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EPILOGUE
TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER
HIM
“Cheers.” Kiara raised her glass as she smiled at Sage, who was sitting next to me. “To ending all of this.”
We all clinked our champagne glasses over the large round table. We were at one of the nicest restaurants in Chicago, celebrating the official end of the investigation. Next to Kiara were the two FBI agents we’d been working with over the last two years. Without them, getting the books from other countries would have been impossible.
“You okay?” Sage murmured under her breath when my hand tightened on her thigh under the table.
“More than fine,” I answered, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. “It’s hard to believe it’s over.”
It felt surreal. Even as closely as I worked with the police and FBI, I kept waiting for them to turn the tables and take me in. Everyone at this table knew I had been a part of the group. It was the only way they’d gotten enough inside information to get to the elders.
The entire time we’d been getting the books, I’d waited for the elders to come after me. But they hadn’t. As more books got released to the public, the more they went underground. Completely cut themselves off from things concerning the group. But it was too late. I saved every piece of paper I ripped out of each book.
“They can’t touch us anymore,” Sage said softly, knowing where my mind was at. “We’re free, Niko.”
More than eight months ago, the elders were arrested. It was a madhouse all over the world. People had been following the news ever since the first book was exposed, and with each one I brought to Kiara, it only increased the public’s shock. There wasn’t a place where this hadn’t made the evening news.
Every elder got a life sentence. Sage and I watched the trials on TV. Neither of us wanted to be there. My name had been buried from everything concerning the group, and I wanted it to stay that way.
Sage had been worried that other people in the group were going to come after me once they realized what I was doing. But the only person who ever knew I took the paper from the first book was Samual. And to my knowledge, he never told another soul. Except when he tried getting a plea deal. He named every single member he could think of.
My gaze went to the two FBI agents sitting across from me. They were the ones who interrogated Samual. When my name was brought into the conversation, they acted like they were going to come after me. But my name didn’t leave that room. There was no evidence trail connecting me to anything. It had all worked out better than I imagined.
“Niko, how’s it going at the center?” Kiara asked while the server brought our food.
“Good. We got more investors last month, which helped a lot.”
With Kiara’s help, Sage and I opened a facility for the kids who were hurt the worst by all of this. So many parents were arrested, leaving children to become wards of the state. Most of them were already fully immersed in the beliefs of the group. I wanted to help break the cycle. The center was a place where the kids could come and talk to counselors and therapists. It was a place for them to talk to other kids who were dealing with the same things.
“We’re opening another one in a few months,” Sage told Kiara as she glanced at me. “So many investors have come forward wanting to help.”
We planned on opening one in every state where there were kids who needed it. Finding the money wasn’t difficult. So many people wanted to help and be part of something that had to do with one of the largest news stories in decades.
For the past six months, I’d been taking college courses to get my psychology degree so I could become a counselor to help the kids. I had done almost two years of college when I got out of high school, and luckily those credits transferred, so it wouldn’t take long for me to get my degree.
“And I thought you two were going to have a chance to relax once this was all finished.” Kiara chuckled. “You’re going to be busy. Are we still on for lunch this weekend?”
“I am,” Sage spoke up as she cut her steak. “Niko’s busy. But he’ll be back later in the afternoon to help us move into our apartment.”
We’d been staying with Kiara for the last six months—ever since we settled in Chicago. Now that we weren’t traveling everywhere, I was excited that we were getting a place of our own. Three blocks away from Kiara. Sage considered her family. She didn’t want to be far from her.
I lost my appetite as I thought of where I was going this weekend. To visit my mom. I’d visited her a couple of times already. I had expected her to want nothing to do with me, but after everything, she still loved me. Even though she couldn’t comprehend how I could choose Sage over my family. Seeing her was always strained. But if she wanted me to visit, I would.
Most of the wives didn’t get the long sentences that the men received. They only kept the secrets, while the men were the ones who kidnapped and killed. Although some did help with the small aspects of the ceremony. The wives’ names were in the book too, but not to the extent of the husbands and sons. My mom would most likely get out and enjoy freedom again.
Unlike my dad and Alex.
They were in for life. I hadn’t seen them once since the day I rescued Sage. A small amount of guilt would always stay with me. Even though I didn’t regret it.
