Page 53

Adrian

Two Years Later

I adjusted my tie, my fingers twitching as I smoothed it down.

Troy let out a low breath, rolling his shoulders beside me.

“You nervous?” he asked.

I shot him a look. “You’re the one pacing like a lunatic all day.”

Troy smirked, but I could see how his hands trembled and how he kept adjusting his cuffs like he needed to perfect them.

We were both nervous as hell because tonight, we were going to ask Elena to marry us. We knew she could legally marry only one of us, but we were going to draw straws on that. We would then have a ceremony in which we said our vows to her, securing her to us forever.

It had been two years since she walked back into our lives.

And every second since we had been whole again. She told us how she needed time to get her head sorted. While it hurt at the time, we knew it was the best for all of us because it brought us together.

Troy had taken a position at our dad’s company, running the East Coast office, and he was damn good at it .

Better than he ever thought he’d be.

Dad gave him free rein, and the company’s revenue had increased tenfold in just two years.

And for the first time in his life, Troy loved his job.

As for me?

I was writing full-time, my first book already published and the second on its way. I'd gotten my engineering degree and was working on creating survival gear with Troy that would be compact and affordable.

But tonight wasn’t about us.

It was about her.

About the girl who made it all worth it.

We sat beside our dad and Lydia, waiting for the show to begin.

Elena had done it.

She had made it into the East Coast Ballet Company.

Tonight, we watched her dance on stage for the first time as a principal ballerina.

My chest tightened as the lights dimmed and the curtain lifted.

Then, there she was.

Pure magic.

Her movements were effortless, her body light as air, her expression full of emotion.

My butterfly, and Troy's little dancer.

Troy exhaled beside me.

“She’s breathtaking," he murmured. "Fucking beautiful."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

She was.

She always had been.

But now, she was free.

Whole. No more broken wings and crushed dreams.

And God, I was so fucking proud of her.

"You were incredible," I praised her after the show as I scooped her into my arms and twirled her. "Pure magic, butterfly."

Her cheeks reddened at my compliment, but before she could react, Troy took her and kissed her slow and deep.

Her cheeks darkened further, something I just fucking loved seeing on her.

"You were truly perfection," Troy said. "I was captivated. Maybe you can come home and dance for me."

She laughed and kissed him again before I handed her the roses we'd gotten her.

"They're beautiful," she gushed, hugging them and breathing in deeply.

I winked at Troy, who rolled his eyes. He wanted to get her a house plant. He baffled me sometimes.

We led her from her dressing room and out to our waiting car.

We had dinner with our parents, celebrating her success.

But the entire time, my heart pounded in anticipation. Because tonight, everything would change.

I kept stealing looks from Troy, who was clearly just as nervous as I was. We'd already told our dad our intentions. He was supportive and said if we were happy, then he was happy. Lydia was beside herself, excited to help plan the wedding with Elena if she said yes.

After dinner, we took Elena to the house.

A new house.

One she had never seen before.

She looked confused as we pulled up, frowning as she stepped out of the car .

“Where are we?” she asked.

Troy smirked, grabbing her hand.

“Shhh,” he murmured, leading her inside.

The moment we walked through the door, she gasped.

Roses everywhere. And one small house plant. A fire flickered in the fireplace, casting a warm glow throughout the area.

She turned toward us, her lips parted in shock.

And that’s when she saw us?—

On our knees.

Both of us.

Holding the same ring together.

Elena’s hands flew to her mouth, her blue eyes shining with tears.

Troy was the first to speak, his voice thick with emotion.

“Baby, we’ve loved you since the moment we saw you. I know our love didn't look like love, but I fucking swear to you it was, and it's only grown since that day.”

I swallowed hard, my throat aching with everything I felt.

“We’ve lost you, found you, and through it all, it’s always been you,” I whispered. "And there will never be anyone else."

Troy reached for her hand, his thumb brushing her skin softly.

“You are our home, little dancer,” he murmured. “And forever will never be long enough to love you how you deserve. We want to give you the life you deserve. We want to love you for the rest of our lives and our next lives. Forever means forever, little dancer."

I nodded, my eyes never leaving hers.

“Marry us,” I breathed. “Be ours, always.”

Her soft sob filled the room as she dropped to her knees between us, her fingers trembling as she reached for us both.

“Yes,” she whispered.

Troy exhaled, his body shaking as he laughed softly.

I closed my eyes, overwhelmed with relief, all-encompassing love, and something more profound than words could explain.

I slid the ring onto her finger with Troy, my chest aching with happiness .

Troy kissed her first, deep and slow, his hands holding her like she was his whole universe.

Then he pushed her toward me, and I took her face in my hands, kissing her like she was the only thing keeping me alive.

And maybe, in some ways, she was.

When we finally pulled apart, Elena looked down at the ring on her finger, her breath uneven.

She wiped at her tear-streaked face, laughing softly.

“I love you,” she whispered, looking at us.

Troy smirked, tilting her chin up.

“You better,” he teased. “We just bought you a house.”

Her eyes widened, glancing around again like she was really seeing it for the first time.

Her lips parted, and then she looked back at us. “You—you bought this for us?”

“For you,” I corrected.

I grabbed her hand and led her down the hall, stopping at a set of double doors.

She arched a brow.

I pushed them open, revealing her dream of a full in-home dance studio, mirrors lining the walls, a wooden barre, and a perfectly polished floor made just for her.

Elena gasped, stepping inside and running her fingers along the barre.

Troy came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin on her shoulder.

“Wait,” he murmured. “There’s more.”

"What more could there be?" she asked, laughing softly.

I retook her hand and led her to another room, opening the door to reveal?—

A library.

Massive bookshelves, plush seating, warm lighting—a haven for her and me.

She released a soft breath, turning in my arms, her blue eyes shining with adoration and affection.

She brushed my hair back, her fingertips lingering against my jaw .

“This is perfect,” she whispered.

I smiled, pressing my forehead against hers.

“No, butterfly,” I murmured. “You’re perfect, and this is just the beginning.”

As she turned to admire the shelves, running her fingers along the books, I just watched her.

And I thought about everything it took to get here.

The pain.

The fear.

The darkness that nearly swallowed us whole.

There was a time when I thought we’d never make it out. A time I thought we’d never be whole again.

But the wilderness had shaped us. It stripped us raw and rebuilt us into something unshakable. Something stronger. Something unbreakable.

I wouldn’t change a second of it.

Not if it meant getting here.

Not if it meant getting her.

Not if it meant?—

Forever.

And forever with her?

It would never be long enough.

The End.

Thank you for reading Wreckage.