This wouldn’t end until I found my way onto the stage, so I forced my shaking legs to move, thankful I was wearing a fairly decent rock-star outfit in black, ripped-up jeans; black, heeled boots; and a cropped Bellerose tank that showed off a sliver of my tanned stomach. My blond hair was tied back in a high ponytail, and my makeup was all smoky eyes and nude lips, so I was as physically ready as I’d ever be.
The rest though…just don’t fart.
“There you are,” Jace said, that perfect smile in place, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
I’m going to kill you,I mouthed, and he just laughed.
Moving a little easier, I focused on Jace, ignoring the thousands of faces out there before us. When my hand landed in his, most of my nerves faded away, and I let myself relax and return his smile. “Hey,” I said, my voice projecting through the mics out into the stands.
“Hey, love,” he replied, and all I could hear wasawwwwws.
Turning to the crowd, I shot them a cheeky smile. “Don’t let him fool you; he’s not always this sweet.”
There was laughter, and when I turned back to Jace, I gasped to see all of the band there. My boys surrounded me once more, and as I looked between them, I wondered what they were doing. “We have something to give you, Thorn,” Rhett said, confirming to the world exactly why their next album had the nameBeautiful Thorns.That and a play on the full circle they’d come sincePoison Roses.
“Are you ready for this, little hedgehog?” Grayson rumbled, and fuck if the crowd didn’t lose their minds a little.
Angelo leaned over and kissed my cheek. “This is for you, Bella.”
He strummed a chord, and it wasn’t the familiar opening to any of the songs I’d worked on with them.
“What’s this called?” I whispered, though there was no real way to be quiet with this many mics.
“‘It’s our new title track on the upcoming album, Beautiful Thorns,’” Jace said, then leaned into the microphone to address the crowd, “available on Spotify next Thursday, you guys, don’t forget to stream it.”
Then his smile turned intimate as he leaned in and kissed me solidly on the lips. “This is for you, Billie Bellerose.”
Every bad thing that had happened to me through my life had led me to being strong enough to make it to this moment. To be able to stand on stage with four rock stars, while they serenaded me with our love story.
Jace’s smile was sexy and sweet as he started to sing.
It was the eyes that got me first, little girl of green,
As you stole my rock collection and my heart, as it may seem.
The one who challenged us through the years as we all fought against the fall.
But there’s no way to fight fate. Billie Bellerose, you’re our greatest love of all.
So much for not embarrassing myself as I started to literally sob on stage, looking between all four of them as they joined in, the softest melody I’d ever heard from them swelling around me.
With the help of the band, Jace wove our story into the most beautiful song I’d ever heard. Piece by piece, broken shards were made whole again, until the moment we stood here tonight, with thousands watching us.
And when all of my boys joined him for the last line, “Billie Bellerose, you’re our greatest love of all,”I wasn’t the only one crying. The entire fucking stadium sang along, all of them bawling as hard as me, and now I knew this was the moment.
The best moment of my life.
Well, the best moment so far. Which was a fucking amazing thought.
It was only going to get better from here.
epilogue part two
BILLIE
The high of the flawless concert had us all buzzing as if we’d been doing lines of the best quality cocaine. I’d never fully grasped the concept of beinghigh on lifebefore, but the elation and satisfaction we all shared was something from another planet. Added to that, though, I was tingling with excitement over the surprise I’d planned for my guys tonight.
The whole drive from Madison Square Garden back to our new home in SoHo I could barely sit still, but I also wouldn’t let the guys get too handsy in the back of the limo. I had an important question to ask and the perfect location all set up for thebig moment. So I playfully batted their hands away when things got heated, telling them to be patient.
