Page 45 of When You Stayed
Spinning around, Royce’s eyes narrowed as she lifted her chin. She didn’t seem to notice or care that she was still caged between my arms.
“How about an apology?”
“An apology?” I searched her face.
A nod. “Yes, to start.”
I laughed, glancing to the side before returning my attention on her. “If I thought you’d accept a real one from me, then I’d take you out of here right now.”
She pushed at my chest, making me falter back. “See, that right there. Stop confusing me. You’re here because of the club, right?”
Arms folded in tight, Royce glared at me, but it wasn’t her usual petulant stare. This one had something different in how her brows flattened and her nose flared. She was hurt.
Closing the distance, I leaned in so she could hear me and apologized. “I’m sorry, Royce. I was a dick last night. What can I do to make up for it?”
The band transitioned songs, which meant the lights in the room shifted as well. This time, pink burst everywhere, highlighting her high cheekbones and golden hair. My gut tightened with how desperate it made me to touch her.
“I want partial custody of Gus,” she demanded, tilting her chin.
Genuine laughter curled inside my chest, forcing a smile to pop on my face. It seemed to make one appear on hers as well as she finally lowered her arms.
“Partial custody? You can’t be serious.”
“I am. You can share.”
Pointing at my chest, I tried to explain. “He’smycat.”
“And you hurtmyfeelings, so I’d like to have him tonight, please.” She seemed so confident, and, fuck, it was cute.
“The only way you’ll have him is if you stay atmyhouse.” Why was I offering that? Gus was currently at my parents’, and if she said yes, that meant I’d have to go all the way there to get him. Which I didn’t want to do because it would wake my mother up, and she’d want to talk to me. Probably about what happened earlier that my father no doubt told her.
Royce looked shocked that I’d even suggest that. “I’m not staying with you.”
“You can’t have Gus any other way.” I really didn’t know why I was making this a standard when it really wasn’t that big of a deal to me. When I’d forced Johnson to take Gus one time, he had texted me the whole night telling me how much he hated me for it. I should justtell her yes and let it be an olive branch. Yet…the idea of her in my house was too appealing.
She stared at me for a long moment before she lifted her shoulder. “I’ll just steal him again.”
Another smile slipped, and my chest felt…light. I was about to argue with her when suddenly someone walked up to her from the side.
“Royce, babe. I got off early.”
We both turned to see the guy with cropped hair who had taken her to the movies and who had been with her inside of the Drip, on what looked like a cozy date. He wore a button-down shirt that was open at the collar. Even his jeans looked crisp and new.
“Julian…” She stepped away from me and faced him. He pulled her into a hug, and while she seemed a bit wooden, she didn’t stop him. I watched as his hands moved to her waist, and then in agony as his mouth descended and he kissed her.
Old insecurities ripped through my chest, replacing the light that I had felt with a frenzied darkness. This was the role that Royce Quinn would always play in my life. I’d fall for her charm, her wit, and her fucking petulant, bratty attitude. Then she’d end up in someone else’s arms.
I was only ever falling for her.
And I was fucking tired of it.
Instead of yanking her back to my chest or pushing him away and explaining he didn’t get to taste her, I took a step away. Then another.
Her back was still to me as she began explaining something about how they’d talked about the weekend lineup, but she let Julian lay another kiss against her forehead while he seemed to try to appease her.
I left through the exit and didn’t look back until I parked in front of the club, and light poured over the darkened rocks by my feet. Johnson knew I was coming, and once I had arrived, he spilled out of the front doors with two girls attached to his side.
“Boss, look who popped in tonight.”
