Forbidden Billionaire Rockstar (Raising Havoc Bandmates #4)

23. Mallory

23

Mallory

When your heart’s been shattered, a week feels like an eternity. Each passing moment reminds me of what I’ve lost—my job, my dignity, and, worst of all, Jace. I’ve been clinging to hope like a lifeline, waiting for his name to light up my phone. But it’s always Brent’s instead. His concern is a poor substitute for the voice I really want to hear.

He’s been trying to check in with me and make sure I’m okay, but we both know he has better things to do than focus on his little sister.

He’s got an entire band that needs him, and that includes Jace.

My brother can’t be there for both of us, and I’m not sure I deserve to have anyone in my corner right now, anyway.

Tears cascade down my cheeks like a waterfall, and I swipe them away, doing my best to catch my breath as I do. It’s useless. My body doesn’t know how to function without Jace near me, and that’s more terrifying than trying to figure out what the hell I’m going to do about a job. I wouldn’t put it past Hilary to blacklist me from ever working in the industry again, so I haven’t attempted to get in touch with anyone else.

I’ve been wallowing instead, which isn’t like me at all.

This new version of me - fragile, desperate, on the verge of tears - is a stranger. I’ve always prided myself on my resilience, but Jace has cracked the armor I’ve spent years building. And the scariest part? A part of me doesn’t want to rebuild it.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, my phone blares with a call from Julia and I slowly reach for the device with a frown on my face. If Julia’s calling me, she knows I’m not okay, and that’s the only reason I decide to answer her call. There’s only a select few people who can talk me down from the negative thoughts swirling around inside my head, and my best friend is one of them.

“Thank goodness you answered,” she says breathlessly, like she’s just getting done running a marathon, even though it’s more than likely only a few steps.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“How are you feeling?”

I roll my eyes and scoff. “I got fired. How do you think?”

“Well, yeah, I’m sure that sucks… but that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“Gonna have to help me out here, Jules, you lost me.”

“You need to pick me up,” Julia says, her excitement palpable even through the phone. “Come to the next show. I’ll even pay for the airfare.”

I groan, sinking deeper into my couch. “Jules, that’s the last thing I need. Hilary would love to rub it all in my face.”

“You let me worry about her,” Julia counters, her tone leaving no room for argument. “It’s the last one I’m going to before Brent sends me back home.”

“Yeah, like that worked out last time,” I scoff, but I can feel my resolve weakening.

If I’m being honest, my concern isn’t with Hilary as much as it should be. Sure, I’m upset I lost my job, but I’ve dealt with worse throughout my life, and I know this is just another hurdle I’ll manage to get past.

My genuine concern lies with coming face to face with Jace all over again.

He hasn’t bothered sending me a text, calling me and leaving a voicemail begging for me to call him back — it’s been silent. Nothing but my sobs and tears to keep my company while I wait for a man who’s probably realizing just how much he lucked out with me leaving.

She was already supposed to be gone throughout the rest of the tour, but her not being able to stay away from my brother is the reason I ran into her in the hallway. Something tells me that’s how I’d be with Jace as well, but I guess I’ll never get the chance to see that. I might as well let my emotions run wild while having my best friend by my side.

Julia’s always the best shoulder to cry on.

Don’t get me wrong, Brent has always taken his older brother’s role seriously. He was the one who stood up to the guys who broke my heart in high school and always made sure I was fed, even though he had his own things to worry about. I’ve cried on his shoulder more times than I can count, but he’s fidgety with emotions, and it’s not hard to notice how uncomfortable he is when I come to him crying.

I’ve learned not to approach him with tears.

“You’re right, though. It would be nice to enjoy a show without having to worry about the work I need to get done.”

It’s probably the worst decision I could make. I’m no doubt going to run into Jace while I’m there, but I can’t bring myself to stay curled up in the apartment that feels empty since I walked through the door.

Normally, I prefer being alone.

Right now? I’m desperate for the company, but only from a certain guy — a guy who wants nothing to do with me.

Julia squeals, and I chuckle for the first time since I walked away from the hotel in Boston. “Down, girl.”

“It’s going to be a great night, you’ll see!” There’s a few muffled voices in the background, likely the guys, and my heart stings just a little before she clears her throat. “I’ll see you in a few days, yeah?”

“I’ll be there, but you owe me.”

“Of course,” she says sweetly. “Love you, babe. Talk to you soon!”

Just like that, the phone conversation ends, and every bit of sadness that ebbed away with her phone call comes crawling right back to the surface. I lean my head against the cushions, my tears falling onto the fabric, and let the emotion take over, just like I’ve done the last three days. Honestly, I’m surprised I’ve still got enough tears in me to keep going — I assumed my tear ducts would be useless by now.

I’ve got this. All I have to do is focus on the concert and come back home to the glorious life I’m sure everyone would envy — that’s sarcasm.

I have to wonder, though, if anyone else knows I’m coming and what their reactions will be if not.

***

The idea of seeing Jace again is conflicting. My mind screams that it’s a mistake, but my traitorous heart leaps at the chance. I’m caught in a battle between self-preservation and the magnetic pull of a man who’s become my personal gravity.

