Page 153 of The Broken Keys

But the truth is, every moment with her feels like borrowed time. Like I’m stealing something that doesn’t belong to me while the real owner waits in the wings.

“Fuck it.” I swing my legs around and face the guys. “Livianna is back at work today.”

“Okay.” Bren leans forward. “And that’s a problem because...?”

“Because Jaxon’s helping her.” I throw my hands up. “He’s spending the day walking her through everything she can’t remember about her business.”

“Jaxon Crowne?” Hawke sits forward.

“Yeah, that Jaxon.” My stomach twists. “He mentored her. Helped her build Lehlani Rose from the ground up. He knows more about her company than anyone.”

“Including you.” Cooper’s observation lands like a stone.

“Yeah, including me.” I turn back to the piano, my fingers finding a restless rhythm. “She trusts him and she’s relying on him. And I’m sitting here like an idiot while he gets to be the one helping her piece her life back together.”

“So, you’re jealous.” Bren’s tone isn’t mocking, just matter-of-fact.

“I’m not—” I stop. Fucking hell. “Yeah, I’m jealous. Is that what you wanna hear?”

“We want to hear the truth.” Cooper gestures to myphone sitting on the coffee table. “You’ve been texting her every hour like you’re afraid she’ll disappear if you stop.”

“Because she might.” The admission burns my throat. “She’s dealing with amnesia. How am I supposed to just be normal when she’s forgotten so much, and this other guy is with her constantly?”

“Some other guy who’s her business mentor,” Hawke points out. “He’s not her boyfriend. You are.”

The word boyfriend sits wrong. I’m her boyfriend now, yeah. But three weeks ago, I wasn’t.

Three weeks ago, she was in love with Jaxon, and I can’t tell them that. I can’t risk anyone knowing, because if it slips—if someone says the wrong thing around her?—

“Cash, you’re spiraling again.” Bren stands and crosses to me. “Whatever you’re thinking right now, stop.”

“Easy for you to say, Guns.” I glare up at the ceiling, wishing this unease would go away.

“And it can be for you if you would quit obsessing over things that don’t fucking matter.” Bren flicks the side of my head. “She loves you, bro. Enjoy it. Fucking celebrate it. Don’t shit all over it like you’re losing her again.”

“Look, we get it, Cash.” Hawke slides his arm over the back of the couch. “Your girl had a traumatic accident and lost her memory. That’s terrifying. But you’re acting like you’re about to lose her, and from what I can see, she’s all in on you.”

“For now.” I turn back to the piano keys and try to come up with something that could steal my attention away from Livianna and pull me into the depths of creativity where time flies.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bren sits next to me and pushes me away from working on a melody.

I shake my head because I can’t go there. I can’t explain that I’m living in half-truths, that every kiss, touch, andwhispered “I love you” is built on a foundation of missing memories.

“It means I’m scared, all right?” I slide off the piano bench. “She can’t remember the last five years. What if she remembers and decides she doesn’t want this? What if she doesn’t want me?”

“Then you deal with it.” Bren’s voice is firm but not unkind. “But torturing yourself with what-ifs isn’t helping anyone. Especially not her.”

“He’s right.” Hawke taps his palm over his heart. “You’ve got to trust what you’re building with her now. Stop worrying about what she might remember.”

If only they knew how impossible that was. My phone buzzes on the coffee table. All four of us glance at it. I lunge for it, my heart already hammering before I even see the screen.

Lily:Hi, sexy. What do you know about my close friend, Quinn?

Not enough.This will just be one more thing that shows her I don’t know much about her life anymore.

“Cash?” Bren’s voice cuts through my frustration. “What’s wrong?”

I stare at the text, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Quinn. What the hell can I tell Livianna about a woman I met once?