Page 49 of Heart Break Her

Without staring at his ridiculously beautiful face, I get to look a little deeper. And the more I get to know him, the closer I start to feel to him in a way that’s bordering on the line of not beingjustfriendsat all.

Across the bar, I see a woman with long black hair and ruby lipstick wrap her arms around Sebastian’s shoulders, bringing them almost nose to nose. Even if his hands are at his sides, he smiles at her. The smallest tick, and it makes my head spin. She’s gorgeous, exactly the type of girl I’d picture with a man like him. Voluptuous and sexy. There’s nothing sweet and innocent about her.

Her head tilts as she whispers in his ear, and I realize I recognize her. It’s Madison Maine from Four Clovers, one of tonight’s opening bands. She and Sebastian look very familiar with each other.

“They dated,” Merry says, reading my mind.

I turn to see her looking over my shoulder at where Sebastian’s standing, talking to Madison. Her arms have loosened up, creating some distance, but her hands are still planted firmly on his neck.

“That’s fine.” I turn my back to them, so I don’t have to watch. “We decided we’re friends. He can screw who he wants.”

“I don’t think he’s screwing her anymore.” Merry waves for a bartender.

The nonchalant way she says it should put me at ease, but it doesn’t. While Merry is used to the play-hard lifestyle of being surrounded by rock stars, I feel like the more time I spend swimming in the deep end, the closer I get to drowning in it.

“Is that new?” I ask her, pointing to fresh ink on her forearm. It’s a bleeding heart in the palm of two hands.

She flips her arm up between us with a big smile. “You like?”

“I do,” I say, looking it over. “Give it a few years, and you’re going to be covered like Rome.”

I’m not sure there’s an empty patch of skin on Rome’s body, apart from his hands and face. But I get the feeling there’s a little more to his ink than a fashion statement. Because on more than one occasion, I’ve noticed some scarring hidden beneath them. Almost like he uses them to hide something. And I don’t know what that’s about, only that it’s not my place to ask.

“You might be right.” Merry grins. “I’m addicted.”

“I’d say.”

“Noah’s trying to convince me to let him put one on me.” She rolls her eyes.

“I didn’t know he could tattoo.” I didn’t even know he could draw.

“It’s a hobby,” Merry says with a shrug.

I nudge her shoulder. “Afraid he’ll mess it up then?”

“Not exactly.” She laughs. “But this is Noah we’re talking about. With my luck, if I hand him a needle, he’ll tattoo his name on my body.”

Before I can ask her more about Noah, the bartender approaches, and Merry slides her card across the bar. “Two fuzzy nipple shots and two vodka tonics.” She turns to me. “Sound good?”

I nod because Lord knows I could use a distraction right now. No matter how close I feel to Sebastian, I have to remember I’m no different from anyone else to him, another face at the base of the pedestal looking up.

“So, what’s going on with you and Noah?” I ask when the bartender disappears to make our drinks.

Merry lifts a pierced eyebrow. “Noah, as in the guy across the bar, five seconds away from sticking his dick in a groupie, Noah?”

I cock my head. “Yes.”

“Nothing.” Merry rolls her eyes. “Not for his lack of trying though.”

“So you’ve never—"

“No fucking way.” She purses her lips and lets out a laugh that edges on genuine. “Yes, he’s hot, okay. I’d have to be blind not to notice. But he’s the fun guy, a one-night stand guy, the fucks-everything-with-legs man. Plus, I’ve got to work with him. Not going there.”

“Okay,” I say, not quite believing it. Noah might get around—a lot—but the way he looks at Merry makes me think he wants a heck of a lot more than sex from her.

My eyes follow Merry’s line of sight to find Noah with a scantily clad girl in his lap. She’s grinding against his dick through his jeans.

Groupies really will do anything.

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