Scintillation (Stars Align Book 3)

by Kate Stacy

  At this point in our friendship, I really shouldn’t be surprised by the things that Derrick says. Especially not when it comes to an attractive man. But occasionally—like just now—he manages to catch me off guard.

  This time, I at least have a comeback.

  I paste a faux sympathetic smile on my face and tilt my head.

  “Sorry, D. I’m afraid he’s just not that into you.”

  His jaw drops in slow motion, eyes opening comically wide.

  “Presley! Did you just…? Well, I never!” He grabs his chest, acting wounded, but the facade doesn’t last long. He smiles, leaning over to bump my shoulder with his. “In all seriousness...if I woulda known something as simple as a damn shot of tequila would have given me my sassy pretty back...I would have brought your ass to the bar to get drunk weeks ago.”

  I sneak another lime wedge, not needing the alcohol to enjoy the tart and sour flavor of the fruit.

  “We’ll get another shot when your brother comes back.”

  I nod absentmindedly as I look around the bar.

  This is the first time I’ve been out in over a month. My life has centered around work and therapy for far too long. As much as I still don’t really want to be here, I’m glad I came.

  Derrick starts messing around with his phone while we wait. Under normal circumstances, I’d give him hell for being on his phone when he’s the one that dragged me out, but I just don’t have it in me to care tonight.

  I miss Adam.

  And I’m starting to regret my decision not to go back to the shop.

  Holden comes back out from the kitchen and pours us another shot, but my attention is diverted from tequila to my phone when it starts vibrating like crazy. I barely hear the little beeps of my notifications over the music and chatter in the bar, but they’re incessant.

  I dig my phone from my bag and see the notifications for Instagram blowing up.

  My face scrunches as I swipe to unlock the screen.

  “What the hell?” I mutter to myself. “I haven’t posted anything new today...oh!”

  King of Ink has tagged me in a post.

  I tap to enlarge the picture and my breath hitches.

  Adam.

  There he is in all his muscled and inked glory, standing shirtless in his room at the Three Kings. I’d recognize the familiar setting anywhere. My eyes drift across the image, taking in every detail. One catches my attention almost instantly. He’s got a gorgeous new tattoo. There are words around the crowns, but I can’t make out what they say. I start to wonder if it has meaning—because all his ink does—but my mind refuses to stay focused.

  My heart beats hard in my chest as I realize how much I really miss him.

  He’s not smiling in the picture, but I can see familiar emotions swirling in his dark eyes. He’s holding a book in his right hand, and tears begin to burn my eyes when I realize what it is. The gorgeous couple on the cover? It’s us.

  I thought I’d seen all the pictures Tara took for her romance author friend, but I know damn well I’ve never seen this one before. There’s no way I would have forgotten a picture like this.

  It’s one of the shots of me straddling Adam’s lap on the bed.

  He and I are chest to chest and my back is blessedly bare, in full view of the camera’s lens.

  One of Adam’s tattooed hands is planted firmly at the base of my spine. The other has a fistful of rose gold hair in a tight grip as he pulls my head back.

  In the photo, my eyes are closed, lips parted.

  Adam’s mouth is on my neck, but his eyes…

  Fuck.

  His eyes hold no secrets.

  He’s staring straight into the lens of the camera and it’s impossible to miss the fierce emotions in their dark depths.

  Raw, primal need.

  Possession.

  Pure, unadulterated love.

  His eyes fucking slay me.

  Completely oblivious to anything happening around me, I begin to read the post accompanying the picture. It’s a struggle to read through blurred vision, so I wipe my eyes and try to blink back the tears.

  For anyone who doesn’t already know me…

  My name is Adam. I’m the face behind Castle and Three Kings.

  You may not recognize my face, but I’m sure you know my work.

  Art is my passion, and ink was my one true love in life.

  Until her.

  You see...this girl walked into my shop one day. This crazy, beautiful...utterly maddening girl. I was instantly drawn to her. She had this sort of...magnetism, this pull I was helpless to resist.

  She’s gravity.

  She pulled me in without even trying and suddenly my entire world revolved around her. It happened so fast, I could have blinked and missed it.

  She brought a light to my life that I didn’t know I was missing. She lit up even the darkest depths of my soul, changing everything I thought I knew about life...and love. She dragged me from my black and white world and filled my life with bright colors and beautiful moments.

  Until I lost her.

  I’m not a perfect man.

  I let my issues and insecurities seep into the narrow space between us. I snuffed out her beautiful light and allowed a wide gap to bridge between us. I broke her heart. I hurt her in ways a simple apology could never be enough to heal.

  But I am sorry.

  From the bottom of my beating heart and the deepest depths of my soul...I’m sorry.

  Presley…

  I may call you Princess, but in truth...you’re my queen.

  I may not be the hero of the story from the book in this picture, but I want to be the hero of yours. You and I know better than most that real life is no fairytale, but I won’t stop hoping for a happy ending.