Julia sent me a text with every detail I would need yesterday — the flight, which hotel I’m staying in, along with the room, and how long I’ll be there. It’s longer than I thought, but since I don’t have a job, it’s not something I need to worry about. The itinerary is how I find myself stepping into a large building whose lobby looks like the one you’d see on the front cover of an architectural magazine.

Luxury oozes from every corner of the hotel lobby. Crystal chandeliers cast a soft, warm glow over marble floors so polished I can see my reflection. Plush, velvet-upholstered chairs are artfully arranged around low tables, their legs gleaming gold in the light. The air is infused with a subtle, expensive scent - a mix of fresh flowers and something vaguely citrusy.

At the far end, a grand staircase sweeps upward, its wrought iron railings twisting in elegant patterns. Even the potted plants seem more lush and green than they have any right to be. It's the kind of place that makes you feel both awed and slightly out of place, a reminder of the glittering world I've just left behind.

For a moment, I take in my surroundings before sucking in a deep breath and making my way over to the front desk. I’m sure my name is on file. Julia made sure of it. But as the receptionist looks and her eyebrows furrow, I realize there must’ve been a mistake.

Before things can escalate further, I send a quick text to Julia and let her know what’s going on down in the lobby. She texts back immediately, saying that she will call the front desk to handle the issue, and I wait patiently until the phone rings. The receptionist glances at me, then smiles and nods her head excitedly.

She reaches into a drawer, pulls out a room key, and then slips back into the work I interrupted without a single word aimed at me. Since I don’t plan on being here long, I ended up only packing a carry-on bag, and the closer I get to the elevators, the more I wonder if that was a mistake.

What if Jace approaches me? Will it make me want to stay for the last two weeks of the tour?

I shake my head and frown, then step into the empty elevator with only my thoughts as company. When my floor arrives, only a small group of people are waiting, as it is the highest and most luxurious.

A few steps down the hall is all it takes for me to stop in front of my assigned room. Julia promised to meet me in the room, but as soon as I open the door, I sense that something is off. I glance around, noting the lights shut off, and frown when I flick them, only for it to stay dark.

As I come further into the room, a throat clears, shattering the silence. I whirl around, my heart leaping into my throat. A soft light flickers to life, and there he is - Jace, stepping out of the shadows like a dream made of flesh. For a moment, I forget how to breathe.

“Jace,” I say, blinking as if he’s a figment of my imagination, and he’ll disappear like he’s done before. When I close my eyes and open them again, I quickly realize it’s not any type of trick, and he’s truly standing in front of me. “What… what are you doing here?”

Being this close to him hurts more than anything else, so I take a careful step back while still keeping my eyes on him. He smirks, then shrugs. “Thought you could use some company.”

When I turn around, eager to put distance between us before I blurt everyone out to him, Jace wraps his fingers around my arm to stop me from moving any further. “Don’t do this, sweetheart.”

“Me? You’re the one who walked away, not me.”

He blinks slowly and nods. “And I’m going to make it up to you.”

“How do you intend to do that?”

Suddenly, the room is filled with light as he holds my gaze. “Like this.”

On every surface of the bedroom, there are flowers of all varieties, and I suck in a breath at the sight. “Jace, what is this?”

“Julia told me how much you like flowers, something about wanting to own a floral shop, so I thought I’d bring some of them to you.”

“Of course she did,” I mutter before the sight in front of me takes over my attention once again. “How could you have possibly done this, and why?”

He’s only been standing in the room for two minutes, tops. There has to be another way he managed to get into my room, and I intend to figure it out.

Jace sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair - a gesture I've come to recognize as a sign of his vulnerability. It's a stark contrast to the confident rockstar persona he usually projects. In this moment, I see layers to him I've never noticed before: the nervous energy in his fidgeting fingers, the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, and the way he swallows hard before speaking.

It's as if he's stripped away all his defenses, standing before me not as Jace Brooks, lead guitarist of Raising Havoc, but simply as Jace - a man on the verge of laying his heart bare. The realization that I might be one of the few people who get to see this side of him sends a shiver down my spine.

My heart falls, and I brace myself for the impact of his break-up. My eyes fall shut, I clench a fist at my side, and I bounce my leg up and down. “Okay.”

“I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to tell you this,” he says softly. “I’m ready now.”

“You’re making me nervous.”

His intense gaze bears down on me, heavy with something I’m afraid to name. Whatever he’s about to say, I know it has the power to either mend my shattered heart or crush it beyond repair.

“Mallory,” he says, his face turning serious. “I know you don’t believe it, but you should know that you’re an amazing woman who has a bright future ahead of herself.

I’m proud that I’ve got to experience these days and weeks with you.” Another beat of silence and he reaches out, stroking his knuckles against my cheek with a smile.

“I’m in love with you, Mallory.”

Jace's words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. I stand there, frozen, trying to process what he's just said. Jace loves me.

For a moment, I wonder if I've misheard. It seems too perfect a solution to the ache in my chest.

I search his face, looking for any sign that this is a misunderstanding. But all I see is sincerity in those blue eyes.

His eyes search mine, filled with a vulnerability I’ve never seen, as he waits for my response. I feel frozen, torn between disbelief and desperate hope.

Can it be true? Does Jace Brooks, the man who’s turned my world upside down, really love me?

The only way to discover the truth is by finding out for yourself.