Epilogue One
EVANGELINE
THE FOLLOWING YEAR
“Best early birthday present ever.” I throw myself at Holden, who catches me with a grunt.
He pulls back and shakes his head. “I think you already said that about ten times on the drive here.”
Here is Madison Square Garden , where Olivia Parker performs tonight to a sold-out audience, just like every other concert on her tour. While the backstage passes are technically my present, Mason, Ruby, and I also use tonight to celebrate our bachelor degrees. It took a lot of studying and catching up, but somehow, we all managed with weekly study dates at Phoenix’s—no, our —house.
“And you’ll probably hear it another ten times before the day is over,” I squeal.
Holden sighs and shifts us around. “Dude, get your wife off me, please.”
I sense Phoenix’s presence behind me in the long backstage tunnel before the breath of his chuckle hits my neck, and he presses a soft kiss to my nape.
Then he steps back. “Nope. Your idea. Your problem.”
I can’t see what’s happening behind my back, but since Phoenix chuckles again, I’m pretty sure Holden flipped him off or something equally theatric.
“Angel.”
Phoenix’s low rasp has the desired effect, and I let go of Holden, who exhales heavily like the drama queen he is.
The door to the men’s restroom behind Holden opens, and Mason exits.
Before I can signal anything to Mason, he takes one look at Holden and says, “Nice photo,” while patting his back.
Not two seconds later, Holden growls, “Princess,” when it clicks why I really attacked him like I did.
It’s entirely his fault though.
Phoenix is leaning against the brick wall, delicious in dark jeans and a fitted light-gray T-shirt. I’ve tried everything, but he refused to wear one of the Olivia Parker shirts I got us. Okay, maybe he bent me over his desk and fucked me so thoroughly that I agreed he didn’t need to wear one.
Anyway, his loss.
Ruby is standing a few feet away from us, sporting the same fan shirt as Mason and I do, and I’ve decided Holden isn’t getting out of it either. Hence, the large photo I just taped to his back.
I lean against Phoenix with my back to his front, releasing a happy sigh when he wraps his arms around my middle.
With my gaze on Holden, I raise both hands to the sides like a scale. “Picture on your back, or Olivia T-shirt. You promised we’d be concert buddies. This is part of it.” I push my lower lip out, knowing I’m not playing fair, but the time for caring is over.
He growls at me. “Fine. Give me the damn shirt.”
I hurry to grab it from my bag just as a door opens a few feet away, and a tall, skinny guy rushes out, bringing a ton of noise from the backstage rooms with him. He freezes the second he sees all of us and turns bright red. He stares at us like a deer caught in the headlights, his knuckles white on the still-open door.
Loud voices filter out from behind him.
A woman says, “I can’t believe you think this is okay. Someone took photos of me in my underwear and posted them online. Without my permission.”
The response is immediate, exasperation clear in the man’s voice. “Come on, Olivia, be real. This is how things work, and you know it. It’s not even full-on nudes. No biggie.”
There’s a moment of silence before the woman replies, “I can’t deal with this right now. I . . . I have to go.”
We’re all standing there as the skinny guy finally lets go of the door, and it shuts with a loud thud . He shuffles on his feet, and we continue to stare at each other awkwardly.
“Mmh, Miss Parker will be right out.”
He spins on his heels and speed-walks away.
No one speaks, everyone unsure of what we just overheard.
The silence is broken when Phoenix takes the T-shirt from my hand and tosses it straight at Holden’s face .
He glares at both of us in return, and I’m quick to hold up my hands to proclaim my innocence but can’t help myself and whisper, “Hurry up.”
He rolls his eyes at me, not for the first time today either, and I can’t wait for him to get over this mood and return to his usual perky self.
Much to everyone’s surprise—I think Mason’s gasp was the loudest—Holden doesn’t put on the shirt over the one he’s already wearing, but instead, we watch him pull his black shirt off and toss it at a chuckling Phoenix.
Holden tugs the new shirt over his head at the exact moment the door opens again, and Olivia Parker steps out. Her gaze darts around, immediately landing on Holden, who’s frozen with one arm in the T-shirt and the other still out, exposing most of his chiseled torso. And boy, he is ripped with a capital R.
Secretly, I’ve been waiting to see how Olivia reacts to seeing Holden again, especially since he still hasn’t told me what went down between them. And she doesn’t disappoint. She goes rigid and blinks as if she’s trying to discern whether she’s seeing a mirage.
Her sharp inhale is a bonus. She lets her gaze roam over Holden’s chest and abs, down his black jeans and scuffed brown boots, before returning to his face. “Holden?”
He finally manages to push his other arm into the sleeve and pulls the shirt down. “Hey, Hurricane.”
Olivia closes the distance between them and flings herself at Holden, much like I did earlier, but to a much better reception. He wraps his arms tightly around her and burrows his face into her neck, and I hear her muffled, “I can’t believe you’re really here” against his shoulder before she draws back and knees him in the balls.
Holden sinks to the floor, and we all gasp.
For a moment, he’s silent.
Then he hisses through his teeth, “Looks like someone’s still mad.”
“Screw you.” She spins on her heel and steps toward me, stopping a few feet before me, this time with a beautiful smile. “You must be Evangeline.”
My manners kick in, and I shake her outstretched hand on autopilot. “Evie, please.”
She winks. “Evie, it is. I’m so sorry about this.” She points her thumb over her shoulder at Holden. “Please don’t hold it against me. He knows he deserved much worse. But anyway, it’s so nice to meet you, and I’m thrilled to have you here tonight. I’m obsessed with your music.”
It takes me a few seconds to reboot my brain, and all I manage to stutter is, “Uh . . . thank you.”
Did she seriously just compliment my music?
Thank you, universe, for blowing up my music online.
