Page 21 of Heart Break Her

She walks over to the sink and cups water in her hands, splashing it on her face as I come to stand behind her. When she looks in the mirror, our eyes meet. Water droplets stream down her cheeks and almost look like tears before she wipes them away.

“I don’t need handouts.” She narrows her eyes at me.

“I didn’t say you did.”

“You implied it.” She shakes her head. “You don’t understand. I worked my ass off to get this job. I put in the hours, the blood, the sweat, the tears. I graduated college. I did it… after everything…” she stops.

Something tells meeverythingwas a lot, but I keep my mouth shut so I don’t stick my foot further down it.

“I did this as much as you did.” She sighs. “I don’t need you to fix it. Especially if I don’t even know yet what needs fixing.”

I spin Cassie to face me, holding her shoulders when she tries to pull away. She’s so close in this small bathroom that she’s forced to look up at me, and it takes every ounce of my control to not lean in and kiss her.

“First of all, you didn’t do this. Some asshole with a camera did this without our consent. This is on him, and he’s going to fucking pay.” I feel her body stiffen. “Second, I was just trying to help. The offer stands, but I understand if you don’t want it. It’s not a handout. I’ll even make you apply if it makes you feel better, but we’ve been looking for someone to redo our merchandise for the next album. So just throwing it out there.”

Can’t you see I want you to catch it?

To take it?

Can’t you see I need you near me?

I’m not sure where these thoughts keep spilling out of, but I need to find a cork to lock them in.

“I can’t.” Cassie shakes her head, and I try not to let her see my shoulders deflate.

“And that’s fine,” I tell her.

Cassie’s eyebrows pinch as she looks up at me. “You’re different today.”

“How so?”

“Sober, maybe?”

It makes me laugh even if it’s a sad realization. “I’ve been too busy these past twenty-four hours to drink.”

It’s mostly true, although in the past it wouldn’t have stopped me.

“No, but seriously, you just seem different like this,” she says, letting out a deep breath.

“Stressed as fuck?”

She chuckles and shakes her head. “Dare I say the man behind all the leather and screaming fans is almost human?”

That kicks loose something I should chase after, but I don’t want to.

I lean in close to her ear and notice her breath hold in her chest. “Shh. Don’t say that too loudly, or you might piss off the rock gods.”

Finally, a full smile breaks across her face, and I feel relieved to know that maybe I can get her through this.

“Your secret is safe with me.” Her gaze darts to her room. “But I need to find Merry. And then I need to call my mom. And figure out if I still have a job. You know… I’m sure you’re needed somewhere too.”

“I’ll wait,” I tell her, and her eyes widen the slightest bit in surprise.

There’s no way I’m leaving until I know where things stand. I have people to deal with my mess, a whole team of them, actually. Cassie has no one but herself.

She straightens up, and I step back, realizing once more how beautiful she is without a smudge of makeup.

She leads me out of the bathroom, and I hear Merry talking in the kitchen, so we head her direction. But I’m frozen in place as I walk past her dresser.

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