“We should be wild,” Michelle is saying to me. “You’re too boring. Let’s go get tattoos.”

“No,” I protest without thinking. I can’t step into a parlor; it’s going to remind me of what I left behind, what’s missing from my life. Axel.

“But this place looks awesome,” she says, pointing to the shop we’re about to pass.

When I see the name on the storefront, I feel like I might faint.

My world begins spinning.

Beckett Tattoos. That’s what the sign says.

It’s a swanky joint, with amazing artwork decorating the exterior. I can see through the massive glass windows that the interior is just as thoroughly decorated. Different examples of tattoos cover the walls, and there are several people crowded in the lobby, waiting to get ink.

I can’t believe what I’m seeing. The joint is clearly popular. Axel made his dream come true—he has his own tattoo shop, and it’s successful.

“Let’s go in,” Michelle says. I can tell by the way she’s looking at me that she must have intended to bring me here.

Maybe she wants me to conquer my demons, maybe she thinks it will help me climb out of my depression and sadness over losing him. But she’s wrong.

“I can’t,” I protest, turning away. Axel is in my past, despite how much my body and my heart aches for him. I can’t do this—can’t be the bigger person, pretending like I never had feelings for the man. When he told me I was nothing more than a complicated one-night stand, it broke me.

“Don’t be silly,” she says, grabbing my hand and tugging me inside.

I lean away from her, removing my hand from her death grip, and look around. The place is amazing, just as Axel said it would be. Artistic, filled with pieces that draw my interest. Good music flooding through the sound system. The artists he has working for him are at their stations, chatting amiably with customers, the buzz of tattoo machines filling the air.

I don’t belong here. This is his place. My heart lurches, and suddenly I want to leave. I can’t be here. It makes me feel too much. Miss too much. I wanted to help him get this place going. And he did…without me.

“I…gotta go,” I tell Michelle blindly, and I fumble for the door.

“Kendra,” a husky voice says, stopping me in my tracks.

I close my eyes for a moment, then turn around, heart sunk all the way to my feet. I didn’t actually think I’d see him.

Everything fades away as he walks toward me. He looks as beautiful and sexy and compelling as he did before, and it’s so fucking unfair. He should be as destroyed as I feel. Should be busted and miserable. But there’s life in his eyes that I haven’t seen before, and it almost hurts to look at him, like trying to stare at a solar eclipse.

He’s brilliant, glorious, and I’m hopeless.

He doesn’t touch me, just stands near me, peering down. “I wanted to contact you but I was waiting until the shop had its first fully profitable month and paid all of its debts back.” He pauses, and I see a smile crease his face. “That’s officially today.”

I’m so glad for him. So glad, but my heart aches so badly that I can’t speak to him. “I’m happy it worked out for you,” I say in a choked voice. I have to get out of here before I embarrass myself. Because I’m falling apart, and he’s going to see it, and it will just make me feel stupid. Axel is doing fine without me, that much is clear.

I spin on my heels and head toward the door. I can’t do this. It’s terrible, and selfish, but my whole body is screaming at me to get outside and run away before he can see how hurt I am, how much I miss him.

I shove the doors open and turn left, just stomping down the sidewalk without really paying attention to where I’m going.

“Kendra,” I hear him bark, and I find my feet stumbling to still, despite my brain screaming at me to go, go, go.

My gut tugs at me from the desperation in his voice; I slow in my path. His hand wraps around my forearm, and I force myself to spin toward him, even though seeing him makes my heart ache so badly that I want to cry.

“Kendra,” he whispers. His eyes are heavy with emotion. I don’t know what to think.

“I’m glad your business worked out,” I make myself say. It’s the least I can do. “Looks like you’re in a good spot.”

“Your father was the one who gave me the financing to start the place.”

Those words make me freeze in shock. “What?”

“We’ve actually become…friends.” Axel gives me a wry smile. “Which is ironic, since both he and I lost you.” He pauses, and then one hand is reaching up, hesitant, and brushes my jaw. “I’ve missed you so fucking much.”

My heart skips a beat at his words. So much has changed since I saw him—not just for me, but for him. I don’t know what to say.

“I missed you too,” I manage to choke out.

“Your father has missed you as well. You should give him a call. He’s not the same man he was.” He grabs my hand and clenches my fingers in his. I’ve never seen him so serious. His eyes are locked on mine.

When he drops to one knee, I’m so overwhelmed that I can’t even breathe.

“Kendra,” he says quietly. “I never stopped loving you.” He grips my fingers so tightly that I feel like he’s trying to draw me into him, as he continues. “I was fucked up in the head and I needed to get my shit clear. Which I did. Now everything is clear as day.” He looks up at me, and there’s so much love and worship in his eyes. “I fucking love you obsessively. I want you to be my wife. Please say yes. Be my partner, by my side. You’re the one who made be believe I could be better, and there’s no one else I’d rather spend my life with.”

I draw in a shattered breath. My emotions are running rampant in my heart. I want this man so badly, have missed him more than anything. And knowing that he’s felt the same? It blows me away. “Yes,” I say.

Axel rises to his feet and captures my face in his hands. Kisses me, reminds me what he feels like against me, sucks the breath from my lungs. I’m clinging to him, happy and relieved and in love as much as ever as I fall into his arms. I never knew love like I know it with him.

“I will never push you away again,” he murmurs against my mouth. “I was a fucking moron to let you go. But you’re here now, and I’m never letting you get away again.”

“Good,” I whisper back. “I don’t want you to.”

The kiss he sears me with penetrates to my soul. I never dreamed I could feel this strongly about a man. But I love him, more than anything. Axel is the man I always wanted in my life. And now he’s here, and he loves me.

I don’t know that my life could get any better.