by Tina Saxon
I’m the breath you need to live
But you’re the wind I need to fly
I’m weightless when I’m with you
I never want to lose this high
Every heartbeat,
Every breath,
Every flight,
Belongs to you.
The power in those steel-blue eyes
Made these twisted wings come true.
My wings are stretched out wide
I’m flying on my own
If it wasn’t for you by my side
My twisted wings would’ve never flown
Every heartbeat,
Every breath,
Every flight,
Belongs to you.
The power in those steel-blue eyes
Made these twisted wings come true.
It’s weird hearing myself. Especially when I’m singing about the man staring down at me with a mixture of emotions swirling in his eyes. I wait with bated breath for him to say something. Both his hands cup my face. The room silenced and dark around us, making the moment even more intense.
“I don’t even know what to say, Tink.” He nods a couple times, swallowing. “Wow. I can’t believe you wrote me a song.”
I clear the nerves stuck in my throat. “Did you like it?” My voice barely a whisper.
“Did I like it? Babe, I loved it. Thank you.”
As soon as his lips hit mine, the room erupts in cheers and I melt into him. He pours all those emotions into his kiss.
“Thank you,” I say, pulling back. “Thank you for choosing me.”
He winks at me with the sexy smile that made me fall for him years ago.
“Anytime, Tink.”
THE END
Epilogue
Max
One year later
“Push, babe, push.”
“What the fuck do you think I’m doing!” Sydney screams. My head pulls back wondering where my sweet Tink went. Her superhuman power grip digs into my hand as her face turns beet red like it’s about to pop any second.
“C’mon breathe with me.” I soften my voice, trying to help her calm down. Mimicking the breathing techniques we learned in Lamaze class, I pull in a few quick breaths and release a longer one. Syd’s crazy eyes pin me in place. “You fucking breathe again, I’ll suffocate you with a pillow.” My gaze jumps over to Addison, sitting on the other side of her, wondering if she’s just as confused as I am. She barely shakes her head, telling me to be quiet in her subtle way.
When did I become the enemy?
Syd lays back, her chest moves up and down rapidly while she takes a break. “You got this, Syd. I see her head,” Addison says, wiping a cold cloth over her forehead. Sydney lifts her head, tears pooling in her eager eyes.
“You can?” Her voice is sweet as sugar as she looks at the mirror placed strategically at the end of the bed. I glance over and can see the head crowning. My baby girl is about to come into the world.
“Okay, Sydney, I need you to push one more time,” the doctor instructs.
She pulls her body up, gripping behind her thighs, and starts to push. “She’s almost here, babe,” I say, wiping the hairs stuck to her face behind her ear.
“Next time you try to stick your dick in my pussy, I will rip it off and shove it down your throat.” If her head could spin all the way around, I’m certain, it’d be doing it right now.
It’s just an empty threat, but my whole body shudders at the thought. I glance at the doctor wanting to tell her that Sydney is a sweet woman and she would never cuss like this in front of her kids. The doctor’s tight lipped, hiding her smile while she works. What am I doing wrong?
The cries of a baby fill the room, already demanding our attention. The nurse takes her and wraps her in a blanket, placing her in Sydney’s arms. I blink back tears staring at the tiny human. Ember Reese Shaw. Her large round eyes are wide open as she quiets and listens to Sydney talk to her.
“Look what we created,” she murmurs, glancing over at me. She sighs, wiping a lone tear off my cheek. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry.”
“What is happening to us? You turn into the devil and I’ve turned into a pussy.” She softly chuckles as I lean over and kiss her forehead. “She’s perfect, babe.”
“Okay, momma, we‘ll go clean her up while you finish here.” The nurse bends over to take Ember out of Sydney’s arms and I shoot up, my chair sliding across the floor.
“Where are you taking her?”
“It’s okay, Dad, we’re just taking her to the nursery to get her weighed and cleaned up,” she responds in a placating tone.
My spine straightens. “You switch my baby, there’s not a corner you’ll be able to hide in.” Sydney yanks on my shirt, hushing me.
The nurse chuckles, lowering Ember into a little rolling bed. “It’s okay. I’ve heard it all,” she says, looking up with a bright smile. “But I can say, his is the most convincing. I promise you won’t be leaving here with a different baby.”
I narrow my eyes at the woman, pulling my phone out. “The pink package is rolling out,” I relay to Stone, not taking my eyes off the bundle of pink. “And run a background check on Nurse Finley.” Her head lifts and she rolls her eyes.
“Max, stop,” Sydney says, slapping my thigh. “The last person you want to piss off is the woman handling our child.”
Shit. She’s right. “Scratch that. Buy Nurse Finley any car she wants.”