  I can’t take back the things that I said, or the way that I made you feel.

  Those are things I will regret for the rest of my life.

  I need you Presley. I don’t want to live this life without you.

  Because what’s a King without his Queen?

  I’m sure you noticed the new ink on my chest.

  It’s for you. For us.

  “Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you.”

  My place in life is at your side, it’s the only place where I belong.

  It’s the only place that’s ever felt right.

  We were good together, Princess.

  We balanced each other out, and we can have that again.

  Whatever you lack, I got you.

  Have a bad day? I’ll give you a better night.

  Need support? Lean on me and let me be your backbone.

  I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you motivated and help you rise to the top.

  You’re a goddamn star, Presley. You deserve to shine.

  Never doubt that.

  No matter whether or not you decide to give me a second chance, know that you’ll always have my loyalty. You’ll always have me. And I’ll always have us.

  By the time I read the final word, rivers of tears are streaming down my face.

  Until this moment…I didn’t realize that I’d started to lose hope.

  I’d started to think that he didn’t want me...that maybe I’m too fucked up for him to love.

  I thought I ruined everything the day he walked into my bathroom and watched me bleed.

  I may be close to drowning in tears, but my happiness is overwhelming.

  I’ve never been happier to be wrong.

  A pair of strong, tattooed arms wrap around me from behind and I gasp, choking back a sob.

  His body leans in, moving impossibly close to mine and I melt into him.

  His face nuzzles into my neck and he inhales deeply, breathing me in and I tightly close my eyes.

  His warm breath blows across my ear and I tremble.

  He whispers four beautiful words and I fall apart.

  “I love you, Princess
.”

  THIRTY-NINE

  Adam

  Presley’s beautiful body relaxes against me and even though she’s crying, I breathe out a sigh of relief. Despite all my plans, in the back of my mind, I was beginning to think I would never feel her in my arms again. This is exactly where she belongs, where she was always meant to be.

  I know Presley, and I know that her emotions are overwhelming her right now. Unconcerned with the people around us, I stand strong, tighten my arms around her, and hold her while she lets it all out. When her tears begin to slow and her breathing evens out, I press my lips against her neck and close my eyes, breathing in her comforting scent.

  God, I fucking missed her.

  Loosening my hold, I spin her around and pull her into me again. She gives in easily, taking shelter in the comfort of my arms. She tucks her face into my chest, and I press a kiss to the top of her head.

  The world around us fades and I relish the feeling of having her where she belongs.

  I feel whole.

  Complete.

  I finally have my missing piece.

  When Presley looks up at me, I frame her face with my hands and lock my gaze with hers.

  The love shining from her eyes is so strong, so powerful, it takes my breath away.

  Silence reigns as her eyes search my own.

  She waits a breath and utters the words I’ve desperately wanted to hear from her.

  “I love you too, Adam.”

  And in another breath…

  Our mouths collide.

  Her kiss gives me life and I steal her breath, letting it fill my lungs.

  For the first time in weeks, I can breathe without gasping for air.

  This.

  This is what it’s like to feel truly alive.

  A chorus of whistles, hoots, and hollers breaks through the invisible barrier separating us from the rest of the world. The sound of applause and cheers comes rushing in, pulling us from our moment.

  Presley laughs, smiling against my lips.

  The happiness on her face is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever fucking seen.

  I grin, knowing that I’ll never get enough.

  Letting the grin fall from my face, I crash my mouth against hers and get lost.

  Blissfully lost.

  In her scent, her taste, her touch.

  In the way my body fills with warmth as hers melts against me.

  I tug on her lower lip with my teeth and work my hands into her hair.

  A low whistle forces me to break away.

  I see Derrick fanning himself from the corner of my eye and I chuckle.

  “Me next! Me next! It’s my turn.” He points at some of the people around us. “Y’all are gonna have to get in line.”

  The entire bar bursts into laughter, breaking the heavy weight of the moment.

  Presley’s face turns bright red and she buries her face against my chest, but it doesn’t hide the fact that she’s laughing too.

  “C’mon, baby,” I murmur in her ear.

  I take her hand and lead her away from the bar, away from the crowd of people who’d gathered around us to watch our happy reunion. The table that stays reserved for family and friends is empty, so I slide into the booth and pull Presley down next to me. I plan to keep her by my side for a long, long time. I’ve gone too long without her already.

  Noah drops off a tray of food and drinks without a word. I give him a nod of thanks as he turns away, giving me and Presley a touch of privacy.

  “I’ve missed you so fucking much,” I tell her. The words are raw, filled with the pain I felt from her absence.

  “I missed you, too. I honestly started wondering if we’d ever be able to get through what happened between us.”

  Giving her my full attention, I say the words that she’s deserved to hear since the day it all fell apart.

  “I’m sorry, Princess.”

  “Already forgiven.”

