Page 49 of Forbidden Billionaire Rockstar

This is a chance to prove something to myself.

Tears sting the back of my eyelids, and I shake my head, willing the emotions to go away because this is supposed to be a time for me to relax. Jace did this so I wouldn’t stress, yet all I can do is lean my head back and look up at the ceiling.

I have one hand resting at the edge of the tub, my fingers tapping against the side of it as I continue going over everything I need to have done for the duration of the tour, and I jump when a shadow falls over me.

“Shit,” I mutter, my heart falling to the pit of my stomach.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Jace whispers. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

When my heartbeat slowly normalizes, I glance at him and arch a brow. “What are you doing here?”

He smirks. “I can hear you thinking all the way out there.”

My cheeks heat and I look away, thankful that the bubbles are covering my frame, because I’m not sure what I would do if I saw the usual heat in Jace’s eyes right now. “Guess I can’t help it.”

“Which is why you’ve got me.”

I watch curiously as he steps further into the room, closes the bathroom door behind him, and brings a small bench over to the side of the tub. He doesn’t give me a chance to object, just simply sinks onto the bench and leans forward with a small smile.

“Tell me about your future,” Jace says softly. “Where do you see it going?”

The question catches me off guard. My future has always been a hazy concept, overshadowed by the ghosts of my past. But as I look into Jace’s eyes, I find myself wanting to share.

“I guess I’d like to be a full-time marketing manager and grow my own company,” I start, surprised by the conviction in my voice. “Make a larger name for myself.”

“Is that what you’ve always wanted?”

I laugh. The sound is surprisingly light. “Lord, no. I was lost for a long time, constantly jumping from job to job. Marketing... it gave me a purpose, you know?"

Jace nods, his eyes soft. "I get that. Music did the same for me. It was like finding a piece of myself I didn't know was missing."

"Exactly," I say, feeling a spark of connection. "But sometimes I wonder if I'm good enough, if I can really make it in this industry."

"Hey," Jace says, his hand hovering near the water as if he wants to reach out. "You're amazing at what you do. I've seen it. Don't let one setback make you doubt yourself."

His words warm me more than the bath water. "Thanks, Jace. That... means a lot."

"So, tell me more about this company you want to start," he prompts, leaning in with genuine interest.

As we talk, I realize I'm not just telling Jace about my dreams—I'm rediscovering parts of myself I'd forgotten. With each word, each shared smile, I feel the walls I've built around my heart start to crumble.

“And how did you come across marketing?”

“Brent.” I shake my head and chuckle. “I helped amp up his socials and individual accounts, and I liked the results I got from it.”

“Did you go to school for it?”

I shrug. “Took a certificate class, but nothing major.”

“That’s awesome,” he says, a smile on his face. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be in a band.”

His eyes sparkle as he goes on and on about growing up, how his parents tried getting him into sports, but he wasn’t athletic in the slightest and uncoordinated.

As soon as he got his first guitar during Christmas when he was about eight years old, he knew that’s what he wanted to do when he grew up. Even though his parents tried, his love for the instrument never wavered, and that’s how he ended up performing gigs with different bands throughout his adult life.

Right before Raising Havoc took him under their wing.

While he continues talking about his past, I realize that since he sat down in front of me, I haven’t stressed once about the outcome of my current job. It feels good not to worry, to feel free and alive.

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