Hartstrings: A Jaded Regret Novel (Jaded Regret Series Book 3)
Page 26
My girl hadn’t felt so good in the mornings lately, which was our first clue that she was pregnant. The moment I saw the word “pregnant” on the test, I may be man enough to admit I cried.
Okay, I did. I cried. I blame it on pregnancy hormones.
“So far so good,” she said. “What are we doing today?”
Jaded Regret was lying low these days. We were working on some new material, and Kai had our international tour all set, but for now, we enjoyed our time at home. Thankfully, we would conclude our tour before Mac was too far along to travel. The timing worked perfectly.
“I have a surprise for you.”
She lifted her eyebrow. “You do, huh? A surprise like this one?” She lifted her hand, the sparkle of her diamond catching my eye. Even though I proposed just days after we found out we were having a baby, she still couldn’t get used to the sight of it on her finger.
I kissed her hand. “Maybe.”
“Or like this one?” She took my hand and put it on her still-flat stomach. I couldn’t wait to see her belly protruding with our baby.
My man-pride swelled every time I thought about it. I put that there.
I leaned down and kissed her belly, too. “Maybe,” I said again.
“Well.” Mac ran her hand down my bare chest and into the loose basketball shorts I wore to bed. “Since the baby is giving us a gift of not feeling ill this morning, why don’t we stop talking and take full advantage of it.”
She didn’t have to ask me twice.
* * *
“Our stuff was all delivered, right?”
AJ nodded. “Yes. Everything is set up like you requested.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate you doing this. It’s way beyond your job description.”
AJ laughed. “Tan, I’m happy as hell to see you settling down. I have to admit when you first got involved with Mac I was afraid. But if I’ve ever seen two people who were meant for each other, it’s you two.”
“Thanks. I have to say that despite what I thought for years, being with one woman is all I ever need. She’s it for me.”
“And you’re going to be a fucking dad.” AJ shook his head. “God help us all.”
I shoved him. “Hey!”
“As long as you promise not to allow him or her to follow in your earlier footsteps, we’ll be good.”
“My daughter will never know what her dad was like. And she won’t date until she’s thirty.”
“Your daughter? What makes you so sure you’re having one?”
I glanced down at my arm. I always told my band I wouldn’t get a tattoo until I found something I wanted on my body for life. The angel on my arm with both Tracey and my mom’s initials was exactly what I needed. It was my tribute to them. To never forget. To never get complacent. To always remember that they gave up their lives so I could have mine. So I could get Mac.
“Because I know.” I couldn’t explain it. Mac was barely pregnant, and I already knew.
“Okay, weirdo.”
We laughed. “Let’s go, asshole. I have to get ready for my girl.”
Natalie would bring Mac to me. I made sure Bryce, another security guy, would be with them at all times. We didn’t take chances anymore, despite the fact that Andrew was gone. Our safety was of the utmost importance.
* * *
“Here’s your special delivery.” Natalie held Mac’s hand as she walked her to the front door. I took her hand and kissed her gently. She looked fucking gorgeous, as usual.
Her hair was in curls and down, my favorite. She wore a strappy sundress, also my favorite. It had easy access. She wore sandals—easy to take off—and best of all, the rock on her finger and my baby inside her belly. Soon, she’d have my last name and that would make the trifecta.
She was everything I needed in one package.
“Thank you, Nat.” I hugged her.
“Nice place,” she mouthed. I grinned and nodded. Nat stepped back, and I closed the door.
“You ready?”
“Where are we?” Mac wore a blindfold, as per my request. I made a mental note to stick that blindfold in my back pocket for our celebration later. I could make good use of that. The thought of going down on her while she wore it made my dick jump in anticipation.
Not yet, buddy.
I pulled her into the house more so she could get the full effect once I lifted the blindfold. She would recognize immediately where we were.
Our furniture was set up, and our things were all unpacked. It was home. Candles lit the entire family room and kitchen area, ready for our romantic night. Dinner was on the table, catered by a local restaurant.
“Tan, come on.”
“Ready?” I captured her lips with mine, and we got lost for a moment in our simmering passion. That girl knew how to get me revved up just with her lips alone.
“Beyond ready.”
I lifted the blindfold, and she blinked. She scanned the room, her soft gasps the only sound other than the soft music playing from the surround sound speakers.
“You didn’t.” She covered her mouth with her hand, but not before a small sob escaped. “You bought the house.”
“Welcome home, baby.”
“Oh, Tanner.” She put her arms around me, and I hugged her tightly to my body. “Thank you. It’s perfect. You’re perfect. I love you so much.”
“I’m hardly perfect, but we’re perfect together. And together we’ll make so many happy memories, right here in this house. With our rock band full of children.”
The tears spilled down her cheeks. She turned in circles, taking in every part of the house. “Show me the rest, Tanner.”
I picked up a remote and hit the number I knew it was. “I sure will. I want you to dance with me first, though.”
Nervous butterflies let loose in my stomach. This was another secret project I worked on for the last several weeks. Bex and Beau helped, but for the first time, I wrote a song almost entirely by myself.
