Page 106 of Heartbreaker

I’ve attempted to get him to open up without nagging or pushing too hard. But at some point, he has to meet me at least in the ballpark of halfway.

“Royal?”

He’s doing something on his phone, completely ignoring me, and his behavior is starting to get irritating.

“I’m just tired, okay?” He doesn’t even look up.

“It’s eleven o’clock in the morning…and we just got up an hour ago. How tired can you be?”

He chuckles but it hits a bitter note and hangs in the space between us. “We were up pretty late, if I recall.”

“We were,” I admit, “but I don’t think?—”

“Let’s go back to bed,” he murmurs, abruptly standing up and coming over to circle my waist with his right arm, using it to draw me against him.

I know he’s deflecting, but this is too important to let him get away with it.

“I don't want to go back to bed just yet,” I respond gently, turning to gaze up at him. “I want you to tell me what’s bothering you.”

He knits his brows together, his blue eyes darkening.

And not in that sexy alpha way I love.

There’s annoyance in those fathomless pits, something he rarely shows when we’re together.

“We don’t have to talk about fucking everything,” he snaps. “Okay? I’m allowed to have thoughts that I don’t want to share.”

I know he’s upset.

I know seeing his replacement with Amber had to hurt.

I can only imagine how hard it must be to find out you’ve been replaced in the band you started without warning—but none of that is my fault.

We’re supposed to be a team, both personally and professionally.

He promised we were in this together.

But it hasn’t felt like it the last couple of days, so I’m trying my hardest to be supportive, even though I’ve felt incredibly alone.

“Of course you are,” I say gently, “but it might help to get it off your chest. That’s all.”

“That’s not how I roll, so leave it alone, okay? Please?”

I sigh. “Fine. But I’m going to the studio today. Come with me. It’ll get your mind off things. We can just play around with some of the songs we’re not sure we’re going to use. That’s been fun.”

“Fun for you maybe.” His voice is barely discernible, but I hear it.

And I freeze, staring at him in confusion.

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing. Never mind.” He turns away, like he’s going to leave the kitchen, but I grab his arm and the questions pour out of me.

“Babe, what’s wrong? Do you not want to do the album together anymore? What’s going on with you? I understand that scene with Amber was rough, but why are you taking it out on me?”

A tic in his jaw is working overtime, and he doesn’t meet my gaze.

The silence grows, a strange, uncomfortable distance between us even though we’re only standing a few inches apart.

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