowling toward me with a predatory gleam in his eyes.
The way he touches me and holds me is a contradiction to the heat swirling in those green depths. He handles me with such care, cupping my cheek gently here and petting my curves there. His thumb swipes over the skin on my shoulders, and his gaze rakes across my flesh. As I stare up at him, I get the urge to say the words I’ve been too afraid to let go of.
“I don’t know a lot about love, other than what I feel for you.” I slide my arms around his neck, drawing our foreheads together. My next words come out thick and unsteady, but directly from my heart. “I love you, Endymion Black. And what is between us? I want it forever.”
Something akin to a possessive growl reverberates in his chest. His hand finds purchase at the back of my head, and he grips there. He leans closer, bringing the scent of the sage soap he uses and something that is purely Endymion. The scent of him is so familiar, it’s burned into my memory, so much so, that he feels like home.
His green eyes are wild with lust and a handful of so many other emotions I can’t pin down. “Do you know how fucking long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that?”
My heart is beating like an angry metronome in my chest at his admission. “How long?”
“Since our daughter let it slip all those weeks ago that her father was in love with her mother.”
I laugh, just thinking about the memory.
Since the day I spotted him in that damn grocery store, I’ve felt the words. I just never had the guts to say them aloud until now.
Did he really not know how I felt about him? Judging by the expression on his face, I realize that maybe he’s been waiting for me to tell him all this time.
Cupping my face in his calloused hands, End leans down, grazing my lips with his.
“I love you, Selene. I want to give you forever and everything after that. I want years of us building a happy family with Luna. Years of hearing your stories about the moon and why you love it so much. I’d chase the moon and bring it to you if I could. I’d handpick every goddamn star in the sky if it were possible, and I’d do it all for you.”
A constellation of fragmented shells and sand floats in his light brown hair as he stares down at me. The way he’s looking at me right now is something I’ve always dreamed of. He’s something I’ve always dreame
d of.
“You once mentioned that you looked at the stars because it was like staring up at dreams and endless possibilities. You’re that star for me, Selene. You’re the entire goddamn universe, consuming my orbit. Consuming my every thought.”
Emotions clog my throat. “How can you possibly remember that?”
He smiles. “I remember, Selene. I always have.”
My lips part. “So what Holly said back at the barn tonight, about you…about me…that was true?”
Those vibrant greens search mine, and he nods. “I’ve never not noticed you, Selene. How could I?”
Something filters through my chest while an ache simultaneously blooms in my core. “Kiss me,” I urge.
Endymion doesn’t waste a single second. His mouth swoops down, and he takes my mouth in a kiss that’s soul-binding. It’s one of those kisses I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It’s passionate and perfect, erasing all lingering thoughts of Holly and our messed-up past. It’s just us. Here and now.
With a need like never before, I strip out of my clothes, and Endymion follows suit. His hands take their time as he explores every inch of my skin. The touch is heaven. It leaves a trail of fire across my flesh in its wake. His mouth is sucking and nipping at me like he’s starved. It’s as if some part of him can’t get enough of me—I know I can’t. We fall back onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, and his strong, warm body settles between my legs.
My core throbs and clenches, painfully so, as he takes his cock, rubbing the swollen head against my drenched slit. I’m leaking for him. Every part of my body vibrates with need. Swirling his thumb through my slick core, End drags the moisture up to my clit and swirls it around the sensitive nub. He does it until I’m a writhing mess beneath him. He takes my legs and hikes them up on his shoulders. With slow, teasing motions, he dips the head of his cock in and out of my entrance. The sensation drives me wild—being penetrated but not feeling his full length inside me. The stretch of my lips around his head, but not feeling him against my walls.
When he finally slides his cock all the way into me, I have to bite the edge of the pillow next to my head to keep from waking Luna. Endymion curses as he bottoms out, and I feel like he’s gone further than my stomach. Maybe he’s touching my soul in this position, chipping away at it, so he can permanently etch himself there. He rotates between lazy, long strokes that curl my toes and short, fast thrusts that make my breasts shake and have my walls clenching around his thick length.