Never in a million years did I think my covers and originals would reach someone like Olivia though. This must be a dream. Someone pinch me.
Mentally, I add a Sorry, Hold. I’ll be outraged on your behalf once I’m down from cloud nine.
She waves her hand around our little group. “Thank you all for being here. It means a lot.”
Everyone talks over each other, and Olivia chuckles. The ominous door opens again, and Gavin Bryce walks out—Olivia’s manager and rumored boyfriend .
Holden pushes himself off the floor, and Gavin frowns at us.
Without a hello, he dismisses us, his gaze zeroing in on Olivia. “Backstage, now.”
Her chest heaves. She says goodbye to us, not sparing a glance in Holden’s direction. “I hope you’ll enjoy the show. And happy birthday, Evangeline. I’d like to get in touch with you sometime soon if that’s okay.”
I nod like a robot and wave after my girl crush, who just kneed my best friend in the balls.
When we’re back at the house hours later, my throat is sore, my voice pretty much gone, and I’ve never been happier. Phoenix stands by the open car door in the garage, waiting for me to get out. When I finally move my tired butt, he turns around and crouches.
“Hop on.”
I smile. “Best day ever.”
He chuckles. “So you’ve said.”
I climb on, and he stands, walking us through the garage and into the house. I press my nose into his neck, enjoying the smell of cologne, leftover heat from tonight, and something male that’s uniquely Phoenix. I have no clue how he manages to get up the stairs with my extra weight on his back, but somehow, he makes it to our bedroom, where he deposits me on the bed.
He turns to leave, but I grab his shirt and haul him toward me, capturing his lips with mine. “Thank you for today. It seriously was amazing. A million times better than I thought it would be.”
Shifting his weight onto his elbows, he stares into my eyes and brushes my hair back with both hands. The motion is soothing and comforting, and I hum in pleasure.
“Most of it was Holden’s doing, but I think you’ve already thanked him about seventy-five times.” He presses his lips together to keep from laughing.
“What was up with him today anyway? I mean, besides the whole kick to the balls. He was already cranky before that, but then he clearly enjoyed the show.”
Phoenix shrugs. “He hasn’t told me much either, but they definitely have a complicated history. I think that much is clear.”
I nod, lost in thought, replaying everything that happened today for the millionth time. “I thought he was going to go after Olivia’s manager when he came out and took her away so rudely. Not that I blame him, that guy is an asshole. I wonder what she sees in him since she seems like such a nice woman.”
He taps his index finger on my nose. “You, of all people, should know you can’t always trust what you see in public. Some people hide their demons better than others.”
His comment throws me back into my mind, flitting around too fast for me to make out anything until it stops at an image of my best friend. “At least Ruby seemed to have a good time.”
Phoenix nods. “She did.”
Ruby has had the most challenging time adjusting after Tyler’s kidnapping last year. She’s retreated into herself, now merely a shell of her old self. We’ve all been trying to help, but there’s only so much we can do from the outside.
“She’ll get better, Angel.”
“I hope so. I miss my friend.”
“I know you do.”
We’re quiet until Phoenix’s lips find mine in a soft kiss. “I’m sorry you’re hurting.”
“I just want to help her. It’s been almost a year.”
“She needs to figure it out by herself. Remember what Dr. Johnson said. Everyone handles trauma differently, and that’s normal. You’re there for her, and she knows it. She’ll talk to you when she’s ready.”
“Yeah.” I exhale loudly, always frustrated when we talk about Ruby. I hate feeling so helpless.
Once Ruby, Mason, and I recovered after the Tyler incident, we sat together, and I told them everything. We cried for hours, our eyes and faces swollen and blotchy by the time the night ended. We all know that life will never be the same after what happened, but we’re trying our best. And while I’ve talked to Phoenix, Holden, and Dr. Johnson about everything that transpired in great detail, Ruby and Mason seem to just want to forget. And that’s fair too.
Phoenix gives me a gentle smile. “Do you want to take a bath?”
I frown. “A bath? Now? It’s past midnight.”
He only shrugs. “So what? It’ll relax you.”
Warm water lapping around me does sound good. “Okay. But only if you’ll join me.”
“Anything for you.” He rolls off me, pulling me with him.
Hand in hand, we walk to the bathroom, where Phoenix turns on the water and pours a generous amount of the lavender bath soap I like into the large tub. It only takes a few seconds for the air to change and the floral scent to surround us.
I grab the hem of my shirt to take it off, but Phoenix stops me with a hand on mine.
“Let me.”
I blink at him but nod. “Okay.”
Phoenix takes his time undressing me. Trailing kisses over every inch of newly exposed flesh. I moan when his mouth meets my hip bone, following an invisible path down to my clit.
He drags my panties down my legs. “Hold on to the counter, and put one leg around my shoulder.”
I follow his command, and he continues his slow assault between my legs. Dragging slow, languid licks down my center. Circling his tongue around my clit.
Without thinking, I tilt my hips, lazily rocking them against his face. His hands move around my hips toward my butt, squeezing and massaging. Dragging a finger through my wetness, spreading it over my butthole, and slowly pushing in.
My orgasm hits me out of nowhere, but Phoenix doesn’t let go, staying on his knees to pepper my stomach with gentle kisses.
With the last of my strength, I pull him up and devour his mouth. “Take off your clothes and get in the tub, babe. I want you to fuck me.”
He huffs a laugh. “Yes, ma’am.”
Once we’re in the water, I straddle his lap, and he enters me. Stretches me. Fills me. Owns me.
I lean down and steal a kiss. “I love you. ”
“I love you , Angel. Marry me again?”
After a gasp, I smile wide against his mouth and nod. “I’ll always say yes to you.”
He shows his approval by fucking me so hard, I forget my name.