Future Investment: (Taboo Romance Series) (Forbidden Fruit Book 2) (11 page)

Epilogue

Three Years Later

Elizabeth

We'd done it. Three years had passed since I started at St. Mark’s Hospital, and my residency was over. Peter had allowed both of us to stay at the hospital after Aiden turned in his resignation, but I was assigned a new mentor, which worked out well. Parks had taken on the job, and I honestly learned more from him than I ever could from Aiden. He was a different type of teacher, one who didn't give accolades and praise too often, but when he did, he meant it.

Stephanie finally got past her crazy phase, and met a really cute guy at the club a few years back. They were married a year later, and she moved in with him and left me to make the hard decision of finally giving in to Aiden pushing me to move in with him as well. He paid off my student loans within the first year of us dating, and moved my mother into a beautiful little townhouse near the edge of the city. She started dating an old friend from school, and everyone seems settled now. Parks is forever the bachelor, but I have no doubt that someone will come in and steal his heart, though he tells me that it still belongs to me.

He just does that to get to Aiden.

I knocked on the door just outside Dr. Miller's office, much like I had three years before starting my journey, and took a seat. My knee wasn't bouncing as much as it was back then, but my heart fluttered with the fact that my residency was over, and I'd taken my final exams to become a full-fledged doctor. She would have my scores, and I was going insane with the need to see them.

"Elizabeth. Right on time as usual. Come on in, and don't mind the visitors." She smiled warmly and moved back, leaving me to wonder what the hell she was talking about.

I walked into find most of my friends from my residency shoved into her office, including my mom, Steph, Parks, Peter, and Aiden.

"What is this?" My heart raced in my chest as I glanced toward Dr. Miller.

"Congratulations. You did it. You were ranked number ten on this exam in all of the entire nation."

The whole room exploded with claps and shouts of excitement. I pressed my hands to my lips and turned to press into Aiden's arms as he wrapped them around me.

"I'm so proud of you, baby." He kissed the side of my face as I cried.

Thirteen years of killing myself, and I had done it. Not only had I reached my goal, but my dreams were flourishing because of the man in front of me. He wanted to give me the world, to know every part of me and exploit every pleasure known to man together.

My mom pulled at me and laughed. "Back up, Doctor Hottie. I want a hug from my girl."

I laughed and wrapped my mom in a hug. "Thanks for all your support, Mom."

She moved back and squeezed my shoulders as her eyes filled with tears. "I didn't do much, but I'm so proud of you. Your daddy would be too."

"I think so too." I hugged her again, and noticed out of the corner of my eye that Aiden was watching me.

I moved around the room, hugging people and talking to them about the craziness of the journey. It was overwhelming, and some part of me wished I was racing around the E.R. dealing with trauma rather than having to entertain so many people, but I was grateful for their support. It was a good lesson in the fact that life didn't have to be spent alone - ever. I had a whole room full of people who cared for me, and truly wanted me to succeed. One in particular.

"Why are you watching me so closely? It's turning me on." I moved up to my man and wrapped my arms around his narrow waist as he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.

"I got you something. I hope you don't mind me giving it to you now." He nipped at my mouth.

"Is it a dick in a box? Because that's what I really want." I whispered against his lips, and he jerked back, laughing loudly as he shook his head.

"Oh, shit, baby. Not much has changed in the last three years, has it?" He pulled out a small black box as the room grew quiet. "I'm not sure this is the place to do it, but most of these people have threatened my life about being present when I did it."

"What are you doing, Aiden?" The blood rushed from my face as the room started to spin. I reached out and touched his shoulder as he dropped to his knee and lifted the box, popping it open and smiling at me. The petite diamond ring inside the box was perfect. It was me all the way, and I couldn't have done a better job having someone handcraft it for me.

"You make my life worth living. You're my partner at the hospital, my lover at home, my best friend everywhere else. Be my wife. Let's make this forever thing legit. Marry me."

I let out a short laugh as tears dripped down my face. "Yes. God, yes."

He stood up and put the ring on my finger, pulling me in tightly and kissing me lovingly. I didn't need anything else, and had been blessed far beyond anything I might imagine possible.

"You know that our arrangement still stands, right?" He looked down at me as people crowded around us. "My money, my time, my interest, and my investment..."

"My body and my heart?"

"Exactly. Pay up, Princess. Let's start with that first part." He growled softly and ignored everyone else in the room but me, which was exactly the way it would always be.

They were there, unless he was.

Then... it was just us - forever.

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Prologue

Hordes of people milled about the entrance to the event, the sunny California sun inviting all to come out and play. Saturday had finally arrived and I planned on enjoying the festival, but someone called in. Someone always called in.

