Page 18 of Heart Break Her

Merry’s frown deepens. “Can’t a girl be there for her best friend?”

“Under normal circumstances, yes.” I squeeze her hand. “And don’t get me wrong, I appreciate you showing up in person. But I’m not dumb. So go ahead, I’m a big girl. What do they want? Or are they just confirming I’m not the one who released it? Because trust me, I’d rather die.”

“He doesn’t think that,” Merry says firmly.

“Wonderful.” I roll my eyes. “Hedoesn’t, but I’m sure others do.”

“I don’t know.”

I lift an eyebrow at her. We’ve been friends long enough I can see straight through her avoidance tactics. Just like I’m not convinced Sebastian didn’t release the video to further his reputation, I’m sure there’s plenty of people on his team who think the same about me. To them, I’m a random woman who went back to his room and messed around with him. They don’t know my motives, or that I would never put myself out there like that.

My eyes move to a picture on my dresser, one where my brother has his arm wrapped around my shoulders. His shaggy, dark-blond hair almost covers his eyes, but nothing hides his blinding grin.

He warned me, time and time again about the band, about the rock star lifestyle, about Sebastian. He would have been so disappointed.

“I’m going to be sick,” I say, grabbing my stomach and rushing to the bathroom.

I slam the door shut and barely make it to the toilet before everything I’m feeling starts pouring out of my mouth.

Regret. Disappointment. Anger. But mostly, just puke.

I’m sure hundreds of girls have shared Sebastian’s bed. He didn’t deny it when I brought it up with him. I’m just one in a long line of fun nights that aren’t supposed to have consequences.

Yet I’m the one who has to end up in the middle of this scandal?

I deserved one night to let go, to let loose. After barely keeping my family together over the past year, I made it to the other side. I graduated college with honors. I got the dream job. I paid my dues. I was owed one night of whatever I wanted.

Not you, Cassie Walker.

You don’t get to play with fire and expect it not to burn you.

“Cassie, honey,” Merry knocks on the bathroom door. “Are you okay?”

“No.”

Head in a toilet, last night’s dinner in the back of my throat, my lady bits all over the internet. I am most definitely not okay.

There’s a beat of silence so deep, I can hear Merry breathing against the door frame. I turn to lean my back against the wall and tip my head back. Dewy sweat coats my forehead from puking.

It didn’t help. My stomach still feels sick.

“I don’t know what to do,” I say, so quiet I’m not sure if she can hear me. “It was supposed to be fun, and this is such a mess.”

“I know,” Merry says, and a thump on the door makes me think she’s leaning into it from the other side. “You might not want to hear this right now, but you’re right. I did come here for a reason. To check on my best friend, yes, of course. But also, for the band.”

I figured. Not that I’ll hold it against her. Everyone has a job to do. Except maybe me once my company catches wind of the tape.

“I’m listening,” I tell her.

“We’re going to find a way to smooth this over.”

“A time machine?”

She chuckles. “Don’t I wish. But no. You just need to listen to him.”

Him?

What is she talking about?

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