Page 31 of Heartbreaker

“What isn’t?” she asks, frowning.

“This. You. Me. Working together.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re fired.”

CHAPTER NINE

Royal

“IsUncle Banks going to get lots of goals tonight?” Frankie asks as she skips her way across the concourse, knowing the way to the box that Atlas reserves for Vipers home games like the little princess she is.

Perks of having an uncle on the roster.

Perksof having a billionaire for another uncle.

What perks do I afford her?

Chauffeur services and guitar lessons.

I do my best to remain inconspicuous as we weave through the crowd. We’re not far from L.A., so seeing a celebrity walking around isn’t all that unusual, and I’ve been to enough of Banks’s games over the years that the regulars don’t get all bent out of shape.

But ever since the awards show?—

No, ever since Jade announced that we were working on new music…

I’ve been getting more attention than usual.

Attention. Fuck. I used to crave it, used to live for it, used to think it could sustain me when nothing else could.

But now I hate it.

I can feel all the stares closing in on me, making my nape itch and my lungs tighten. It’s hard to draw in a full breath, hard to think clearly like I have to with Frankie at my side.

Briar’s trusting me to look after her, to make sure she’s safe.

And yeah, I have security. And yeah, they’re currently flanking us as we make our way to the suite, but this is Frankie.

She’s all of our hearts.

So, I pull my head out of my ass and focus.

“I’m sure Uncle Banks will do his best to score tonight.”

“More goals are better.”

My lips turn up at the edges. “I think Uncle Banks would agree with you.”

“Can I get popcorn?”

I flick my gaze at my security, and he nods, pivoting us to the concession stand. I could probably send him out to get some after we get settled in the suite.

But we’re already watching the game from a suite.

And Frankie already has a rock star, a hockey player, and a billionaire for uncles.

Waiting in line for her popcorn is good for her.

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