The beach sat just beyond the man-made platform, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach almost lulling me into a comatose state. I sat on a concrete pillar and worked to roll the sleeves of my button down shirt up high and tight. My tats were too pretty not to show off and the warmth of the sun was calling my name.

A few girls wearing the smallest bikinis I had ever seen danced around the gates, one of them blowing me a kiss. I pretended to catch it, winked at her, and tucked the treat into my shirt pocket.

"Ian. You're up, dude," my brother yelled from inside the large chain-link fence. He was the exact opposite of my appearance, but it was all a ruse. His blond hair trimmed nicely to his head, his clean-shaven face and blue eyes were all fake. He wanted to live the part, therefore he had to play it.

I learned every nefarious move I'd made from my brother Jake, but I wouldn't hold the past against him. He'd also helped me clean up some of the shitty messes I had made. One in particular being my resume.

Hopping off my temporary lookout point, I walked into the all-day concert and glanced around, making sure to take note of anyone who looked suspicious. The event was being put on by the Council for Political Awareness, but the onlookers didn't give a rat's ass who put it on. It was free and it was music.

I moved up beside my brother and smoothed my shirt down as he turned and rolled his eyes at me. He worked my sleeves back down and brushed something off the front of my pants before I swatted at him.

"Stop acting like my fucking mother," I growled, and turned to watch a pretty blond take the stage. She flashed a little tit and the crowd went wild. I smirked and turned to Jake. "Wouldn't it be the life to just sleep all damn day, smoke a little pot, and then get up on a stage half naked and lip-sing for a shit-ton of money?"

"She's not lip-singing, Ian." He turned back to scan the crowd and crossed his arms over his chest. "All right. You're up for this next bit. Watch closely for anything suspicious. Senator Moore has more enemies than friends and we're looking to provide a safe environment for him to present his platform."

"Yeah, yeah. Make sure no one blows the rich old man's head off. Got it."

"Fuck, Ian. Don't say that out loud. You'll jinx us."

"I don't believe in anything but luck and I ain't got any of it." I chuckled and poked my finger into his side as he jerked away.

"I'm serious. You never know when something seemingly small might lead to a life-changing opportunity for you." Jake shrugged and walked off.

I couldn't help but call after him. "What the fuck does seemingly mean?"

Laughing, I turned back around and dropped the act. I was a security guard most nights of the week at the local hospital, but it paid horribly and I worked my ever-loving ass off. There was never a moment of rest or, God forbid, a word of encouragement.

My brother had picked me up to work a few gigs with his private security company in hopes of getting me the attention he believed I deserved. He was the only one who believed in me.

The little tart before us finished dry humping the stage and stood, lifting her hands in the air and twirling a few times. One of her backup dancers had to catch her as she started to fall.

"High," I muttered and turned my attention to the crowd, looking at each face and seeing nothing but worship. Why people felt the need to drop to a knee for another human was beyond me. Not my problem anyway.

The girl walked off the stage and a thin guy with dreadlocks and a pipe hopped back up, his attire making it look like he rolled up out of the seventies.

"All right boys and girls. Now for the big event. We have one of our favorite big wigs here with us today. He's been running this great state from the center of Washington DC and is the reason we have regulations on the big bad oil companies, and pot on every corner. Let's give a big hand to our leader and your friend, Senator Mitch Moore!"

The crowd went wild and I lifted my hands, clapping a few times for the old man too. He was pretty all right in my book and had worked hard a few years ago to put together a program that helped juvenile delinquents push toward a better life. Between his programs and my brother... I was a different man with a future and a bit of hope.

A flash of silver caught my eye as the sun shifted. The Senator lifted his hands in the air, saying something that caused the crowd to scream again. Must have been about pot.

I didn't hesitate for a second, but jumped off the chair I stood on and bounded over people and benches, reaching the guy about the time he lifted his gun.

"Get down!" I screamed in the loudest voice I could muster, the crowd's screams giving acknowledgment that my warning worked. I plowed into the guy and popped the gun from his hands as it went off. Holding his arms above his head, I growled at him menacingly.

"Move and I'll fucking tear your head from your shoulders."

Someone tapped my shoulder and I glanced back, my body still pressed to the weasel below me. Jake extended his hand to me and smiled.

"Great job, man. The cops are on their way. Get up and we'll fill out paperwork and get the hell out of here."

I glanced behind me as the Senator jogged off the stage, turning and lifting his hand toward me. I nodded and turned back to my brother.

"No one was hurt?"

"Nope. Thanks to you. Impressive. Beers on me tonight."

"Then it was all worth it." I winked and turned back to stare the weasel in the eye, daring the fucker to get up or even twitch. Letting off some steam sounded wonderful and he would do just fine for my punching bag of choice.