The Bursting Heat (Book 2) ✓

Epilogue

Ali

Life was strange. At one moment, I thought I was going to lose everything I had, and in the next, I was free. Free of all the bad memories that were following me constantly since I left that cursed house. Free of all the ropes that were holding me back, free of the nightmares that were flooding my nights. I was free. It was really strange. But I liked that kind of strange, I really did.

The moment Rafi told me that Miss Bonnie was death, it was like some chains broke inside of me, and I could finally take a deep and liberating breath. It was over, it was really over and I couldn't wait to start my new free life with Rafi in our new home.

The weeks following Snake's and Bonnie's deaths, all of the SWAT guys helped us with the new house. I had a plan for it, and all these amazing people were following every step, no matter how small it was. They painted the walls just like imagine them, then put all the furniture I purchased on their places like they were on my printed designs. Every room in our house had a design I had made and printed to make it easier for everyone to check them rather than always search me and ask. It was a quick endeavor, and in a matter of a month, me and Rafi were officially living in our house.

"What are you doing?" I looked up from my laptop to Rafi, who was just entering the living room.

"Umm, nothing?"

"Try again." He came to me and sat on the sofa, looking at the screen in my lap. "You thinking of enlisting again?" I had opened the university site on my screen, looking at the different options they had for distance learning.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if I can, but..."

"You should definitely try it. You have so little left."

"Yeah, but..."

"No 'buts'. You have nothing to lose with just trying. If you see it's not for you, then you'll stop again, but at least you'll know you tried it." He was right. Of course, he was right. But I was scared. It was a long time ago when I was studying for my exams. I didn't even know if my mind at the moment could deal with this kind of stress. Well, it wasn't the kind of stress like been shot at, but none the less...having a lot of exams, studying for them, getting grades for your assignments...it was stressful and exhausting. And I kind of liked the way my life was at the moment. My mornings were filled with work at the bakery while my afternoons were split between spending time with Rafi going around town and experiencing life on its fullest, or making some online design assignments from clients. I didn't have a firm, not yet, at least. But I was freelancing my knowledge for interior designs and luckily there were people that liked my stile and paid me to design their places. Sometimes, it was strange doing it just online, without going to the place and seeing it with my eyes, but for now, I felt safer with working just with photos and measurements. Maybe in the future, I was going to start going personally to the houses, but not for now.

"You sure you will be able to deal with all the assignments I would have to do and the time they are going to take me to finish them?"

"Tulie." Rafi took my face in his big hands and made me look at him. "Do what you want, don't think if it will be fine by me. I'll be happy with whatever you decide."

"I'm a little old to be at university..."

"You are anything, but old, Tulie. You are 26, in no one's eyes this is old for whatever, especially for university." I knew he was right, but it was a scary step.

"Okay, fine, I'll try it." The smile that showed on his lips was my undoing. I was ready to do a lot of things to see that smile on his face.

"Perfect." He took the laptop away from my lap and put it on the table near us. Then he placed his hand on my face where it was seconds before and slowly leaned towards me. His lips touched mine so lightly that I wasn't sure it really happened. Then he repeated it. This time, the kiss was firmer, but just as quick.