Sydney covers her face with her hand and the nurse rolls the bed out of the room, laughing. Well, at least she’s not leaving mad.
Addison walks from across the room and leans over to give Sydney a hug. “She’s precious. And already has Max wrapped around—” She winces, doubling over on the bed.
“Addison,” Sydney and I both say together. I round the bed to her side.
“Oh, no.” She snorts, holding her protruding belly, looking down. I follow her gaze to the puddle on the floor. Sydney gasps and follows it with a squeal of delight.
“Looks like we’re not done having babies today,” I say over my shoulder, rushing out to get Aiden.
Five years later
“Remember when you were excited to play hide n’ seek with her?” Sydney exhausts, pulling the curtain away from the window, looking for our half-pint. We’ve been looking for her for an hour. “Ember Reese, you win. You can come out now.” Her voice travels through the huge house as we walk out of the sixth bedroom we’ve cleared. The undertone of irritation is covered by sweetness in her voice. Although she should know by now, our daughter is not a quitter. “We have to find her before everyone gets here.”
“I know the quickest way to get her out of her hiding spot,” I say, stopping her in the hallway and pushing her body against the wall. She glances at me surprised. Pressing into her, I pull her leg up to wrap around me. “I think she can smell when daddy is getting fresh with mommy.” She laughs and nods knowing I’m right. Bending over to bring my lips to her natural full red ones, I revel in the taste of the woman that still owns me.
“Mommy! Daddy! You’re supposed to be wooking for me.”
I chuckle against Sydney’s lips as Ember forces herself in-between the two of us. Sydney drops her leg and we both look down at large ice-blue eyes and a head of wild blonde curls.
“What do you think we were doing?” I say, throwing her up in the air. Her giggles fill the hallway. Her giggles morph to squeals when she hears the doorbell.
“Everyone is here!” She dashes down the stairs before Sydney can even tell her to be careful.
Sydney and I walk down the stairs hand in hand. “Can you believe she’s five?” she says, looking over at me.
I sigh, shaking my head. “Can we have another one?” Her eyes widen and she hits me on the arm. “What? You’re the one who wanted five.”
“Yeah, I hadn’t had quick stop Emmy yet.” I chuckle at our nickname for her. She’s been running since she was ten months old and hasn’t stopped since. I never thou
ght a pint size human could tire me out. She has proven me wrong. Repeatedly.
We watch Aiden and his crew file in. Ember runs to Brooklyn and the two fall to the ground in a hug and a fit of giggles.
“Do you ever wonder what they’re laughing at?”
Sydney just smiles. “Best friends will always have their own language. You might as well stop trying to understand.” She drops my hand and runs to Addison, giving her a hug. I wait for the uncontrollable giggles, but they never come. I can’t help but stare at Addison’s belly. Fucking number five. Aiden wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted ten.
I just want one more.
Sydney’s career skyrocketed, and she’s at a point where she’s calling her own shots. We’ve talked about her taking the next year off to try for baby number two.
“Feel like having some target practice,” Aiden chuckles, standing beside me on the last stair. We both listen to the choppers outside, flying overhead as they try to get pictures of Sky.
“I would if I could.” Truthfully, they don’t bug me as much as the guys who get up in our face when we’re out. Those fuckers deserve what they get. The few cameras I’ve had to buy was worth the look of fear in their eyes. We’ve come to a mutual understanding for the most part. I’ll get a rogue paparazzi now and then. He learns where he stands in this relationship real quick. Far, far back.
We watch as our friends pile in the house. It’s hard to believe the changes in all our lives over the past eight years. The kids outnumbering the parents. That’s always a bad idea.
Addison waddles up to us, staring up at Aiden. “Hey, do you think you can help me wrangle Mason before he pulls out his penis and does wall art?” I burst out laughing. Their two-year-old son is a hellion, but this is a new talent I hadn’t heard of. “He’s very proud of his art,” she says sarcastically.
Aiden walks away shaking his head. Lulu strides up to me, taking his place, and wraps her arms around me. “Hey Uncle Max.”
“Hey, Lulu.”
She rolls her eyes and huffs. “Can you please stop calling me that? I’m not a child kid anymore.”
I bite my lip to stop from laughing. “Sorry, I forgot, you’re a tween.” I extend the last word for emphasis. Witty little girls are funny, witty big girls are a pain in the ass. But she’s still my favorite.
“Can you talk to mom?” I glance down, tilting my head wondering what she’s wanting me to talk Addison into. “Aunt Syd said I could sing with her on stage at the concert next month if mom says it’s okay. I bet you can guess what she said.” She sighs.
“You know I can’t change your mom’s mind. Why won’t she let you?”
“She says it’ll go to my head being this young and I’ll lose sight of my priorities.” She attempts to mimic Addison’s voice.
