Page 66 of Fractured Heart

“Anything.” Tate agrees with a sweet smile.

The three of them stare at me, waiting. I glance at Silas and an annoyed glint flashes across his face only to disappear seconds later, almost like it was never there. He’s probably just impatient to start talking about the song. I hope.

“Burgers?” I say quickly. JJ grins. Charles doesn’t. “Mini burgers,” I amend, and he smiles, too.

“Mini burgers it is.” Tate agrees. “We’ll see you back at the apartment. Okay, Roonie?”

At my nod, the guys head out the door. It bangs shut.

A few seconds pass in silence. My mouth suddenly feels dry and my heart pounds in my chest, marking the passing seconds.

“Well, that was interesting,” Silas finally drawls. His voice drips with sarcasm.

I gulp.

“They let you stay on their couch. Then, they asked you to choreograph our song. If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was all a prank.”

“A prank?”

Silas’s eyes narrow. “You think you have them wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?”

I shake my head. My hand flies up to my bare collarbone then down into the pocket of my dress pants. The fractured pieces dig into my palm, but I only squeeze tighter.

“I’m not falling for your little act, Princess.” He somehow manages to twist my favorite word. To turn it ugly.

“I—”

“You.” Silas stalks toward me and I take nervous steps back. “You don’t belong here.”

“I—”

“You don’t know how to choreograph a song. Or run a rehearsal.”

“I—”

“You weren’t even prepared.”

“I was!” I cry. Silas ignores me.

He stalks forward until he has me pressed up with my back against the wall. He’s crowding my personal space, looming menacingly, and my heart rate spikes.

“You are the reason we don’t have a song.” His eyes are cold, his tone harsh. “I was this close to finishing it and you ruined it. If you’d never showed up, we would have had this audition in the bag. Instead, we’re stuck with your crap!”

I flinch.

“Was that your plan all along? Was it?” Silas shouts and I start to shake. “I looked into you the moment you tried to mess with my a cappella group. With my school. Oh, don’t look so shocked. Did you really think you could pretend to be a student here?”

I shake my head even as the rest of me trembles.

“Did Vibrato Lap send you?” Silas slams his hand against the wall. “Did they?”

I flinch and my hands fly up to cover my face, one still clenching pieces of necklace in a tight fist.

“I’m not going to hit you! Damn it!” Silas backs away, but he’s still shouting. “Don’t play games with me, Roonie. You can pretend you’re just some innocent little girl all you want but I have you all figured out. Coming in here with that pathetic song. Pretending to help. Oh, don’t tell me you’re going to cry now too, little girl. Let me guess, drama student?”

I swallow the lump in my throat and tighten my grip on my pendant. I’m sure I must have pierced skin, but I can’t feel a thing.

“You listen carefully, Roonie Hill. The guys and I are going to fix that pathetic excuse for a song you tried to screw us over with. We’re going to get into that competition and we’re going to crush your precious Vibrato Lap.”