Page 101 of Obsessed with the Heartbreaker

He watched me closely, like he couldn’t tell whether I was lying or drunk, or maybe he was contemplating whether I was serious in my threat.

“I, uh…I’ll be going then.” He put a red cup on the kitchen table and started to walk away. Once he was at the door to the backyard, he stopped. “He looked really hurt, you know? Not like someone who’s just hooking up with you. And you look like shit yourself. Might want to think about it.”

He left me like that, miserable in the middle of the kitchen and feeling the most alone I’d ever felt in my entire life.

It might have been a minute or an hour later, but Maddox came to my side with Adam, both looking at me with disappointed expressions, but whatever they wanted to say or comment about the show earlier, they kept it to themselves.

“Come on,” Maddox said, putting his hand on my back and pushing me forward. “Party’s over for you.”

* * *

The next day, I refused to leave my bedroom. I didn’t even go to classes, just stayed in bed, watching random romantic movies, because they’d always been my comfort go-to, but now they were only putting salt on my wounds. I ordered takeout and when I was bored of watching people fall in love, I actually pulled outhomeworkand got around to doing it, which reminded me of Antony, which made me sick with missing him, which left me stupidly crying over my laptop and wondering why I couldn’t have just talked to Antony like a normal person.

By late afternoon, I’d showered and washed my face enough that I felt capable of facing the rest of the guys if they saw me in passing, but that didn’t happen.

No, once I got into the kitchen, everyone was there, and they were all staring at me like they’d been waiting for me to show up.

“I didn’t call in a meeting,” I said, voice rough.

“No, but we did.” Adam walked up to me, clearly the one who was going to speak for the group. “We want to talk to you.”

“You’re talking to me now,” I deadpanned like I always did, but Adam wasn’t deterred.

“You fucked up last night, King.”

“Antony looked really upset,” someone called out.

Someone else added, “I saw he wascrying.”

“Do you think I don’t know? I wasthere,” I growled, feeling like a cornered wild animal, shackles rising, hands balling into fists by my sides. “You should be used to this by now. I’m the Heartbreaker for a reason. I never said I was a good person.”

“But you are,” Adam said, expression serious and determined. His hazel eyes were digging into my soul. “You’re a good person, Henry, but sometimes you make bad decisions, and as people who care about you, we needed to tell you.”

I looked around. Everyone here looked ready to confront me to fight for Antony’s honor, which they technicallyweredoing. And for a crazy moment, even if I was the evil supervillain here, I was actually proud to be their brother.

But saying such things was not my way, and I was still deep in morose land, so clearing my tight throat, I said, “Good to know. I’m perfectly aware that I’m a piece of shit, but since the deed is already done, you can say you did your best and go back to your rooms or to whatever you were doing.”

I tried to wave them away with a dismissing hand, but they didn’t move.

“You should talk to him, King.”

“You look pretty hurt yourself.”

Looking away, I said, “I can lick my own wounds, thank you. Nowleave.”

“Why did you even break up with him? You looked so happy together.”

“You actuallysmiledsometimes. Not even a smirk. You smiled toyourself.”

“I thought it was kind of creepy,” I heard someone murmur.

And because I couldn’t hear this for a second longer, my cool armor broke.

“Heliedto me, okay? He never wanted to be with me. So you can shove your questions and suggestions—”

“That’sa lie,” Adam said. “I’m not saying Antony didn’t lie, because I don’t know that much about this, but I know for a fact he wanted to be with you. Genuinely. Everyone could see it.”

“You two had stars in your eyes when you were around each other.”

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