Bonus Epilogue from

 

Chelle

 

“Happy fucking new year!” Bones skates past me on the concrete floor of the music venue I booked for Skate 32 and the Storytellers New Year’s Eve celebration. Kids dive apart to make way for him.

I cringe as I watch Randy skateboard down the handrail. I seriously hope the manager of the venue won’t kill me for this. 

After their co-branded video with the Storytellers, which features the Storytellers playing out on the skate bowl while the skaters zoom through them, hit five million views, we decided a live event was in order.

With almost no prep time, I threw this event together for New Year’s and sold tickets at one hundred bucks a pop. We sold out in three hours. 

Tonight, the place is packed with youth—not exactly the way our friends thought they’d be spending their New Year’s Eve, yet everyone is here. Maxim, Sasha, Ravil, Lucy, Dima, Natasha, Oleg, even their friends from Los Angeles, Pavel and Kayla. Nadia wanted to come, but Sasha said she freaked out at the last minute and stayed home, which is too bad because I think she is crushing hard on Flynn. I guess Adrian is out of town on business—he’s been gone for a few weeks. 

Nikolai and Oleg have been a godsend helping me keep everything running smoothly. Nikolai stationed their bratva soldiers at the door and around as security, which the skate kids seem to think is awesome. I guess they resonate with tattoos and men who look like they’d like to eat you for lunch.

Only Bones, Randy and Tiny are allowed to skateboard inside for liability reasons, but it doesn’t matter. Their fans—mostly between the age of eleven and eighteen—are clearly having the time of their lives drinking cranberry punch and singing along.

Yes, singing along. Because the Storytellers are now their theme band too. 

Since the video went viral, Story and Flynn have had a couple calls from record labels interested in hearing more of their music, and one was supposed to show up tonight. Sasha and Maxim are serving as their managers/negotiators.  

I’m absurdly proud of the event. It’s a bit less glamorous than planning ad campaigns for designer diamond rings, but I actually love managing the Skate 32 brand. Several of my social media campaigns for them have gone viral, which is intoxicating, and I love that Story’s band is benefitting from it all.

“Hey everyone, listen up,” Flynn says from the stage. “It’s five minutes until the countdown to the new year, so here’s what I want you to do. First of all, we need Skate 32 back up on stage with us. Second, you need to grab your drink for toasting and your person for kissing. Ask for consent first, though, peeps. Ask for consent.” Flynn grins out into the crowd. He’s a natural playboy, and the fan girls here are clearly swooning over him. I find myself secretly hoping he doesn’t find a consenting partner to kiss because I’m rooting for Nadia. She needs someone light-hearted like Flynn to help her through her darkness. He just might be too lighthearted to settle down.

I see Oleg pushing his way through the crowd to the stage for his kiss-partner at the same time Nikolai finds his way to me. He pushes me backward into a dark corner at the front of the stage. 

“Thank you for all your help tonight. I’m sorry I’m working on a holiday,” I say as my palms land on his chest.

He shrugs. “I’m not sorry. I like your big events. This is fun for me.”

“Are you just saying that?”

He shakes his head. “You are my purpose, zayka. Supporting you is what I do.”

I loop my arms around his neck. “Don’t ever let me take that for granted.”

“Oh, it’s not free.” He pushes my back up against the wall, his hands traveling down my back to land on my ass. “I’m expecting a full return on my investment.” He claims my mouth, and I lose myself in the kiss until I hear Flynn starting the countdown. I pull away, breathless and laughing. “You’re supposed to wait until midnight.”

“I take it when I want it,” Nikolai insists. “You belong to me now.”

Flynn reaches ten, and the crowd shouts “Happy New Year!” Flynn plays Auld Lang Syne on his electric guitar while Nikolai kisses me senseless.

By the time he’s done, I’m ready to bail on my clients, event, and friends for the rest of the night, but Nikolai turns me around to face the cheering, dancing crowd and wraps his arms around me from the back. “You did this,” he murmurs in my ear. “Are you proud of yourself?”

“Yes.” 

I am. I love my job. I love my life, and most of that is because of the man behind me. The one who always has my back, who leaves me breathless with excitement, and soaked in gratitude.

“The next event you plan is our wedding,” Nikolai murmurs in my ear.

I melt back into him, holding onto the arms wrapped around my waist. “I’m thinking a summer wedding.”

“Okay. I can wait until summer. So long as you know you’re already mine.”

I laugh. “I do know.” I turn to face him. “I love being yours.”

He strokes his thumb across my cheek. “I love you, little bunny.”

I press my face against his chest, warmth and pleasure gliding around me, through me. Nikolai is my home. My family. My rock.

He was the good thing I wanted to refuse. Every day, I’m grateful I saw the light before it was too late.