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Sage had talked to Kiara about everything. I opened up a bit to her as well, deciding that if I could trust someone, it would be her. If she wanted to put me in prison, she would have done it already. Sage told her what really happened with Geo, and although I disagreed with that, I understood why she needed to admit it. She didn’t want us to live in fear of his death hanging over us.
Geo was still considered missing, and that was how it was going to stay. I bought the house in Traverse City that Geo had rented. We never went there, but we’d never sell it either.
Kiara kept our secret about Geo, and the talks we had with her helped Sage and I become stronger too. There was so much trauma from the past. So much death. I had been consumed with thoughts about how Sage would come to resent me for what my family did to hers. She felt guilty she took my brother from me, even after what he’d done.
Kiara became almost like a therapist for us, and we worked through it all. Which I would be forever grateful for. It wasn’t like we could go to an office and talk to some stranger about it all.
Standing from the table, I took Sage’s hand. “Come on, let’s get a drink from the bar.”
We went to the balcony that overlooked the Chicago skyline as the bartender mixed our drinks. I stood behind her with my arms around her waist as she leaned on the railing. This was home now. Neither of us had any desire to ever move back to Michigan.
“Are you ready to start your new job next week?” I asked, resting my head on her hair.
She’d finished her teaching degree this year and would be teaching at a local middle school. Kiara was right about us being busy. Sage wanted to teach but wanted to help with the centers too. I was working construction on the side to pay the bills until I got my degree.
“I’m ready for everything,” she murmured, resting her head on my shoulder. “I’m happy, Niko. It’s all over. We can start our lives.”
I spun her around until she faced me. Her eyes were bright with excitement, and a contagious smile played on her lips.
“My life started when you walked into it.” Placing my fingers under her chin, I tilted her face up before kissing her.
There were no doubts about my love for Sage. She’d saved me as much as I’d saved her.
She was mine and always would be.
*****
