Beneath the Stars (Falling Stars 4)

Daisy was right. Today was going to be the best day in the whole wide world.

Today, I was twenty-one. Not that years mattered much. But tonight, we celebrated. My brother’s band, A Riot of Roses, would be arriving, and there was always a kick-off party.

Since it was also my birthday, Shea Stone had suggested we have it at the bar she’d inherited from her uncle when he’d retired, a place called Charlie’s over on the Riverwalk in Savannah.

Royce had immediately objected. The last place he wanted me at was a bar after what had happened last week.

I’d gladly accepted. Royce had finally come around when I’d pointed out I’d be surrounded by a ton of people who cared about me the entire time. After I told him I’d only turn twenty-one once, and I wanted this experience.

Truth was, my excitement was probably just as big as Daisy’s. I’d chosen to live in the moment, and I refused to take for granted even a single one of them. Refused to hide because of the threats my mother issued.

What really spurred the feeling was I’d woken to a text from Lily with a time and place to meet Kade this coming week. The transfer would happen three nights from now. I’d received it with a dose of anxiety and a shock of hope—hope to finally end this.

To put an end to my father’s name. To cap off his wickedness with something good. With the smallest measure of justice.

Then I would move on. Move on to the rest of my days.

The icing on my birthday cake? Rhys still belonged to me.

At least for now.

Maybe I was a fool to hope for more. To hope that things might change. To hope that someday he might trust me enough to let me hold him the way I’d allowed him to hold me.

But sometimes brokenness went so deep it was hard to reach the bottom of it, and I was sure Rhys was terrified to dig around in the gaping ravine of his past.

“Guess what, Auntie! These pancakes are a special, special kind. They are goin’s to be your favorite in all the favorites. Just you wait.”

“And what if I can’t wait? It smells too good in here. I might just have to come in here and gobble them up,” I teased the little pumpkin pie as I went clomping into the kitchen like I was going to make good on my threat.

Daisy giggled and squealed and tried to hide whatever she was making in the bowl. “No. No way, Auntie. You can’t looks yet. It’s a secret special present.”

Laughing low, I dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “Oh, okay, fine. I guess I’ll have to wait then.”

She looked up at me with one of her grins. “Dontcha know the best things in life are worth the waitin’ for?”

My chest squeezed.

“Yeah. You’re right, Daisy. The best things in life are worth waiting for.”

And mine came sauntering down the sweeping main staircase.

All unruly hair and rumpled grins and this tee that stretched across his massive shoulders and hugged his narrow waist.

Fingers running down his beard in the sexiest way.

Cocky and wild.

My mouth went dry.

God. I loved it when he was like this. When all he had to offer outshined the demons that dimmed his eyes.

Violet was suddenly sing-songing in my ear, “I think it’s pretty clear what Maggie wants for her birthday.”

I swatted at her, sent her a glare, and hissed, “Shh. Would you stop it?”

So, two days ago she’d backed me into a corner and demanded the truth out of me, too.

Apparently, I wasn’t so great at hiding my emotions.

Violet giggled.

Tinkling and light.

Then she sobered and reached out to squeeze my hand, her voice held so only I could hear. “It just makes me really happy to see you this way.”

“It’s always been there. I just had to find a way to set it free.”

Her nod was knowing. Soft and sure and filled with her sincerity. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“Hey now, I’m gettin’ jealous over here.” Emily was all smiles when we looked at her. “It is my sister’s birthday and Violet’s over there hoggin’ her. Whisperin’ secrets that I can’t hear. That’s just rude.”

A giggle worked its way free. “We were just saying how lucky we are to have you.”

Scoffing, she glared at us with mischief dancing in her eyes. “Liars.”

My giggle deepened, and I glanced at Rhys whose grin was twitching into some kind of lusty possession as he hit the landing. I figured I needed to duck out from under his pull, so I moved over to my sister-in-law and gave her a tight hug. “I love you. And I am so lucky to have you. This will be the best birthday of my life…because of you. Because of this family.”