Page 185 of My Three Billionaire Rockstars

Even after everyone told me not to.

I grip the marble counter hard and squeeze my eyes shut.

Why her?

That one keeps replaying in my head, not because it’s the cruelest comment—the internet has managed much worse—but because it’s the one that hit the deepest.

Why her?

Like I’m some confusing mistake. Like I couldn’t possibly be enough for men like them.

I know I shouldn’t care. I know strangers online don’t know me. But that’s the thing about insecurities. They don’t have to be rational to hurt.

A knock sounds softly against the bathroom door. “You alive in there?”

Julian.

I exhale shakily. “Debatable.”

The door opens, and his dark head appears around it.

His expression softens when he sees me. “Hey.”

“I look like I got hit by a truck.”

“Nah,” he says easily. “More like emotionally hunted for sport.”

A laugh escapes me before I can stop it.

“You should sleep,” he says gently.

“You should mind your business.”

“I would if you weren’t currently my business.”

Why do they all say things like that?

I lean back against the counter. “Is everyone else asleep?”

Julian makes a face. “Xander’s pretending to work, Gabe’s pretending not to stress, and I’m pretending I wasn’t absolutely about to steal the emergency cheesecake from the kitchen.”

Despite everything, my mouth twitches.

Julian steps fully into the bathroom then, leaning one shoulder against the doorway casually.

The tension between us still feels strange now. Everything feels heavier. Especially knowing they’ve all seen the comments too, seen people tear me apart, seen the comparisons.

I fold my arms tightly over myself without thinking.

Julian’s expression changes. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Willow.”

I look away.

Big mistake. Because Julian might seem carefree, but he notices everything when it matters.