It was therapeutic, and I found out I liked it. She made a good subject.
The opening chords of the song began, and I pulled my love into my arms. “I love you, Mackenzie Shepard. What do you say we don’t wait much longer for you to be Mackenzie Hart? I want you to be mine. Officially.”
“I’m yours.” Mac kissed me softly. “But yes. Let’s do it soon.”
“Listen,” I whispered in her ear. Just then, Bex’s signature voice filled the room. Mac looked up at me, a question in her eyes. She knew all our songs. But not this one.
“This one’s for you,” I said. “I wrote it. It’s called ‘Hartstrings.’ Because every single part of my heart belongs to you.”
Mac listened, a smile etched on her face. “Tanner. You wrote this?”
“With a little help? Yes.”
“I love it. And you.”
We let the lyrics surround us. She rested her head on my chest, and I thanked Tracey and my mom for sending me Mac. I promised them I would make them proud.
I never wanted to let anyone in.
I learned long ago to shut out the pain.
To let no one see the real me.
I hid behind a mask.
Never allowing it to fall.
But when I found you,
Everything changed.
Before you,
I was nothing.
My heartbeat was hollow and empty.
You changed my life.
With one look, one touch.
The strings of my heart found yours…
Hartstrings
We held on and never let go.
You are my life.
You are my love.
Hartstrings.
Forever bound together.
Our love will conquer all.
My heart beats only for you…
Hartstrings….
THE END
Acknowledgments
To all of my readers, the ones that have been with me from book number one to now and the ones that will pick this book
up as the first one you will read by me. Your support means everything.
To Leddy, thank you as always for your friendship and support. Thanks for spending so much time making this book beautiful both in words and formatting. You are a woman of many talents.
To Tracey, thank you for always having my back and being my right hand woman.
To my beta team, thank you for showing me how to make the story stronger and better. Your help is invaluable.
To my family, your unending support keeps me going.
To my fellow author friends, thank you for being a beacon of light in a world that is sometimes dark and isolating.
Please consider leaving a review at your point of purchase after reading. It helps more than you know. Help support indie authors and if you loved it, tell a friend or two. It’s more appreciated than we can express. Support getting new books to choose from and purchase your books, don’t get them for free from a piracy site.
L.L. Collins Book List
The Living Again Series:
Living Again (Living Again #1)
Reaching Rachel (Living Again #2)
Guarding Hearts (Living Again #3)
Finding Forever (Living Again #4)
Breaking Free: A Living Again Novella (Living Again #4.5)
The Twisted Series:
Twisted Souls (Twisted #1)
Twisted Paths (Twisted #2)
Standalones:
Back to the Drawing Board
Jaded Regret Series
SENTENCED
Snared
Hartstrings
Coming soon: Exposed
About the Author
L.L. Collins loves spending her days in the Florida sun with her husband and two boys, reading, and writing. LL has been writing since she was old enough to write. Always a story in her head, she finally decided to let the characters out and make her lifelong dream of becoming an author come true in the self-publishing world. She’s the author of the Living Again Series, the Twisted Series, Back to the Drawing Board, and the Jaded Regret Series.
Get in touch with L.L. Collins
@authorllcollins
llcollinsauthor
www.llcollinsauthor.com
authorllcollins@gmail.com
Playlist for Hartstrings
https://open.spotify.com/user/authorllcollins/playlist/1ldPFUtrHg7rf2sagiboGM
Trip Switch- Nothing But Thieves
Fire and the Flood- Vance Joy
Use Somebody-Kings of Leon
Forever- Papa Roach
Sex on Fire- Kings of Leon
Revelry- Kings of Leon
Casual Sex- My Darkest Days
Novocaine- Fall Out Boy
Failure- Breaking Benjamin
Anthem of the Angels- Breaking Benjamin
I Will Not Bow- Breaking Benjamin
Down- Seether
Immortality- Seether
My Disaster- Seether
Outside- Staind
So Far Away- Avenged Sevenfold
Hollow- Breaking Benjamin
Defeated- Breaking Benjamin
Broken- Lifehouse
Come Undone- My Darkest Days
Addicted- Saving Abel
Dirty Little Thing- Adelitas Way
Victim- Avenged Sevenfold
Demons- Imagine Dragons
Salted Wound- Sia
The Hills- The Weeknd
I Want to Know What Love Is- Foreigner
Pillowtalk- Zayn
Fool For You- Zayn
Pause- SafetySuit
Never Again- Nickelback
Love The Way You Lie- Eminem
Every Breath You Take- The Police
Apologize- Timbaland
Cold- Crossfade
Fear- Blue October
Bleed Out- Blue October Not Broken Anymore- Blue October
Hold On, We’re Going Home- Drake
Photograph- Ed Sheeran
Burnin’ It Down- Jason Aldean
Sex Therapy- Robin Thicke
Something More- Secondhand Serenade
Rock Your Body- Justin Timberlake
Scars- Papa Roach
Get Ugly- Jason Derulo
With the Lights On- Jason Derulo
Want To Want Me- Jason Derulo
Skin- Rhianna
Toothbrush- DNCE