Page 65 of When Our Stars Aligned

“Thank you,” she whispers and places her head on my chest. I pull her in as close as humanly possible. If someone told me a few months ago that I would be dancing in the middle of a bar holding the sweetest and most beautiful girl in the world, I would’ve thought they were nuts. Yet, here I am, reveling in her closeness. All my worries, my burdens, the anger I have held onto for so long disappear when I’m with Aly. I’ve never known such a peace.

Travis has started giving me shit about my “upcoming wedding.” The dude already has us walking down the aisle, complete with Gus as the ring bearer. It should bother me, but it doesn’t. Aly has easily accepted me and my life, including my past and our future. We talk about having a family and how my current project house would be the perfect place to start one. I can see it—birthdays, holidays, random Tuesdays spent with the family Aly and I can create. It will be the life I always wanted but never thought I’d have.

I dip my chin to look down at her. She should be looking around the bar to see if Trent is lurking anywhere in the shadows, but instead she’s in her own little world, undoubtedly savoring the tranquility shared between us. She looks up at me and smiles. She knows she’s safe with me. I don’t know whether this guy is here or not, but she knows, no matter the scenario, I will keep her safe physically and mentally.

“I love you, Aly.” The words tumble out of me like I’ve been saying them all my life. It’s the most natural thing in the world to tell her I love her. Before she can respond, I place a quick kiss on her lips, but she pushes against me to deepen the kiss. The music, the people, the noise—everything fades to the background as we kiss in the middle of the dance floor.

“Hey! Lovebirds!” Alex interrupts, making Aly jump with surprise. He comes dancing up beside us with… Michelle? Ilook between them questioningly and Alex shrugs. “She was the closest one to me and I needed to talk to you.”

The music turns to something faster and Michelle begins dancing circles around Alex. “Come on, Jones! Move those hips!” she demands. She’s definitely been drinking and not paying attention to anything that’s been going on.

“Listen,” he says, trying not to let Michelle distract him. “I asked the bartender if there have been any unfamiliar faces in here and he said he didn’t notice anyone. But one of the waitresses overheard me and told me that one of her customers doesn’t seem to be from around hereandhe has a thick Southern accent.”

“Where?” A cold sensation travels up my spine and Aly stiffens in my arms.

“The high top, back corner by the pool tables.”

I swing Aly around to get a better look and see a guy in a dark green coat slip out the side door.

“Jax!” Aly warns, her expression fearful.

I stop her. “It’s okay. Just let me check things out. Go back to the table with Carter and Gabby. I just want to make sure everything is okay.” I give Alex a knowing look and he nods in agreement. I don’t need backup, but I may need a witness.

As I head for the side door, I hear Alex try to get Michelle off the dance floor. “Come on, Peanut, I think you need to get something to eat,” he coaxes.

“No! I want to stay!” she protests.

“I know you love to dance, but Jax and I have to go take care of something. I’ll go get—Ow! Mother of pearl!” I look back to see Alex hopping on one foot. I quickly study Michelle in her five-inch heels and determine that she must’ve stomped on it. “Carter!” Alex yells. “Come get your girl!”

I exit the building; the crisp fall air hits me full blast, but the adrenaline surging through me keeps me warm. I scan theparking lot but don’t see anything out of the ordinary. I decide to check the back parking lot where Aly and I both parked our cars. I know Trent has messed with her car before and I need to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with again.

Rounding the corner, I see movement near Aly’s sedan. A guy wearing a dark green coat appears to be looking inside the windows of her car.

“She’s mine, you know,” he says as I approach him, not bothering to remove his focus from the car. “You might act all cute and cuddly on the dance floor now, but she’ll come to her senses and come back to me.”

“She’s not a possession, and she’s not going back to you,” I spit out. I study the asshole who made Aly miserable. His light brown hair is heavily styled, and his clothes are perfectly tailored to his lean frame. He looks like he’s never had to work hard a day in his whole life.

“She did all those other times.” He looks up at me with a devious grin. We may be standing a few feet apart, but I can tell that I have at least four inches of height on him.

“Except for the last time you broke up. She even moved across the country to get away from you. Why did you even come here?”

“To get her back!” His voice is venomous. “I’m the one who calls the shots. No one says ‘no’ to me.”

I watch his face turn stone-cold. His dark brown eyes look nearly feral and an uneasy feeling stirs in my gut. This guy is a loose cannon.

“Well, it looks like someone finally did.” I smirk, thinking that Aly was the first person to stand up to this jackass who clearly has had everything handed to him on a silver platter.

“Do you know how much work I put into her? You see, I had it all figured out. The most popular guy in town meets the wholesome little teacher. He brings her home to Mama, who loves her, of course, they get married, have a couple of kids, anddo that happily-ever-after shit. We were gonna have this perfect little life together, you know? I had her just the way I wanted and then she started overthinking everything. I’m not starting over; I’m taking her back.”

For a moment, I feel like I’ve had the wind knocked out of me as I realize just how sick this guy is. “You thought you could manipulate her? She’s worked hard to better herself, and you thought you could convince her to give up everything she’s worked for so you could get a perfect little wife who did everything you said?”

“I was trying to show her that if she just listened to me—”

“You took her weakness, her willingness to please everyone, and tried to use it against her,” I cut him off. “She’s not a fucking Stepford Wife.”

A sinister sneer spreads across Trent’s face and I know I pegged him perfectly. Aly is a strong woman. She has to be to have accomplished so much on her own. But Trent was determined to break her spirit for his own power. He wanted to make her weak so he could control her. My stomach sinks thinking how Aly’s life might’ve been if she didn’t muster up the courage to leave when she did. “You stalked her,” I continue.

“Can’t prove it was me.” He shrugs his shoulders.

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