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“Will you stop fucking defending him before he burns our fucking careers to the fucking ground?” Kingsley said, disappointment laced in his words.
“Are you fucking siding with Arthur when Royal was defending your stupid ass?” Aspen asked.
“He has a fucking point. I don’t think Royal was just defending me. He was fucking uncomfortable about him hitting on you and you enjoying it, I bet.” Kingsley sneered the last. “You deserve better than a friend that treats you like that.”
I got between Kingsley and Aspen, so fucking tired of this. “Arthur didn’t make me uncomfortable by hitting on your fucking brother. I was mad he upset your brother. And he was hitting on what’s mine.”
Kingsley tilted his head to the side, dragging his teeth over his lip. “What?”
“I’ve defended him always, and you fucking too. I’m the one who took care of your boyfriend’s problem with his manager. I’ve been defending your relationship with Lis non-stop, and I’m really fucking tired of you thinking I have an issue with anyone liking cock when I had mine inside your brother this morning.”
Kingsley blinked and sputtered. “Repeat that.”
“I am fucking your brother. No, that’s not only it. I love him. I’m in love with him, and I’m tired of you and Arthur and anyone else calling me homophobic for clicks and to ride Aspen’s coattails. Arthur’s mad Aspen wasn’t interested and could hit better than him. He’s just a gym douche with an ego problem.”
Kingsley turned to Aspen. “Care to explain?”
“I was planning on telling you in a less confrontational manner.” Aspen shrugged.
“I’m sorry,” I said to Aspen. “I didn’t mean to take that from you.”
“No, after the way he called you out, I don’t blame you.” Aspen slipped his arm around me. “And now I can touch you.”
“Can we just have five fucking minutes without some fucking scandal?” King groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I better call Levi.”
“Don’t you dare. This motherfucker,” I snapped at Kingsley as I listened to the rest of the interview.
Arthur moved away from talking about Aspen and me, but the damage was done.
“I have half a mind to turn off my phone and let Levi sweat,” I said, slumping into Aspen’s embrace. “What are we going to do?”
TWENTY-EIGHT
Aspen
“Did you say you loved me?”
“I’ve said it a few times over the last couple of weeks, and I’ve noticed you’ve not said it back.” Royal kissed my forehead.
“No, you said it differently this time. You said you were in love with me.”
“I am, Aspen.”
I pressed into his chest, smiling and feeling a little bad about feeling so full and happy while this was going on. “I love you, too.”
“I can’t believe you two are doing this while we are about to be burned to the ground online.” Kingsley wasn’t mad, though. He was laughing.
I shrugged. “I’m not going to put something as volatile as our career ahead of our relationship. We’ve seen what it’s done to other people in this industry, and we decided no one would do that to us.”
“Good. Kingsley and I almost let it ruin us, and you know what it’s done to my bandmates, letting management control everything. Don’t do it,” Alister added from where he’d been watching from the other side of the kitchen.
Kingsley elbowed him playfully and pulled Lis into his arms. “We are doing the same if you think about it. I’m not willing to break up because we are getting trashed online for our age difference.”
“I’m twenty-four fucking years old. I’m so tired of being told I don’t have agency to date someone a few years older.” Lis leaned into King. “I’m glad you’re not listening to them.”
“I’m fucking glad you’re not listening.” King leaned down to kiss his boyfriend.
“There is way too much happiness going on in this room after what I just witnessed,” Levi stood in the doorway to the kitchen with his arms crossed.
