Page 83 of Heart Break Her

A smile that says he wants a lot more from me than sex. A smile that hooks me deep inside, and I feel myself being pulled under.

24

Sebastian

Aknottightensinmy chest when I’m around Cassie. I want to fuck her until it comes loose so I can breathe again, but so far that only makes me want to cling harder.

She’s standing outside the hotel, talking on her phone and looking down at the pavement. Her toes twist against the sidewalk as she pushes her hair off her face. I’m not sure how to read her expression, but she doesn’t look happy.

Worried?

Hurting?

I walk through the hotel doors with Dax, my security guard, right ahead of me, and work my way to where Cassie is standing. Today, Dax is in a T-shirt and jeans to hopefully draw less attention. The second a single person recognizes me, this will all be over, but I keep my head down and try to not make eye contact with anyone.

“I know, I am,” Cassie says into the phone.

Her eyes flick up at me when she spots me, but her nose wrinkles as she turns away.

“I love you too, but I have to go,” Cassie says, “I’ll call you soon.”

She tucks her phone into her purse and rolls her shoulders back before facing me, like she’s attempting to mask a deep sigh. Her face gives her away the second she spins.

“My parents,” she says, waving to her pocket.

“I figured.” I wrap my arms around her and pull her against me, appreciating how she melts against my chest like she belongs there.

How long has it been since I’ve been this comfortable with a woman? Since I’ve wanted to protect her, comfort her, take her pain away?

Never?

Usually, I prefer they disappear right after sex. So I don’t have to deal with the bullshit of them wanting to stick around. But not Cassie. I’d sew her to my side if it didn’t sound so insane to do so. She’s getting under my skin in all the best and worst ways.

Every time I’m around Cassie lately, I have to remind myself I can’t have a girlfriend. Especially one who is going to leave the second her job realizes what a big mistake they’ve made. I have to remind myself that the life she’ll live without me is better than one with me in it, and that if she knew the truth she’d run far away.

But fuck it if I’m going to let anyone else touch her while she’s mine.

Mine.

A thought I shouldn’t give weight to, but it consumes me.

Cassie pulls away and nods once—like she’s convincing herself she’s fine—as we start making our way down the sidewalk.

I keep my chin tipped down and let my baseball cap cover my face as we walk. I don’t usually mind being swarmed by fans or the press because having people desperate for a piece of you is something most people never get the privilege of experiencing. But with Cassie standing by me, the last thing I want is to draw that kind of exposure.

“Everything okay with your parents?” I ask.

“My dad’s fine. A little stressed, but I think it’s because of his job.” Cassie stares out at the street ahead, and I realize there’s a bit of darkness in her blue-green eyes. “Mom’s not doing great though. Me being out here isn’t helping. I think she’s just worried after everything that happened with Myth… She can’t see it’s not like that.”

“It isn’t,” I agree.

Myth was a loose cannon, nothing like Cassie. He lived life like a live wire, and it made me, of all people, seem tame. Cassie is the opposite. Cautious, deliberate, careful. Even when she’s wasted, she seems more worried about everyone else than her own well-being. A quality that is both endearing and terrifying. Because that’s exactly what gets you chewed the fuck up in my world.

“I’m being selfish,” Cassie says, resting her head against my arm as we walk.

“Who cares?” Maybe it’s a dick thing to say, but my life pretty much revolves around me being selfish, so I’m not sure I understand the problem.

“I’m never selfish,” Cassie sighs.

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