Epilogue

Jesse

Four years later

My phone buzzed on the bed next to me, snapping me out of the daze I'd fallen into.

I scooped it up and checked my notifications. Isaac was in the group chat.

Isaac : hypothetically speaking, if two people are in the same place when something bad happens, are they both equally responsible?

Asa : depends on if they were both involved in the incident that caused the bad thing

Zander : what did you and Jamie do this time?

Isaac : we were scrimmaging and broke the window in our living room

Jesse : scrimmaging like playing hockey inside?

Isaac : ball hockey!

Luka : balls are just as hard as pucks

Isaac : balls are hard *snicker*

Asa : who hit the ball into the window?

Isaac : Jamie hit it, but I deflected it

Asa : then it's your fault

Isaac : what??? I'm calling fake news

Zander : I'm with Asa. You were the last one to touch it, so it's your fault

Isaac : but it was a deflect!

Jesse : still on you dude

Isaac : fine

Isaac : but I'm telling Jamie it was his fault because I don't accept this verdict

Isaac : yo Jess

Jesse : what?

Isaac : why are you texting with us and not getting dicked down rn?

Jesse : how do you know I'm not?

Isaac : wait

Isaac : are you????

Jesse : you'll never know

Asa : and I'm out. Tell Jamie you're both dumbasses

Isaac : don't need to tell him, we're well aware tyvm

He sent a line of kissy face emoji.

Asa : okay boomer

I snickered as Asa left the chat.

Isaac : rude

Zander : split the cost to fix the window and stop acting like overgrown toddlers. That will solve half your problems

Luka : more like 90% of them

Isaac : what was that? Make Jamie pay for the window and keep acting like overgrown toddlers? You got it

Isaac : J, you still riding the D train to poundtown?

Isaac : oh shit gotta go

He left the chat, leaving only Zander, Luka and me.

Zander : every time I open the chat I think it will finally be the day that we'll have a normal conversation, and it never is

Luka : what's the definition of insanity again? Isn't it doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?

Jesse : he's got you there. It's like you don't know us at all

Zander : what can I say, I'm an eternal optimist

Luka sent a line of the sideways laughing emoji.

Luka : lmao. Good one

Zander : are you still waiting for Bas, or are things going to be really weird at work on Monday knowing we chatted while you were getting the D?

Jesse : still waiting for him

Jesse : but how do you know I won't be the one giving the D?

Zander : and that's my cue to exit

Luka : lol

Luka : enjoy your weekend

Luka : and all the D

I exited out of my texts and checked the time.

Sebastian should be here any minute.

The last four years had been a whirlwind of change. I was still working at the garage and still loving it. But that was pretty much the only thing that was the same.

After finishing the first year of his apprenticeship, Bas stepped away from tattooing and dipped his toes back into the music industry. He enjoyed tattooing, and he'd learned a ton from Ben, but it wasn't his passion. He still painted but decided to keep his art as a hobby instead of trying to make a business out of it so he'd still have one outlet that was just for him.

Over the past few years, he'd built a reputation as a songwriter and had sold his songs to a variety of artists, from heavy metal bands to pop divas. He also had several solo albums out and had a fair number of collaborations under his new sound.

He started touring again about a year ago but had strict rules for how many shows he'd play, how long he'd be gone for, and where he traveled so he didn't end up burning out again.

I was so damn proud of everything he'd accomplished in such a short time. Watching him grow as an artist, seeing his excitement, and getting to celebrate his wins was everything. But so was being there for him in the darker times, when things weren't great or he had to deal with harsh critics and even harsher fans.

We hadn't been able to keep our relationship quiet for long, but we'd made it work. Not everyone in Bas's world was okay with him having a male partner, but we spun the details of our love story into something even the tabloids couldn't talk shit about.

As far as the public knew, we transitioned from childhood friends to partners after Bas left the business due to burnout. We omitted the parts where we fought and argued and thought we hated each other for seventeen years and turned it into a feel-good story that the press was more than happy to keep repeating.

It hadn't been easy getting used to having our relationship be public knowledge, but we'd found a good balance between what we shared with his fans and what we kept just for us.