  “But…”

  “No, Adam,” she says, placing a finger against my lips. “Life’s too short, too precious to waste time on things that don’t matter anymore. We both made mistakes, and we’ve both already suffered enough. We don’t need to rehash the harsh, ugly happenings of that day. Just know that I’m in a much better place...I have a better handle on things now.”

  “You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear, baby.” I kiss her temple and nuzzle against her cheek. “You have to know it killed me to stay away from you, to give you the time you needed to get your head straight.”

  “It was hard for me, too. Especially on the bad days. I hated not being able to come to you for the comfort I always found in your arms.”

  “I’m here now, and my arms are open to you whenever you need them.”

  Her smile is everything.

  It’s bright and beautiful, transforming her entire face.

  Even her eyes shine with happiness, the sadness that used to linger can no longer be seen.

  “So...I met your clone.”

  I laugh at her not-so-subtle subject change, but I let her have it.

  It’s been an emotional day for both of us. If she needs to move on to lighter topics for now, that’s exactly what we’ll do. We have the rest of our lives to share the heavy. For now, I’m happy just to have her next to me.

  “Was it as much of a mindfuck for you as it was for me?”

  “Little bit,” she laughs, holding her index finger a short distance from her thumb. “But seriously...I thought I was losing my shit, Adam! I walked into your shop and there you were, but it wasn’t you. I was more than a little weirded out.”

  I don’t mean to laugh, but how can I not?

  “You? I was in my office one day minding my own business when Cannon called me up to the front. Imagine how I felt when I stepped into the lobby and saw myself standing there! I thought Cannon was going to have to have me committed.”

  “I’m happy you’re finding your family, Adam.”

  “I already had my family. Ryan, Cannon, Hannah...you. Noah and Felix are just a bonus.”

  Her lips quirk up at the corners. “I consider Derrick family, so I know exactly how you feel.”

  “Your family is my family. Besides...I owe him.”

  The way her face scrunches is adorable.

  “Derrick brought you back to me,” I explain. “I called him days ago to ask for his help. After a lot of groveling, a few promises, and a couple threats of death or dismemberment...he agreed. I already knew what I wanted to do to try to get you back—”

  “The Instagram post.”

  I nod. “The Instagram post. But...I wanted to be there when you saw it. I had a hunch it would be overwhelming for you and I didn’t want you to face all those feelings alone. I personally would have chosen somewhere less public, but Derrick insisted it wasn’t a grand gesture unless it happened in a very public way.”

  “He would,” she laughs.

  “I didn’t think it could get more public than more than fifty thousand people on Instagram, but what the hell do I know? It’s impossible to argue with him when he has his mind set on something.”

  “I know this,” she says, leaning into me. “But I don’t have fifty thousand followers.”

  “You might now. I have a feeling we’re about to go viral in a big way.”

  “You’re probably right. People are either going to love us or hate us. I already know the trolls will be out in full force, leaving rude comments and trying to ruin everyone’s happiness.”

  “Maybe. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it together, yeah?”

  “Of course,” she says, tilting her face up for a kiss. “If we do go viral, maybe we can use our newfound fame to find any other siblings you have out there in the world.”

  “Not a bad idea. Jake is still searching. He told me months ago that there’s at least one more. When Felix showed up, I thought it was him, but the last time I talked to Jake he confirmed t
hat he had no idea about Felix. He’s still on the trail of someone else, but he hasn’t given me anything more than a name.”

  “Huh. That’s a little odd.”

  “I thought so, too.”

  “Well...what’s his name?”

  “Riley Ashton Rose.”

  “Sounds fancy,” she says, finally starting to pick at the food on the table in front of us.

  “Let’s eat, baby,” I suggest. “When you’ve had your fill of tacos and tequila, I plan to take you home and get my fill of you.”

  EPILOGUE

  Presley

  The low buzz of Adam’s tattoo machine soothes my soul.

  Part of me always thought people were crazy when they talked about how tattoos can become an addiction. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was wrong.

  The ink covering much of my body is a visible testament to my drug of choice.

  I love everything about getting tattooed.

  The sound of the machine.

  The sting from the needles puncturing my flesh.

  The feel of Adam’s calloused fingers smoothing over my skin.

  The natural high I get every time I sit in his chair.

  The elegant, feminine end results.

  Adam and I grow closer with every piece he adds to my body.

  He’s added more than a few over the past year.

  I finally got the short quote I wanted on my side. It was the first of many.

  Roses and lace are a common theme among the ink decorating my body. I’ve got a huge piece spanning the left side of my abdomen. Roses, daisies, a lock, and lace. Mostly black with dark red shading. Another large design on the back of my left shoulder. Roses, butterflies and lace. Muted colors shading the roses and butterfly wings, making them stand out against the black lace.

  I even got a tattoo to represent Holden.

  A gorgeous design with a compass on lace, surrounded by roses and strands of pearls.

  Adam might be my king, but Holden is my true north.

  Always there when I need him, always willing to point me in the right direction.