The Bad Boy's.....What?

Epilogue

     Khloe, you must be stunned at having this land in your hands, but I know it's the right thing to do. I think, for once in my life, it's time I do the right thing. See, when I met the love of my life I knew I should've let her walk away. I knew that I'd be her destruction, but I'm a bastard that can't regret the leap of faith he took. Had I not smiled at her, spoken to her, I wouldn't have been gifted with the kind of love that only happens once. I wouldn't know what it's like to hold a child and smile at the beauty I created. I wouldn't know what it's like for your soul to be so intertwined with another the way I was with her.

     But, I also wouldn't know what it feels to be ripped apart from the part that kept you human. I wouldn't know what it feels like for every single shred of hope to be extinguished from your very being. And this pain is the cause for this letter. Meeting you reminds me so much of when I met her, the optimism, the fire hidden in you, it's all important. The way I've watched you with my family, you've filled in something that was very empty. I'm truly blessed in knowing that you've put some life back into the odd bunch.

     I also fear for you. I look at you and my son and know how deeply you're truly connected. Those types of feelings are not temporary and it makes me fear history repeating itself. These thoughts have brought me to my current predicament, in which I've decided to walk away. To avenge the death of something precious, and to stop the vicious cycle our lives seem to have adapted. I have a request of you, the request of a broken man who can't bear and stay to nurture the last piece of him.

      I want you to look at Lucy, to grab that little girl in your arms and never let her go. I want you to look after her the way you've done until now. To stand by her side with my son and do what I've failed to do so far. Don't allow the darkness I've bled into our lives mar hers as well. I know that you'd die before letting anything happen to her. So now it is I who asks you to protect my own. Along with this letter are the official papers in which I relinquish my parental rights to you and my son. Raise her as your own, and don't tell her of the man whose hands have only caused chaos.

                                                                                                                                                                 D.C.

     Three months after my return home I received the letter and I still find myself locked in my father's old study wiping tears from my eyes. I'm not afraid to say I'd grown attached to the cold man. The man who thought leaving his daughter behind was the best thing for everyone. The man who left a piece of his soul to right the wrongs he believes fall on his shoulders. I haven't heard of him since. When I showed Drew the letter he merely brushed it off, but I noticed it hurt him by the way he detached himself. I'm starting to notice that's how the Collins men deal with their feelings.

      Graduation came for all of us, which is surprising since it felt like we were barely there but who are we to argue? After everything that happened the topic of college and upcoming adulthood was difficult. With a threat still on the loose the guys felt it was better to postpone anything that would put us out in the open. Even Mike, who'd been constantly battling with Adrian, had agreed on this. Of course we opposed, arguing that if we chose to wait for the threat to be over we might never be able to live our lives in peace.

      When that didn't work we resorted to Plan S. After being locked, one by one, in a room with Sammy we found them to be more agreeable. Especially Kohl, who instead of lasting around two hours like the other guys, ran out of the room in tears in only twenty minutes. Yes, that set the bar high for Kim.

      As for Drew and I, well, things are a little rocky right now since I showed him my college acceptance letter. It's not as if I'm going out of state, I couldn't do that and look after Lucy. A college close to home and a mixture of classes online and on campus sounds reasonable. But, I have noticed him being a little distant and it causes a sharp pang in my chest to watch him pull away. Despite his cool attitude, I can't find myself giving up college. I need to go, graduate and take my place in my mother's legacy. Surely he can't expect me to give that up. He, better than anyone, should know how important our family duties are to us.

     A knock at the door snaps me out of my melancholy thoughts.

    "Come in."

    My breath seems to halt in my core as I watch Drew close the door after him, a serious expression on his face.

    "Hey." I nod in acknowledgment. I fear I know what he's about to say and I don't wanna be lost in those eyes when he breaks the news to me.

    "Khloe, you know I love you, right?" He moves over to kneel by me, making sure our eyes lock and the power of that azure gaze freezes the breath in my chest.

      "Drew...," I trail off, my eyes burning in what's likely to be tears.

                                                                                The End.

Author's Note:

That's it, the end is here. I'm sorry it took me so long to write this, and I'm also sorry I kept it short.

Reason number one: It is so hard for me to end this story and part with these characters that I love so much. They're my babies and it was hard to say goodbye, even if it is just temporary. (Sequel coming up, duh.)

Reason number two: The reason this last chapter is so short is so that I have room to expand and grow it into the sequel. The sequel has already been started and this was the best ending for me to move onto that, I hope you understand.

I want to thank all of you who have been by my side reading this crazy bunch, and in case I haven't said this before I'll say it now (because I'm being threatened) Adrian belongs to my sister. You'll have to fight her for him @lovereading01. She is also the inspiration for Sammy's character. FYI.

ALSO: I've been thinking of writing a novella about Adrian and Sammy when they were younger and how they came together. So please let me know what you think on that.

I love you all so much and the sequel will be coming up shortly with the characters we all love and some new faces to go along. Oooh, la, la.

Hint: TWO of our couples will be married in the sequel, please tell me who you think it'll be.