I bob my head. “It’s statistically true.”
“That is a bunch of crap. I already know how good I am, how much more could it go to my head from being on stage?”
I chuckle at her lack of humbleness. “Obviously not a lot. Maybe that’s the problem.”
She stomps away angrily. “I thought you wanted what was best for me,” she snaps over her shoulder before slipping outside. Shit. I don’t look forward to these years.
“Wow. You made someone angry,” Sydney says coming from the kitchen. She blows her hair out of her eyes and then wraps it up in a bun. “Man, those five-year-olds are crazy for slime.”
My eyes widen. “Between pee on walls and slime, we’ll be cleaning for days.”
“Pee? Who peed on the wall?”
“Nobody. Yet. Well, I hope. And Lulu, was already angry. It wasn’t me,” I say, holding my hands up. “She really wants to sing with you next month.”
“I know, I feel bad. I shouldn’t have said anything to her before talking to Addie.”
Pulling her into my chest, I say, “Can we keep Ember five forever?”
“I wish.”
Jett comes running out of the kitchen with Ember on his tail. “Jett, wait. You’re supposed to give me a birfday kiss.” They disappear out the front door.
My mouth drops open. What the fuck just happened? My gaze jumps from Sydney to the door and back to Sydney. She laughs like what just happened was amusing. It wasn’t.
“That’s so cute.” She beams.
“Cute? Fuck that. Aiden!” I scream, storming out of the room. “Aiden!”
“He’s outside with Mason,” Addison says, holding a blob of bright pink slime in her hands.
I spin in place and take long strides outside. “Dude, you need to keep your son away from my innocent little girl,” I snap when I see him sitting on the tree swing. Aiden bursts out laughing, his gaze behind me. I whip around and watch Ember tackle Jett, giving him kisses all over his face.
“Brother, you are in trouble.”
Twisted Wings Playlist
Listen to the entire playlist on Spotify
“Twisted Wings” (Original song out of the book) by Tina Saxon and Jaime Deraz
“Lost Boy” by Ruth B.
“99 Red Balloons” by Nena
“So What” by Pink
“Eyes on You” by Chase Rice
“One Man Band” by Old Dominion
“All to Myself” by Dan + Shay
“You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker
“Mercy” by Shawn Mendes
“Get the Party Started” by Pink
“Shut Up” by The Black Eyed Peas
“Rumor” by Lee Brice
“Chapel of Love” by The Dixie Cups
“Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” by David Lee Murphy, Kenny Chesney
“Speechless” by Dan + Shay
Note from the Author
Did you love Max and Tink together as much as I did? I know it took me forever to write their story, but this story was so different from the others and I wanted it to be perfect for you. Sydney deserved her happy ending. Hey, at least no one died in this book ;).
Who am I working on next, you ask? Ryker. And this story is DYING to be told. The current title (which can change) is Wild Distortion. I can’t wait for you to read this epic romantic suspense. Granted, if you know me at all, you know you’ll be waiting a few months. Hopefully not a year! But, if you’ve held on with me through this book, THANK YOU!! Readers are amazing people. When I receive an email, or read a post about how much you enjoyed my books, it makes my freaking week! Just know, I have so much love for y’all.
If you haven’t heard, the song Twisted Wings from the book was put to music and sang by Jaime Deraz. She did an amazing job!! You can find it on iTunes and Spotify!
Tiffany, Lori, Traci – I don’t mean to repeat myself, but you three are the solid base to my unsteady author life. Your support for me is unwavering and I LOVE YOU THREE to death!
Melissa Ellen, my best-author friend, thank you for pushing me to finish. It’s the push I needed! I look forward to all our book adventures. Here’s to many more!!
To my husband, who is always there to offer one liners (whether or not I ask for them), I love you! Thank you for letting me follow this crazy dream of mine and being there for me 100% of the time.
My amazing book team, I couldn’t have done this without you! Hang, my friend, you are so talented and patient.
Y’all want to know how picky I am with covers? Hang sent me the cover, and I liked it, but when I tilted my laptop screen a little backward, the lighting of the picture changed and was exactly what I wanted. So, I took a picture of it and sent it to her. She, of course, tried to mimic it with her laptop but couldn’t get it. It was a funny conversation. Anyway, she got it right, and it turned out perfect!!!
Ellie (and company), thank you for making my words look like I know what I’m doing. You and your team are always top on my list.
Until next time friends!
Xoxo
Tina
Books by Tina Saxon
TWIST OF FATE Trilogy
Aiden and Addison
Fate Ha
tes
Fate Heals
Fate Loves
Twisted Wings
Max and Sydney
Blinding Echo
Kase and Ellie
Wild Distortion (Coming 2020)
Ryker and Aspen
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