The question popped out of my mouth the second I laid eyes on Vivian's solemn face. Even though I was over-the-moon that Kimberly finally opened up, there was a shit ton of emotional baggage she had.

Every time I think about everything she's been through, my heart breaks for her.

Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, it did. And that was a boatload of shit for just one person to deal with and take responsibility for.

I couldn't blame her for being the way she is.

In her position, who wouldn't be?

Vivian slipped onto the stool, leaning against the kitchen island. I passed her a glass of water, watching as she just sighed and accepted it.

I had to admit, it was weird seeing her as not just my wife's best friend, but also my best friend's new girlfriend. It was an imbalance of feeling terrified as shit in her presence and wanting to terrify her.

"She's taking a nap," Vivian finally responded. "She didn't cry as much as I expected her to. I think it was good for her to hear his words again, this time not plagued with the initial grief of losing him."

I nodded before proceeding cautiously. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

Yep, they're definitely best friends.

"How are you holding up?" I clarified.

Vivian looked taken aback by my question, not expecting me to ask about her state. I mean, I wasn't a monster. Even though Marcel was Kimberly's ex-boyfriend, he was also friends with Vivian. It was expected that seeing a dead friend's face would bring back painful memories.

"I don't know," she admitted, shrugging. "Marce was... something else. I thought I finally made peace with his death, but I miss him." She let out a short laugh, wiping at the tears that lined her eyes. "You remind me a lot of him, but simultaneously give me whiplash."

I raised a brow at her admission. "How so?"

Vivian turned serious. "If you repeat these words to anyone, I will rip your eyes out and replace them with your balls."

"Noted."

She took a deep breath. "I... apologize if this makes you uncomfortable, but Marcel used to look at Kim like she was the center of his universe. Like he couldn't believe someone like her existed. I see that when you look at her, but more importantly, I see it when she looks at you."

A stubborn blush crept up my face as a cheesy smile broke out. "Really?"

Kimberly may have affirmed her feelings for me many times in the last twenty-four hours, but it was a different sense of satisfaction to hear it from someone else.

Vivian looked close to throwing up. "This is disgusting, but yes. But you and Marce are complete opposites when it comes to personality. The sweet boy never cursed a day in his life. It was unnerving at first. Kim and I tried to at least get him to say shit, but the word just wouldn't come out of his mouth."

"What can I say? Around Kimberly, it comes out naturally," I snorted.

"That's another thing," she said. "He never bantered with her the way you do. Personally, I think it suits her better. And the way you defended her on Christmas... Marce didn't really do that. It wasn't because he didn't care, but he just kinda always went to her side first. I'll kill you if you repeat this, but I admire that about you. It's like you have faith that she'll find her way herself."

Because I did have faith.

"Maybe I just don't want to deal with her psychoticness after a breakdown," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

This was the most Vivian has spoken to me since I've met her. It was fucking weird.

She rolled her eyes. "You two are perfect for each other."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I retorted.

"Weirdly, I mean it," she replied, flipping me off. "For someone to have been loved the way Kim was and still find it in her heart to move on just shows that you're... special."

"Can you compliment me without making it sound like poison?"

She shook her head blankly.

I nodded awkwardly, her sitting there drinking her water and me drinking some coffee. It was the same Kona roast that Kimberly recognized on her first day here. I never told her, but I've been stocking up on it every time Van comes back from Hawai'i, so we never run low.

Speaking of Van...

"I have a question," I blurted after sitting in silence for a while.

She scoffed. "Then ask it."

Yep, definitely best friends.

"What happened between you and Kimberly?" I had been curious about this ever since Vivian's admission at the engagement party. Asking Kimberly was out of the book because I didn't know if she knew either.

And I really didn't want to face Vivian's wrath if I told her best friend that she was once in love with her.

"Nothing," she deadpanned. "We grew up together. A bunch of fucking bitches started making homophobic comments. I was, surprisingly, not confrontational growing up, unlike Kim. So, she asked if she could kiss me, and I said yes. When she pulled back, she looked at the girls and dared them to say shit knowing they would never cross Kimberly Astor. That's when I fell in love and when Marce did too."

