We stand there, neither of us moving, and I can hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Finally, she holds her arm out, admiring the bracelet for a moment before looking at me with a tenderness that threatens to undo me.
“No cameras,” she says, her voice almost a whisper.
I nod, my chest tight with everything I want to say and can’t. “No cameras.”
She reaches out, her hand slipping into mine, and the warmth of her touch sends a rush of relief through me—relief that she’s letting me in, even just a little.
“You didn’t have to do this,” she repeats.
“I know,” I say, my throat constricting slightly. “But I wanted to. I’m… glad you like it.”
Her lips tilt up into a shy smile, the kind I haven’t seen on her face in years. “I love it.”
For a second, we just stand there, her hand in mine, the bracelet glinting in the lamplight. The city hums outside the window, but it feels like we’re in our own world—no show, no script, no need for pretenses.
“Stay for a minute?” she whispers, her eyes searching mine. “Talk?”
I exhale, nodding. “Yeah,” I manage, running a hand over the back of my neck as I glance around her small hotel room. “I’d like that.”
We settle on the edge of her bed, a comfortable silence wrapping around us like a comforting blanket. I can still feel the lingering warmth of her hand in mine as I turn slightly to face her, our knees almost touching. The lamp on the nightstand casts a gentle glow over the room, creating a small pocket of peace away from everything beyond that door.
She smiles down at the bracelet on her wrist, brushing the charm lightly with her fingertips. “It really is beautiful, you know,” she says, her voice low.
I clear my throat, trying not to sound too pleased with myself. “I’m glad you like it. I, uh, thought of you the second I saw it.”
Her eyes flick up, meeting mine. “Because of the music note?”
“Yeah,” I admit, giving a small shrug. “I guess I was feeling nostalgic. We’ve been working on so many songs lately and… well, you’ve been on my mind.”
She tilts her head, studying me. “You’ve been thinking about me?”
I swallow, feeling my cheeks warm. “Haven’t really stopped, to be honest.”
Ashlyn bites her lower lip, and there’s something so genuine about that little gesture that it makes my chest tighten. “Tell me about your day,” she says sweetly, nudging my knee with hers. “We haven’t actually talked, you know. Really talked.”
I laugh under my breath, rubbing the back of my neck. “Well, the day was the usual madness—sound-checks, last-minute changes, Xayden forgetting which setlist we’re doing, then refusing to admit it.”
She snorts a laugh, eyes crinkling at the corners. “That sounds about right.”
“Jake spent an hour arguing with the sound tech about the levels on his bass,” I continue, rolling my eyes in mock exasperation. “Like it wasn’t already perfect. And Todd was—well, Todd. Making sure everything is exactly how he wants it.”
Her lips twitch into a smile. “Sounds like all of you are living up to your reputations.”
I shift, leaning back on one hand, letting the other brush lightly against her arm. “We definitely earned them.”
She glances at my hand, then meets my eyes again. “What about you? How did you end up in that little shop?”
I exhale, feeling my heart pick up. “I wanted a moment to myself, away from… everything. We’ve been on this roller coaster ever since you came back, and I just needed to clear my head. Then I saw that bracelet.” I offer a small shrug. “It reminded me of us—the music, the memories. Of everything we lost.”
A flicker of tenderness passes through her eyes, and for a moment, we just stare at each other, the past humming in the space between us.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” she murmurs, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I wanted to,” I say quietly. “Felt like maybe… it was a way to say I’m sorry without using words.”
Hell, I’m probably going to buy her more stuff. All the things I couldn’t give her when we were teens. Everything an omega should have, not that she can’t buy her own stuff now…every part of me wants to give her the whole world if she lets me.
She hesitates, then lays her hand gently on top of mine. “I can’t lie; it means a lot.”
