Page 86 of Return To You

Al isn’t the only one unwilling to miss something that should have happened years ago.

“Well, if he wasn’t your brother, I’d be fucking pissed right about now,” Noah jokes from the doorway, and we break apart and look at him.

His body is pulled tight with tension, and I know why, his next words confirm it.

“Two days and no contact…. That is not fucking okay, Rose!” he snaps, and Al clears his throat to stop his chuckle from coming out.

Giving me a grin, he kisses my head and says, “And that’s my cue.” He gives me a pointed look. “Make sure you call when you’re ready.”

I smile at him, and he turns and leaves, patting Noah’s back on the way out.

I tilt my head at the man I’m willing to spend the rest of my life.

He shakes his head, and growls, “If you think I’m going to allow you to leave me, then you’ve got another think coming.” He takes a step forward. “I get it, I fucked up, but I’m fucking trying here, Rose—I’vebeentrying. I’ve done everything for you, I’ve been there when you needed me—” He stops a few steps from me, and bangs his chest. “I love you, Rose, and I can’t fucking lose you. Do you hear me!”

My eyes water and I smile at him and whisper, “Noah, look around the room….”

He furrows his brows and does as I ask. I watch as shock, awe, and amazement enter his features. All of my belongings, which aren’t much, are scattered aroundourroom. My smile turns into a grin when his gaze instantly lands on my neck, seeing the ring gone, before it moves to my left hand. He relaxes then, suddenly, one moment I’m standing before him, and the next, my back is against the mattress, his body covering mine, and his lips firmly pressed against mine.

He kisses me with force and love, his tongue tangling with mine, making me melt as his hips grind against mine, his member hitting my center, making me throb. Suddenly, his body is gone, and my mouth parts in shock.

“What the…” I start.

Noah cuts me off and runs out the door, shouting, "Packa bag, Petal. I’ll call the pilot and our family; we’re going to Vegas!”

I shout back, “But Noah?—”

He pops his head through the doorway and cuts me off, stating, “I’m not giving you a chance to change your mind. Let’s go, chop-chop,” before disappearing again, and I laugh despite being sexually frustrated.

That man….

Five hours later, in front of our family—our son—Noah and I say I do. And finally, after too long, I finally feel complete.

epilogue

Noah – Ten Years Later

I grin at the crowd,the lights blinding, the noise loud as Diego plays a solo on the drums next to his uncle Cam, who’s there if he needs it.

Eleven years old, a picture of both me and his mom, and fucking amazingly talented. He can drum, guitar, and sing, yet he’s humble, knowing where I came from, and how his mom was brought up, despite having money.

He’s the perfect child, which is good because Caleb, our seven-year-old, is rebellious, just like I was at that age. He keeps us on our toes, and likes to get his five-year-old brother, Tatum, in on his rebellion.

Both boys are spitting images of me, right down to the black hair and dark blue eyes, while our three-year-old daughter, Hope, has my black hair and her mom’s dark green eyes. She is our little princess.

Life has been so fucking good, and I never take it for granted.

Our band has gotten bigger each year, and the tours are tough, but we have love it, and with Rose by my side, who is our main cheerleader, it is fucking amazing.

Today, we’re performing our final concert, and the boys and I have agreed to take a year off to be with our families; our fans are demanding we return, and we will. Heck, the boys bought the houses on either side of mine and Rose’s in Kingstonville to keep us close. We’ll work on new music, just not tour or do interviews.

We’re taking the time off so we can rest and spend time with our families.

While Barnett has settled down, with Natalie no less, marrying her two years after I married Rose in Vegas, where they apparently hooked up and fell pregnant, Cameron has decided to be a bachelor for life after realizing he liked both men and women, not willing to settle for just one, claiming to be the fun uncle to our kids. And I don’t blame him.

To each to their own and all that, as long as he’s happy.

Diego finishes his solo, and the crowd screams while I chuckle into the mic. “If he didn’t look so much like me, you’d think he was Cam’s kid….”

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