Beneath the Sheets

by Shandi Boyes

  Epilogue

  Hugo

  Six months later…

  “And just like that, Hugo Marshall is undead.”

  After a few more lightning keystrokes, Hunter snaps the screen of his laptop closed and puts it back into the hemp bag dumped at the side of the chair where he's sitting.

  “Was it that quick to make me dead?” I ask, shocked it only took him five minutes to undo something that caused Ava years of pain.

  Hunter arches his brow and stares into my eyes. “I didn’t make you dead,” he advises with a shake of his head. “If I did, you’d have no chance of being resurrected.”

  I watch him in shock. For the past six months, I’d assumed it was Hunter who made me dead to keep me hidden from Col Petretti. If it wasn’t him, who was it?

  Hunter throws his hemp bag onto a chair before running his hand along his scruff-covered jaw. I eye him with even more curiosity when a sly smirk peeks out from behind his scraggly beard. Before I have the opportunity to ask what his odd look is about, his spine straightens and his dark eyes shift to me.

  “Did you want me to file the paperwork for you today? Or do you want to do it the legal way?”

  I smirk and slap him on the back. “Now that I’m undead, the legal way will be great.”

  Snubbing the confusion muddling my brain, I move to the corner of the room and check my tuxedo in the full length mirror. Today, Ava and I are getting married. Putting it bluntly: I shit bricks the day I asked her to marry me. It wasn’t a fear of commitment that had me quivering like the earth was shaking beneath my feet, it was the fact I had to lure Ava away from her office long enough to give Belinda and Joel the chance to decorate it with the two hundred long-stemmed roses I’d purchased that caused my greatest concern.

  It’s no hidden fact I’m not a fan of dentists. I love Ava, but my fear of sitting in her dentist chair is the cause of my greatest panic. Thankfully, Ava’s constant reminders to make sure I floss regularly were implanted into my brain from a young age, ensuring her dentist drill remain holstered on the side of her dentist chair and not buzzing in my mouth.

  While I'm being forthright, I’ll admit my proposal to Ava was brazen, particularly as we weren’t even an official couple, but I’d already lost so much time with her that I didn’t want to miss one more moment. Since my last two attempts at asking her out were pathetic, worse than any fifth grader could have conjured, I decided I either had to go big or go home. I went gung-ho. Thank god she said yes.

  After loosening the constricting bowtie around my neck, I run my hand through my hair to fix it into place. I grimace at the small scattering of gray hairs forming on my temples. Getting old sucks. Even with the room air-conditioned at seventy degrees Fahrenheit, a beading of sweat glistens my forehead. My eyes shift to the side when a white handkerchief is placed on my tuxedo-covered shoulder. With a grin, I accept the handkerchief and run it over my sweat-drenched head before spinning on my heels to face the smirking face of Isaac.

  “Why are your shoulders so tense?” he queries, his voice its normal deep, demanding tone. “You and Ava are already a family. Nothing screams of lifetime commitment more than raising a child together.”

  I cock my brow and stare into his jeering face. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?” I ask, my tone doused with cheekiness.

  Isaac’s nostrils flare as his face lines with anger. Although he’s tried numerous times the past six months to drag Izzy down the aisle, her feet have remained firmly planted on the ground – outside of the church. I don’t see Izzy’s strong stance budging an inch until Isaac takes the pre-nuptial agreement he had Regan draft off the table. Since I don’t see Isaac’s position weakening anytime soon, I don’t expect to hear the sounds of wedding bells for them in the near future.

  Catching sight of Isaac’s furious scowl, I cockily wink. Most men would be shaking in their boots from the wry look he's directing at me, but I know his threat doesn’t hold any heat. No amount of scowling can hide the massive heart he has in the middle of his chest.

  “Don’t make me fire your ass,” Isaac warns in a vicious snarl when he spots my grinning face.

  “Again! What will that make it? The sixth time he’s fired you the past year?” Hunter asks in a cheeky tone. “That’s nearly a new record, even for someone as fire-able as you, Hugo.”

  Hunter’s boisterous chuckle bounces off the wall and jingles in my ears when I punch him in the bicep.

  “It’s not my fault Izzy is always up to mischief,” I mutter.

  Neither Isaac or Hunter attempt to refute my accurate claim.

  Hunter is still rubbing his arm, feigning injury when my mom enters the room. Her hair has been pulled back in a fancy up-do and she's wearing a pale light blue dress.

  “We will meet you out there,” Isaac advises, gesturing his head to the door my mom just entered.

  Once Hunter and Isaac exit the room, my mom paces to stand in front of me. With tears in her eyes, she adjusts the collar of my light blue dress shirt before running her hands down the lapels of my jacket, smoothing everything into place. When her eyes lift to my face, a smile curls on my lips. Nothing but pride is projected from her eyes. There’s my mom I remember.