My phone buzzed again. I checked my notifications.

My heart started beating a little faster as I read the text from Bas's bodyguard giving me the signal that they were almost at the room.

This time I put my phone on silent, just to be sure that we weren't interrupted by any more of Isaac's antics and tossed it onto one of the bedside tables.

Just as I was settling back on the pillows, the door to the main part of the hotel suite opened, and Bas and his team filed inside.

I lay quietly as they talked about something, their voices too low to hear through the cracked bedroom door.

After a few minutes, the main door opened again, then the suite was silent as everyone left.

My blood thrummed in my veins. I hadn't seen Bas in over two weeks. I'd missed him, and I couldn't wait to see his reaction when he saw me.

I didn't have to wait long.

His footsteps grew louder, then he pushed the bedroom door open.

"Jess?" He froze, one hand on the door and one foot still in the main part of the suite.

"Hey, superstar," I drawled, spreading my legs so he could see that I was wearing one of his old band's shirts and a blue jockstrap he loved on me—and nothing else.

His eyes darkened with lust and possession as he crossed the room and practically dove onto the bed.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked, crawling over me with all the grace of an apex predator. "Are you my groupie tonight?" He slid one hand up my bare thigh.

Wrapping my arms around him, I nodded.

With a low moan, he pressed his lips to mine in an achingly sweet kiss.

"I missed you," he murmured against my mouth.

"Missed you too." I wrapped my legs around his thighs, holding him as close as possible.

We kissed for a long time, just reacquainting ourselves with each other. Two weeks wasn't a long time to be apart, but the first kisses after his absences were some of my favorites.

He slid his hand over my already hard cock, then dipped it across my hip to grip my ass cheek. "Does this mean I finally get to have my groupie fantasy?"

"Yup." I rocked against him teasingly. "Let's see if you can make me come on your logo like you wanted to that night at your cabin."

His expression softened, and he smiled down at me. "I'm up for the challenge."

"You definitely are." I rocked against him again. " Up for it, that is."

He huffed out a laugh and dipped his head to run his tongue over the shell of my ear.

"Cheater," I said on a gasp.

"Do I get bonus points if I make you come hands-free all over my logo?" he asked, his lips next to my ear and wreaking havoc on my nervous system.

"No, but I'll give you bragging rights."

"Deal." He nipped at the skin just under my ear. "You know what else I've never done before?"

"What?" I slid my hands under his shirt.

He lifted his head, a knowing smile tilting one side of his mouth. "Been fucked by a groupie. Think you can outlast me?"

"You know I can." I raked my nails down his back.

His pupils dilated as he drew in a hissing breath.

"I really hope this bed is as solid as it looks," he said. "Not like when you met me in Boston."

I barked out a laugh. I'd flown out to meet him during a tour last year, and we had an enthusiastic reunion that ended with multiple orgasms and a broken bed thanks to some new moves we tried out.

We'd managed to keep that quiet from the public and paid for the repairs, but his team still wouldn't let us live it down.

"I don't know, that sounds like a challenge," I teased.

"You know me. I can never resist a good challenge." He smiled fondly, and my breath caught for entirely different reasons. "I love you."

"I love you too."

With a soft sigh, Bas tucked his face against my neck and lay on me, holding me in a tight hug.

I hugged him back and breathed him in, enjoying being able to touch him like this again.

"I don't like sleeping without you," he said against my skin.

"I know, babe. I hate it too." Gently, I carded my fingers through his hair.

"I'm really glad you're here." He pressed several soft kisses against my neck.

"Me too."

"And really loving the outfit." He dragged his cock against mine and lifted his head, his expression dark and a little feral. "Ready to be my groupie?"

I dragged my teeth over my bottom lip, knowing what that would do to him. "As long as you're ready for me to win."

"You're going to cheat again, aren't you?"

"Is it cheating or using all available tools at my disposal?" I asked.

Bas barked out a laugh, and the joy radiating off him warmed me from the inside.

Bas wasn't just the man I loved. He was my partner, my best friend, and my biggest supporter. He made every day a little brighter, and I couldn't wait to spend the rest of our lives loving each other.

And breaking more beds.