“That you love me. I want to hear you say it.”
I release a sigh. I have no qualms about how different and absolutely thrilling being in a relationship with Landon is. I know if maybe down the line, I find someone else or end things between us, he’ll revert to his toxic ways faster than I can blink.
But that’s the thing.
I’m definitely as crazy as Landon is, because I do believe that we are the forever type of couple. For us, breaking up is impossible.
If he doesn’t make sure of it, I will.
There’s no way I’d let another woman have him. Not in this lifetime.
I grab his face with both hands and whisper against his mouth, “I love you, Lan.”
He inches closer until his lips nearly brush against mine. “And I love you, Mia. Forever.”
His lips meet mine and he seals the confession with a searing kiss.
EPILOGUE 1—MIA
THREE MONTHS LATER
Life has never made as much sense as it does lately.
Or maybe it started to make sense after Landon slid into my life and wreaked havoc on the very foundation of my being.
In return, he offered me himself—unfiltered, unapologetic, and absolutely unhinged.
Today, he’s offering something more in the form of a peek into his past.
He brought me to London so I could meet his parents over the summer vacation.
He’s tried to bring me here countless times, but I’ve always told him I wasn’t ready, more out of cowardice than anything else; however, he’s always respected my decision and hasn’t pushed me to make the trip.
His parents should’ve come to New York after he got shot, but Landon asked my father, who’s now a big fan of his—since he saved both me and Maya—to bury the incident so that his parents wouldn’t find out.
He disguised the injury as something minor he suffered while working out and said it was pointless to worry his parents.
“The time some prick stabbed me, they didn’t leave my side for days and Mum wouldn’t stop crying. I prefer not to repeat that,” he said.
Naturally, no police were involved in the incident due to my parents’ influence. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt were dumped somewhere no one but my father knows and their names were casually added to the MIA list. Landon’s name was never mentioned in regards to her death and he faced no legal inquiry whatsoever.
At any rate, I couldn’t push back the date to meet his parents anymore. Besides, I’ve always been curious about the two people who made Landon, Brandon, and Glyndon. Three siblings with entirely different personalities.
As we step to the front door, I pull on my blue dress, even though it reaches my knees. “Are you sure you told them I was coming?”
“On my face? Why would I tell Mum and Dad that?”
“Landon!” I hit his arm. “Can you not talk about sex when your parents are on the other side of the door?”
“Why not? They have sex, too. All the time, if I might add. We’re sex-positive in this household. If any of us were to bring home an alien, they’d welcome it with open arms.”
“Are you saying I’m an alien?”
“The sexiest alien.”
I’m about to hit his arm again, but the door opens and my spine jerks into a straight line.
“I told you to wait until they come inside,” a tall, well-built man with strikingly blond hair says. I recognize the resemblance between him and his sons right away. Lan and Bran have his jaw and the same mythical blue shade of eyes.
He has his arm on the small of a shorter woman’s back. Her green eyes, which she definitely passed down to Glyn, twinkle with mischief and I can’t stop staring at her shiny long brown hair that falls in waves. “I’m just a bit impatient to meet Lan’s special guest.”
Landon wraps an arm around my waist, mirroring his father, and says, “Mum, Dad. Meet my girl and your future daughter-in-law, Mia Sokolov.”
I stare at him.
Future daughter-in-law?
I don’t have time to focus on that as Landon’s mom, Astrid, offers me a big, welcoming smile. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mia. I’ve been dreaming about the day Lan would introduce us to his special someone. He’s never brought anyone over, you know.”
“None of them were worth it,” he replies simply, without batting an eye.
“I heard from Glyn and Bran that you single-handedly put a leash on Lan’s crazy,” his dad says. “I like you already.”
“We’re officially impressed,” Astrid says. “This one right here has always been a wild horse.”
“And always will be. I just happen to have a partner in crime now.” He pulls me closer to his side. “Let us in. I’m starving.”
Astrid grabs my arm and leads me inside, leaving Lan in his father’s company.
“Any news about your brother?” I hear Levi ask.
“Working on it. Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll make sure everything falls into place.”
“What about what we discussed the other day…?”
Their voices become distant and unintelligible as they stay behind while Astrid gives me a mini house tour. Their mansion is a lot bigger than I imagined, with rustic, high Victorian ceilings and wide, tall windows that overlook a manicured garden.
They have three built-in studios. One for Astrid, the second for Lan and Bran, and the third for Glyn. All of them were carefully constructed by Levi as gifts to his wife and children.
Astrid takes me to Landon’s room and shows me all his awards from multiple activities. Football. Art shows. Spelling contests. Language competitions. The overachiever has done it all.
Astrid seems absolutely proud of his wins, as if they were her own.
She sits on the edge of his bed as I study the keepsakes from the endless activities he’s taken part in. He definitely wasn’t lying when he said he’s a genius and a fast learner.
“Lan did everything while growing up—the good, the bad, and the entirely screwed up,” she says with a sad smile. “He thinks we didn’t realize this, but his father and I always knew that he took part in countless events and activities to fill the emptiness that kept growing inside him. The bigger the hole got, the more intense his hobbies turned. Levi and I let him do whatever he pleased and gave him room to enroll in violent sports, not because we encouraged it, but because we were at a loss for what could benefit him. Therapy didn’t help. Restraining him had the opposite effect, and monitoring him made him vindictive. I guess what I’m trying to say is, thank you, Mia.”
I face her, hugging an art award to my chest. “I…didn’t do anything.”
“You gave him the balance he spent his entire life searching for, and that’s everything. You gave him what we couldn’t.”
“That’s not true. He knows you tried your best. That’s all that counts.”
She smiles, her expression soft and reminiscent. Now I get why Lan really cares for his mom and dad and didn’t want to worry them about his injury. They let him be himself when he needed it the most. They did it in the hopes that he’d get back on the right path one day, and I think he realizes how hard it was for them. More importantly, he knows the many troubles he caused them over the years.
“He’s also been showing me his most recent pieces and saying he found his muse,” she says. “I’m guessing that’s you.”
“I suppose. I wanted to ask you since you’re an artist yourself. Is there anything else I can do to help him?”
“Not really. Just be yourself. He’s finally finding his distinctive style and it’s euphoric to watch.”
“He hadn’t before?”
“No. I don’t deny that Lan was born a genius. He has the perfect technique and a unique imagination. I’ve always told him that he surpassed me in his teens, but he often showed me his work and I felt happy that he still sought my validation. But ever since he started being a professional, I could see his creative and technical superiority, but there was no soul. Lately, that’s fundamentally changed. Now, I’m sure he’ll soar to the sky with his talent. With your help, of course.”
“I don’t really do anything. I just sit there.” And sometimes suck him off just to mess with him.