  “Ava is five minutes out. Are you ready?” Her voice shakes with both nerves and excitement.

  I nod. “I’ve been ready for at least five years.”

  The hammering of my heart kicks up when we exit the vestibule at the side of the church and amble down the aisle Jorgie and Hawke walked down six years ago. This is the same church Chase, Helen, Jorgie and I were christened at. The same church Jorgie and Malcolm were laid to rest.

  My heavily weighted strides down the white carpet come to a standstill when the suit-clad man standing next to Isaac turns around to face me. I shake my head, certain my brain isn’t registering the prompts my eyes are relaying. Even after a brisk shake of my head, the unbelievable image remains. Hawke has returned to Rochdale. I’m not going lie, my nose is tingling and fresh tears are pricking my eyes.

  After assisting my mom into the front pew to sit next to Mrs. Mable, I span the distance between the congregation of wedding attendees and the altar, only stopping when I'm standing directly in front of Hawke.

  “You came,” I mutter, bouncing my eyes between his.

  Ava sent Hawke an invitation with a note attached stating we understood his reluctance to return to Rochdale and he was under no obligation to attend, but neither of us felt right not inviting him. When he failed to RSVP, I assumed he decided not to attend.

  Hawke’s lips twist before he nods. “Couldn’t miss seeing my best mate getting married.”

  Although his voice cracks, exposing the surge of emotions pummeling into him, I can also see sparks of the old Hawke in his eyes. This is, no doubt, a tortuous step for him to take, but it is a step in the right direction. A giant, scary leap toward healing his heart and giving him the chance to move on from his grief.

  My eyes drift from Hawke to the end of the aisle when “All of Me” by John Legend begins playing over the speakers. Hawke, Isaac, and Hunter take their spots next to me as the bridesmaids commence walking down the aisle. The pounding of my heart increases as Belinda, Izzy, and Helen make their way down the aisle to take their positions on my right. As they glide past the pews of attendees, my eyes spot a flurry of blonde. A smile curls on my lips when I see the smiling face of Gemma. Our reunion occurred not long after my return to Rochdale. When she walked into my office nearly six months ago, I automatically assumed Ava tracked her down. It was only when I saw the look of surprise on Ava’s face when she arrived at my office not long after Gemma did I realize she didn’t have the faintest clue who Gemma was. Ava’s claws were sheathed when I promptly introduced her to Gemma. They’ve been close friends since that day.

  My hearty chuckle rumbles over the beat of my heart when I spot sight of Joel charging down the aisle. Nothing has changed the past seven months. He still doesn’t know how to walk. He dumps
his frilly satin ring-bearer pillow halfway down the aisle, making me glad I succumbed to Ava’s pleas for Isaac to look after our platinum wedding rings and not put them on Joel’s pillow.

  When Joel reaches the end of the altar, he wraps his arms around my thigh and turns his eyes to the end of the aisle. My lungs take stock of my oxygen levels when the song switches to “How Would You Feel” by Ed Sheeran. This song reflects Ava and my relationship to a T. I just wish I got to tell her I loved her years earlier.

  My breathing halts the instant Ava steps out of the alcove of the church. Just like the first time my eyes landed on her at Jorgie’s wedding, she takes my breath away and renders me speechless. She's beyond beautiful, a unique mix of innocence and seduction with big, rich eyes, gorgeous tanned skin, and a body created with the sole purpose of making me drop to my knees, but even with having off-the-Richter scale sexiness, Ava’s heart is one of her most admirable assets. And thankfully, it belongs to me.

  When Ava reaches the end of the altar, she kisses my dad on the cheek, and hands her bouquet of flowers to Belinda before pivoting around to face me. The smile of her face eases the nervous cramps hammering my stomach, and the happiness in her eyes smothers the agitation over the previous times I visited this church. Only Ava can calm any storm building on the horizon before the first cloud has even formed.

  I gently run the back of my fingers over her pale cheeks before lowering them to brush by her beautiful rounded belly. “Is she being a good girl for Mommy?” I query, only loud enough for Ava to hear.

  Ava’s face scrunches as the color in her cheeks drains even more. Unfortunately, Ava has been suffering with dreadful morning sickness from the day she discovered she was pregnant with our little girl, exactly four weeks after we first slept together.

  Although we caved and found out the sex of our baby, we haven’t informed anyone that we are expecting a little girl. Joel is already struggling with the concept of sharing his parents’ devotion in two months’ time. We’re moving to Ravenshoe at the end of the month, so we don’t want to add even more uncertainty into the mix by declaring the baby brother he so desperately wants is actually a baby sister. I’m sure with some time and a good dose of candy, he will adjust to the idea of having a sister. If not, he has a 50/50 chance of getting a brother the next round. With how easy Ava gets pregnant, I have no doubt the odds of her being pregnant within a year of giving birth swings the pendulum in Joel’s favor of having a large family. He’s happily declared on numerous occasions to anyone willing to listen that he wants five brothers.

