Page 80 of Hayden's Stalker

I turn my phone to show her the best pic of the three of us. “Here’s a good one. Look, Tati.”

She moves over to look at the pictures, and I promise her, “I’ll send them to you.”

She turns her face up to smile at me, and I smile back. She looks so happy, and I’m glad once again that I was able to facilitate this meeting with April for her. She has this photograph to remember the evening by, and that’s awesome.

“What the fuck is going on?” Blake asks in a voice of steel.

Any sexual tension in the air between Tati and me dissipates at once. My blood runs cold, and the butterflies return in full force as I realize the time has come for Blake and me to have a really awkward conversation. I’m also supremely aware that we’re getting a lot of attention from the guests around us.

I look between Tati and Blake before saying honestly, “I was just showing Tatiana the pictures we took with April.”

“Yes, I know. I just watched you lookingverycozy together for the last few minutes. Isn’t she supposed to be your bodyguard?” He turns to glare at Tati. “Is this part of your service? Fucking my boyfriend?”

I cringe internally as he asks her such a rude question, once again reminding me of why I want to break up with him. There have been so many times that he’s done things I’ve been uncomfortable with in front of my friends.

“Blake, let’s go to my dressing room to talk,” I suggest.

Blake turns his glare to me. “Well, that’s not a no. So you are fucking her, then?”

My whole body stiffens as he asks his question in a loud enough tone for nearly everyone in the room to hear. I’m aware that all conversation has stopped, and I can practically feel the eyes of everyone in the room on us.

I rub my thumb along the smooth plastic of my phone case and focus on taking slow breaths to calm myself down.

“For god’s sake, Blake,” Heather snaps at him. “He literally just brought her over to take a picture with April because she’s a fan. Why do you have to be such a dick?”

“Shut up, Heather. This doesn’t concern you, and you don’thaveto insert yourself into every situation. I’m trying to talk to my boyfriend.”

Fucking hell.

I desperately want to get out of this room. I don’t want to have this discussion with him right here and now. Heather starts to say something, but I know it’s just going to make everything worse, so when she looks at me first, I give a tiny shake of my head.

“Blake, let’s go to my dressing room to talk,” I say, trying to keep my voice even, and I hope more than anything that Blake will take me up on this offer.

“No. I want you to tell me if you’re fucking her or not,” Blake demands, and the ice in my veins turns to fire.

I hate this. I hate that we’re clearly going to have an audience for this discussion. I hate that he thinks I would actually cheat on him. I hate that I want to. I hate that he’s here making Tati look bad in front of everyone. I hate that he told Heather to shut up.

So much about this makes me furious, but I manage not to yell at him when I say, “Okay, you want to do this here, then.” It’s hard not to be aware that everyone in the room is hanging on my every word, so I want to make it clear that Tati hasn’t slept with me to nip that rumor in the bud right away. “Fine. Blake, the answer is no, I’m not having sex with Tatiana.”

He turns to give Tati a smug grin, and I dislike it immensely. He’s treated me badly for years, but the way he’s disrespected her is what pisses me off the most.

“But, that is the last time I’m going to have to answer to you because we’re through.” I catch sight of the VIP pass hanging around his neck, and I don’t want him to have access to any of the backstage areas right now. “As you’re now my ex-boyfriend, I’d appreciate it if you could hand over your all-access pass before you leave. I’ll get security to give it to one of the fans who I would much rather have at the concert than you.”

I look around the room to see Jesse standing near the room’s entrance. I’m glad he’s here because I don’t want Tati to have to be alone with Blake, but I also don’t really trust him to leave the venue on his own.

“Jesse,” I call out. “Can you please see Blake out of here. Thanks.”

“Hayden, what the fuck?” Blake gasps at me.

Jesse is already on his way toward us, and I have to work to keep my voice as calm as I can when I ask, “Was there something about what I said that was unclear?”

“You don’t mean this,” Blake says. “You’re my boyfriend.”

Maybe because I have felt so disconnected from him for a long time, as I told Tati in the music room, but I don’t feel the strong sense of loss I expected to feel in doing this. There’s only relief. I still love Blake, but any of those positive emotions are dampened by the way he treats everyone. I’ve let it go on too long because I thought he would change, but now I know that he’s not going to.

“You mean he’s yourex-boyfriend, as of about fifteen seconds ago, don’t you?” Heather says, sounding amused.

“It’s time to go,” Jesse says as he stops next to Blake.

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