Page 136 of Broken Romeo

His words stifle my next breath, suffocating me. They’re a sucker punch to the gut. But instead of letting myself feel the intense pain, I shut it off. My body goes numb with a slow, tingling warmth that begins at the top of my head and descends down my body. “So, it’s true.”

The elevator dings. Jerking his head from his hands, he glances over his shoulder. A mom with several kids come tumbling out of the elevator as well as an older woman with a silver-streaked bun. She struts by us, exiting the building while the mom and kids hang out in the lobby, filling what was once quiet with shrieks of youthful joy and cries for more Cheerios.

Holden releases what seems like a sigh of relief and whispers, “It’s complicated, Kate.”

Complicated. That’s the bullshit people say when they’re acting like a dick but looking for ways to justify it. And I don’t want to hear it from Holden. I listened to those excuses once… Five years ago. They were bullshit then. And they’re bullshit now.

He turns to face me, tucking his leg under him, as he says, “Missy is—”

“I’ve been offered another part,” I blurt out. “In Keith’s new show.”

He goes silent and stands, pacing with slow, measured steps with one hand kneading the back of his neck.

“Another part,” he murmurs.

I mirror him, my legs wobbly as I push to my feet as well.

Behind us, one of the kids starts crying, the shrill sound echoing in the cavernous lobby. I’m grateful for the noise. It drowns the dizzying thrum of my pulse in my ears.

Finally, Holden stops pacing, and spins to face me. “Take the job with Keith,” he says. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Moisture wells at the edges of my eyes. “You’re not even going to fight for me? Just yesterday, you offered me a contract. You said the part was mine.” I yank the contract from my purse, clutching it in my fist like some sort of show and tell that’ll demonstrate just how crazy he sounds. “What the hell changed?”

A delicate hand clamps onto my shoulder, spinning me around, and I find myself face to face with Missy Howl. With a tight smile, she says, “Me. I’m what’s changed.”

Missy moves past me and slides into Holden’s side, slipping her arm around his waist. Clearing his throat, Holden pulls her in close to him. “Missy was brought on as one of our producers last night.”

And the blows keep on coming. She’s a producer now? Along with his father?

“That’s right,” Missy says. “So, if you continue with our show, the three of us will be working very closely together.”

I’d let myself get strong-armed out of a part in the past. And I vowed to never let that happen again. Keith’s show is a great opportunity… but Holden’s show is a better one. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to step aside and let things be easy for Holden and Missy.

It’s my turn to make Holden’s life a living hell. And I had the iron-clad contract literally in hand to make that happen.

She glides her bony hand up Holden’s chest in a transparently possessive display.

But more notably than her efforts to drive me into jealousy, is that there, on her index finger is Holden’s grandfather’s ring, winking back at me.

“This ugly thing?” Holden said. “This is the very reminder of everything in life I don’t want… And don’t want to be. I’d never give this to a woman I loved. Maybe I’d give it to someone I hated. Like a cruel joke.”

I smile—a real smile—and meet Holden’s sharp gaze. “You’re right,” I say. “This really is a complicated situation.”

I grab a pen out of my purse and scribble my name and date at the bottom of the contract and shove it against Holden’s chest, pausing to lean into both of them.

It takes every ounce of energy to ignore the pulse of heat between us and the scent of lemongrass that drives me wild. “I’ll see you both at rehearsal. Because this time? You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

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