"So, she's been terrorizing people for a while?" The smile in my tone was noticeable as I thought of my girl doing that. It sounded right up her alley.

"Precisely," Vivi responded with a hint of warmth.

I didn't blame her for falling in love with Kimberly. For someone to defend you that heatedly, it would be impossible not to. It was exactly how I felt when she told her own grandmother off at our wedding.

"Does she know?" I asked, cautiously.

She nodded softly. "Yeah, it came out after she got back to New York from her year of traveling. We talked it out, and she thought that I was over her, but I wasn't... until Savannah."

Even though I was stoic on the outside, I was internally relieved that Vivian's feelings for Van were genuine. I loved the girl like a little sister, doing everything I could to protect her fragile heart.

It's no secret that I hated the shit out of her ex, but I'm glad she found someone like Vivian.

Loyal and protective.

Van spent so much of her life caring for others, it was about time that she had someone who not only reciprocated but went beyond.

"Since you threatened me when it came to Kimberly, it's only fair I do the same," I responded. "If you ever hurt her, I won't need to do shit. I've taught that girl enough self-defense for her to take on a man twice her size."

Vivian nodded, accepting my words. "If I ever hurt her, I give you permission to do your worst. Savannah is, sadly, not the violent type. I don't think she'd ever even hurt a fly."

I was pleased with her answer, knowing how true it was.

Even though I taught Van how to defend herself, she cried every time she got a successful punch in, crying profusely. The odd part is, the girl has a mean punch when she's joking around, but hates the thought of hurting someone intentionally.

How she and Vivian got together is a mystery to me? Hell, the fact that Kimberly and I got together is a bigger mystery.

"You really like her?"

Vivian nodded—for the first time since I met her—sheepishly. "Yeah... it's different. Liking someone who likes you back. It feels really good."

I grunted. "Don't I know it."

"I fucked up, though," she admitted. "We were supposed to have a date last night, but I had to cancel because of what happened. Being the considerate person she is, Van wasn't mad... But seeing her disappointed was so much worse."

"Shit," I cursed. "I didn't realize you two had a date. I wouldn't have bothered you, if I knew."

"Not your fault." She shook her head. "But I think I have a way to make it up for her. She likes animals, right?"

"Loves them," I responded.

"Thank you," she nodded curtly. "I have some work to do, so I'll head out. For what it's worth, you're not that bad."

"You and Audrey give such glowing stamps of approval," I replied, sarcastically.

She shot me one of those looks. The one with the wide eyes and tight lips. The one that would instantly drop the smile on someone's face and make them shit their pants. "Fuck off. But... in all seriousness, forget me and Ash. Audrey's approval means everything to Kim. While it's nice that Ash likes you—you should thank Camelia for that—and I tolerate you, getting Audrey's green-light puts you on top."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

♕♕♕

There was no way to say this without sounding like a creep, but I could watch Kimberly sleep forever.

Squatting in front of her resting figure on the sofa, I was completely mesmerized by her. I don't know when I became so whipped for her, but seeing her at peace made me realize I'd do anything to keep it that way.

When she slept, a blanket of serenity washed over her. Her lips were parted slightly, her eyes fluttering behind shut eyelids, her rising and falling chest, her waxy hair sprawled behind her...

She was so beautiful.

I've always been an early-riser, but I finally found a purpose to wake up early. There was no greater feeling in the world than waking up to her on top of me. I was such a mess, I would even match my breathing to hers to prevent her from feeling any discomfort.

As much as I loved the fire in her when she fought with me, I found an equal sense of contentment when she was asleep.

I brushed a strand away from her face when it started irritating her nose. "Venus... wake up."

She stirred for a few seconds before opening her eyes, blinking the sleep away. The bright smile she let out had me breathless. "Hi."

Fuck.

The breathiness of her voice went straight to my cock.

