Page 188 of My Three Billionaire Rockstars

The single word cuts straight through me.

His hand slides up and down my back.

“You’re not embarrassing,” he murmurs. “You’re not temporary. And you sure as hell aren’t something any of us settled for.”

Emotion climbs hard into my throat, because he sounds angry about it, like the idea itself offends him.

Julian leans back against the counter beside us with a softer expression now. “He’s right, you know.”

I close my eyes tightly. “I hate this.”

“We know,” Julian says.

Daisy trots into the bathroom carrying one of Gabe’s shoes in her mouth like a prize.

The tension shatters.

Julian bursts out laughing. “Oh wow, she robbed him again.”

Even Xander huffs a laugh against my hair.

I pull back enough to stare at the dog. “Daisy, what’s wrong with you?”

She drops the shoe proudly at my feet and wags her tail like she just solved world hunger.

“She’s having the time of her life here,” Julian says.

Daisy loves the compound. The sprawling grounds, the trails, the endless people willing to throw tennis balls for her at all hours.

Earlier she stole one of the sound engineers’ sandwiches and escaped across the lawn like a tiny criminal mastermind while three grown men chased her.

It was the first time I laughed all day.

Everything in my life is imploding and my dog is thriving.

I eventually escape back to my room before things between the guys and me get even more complicated. Not that it helps.

The second I’m alone again, my thoughts spiral right back into ugly places.

I curl up on the massive bed beside Daisy and grab my phone again despite knowing better. Instead of social media, I open my texts with Nina.

Willow: Are you awake?

Nina: Obviously.

Willow: I think I ruined my entire life.

Nina: Dramatic.

Willow: Nina.

Nina: Willow. You didn’t ruin your life. You accidentally became internet famous for being hot and confusing.

Willow: I’m serious.

Nina: I know. And I’m serious too.

Willow: People hate me.