Page 151 of Composed
A sad sort of smile flashes over her face. “If you don’t come back when you’re finished with the album.”
“Of course I’m coming back.” I nudge her with my arm, playful, even as a heavy weight settles on top of me.
“You shouldn’t.”
“Talia…” My throat closes. I force the lump down and curl my lips into a smirk. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Never.” She looks up at me then, her eyes misty. “But if there is any part of you that is holding back because of me and the studio, I need you to know that it’s okay to let go. I’ve got this shit. If anything, I’ll get way more work done when you’re not around.”
I grunt. “Gee, thanks.”
She sighs, taps my arm with her fingers, and pulls away.
I try to keep my gaze on her as she walks away, but a deep, rumbling laugh drags me back into the living room.
Talia makes a soft sound. “Choose yourself for once, Hendrix.”
Her footsteps fade down the hall.
I search for the walls in the mind, to re-erect them and barricade the swirling emotions inside, but they don’t come. My gut clenches, my bones heavy. I curl trembling fingers around the doorframe.
I didn’t plan any of this when I agreed to write with him again.
I made a life. A decent one. A fulfilling one.
It was supposed to be enough.
Cole pushes off the couch then and starts towards me.
I inhale a slow, steadying breath, and plaster a smile on my face.
“Hey,” he says, “Riles is just about done. Are you ready to get out of here and head home?”
Home… I don’t even know where that is anymore.
I glance down the hall, catching Talia watching me from the kitchen doorway.
She nods, as if seeing the answer to a question she hasn’t voiced.
I blink as she retreats.
Cole brushes my arm with his knuckles. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I shake away the fog. “I’ll go grab my bags, and then we can hit the road.”
I toss my backpack onto the floor and perch myself on the bed while Riley busies herself looking over every inch of the bedroom.
Cole ran off as soon as we got back with barely a whisper of a goodbye. Apparently Carter needed him for something important. We still haven’t spoken about anything. Not sure that’s a bad thing right now since I can’t turn my mind off long enough to focus on anything.
Riley whistles low through her teeth when she peeks in the bathroom. “This place is fancy.”
I chuckle, my gaze never straying from my hands as I spin my thumb ring. They’ve given Riley her own flat for the duration of her stay, on the same floor as Cole and me, but she just threw her suitcase inside and then came straight in here with me.
The bed dips beside me.
“Are you okay?” Riley asks, her knees bouncing. “You’ve been really quiet today.”
“Yeah.” I hiss as I catch a nail under the ring. “Just got a lot on my mind.”
