“Holy shit, Jacie. You did it.”
I can’t help it. Even with everything happening around us, I can only look at him, like he’s the only thing in the room worth seeing while my world turns upside down.
“We can finally fucking watch it now, right?” Ava calls out, pointing with her empty flute to Jodies laptop. “You said they dropped the video, too. Right, Jodie? We have seen parts of it, but not the final edit.”
“Hit play, let’s see it,” Missy chimes in before bending over to grab the bottle of champagne off the table to refill the now empty glasses.
Ty tugs me down again as we all gather back to our places, sitting beside me this time, before Jodie starts the video with an excited “I’m so proud of you guys. Now let’s watch you become fucking stars!”
Watching the video, I can’t help stealing sideways glances at my man, a giddy fucking grin playing around my lips as he watches our very first music video, eyes bright. I’ve seen most of the footage—hell, I’ve lived it—so I’d rather watch his reaction.
We didn’t need to do much, they just followed us around during the tour and stitched it all together into a behind-the-scenes, performance-style clip.
Sure, they made us perform on top of the bus at one point for some “big visual payoff” thing, but most of it is just real moments. Us laughing in dressing rooms. Sneaking snacks backstage, my face stuffed with french fries. Missy jumping on Asher’s back in the middle of soundcheck. Group hugs. Ava dancing like a maniac in the rain, pink hair plastered to her face as Missy joins her, laughing and hugging before they tackle me to the ground. Asher filming us from inside the bus, phone shaking because he was laughing too hard.
It’s...wholesome. Way more wholesome than we deserve. But it’sus.
My eyes flicker back to the screen when Ty’s smile drops, clenching his jaw.
“Wait, pause it, rewind. What was that?” I ask, when I only catch a glimpse of one of our shows.
Tyler sighs as he lets go of my pinky before his big hand engulfs my knee. “It was nothing, Jacie. It’s fine. Just keep playing, Jodie.”
“No. What did I miss?” I eye our manager, who cringes, which makes me distrust this even more. “Pause the damn video!”
She apologies and rewinds the clip. “I was hoping they wouldn’t try to do that.”
“Who tried to dowhatexactly? What am I missing?” I stare at the screen as Tyler grips my knee tighter, snagging my attention his way. His mouth is pulled in a crooked, one-dimpled smile—one I usually adore—but right now, his eyes don’t have their usual softness in them.
“It’s okay. It’s fine. We’re fine. I mean, it’s not like it’s real or anything. It’s just… shit.” He huffs and rubs his face in frustration.
“I’m so sorry,” Jodie says. “They basically just threw your private life in public.”
“My private life?” I’m getting a fucking whiplash as I snap my head back to her. “What do you mean with my private life?Do you meanourprivate life?” I gesture to Ty and me, frowning. “We’re not hiding. We never tried to. We know it would hurt his career—mycareer—so we’re not flaunting it or anything… But… I really don’t care if people know about him. Shit, he’s everything to me, theyshouldknow.” I glance at Ty again, and there’s so much fucking adoration in his gaze after my little statement, I just know he’s on the same page.
Jodie's gaze is apologetic. “I know you don’t, Jace. And I know Tyler doesn’t either if it comes to it, but that’s not exactly what I meant…”
My eyes widen as it clicks.
“Mick.” I swear I fuckinggrowlhis motherfucking name. “What the fuck did that pitiful excuse for a human being do this time?”
“I really am sorry, Jace. I really didn’t know about it, or otherwise I would’ve stopped it.”
My stomach plummets as she taps on play. Because fuck yes, there it is. Mick fucking Heart, front and center in our music video. Holding me against his body as we singhisstupid song during the encore. And then the camera cuts to a closeup—my head falling onto his shoulder in motherfucking slow motion.
Oh, hell no.
The footage is from the first night—I recognize it, because he was way bolder that night than the shows from last week. And I let him, I fucking let him because I didn’t know what I was in for. Because I didn’t know yet how persistent he was going to be.
And fuck me if it doesn’t look like he’s my damn lover. Like this song aboutachingis abouthim.It’s not. It never was. It’s about the wonderful, amazing man right next to me, who currently looks at me with so much pity and hurt—and it kills me. Because he shouldn’t have to be the one comfortingmeright now.
Fuck. Withthey thew your private life in public,she didn’t mean my relationship with Tyler. She meant a differentrelationship. With one of the most influential, famous rock stars of our generation.
A relationship that doesn’t even exist.
The backlash of this shit is going to suck so fucking hard.
I try to swallow down the lump rising in my throat, but it’s useless. The euphoria from minutes ago fucking gone.
