Page 31 of Hart Breaker

“You know me, Riley.”

I open my eyes at the sound of the smile in his voice and am met with soft brown eyes.

“I’m promising you it’s going to change everything.”

I eye him skeptically, and he gives a genuine smile, one that disappeared when he felt betrayed by me, when he thought I was hot for Hart.

“Your man’s a dick,” are the first words Lauren has spoken directly to me in days.

“Not denying that, but Lo, you know that if you corner any animal, their survival instinct is going to kick in. Hart cornered him and?—”

“You truly believe that Hudson Hart is the one instigating your tantrum-throwing, entitled prick of a boyfriend?”

“He followed him out on the deck and?—”

“Jesus, Riley, do you hear yourself? You’re making excuses for yet another fucking asshole!” Her yelling … at me is totally out of character.

“I need something from you.”

“You’re asking me for a favor right now?” She barks out a laugh.

“I’m asking that when Brett and I get married, you allow yourself to lean into what you and Hudson Hart could be.”

“Me and Hart?” she gasps.

“Lo, he’s?—”

“Fuck you, Riley. Like seriously, fuck you.”

“Lauren,” I call after her.

“You don’t get to talk to me again until I say you can. Until then”—she opens the door—“fuck you.”

“What is happening?” Syd asks, walking out from the kitchen.

“So much, Syd,” I admit.

“Okay.” She pulls me into a hug. “You and me, we’re going to fix it. Make it all better.”

DOWN TO F

Hudson

That motherfucker called me fat and I’m in the best fucking shape of my life.

“Fuck him.” I grumble as I add the last ingredient into the mixing bowl.

“Jesus, man, how can you be hungry after the spread they put out tonight?” Roman laughs as he walks into the kitchen and sees me in front of my mixer.

“He’s feeding his feels,” Jillian says, walking toward us in one of her man’s tees. “Operating heavy machinery when you’re drunk is a bad?—”

I point the spatula at her. “I said you could break a bed, but for fuck’s sake, Jill, put some pants on before you leave the room.”

I won’t address the fact that I am, in fact, pretty fucked up because that would mean I sobered up enough to deal with the mess I’ve made.

“I’ve accepted that my sister is with one of my best friends”—Rome waves his hand up and down toward Jillian—“but I draw the line at this kind of talk.”

Jillian drops down low, starts twerking, and pulls up their shirt. “I have shorts on, and I’m a grown-ass woman. Accept it.”

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