Page 78 of Madden

“I don’t even know what’s true anymore.” I shrug, bouncing my leg up and down to rock the chair.

“How is Brielle taking it?” Layken asks, tucking a strand of hair falling in front of her face behind her ear.

I shrug. “We haven’t talked much about it yet, honestly.”

Trey glances over at her and back to me. “Well, if anyone understands the strain this can put on a relationship, it’s us. I think all you can do now is talk to each other, focus on the truth between you two, and do your best to shut out all the other noise.”

Layken nods. “It’s taken me a while to get used to this. Trey too. We both kind of went through it together, considering he hadn’t quite experienced the downside of fame since joining the band. If the two of you are serious, and it seems like it is, focus on taking care of you and your relationship. These things will happen, but as long as you can talk to each other and work through them together, you’ll be able to get through anything.”

“For what it’s worth, don’t shut her out, either,” Trey adds.

Layken playfully swats him on the arm. “Hey, you deserved it, though. Served you right, too. You needed some time to think. We both did.”

Trey turns toward me and rolls his eyes, mouthing, “No, I didn’t.”

I smirk, catching Layken’s eyes trained on him. She saw it and managed a roll of the eyes herself.

“I don’t know what’s going on between us yet since it’s still new. We haven’t been able to spend much time together with the interview, the album release and press tours, and then our party. It seems like one thing after another after another these days.”

They both nod in understanding.

“I do know I want to be with her, though. I want to figure this out, and like you said, for us to get through this together.”

“That’s all that matters, man.” Trey shrugs. “It’ll all work itself out, though. I promise. I will admit, for a while, I was worried it wouldn’t, but it did.”

I end up leaving a little while later, giving Trey and Layken some time together with their daughter. They’ve had a lot going on lately themselves, and I don’t doubt Trey wants time to be with his girls.

I don’t bother checking my phone on the drive home. I’ve been too tempted to see what else is being said about me, and it’s just best if I shut it all out right now.

I roll down my windows, turn up my music, and drown out everything. These are some of the simple times I miss. When I could climb into my car and go for a drive, not worrying about who’s around and having security tagging along with me.

When I pull up outside my house, I’m still debating if I want to meet up with the guys at Whiskey Barrel later for drinks.

I could use the distraction, but I’m not sure it’s the right place for me to be hanging with all the shit swirling around. Even though I have a restraining order against Hanna, I’m still concerned whether she’ll even follow the orders.

She hasn’t managed to listen once since I ended things with her. What makes me think she’ll start now?

I toss my keys on the entryway table near the door, emptying my pocket along with my phone.

“I tried calling you to tell you I was coming, but you never answered or got back to me.”

My eyes land on Brielle, standing at the foot of the stairs, smiling at me. For the first time since she left, I return a genuine smile.

The weight and tension in my body eases, and I stalk toward her, slipping my arms under her legs and lift her into my arms. She buries her nose into my neck and releases a soft sigh.

“Jesus, I can’t tell you how good it feels to see you again.”

“I know,” she murmurs, trailing a path of kisses along my jaw up to my ear.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I add.

She pulls back to stare down at me, her eyes flashing to my lips before she crashes her mouth on mine.

I moan, gripping the base of her neck to hold her against me.

There they are again. Those three words on the tip of my tongue.

She holds my face in her hands, and I slowly lower her to the floor.

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