I was in so much fucking trouble.

"Hi," I responded. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good," she replied, nodding with that same bright smile. "I think I'm out of tears for the next year or so."

"Good," I asserted. "If you start crying again, I'll sew your tear ducts shut."

"You're getting better with the threats."

I scoffed. "After the conversation I had with Vivian, I decided to up my game."

She laughed, finally sitting up on the sofa. I stayed on the floor, holding her bare legs against my chest, placing my chin on top of her knees. Her skin was always so smooth. I couldn't think of a single inch of her that I didn't want to touch.

It was maddening how much loving her consumed me.

Mom was right about me being in denial, but now that I'm not, I don't know what to do with all that I feel for her.

"Do you want to talk?" I asked, disturbing the silence that settled between us.

She shrugged. "There's not much to say. The video was a repetition of everything Marcel already said. Granted, I'm much more open to listening to him now, but oddly, the letter was more mind-opening."

"Why'd you say that with such hesitation?" I teased, falling prey to the urge to kiss the skin around her lower thighs.

"I don't know," she admitted. "It was like revolutionarily unrevolutional."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

I swear this woman makes me doubt the purpose of my education.

"Keep up, jackass," she snapped. "You're gonna have to get used to me, you know?"

"Sadly," I responded, resulting in her butting my chin with her knee. "Violent woman."

"Keep it up, and I'll do worse," she threatened half-heartedly, immediately moving her hand to rub the pain away from my jaw. She's weak for me too. "But the letter was Marcel's mom apologizing for what she said and telling me it wasn't my fault. Since I stopped blaming myself, it wasn't that revolutionary, but hearing—well, more like reading—her take it back gave me some closure."

"That's good."

She nodded in agreement. "I know... I think I want to go back into modeling."

Whiplash. All this woman gives me are whiplashes.

I waited for her to continue, which she does when she realizes she's rendered me speechless. "I quit modeling because I didn't think I deserved to be a role model. But I've been sober since the time we went to my old apartment, clean since you know when, and I plan on getting professional therapy soon. Plus, I think I can help other people going through similar shit. Lia told me to be proud of my achievements, no matter how small I think they are, and I'm finally seeing the truth to it."

"I'm proud of you," I whispered, running my hands up and down her calves.

She smiled shyly, getting a dazed look in her eyes that shot my ego to the top of Mount Everest. "Really?"

"Absolutely," I replied. "But I don't think you should model full-time."

Her smiling immediately dropped—an action that I thought I would hate, but knowing what I would say next made it so satisfactory—and she scowled. "What's that supposed to mean? I swear if you're telling me to stay home all the time, I'll purposely go into the kitchen and burn the house down."

"Jesus, woman," I groaned. "Fucking listening before threatening the state of our home. But I was trying to say that there's another job I think you'll be good at."

"Stripping."

Whip-fucking-lash.

"Yes and no." I shook my head, trying to get that visual out of my head. "God, I swear I'm getting high-blood pressure. I was attempting to say that with Farrell being gone and hopefully in jail before I get my hands on him, the COO position is open."

"What?"

I took her hands, looked up to see her eyes wide with confusion and excitement. "Kimberly, I'm asking if you want to be the COO of our company."

"What?"

I smiled, running my tongue over my bottom teeth. "If you keep this up, the board's going to think you're unqualified. I'm serious, though. You're a qualified business-woman with years of education and experience. You're already well-aware of how everything works. You don't really have big shoes to fill considering how big of a fuckface your predecessor is... Plus, you get to work with your husband. So... what do you think?"

The beaming smile on her face stopped my heart, only for it to start again when she wrapped her arms around me, muttering words of gratitude into my neck.

Absolutely fucking whipped.

***

i lied. there's one more chapter after then and then the epilogue. i get so carried away when writing.

also, hiiiii everyone! i wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for over a thousand reads and two hundred likes. it doesn't matter that i'm a writer. there aren't enough words for me to describe how grateful i am for all of you. so, thank you!

love, zia.