  Ava screws up her nose. “Don’t even think about it,” she reprimands me, glaring into my eyes like she can hear my private thoughts.

  I smile, loving that she can read me so easily. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. She’s always been the only woman who can see through my bullshit. Well, except for my mother, but she doesn’t count.

  The flutter of Ava’s pulse spasms up my arm when I enclose my hand over hers and glance into her beautiful eyes. Every uncertainty, concern, or worry I’ve ever had vanishes the instant she peers up at me with her uniquely beautiful eyes. I have no doubt, Ava is my beginning and my end. She's my everything. And although we’ve lost years we can never get back, in a short period of time, we’ve created enough memories to last us two lifetimes.

  People will often quote that there are no guarantees in life, but I'm certain Ava and I will never be parted again. Because although there are no guarantees, you can’t fight fate.

  The next story in the Enigma series is: Spy Thy Neighbor:

  The story of Hunter Kane. You can find it here: Spy Thy Neighbor

  * * *

  Join my author page for updates on the next instalment in the Enigma Series.

  * * *

  Facebook: facebook.com/authorshandi

  * * *

  Instagram: instagram.com/authorshandi

  * * *

  Email: authorshandi@gmail.com

  * * *

  Reader’s Group: bit.ly/ShandiBookBabes

  * * *

  Website: authorshandi.com

  * * *

  Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/AuthorShandi

  * * *

  Hunter, Hugo, Cormack, Hawke, Ryan, Rico & Brax stories have already been released, Brandon, Regan and all the other great characters of Ravenshoe will be getting their own stories at some point during 2019.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this book - please leave a review.

  Also by Shandi Boyes

  Perception Series

  * * *

  Saving Noah (Noah & Emily)

  Fighting Jacob (Jacob & Lola)

  Taming Nick (Nick & Jenni)

  Redeeming Slater (Slater and Kylie)

  Saving Emily (Noah & Emily - Novella)

  Wrapped Up with Rise Up (Perception Novella - should be read after the Bound Series)

  * * *

  Enigma

  * * *

  Enigma (Isaac & Isabelle #1)

  Unraveling an Enigma (Isaac & Isabelle #2)

  Enigma The Mystery Unmasked (Isaac & Isabelle #3)

  Enigma: The Final Chapter (Isaac & Isabelle #4)

  Beneath The Secrets (Hugo & Ava #1)

  Beneath The Sheets(Hugo & Ava #2)

  Spy Thy Neighbor (Hunter & Paige)

  The Opposite Effect (Brax & Clara)

  I Married a Mob Boss(Rico & Blaire)

  Second Shot(Hawke & Gemma)

  The Way We Are(Ryan & Savannah #1)

  The Way We Were(Ryan & Savannah #2)

  Sugar and Spice (Cormack & Harlow)

  Lady In Waiting (Regan & Alex #1)

  Man in Queue (Regan & Alex #2)

  Couple on Hold(Regan & Alex #3)

  Enigma: The Wedding (Isaac and Isabelle)

  Silent Vigilante (Brandon and Melody #1)

  Hushed Guardian (Brandon & Melody #2)

  Quiet Protector (Brandon & Melody #3)

  * * *

  Bound Series

  * * *

  Chains (Marcus & Cleo #1)

  Links(Marcus & Cleo #2)

  Bound(Marcus & Cleo #3)

  Restrain(Marcus & Cleo #4)

  Psycho (Dexter & ??)

  * * *

  Russian Mob Chronicles

  * * *

  Nikolai: A Mafia Prince Romance (Nikolai & Justine #1)

  Nikolai: Taking Back What’s Mine (Nikolai & Justine #2)

  Nikolai: What’s Left of Me(Nikolai & Justine #3)

  Nikolai: Mine to Protect(Nikolai & Justine #4)

  Asher: My Russian Revenge (Asher & Zariah)

  Nikolai: Through the Devil's Eyes(Nikolai & Justine #5)

  Trey (Trey & K)

  K: A Trey Sequel

  The Italian Cartel

  * * *

  Dimitri

  Roxanne

  Reign

  Mafia Ties (Novella)

  Maddox

  Demi

  Rocco

  Clover

  Smith

  * * *

  RomCom Standalones

  Just Playin’ (Elvis & Willow)

  Ain't Happenin' (Lorenzo & Skylar)

  The Drop Zone (Colby & Jamie)

  Very Unlikely (Brand New Couple)

  * * *

  Short Stories

  * * *

  Christmas Trio (Wesley, Andrew & Mallory -- short story)

  Falling For A Stranger (Short Story)

  * * *

  Coming Soon

  Skitzo

 

 

 
v>