Page 120 of Heart Break Her

Sebastian:Maybe

Cassie:Or he’s just very familiar with trigger words that make people stop and think “this guy knows what he’s talking about” without actually knowing anything at all. Which, in turn, I guess makes him brilliant in his own way. But in reality, you’re just solving your own problems and paying him to get you there.

Cassie:Hopefully you aren’t paying too much

Sebastian:You’re adorable. And beautiful. And smart.

Cassie:So says you and my degree, but I don’t really know that much, as evidenced by my inability to deal with shit staring me in the face

Sebastian:I hope you come

Sebastian:But if you don’t, I understand

Cassie:I’ll think about it

Sebastian:Thinking about you

36

Sebastian

Everyoneisonedge.Or maybe it’s just me, and I’m projecting again.

Projecting.

Big fucking words, and I blame my shrink. He’s got me over-analyzing everything lately. How I feel, what I’m doing with my life, how I cope with shit.

That last one has been especially difficult, seeing as the answer has always been one of three things: get high, get drunk, or fuck someone. And right now, I’m not doing any of them.

Some rock star I am.

At least when I look in the mirror lately, I see someone human.

When you’ve been drunk for the better part of a year—or five—you forget how blindingly clear everything can be.

Lights, smells, tastes.

Maybe resurrection is an actual thing because I feel a lot like I crawled up from the earth, and even if my knuckles are still bleeding, I’m in one piece.

“Guess who is not gonna be a baby daddy,” Rome says, walking up with a big grin. “Fucking called it.”

“Congratulations, dickhead.” Eloise rolls her eyes.

“Thank you.” Rome bows, ignoring that she wasn’t being serious. “Now I just need to find me a piece to celebrate with.”

“After the show,” Adrian warns. “And if I get a call tomorrow from the hotel cleaning crew that you left someone tied up in your bed, we’re having words.”

“Sure thing, Dad.” Rome salutes him. “One fucking time, and I left her the keys to the cuffs. Chick was hella freaky and got off on being discovered. Not my fault.”

Rome’s bedroom antics are well-known. I kind of thought a pregnancy scare would snap him back into reality, but apparently that’s not going to be the case.

“Oh, and Adrian,” Rome points at him, “we’re suing this chick.”

“You’re kidding me.” Adrian looks up and lets out an annoyed sigh.

“Dead serious. She dragged my name through the fucking mud for a little fame. I’m not letting her get away with it.” Rome crosses his arms over his chest.

“And suing a pregnant woman is your answer?” Eloise says it, but it’s what we’re all thinking.

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