Page 48 of Holding On

“Hey, are you okay?” I ask him, genuinely concerned.

“I am now that you’re back, babe! You looked hot up on stage; you looked pretty good too, Fiona.” She takes her seat on my other side and flashes a tight smile without responding to him. “Hey, you don’t have to be a bitch to me right now.” He leans closer as he seethes at her.

Fiona leans forward over my lap with a practiced smile so no one can read her lips, speaking quietly enough that only Roman and I can hear her. “I can be whatever the hell I want to be, you douche nugget. I can’t wait until my girl is done with you and your bullshit. You’re a disgusting person and I hope to never talk to you again after tonight.” She winks at me as she sits back in her seat. I try to suppress a giggle, but on the inside, I am cracking up.

Roman Cash is the definition of a douche nugget.

“We’re leaving in ten minutes, and I don’t want to hear you complain about it,” he barks at me before standing and going to the bar, hopefully just to mingle and not to get something to drink.

“You both looked great up there, seriously amazing,” the other guy at our table says. Jim? Phil? I don’t remember, and I don’t care.

“Thanks so much,” Fiona answers for both of us before turning her shoulder to him and facing me directly. Roman comes back a few minutes later and is clearly upset.

“What’s going on?” I ask as I lean closer, not to actually be closer to him, but I’m trying to see if I can smell any alcohol on him.

“Nothing. You just really impressed people with your performance tonight. It’s all that anyone wants to talk to me about and how great you are.”

“Okay?” I’m confused by his anger.

“That was the whole point—you were supposed to help my image by lifting me up. You were supposed to fucking help me.”

“I don’t understand, Roman. I’ve done that for the last year and a half.”

He puts his hand around the back of my neck and tightens his hand just a little too much as he leans in and growls into my ear, “Tomorrow, when you post this bullshit early breakup post, everyone is going to think I’m the reason that our relationship ended and you will still be America’s sweetheart and people will be mad at me. Fans don’t buy music from artists they’re mad at, Tinsley. This wasn’t supposed to have a negative impact on my fucking career.”

I try to shake my head and get away from him, but he pulls me closer to him. To the cameras, we look like lovers in a close embrace, but there is no love here.

“You need to call off tomorrow, Tinsley. We can’t break up right after you stole the fucking show. Your fans will cause an uproar and mine will be mad at me for breaking up with America’s sweetheart with the great tits. We need more time.”

“We aren’t extending it, Roman. I’m done after tonight.”

“No,” he barks and hits the table. Fiona sits up straight and grabs my arm.

“Hey, back up, Roman. That isn’t cool. You don’t want to do this here. People are already looking, calm down,” Fiona rushes out as I can feel eyes on us.

“Then let’s do this somewhere else. We’re going to that party anyway; we can talk about it on the way. But know this: I don’t want to let you go, Tinsley.”

I shake my head. “I don’t think I should get in a car alone with you, Roman.”

“Oh, for fucks sake, get over yourself. I’m not going to make a move. If I thought you’d be down for that, we would’ve had a much more enjoyable relationship.”

I roll my eyes. “You haven’t been lonely.”

His smile is wolfish. “No, I haven’t. And I won’t be later either.”

Puke.

“You guys are still getting the wrong kind of attention right now. Maybe it’s time to call it a night?” Fiona suggests and she’s not wrong.

“You’re right. Let’s go, Tinsley.” His arm around my back starts to pull me up out of my seat, whether I agree or not.

“Fi?” I ask, not sure what my options are here as I look for Thor in the crowd of security on the edges of the main celebrity area.

“I am right but so is Tinsley. She’s not going with you alone. I’m coming with.”

Roman snaps his head to her. “What?”

“The contract just says you have to leave together, it doesn’t say you have to leave just the two of you.” She leans closer to Roman so no one else can tell what we’re talking about. “Everyone knows my girl and I are best friends, so of course I would hop in with my bestie and her sweet boyfriend.” Fiona grins but her eyes—they clearly dare Roman to try her.