"Taken care of." Xavier chimed in. "I have that all planned out."

"Do you need anything?"

I shook my head. "No, we've got everything we need."

"Are you planning to stay away forever?"

I hated the way he said that. I shook my head. "No way, you're still my dad, Angelica is still my sister. I still have friends here. I just am not living here any more. I want out of the limelight. A nice quiet life. Like I had before. I don't want to leave the people, I just want to be a normal person again."

"Are you going back to Florida?"

I shook my head. "I don't think that's a good idea. Senator Evans can still make my life a living hell, I'm just going to start over."

"Will you let me know when you've settled somewhere."

I nodded. "Of course, we're not disappearing off the face of the earth. I've still got a cell phone and there's always Skype."

Dad sighed and stood. He pulled me in for a hug and I hugged him back. Dad would probably never be a good hug person, but he'd improved from our first hug.

"Don't be gone too long. I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

Xavier and I grabbed our things and we left. I let Xavier plan where we'd go first. We got the car loaded up and drove to the airport. Xavier took my hand in the car. "Now, about that condition."

I looked over at Xavier and grinned. "I already told you yes."

"We should start planning."

I shrugged and shook my head. "Why? Let's just do something simple."

"What do you want?"

"Let's just do a simple courthouse wedding."

"You don't want a proper wedding?"

I shook my head. "I don't give a shit about the wedding. The marriage is what matters. Besides, if we do something big, this whole disappearing act would be for nothing."

"You have a point, but don't you want your father to walk you down the aisle?"

I shrugged. "I've never thought about it before. Before you, I really didn't think I'd ever get married. I wasn't the girl who was five years old planning her wedding. I was five figuring out how to shoot a BB gun." I laughed.

"No, nothing about you is status quo." Xavier gave me that sexy smile of his.

"We could fly to Vegas." I wagged my eyebrows at him.

Xavier sighed. "Very well, I'll get our tickets switched."

Xavier and I were married by an Elvis impersonator and we spent our wedding night in the Bellagio. After that, we traveled around. We went to Australia for a few weeks, then we toured Europe. Xavier took me to Egypt to see the pyramids, then to the ruins of Rome and to more castles than I could count or name for that matter. We spent the next three months just traveling and fixing ourselves. My nightmares eventually faded away, I rarely revisited the memories of my kidnappings now.

Xavier was always on his guard now. Sure enough, as promised, he opened up to me. He told me how he'd been sucked into Chuck's world from the underground boxing ring. I found out that, while he'd never done anything like deal drugs or sell illegal firearms or involved himself in anything too nefarious, he had a pretty high body count. He wasn't proud of it. He was embarrassed and still felt guilt over every kill. Worse for the kills he'd enjoyed. That was part he'd been really reluctant to share. He'd enjoyed putting down certain people because they were the ones who hurt people. The sort of people nightmares are forged of. The ones who would kidnap unsuspecting tourists and sell them into the black market, the ones who would beat and rape a girl then leave her for dead. He cleaned up the scourge of the underworld, but he was well aware that what he'd done was still murder. He was chomping at the bit for a way out. I would forever owe Lana for calling him. He'd always have enemies, but I think now we had more allies than enemies.

After that time traveling Xavier found a position he accepted. He would be teaching at a university. Something I found out, that he loved. He would be teaching Ethics and History. I found work pretty quickly too. I started serving at a local cafe. It was nice to be back in the restaurant industry. I'd missed it, to be honest. Working hard suited me way more than living a life in the lap of luxury. Xavier and I had a modest apartment and it was nice. Once we'd gotten all settled in, Dad had come to visit with Angelica and it was great. This was the life I wanted more than anything else.

About six weeks after Xavier and I had moved into our apartment an American newspaper showed up with a note.

"Hey babe!" I called as I pulled the envelope off the newspaper. I read the headline and dropped the paper and covered my mouth with a hand.

"Juliet, what is it?" Xavier asked. "What's wrong?" His entire demeanor changed as soon as he saw me.

"Senator Evans, he, he's dead."

"What?" Xavier knelt down and picked up the newspaper. "It says he had a heart attack, but the conditions were suspicious. How'd this get here?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but this came with it."

I opened the envelope and a letter and photos fell out. The photos were of me and Xavier, including our wedding and us traveling. I handed them to Xavier and opened the letter.

Juliet,

I see what you've chosen, and I hope you are happy with your choice. However, if he ever ruins it, I will be watching. I've also take the liberty of eliminating some of those that pose a threat to you.

Chuck

I handed it to Xavier after I'd read it a few times. Xavier's eyes narrowed and crumpled the letter.

"Relax, babe," I put a hand on his arm. "He's done us a favor, and his intentions are good."

"He intends to take you from me."

I looked down at my left hand. "Hmm, funny thing," I lifted my hand and inspected it. "Yup, I still have your ring on my finger. Last time I checked I was still your wife. Wife. As in til death do us part. Chuck won't kill you because he knows I won't tolerate it. He's hoping you'll screw it up. You'd have to do something pretty heinous for me to ever consider anyone else. I made you a promise and I intend to love you every day for the rest of my life." I leaned up and kissed Xavier. "So don't go getting all jealous. Especially of someone who has zero chance. Got it?"

"Nothing ever happened between the two of you?"

"He kissed me twice. And the first time I slapped him, the second time I threatened to beat him with my cast. These lips," I kissed him again. "Are the only lips I want kissing mine. Got it."

"Twice?"

"And that's the only thing you heard." I rolled my eyes. "You, me, bedroom now." I grinned up at him.

"I know you love me, I just, I worry."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and his wrapped around my waist. "I love you."

"I know, I love you too."

"Someone like Chuck watching over us from the shadows. That's not all bad, is it?"

"I suppose not," Xavier sighed. "I just never want to see you in that position again. I never want you to get hurt because of my own misstep."

"It'll be okay, I promise."

"I think that's supposed to be my line."

"Yeah, maybe, but let's go."

"What?"

I grabbed Xavier's hand and started dragging him behind me. "Didn't I just say you, me, bedroom now?"

Xavier chuckled as I dragged him into our bedroom. I showed that man how much I loved him in my favorite way. Something I intended to do for the rest of my life.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Okay, now all that's left is the epilogue . . . I can't believe it . . .

Thanks for reading my lovelies! Love you all <3

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