Page 27 of Knot Their Starlet

“Plenty of people lie. And this is a big ask.”

“Is it really?”

“Of course. Fake relationships are a dime a dozen in this industry, but if we really wanted to put you in a fake relationship for media purposes, we’d have our pick of the litter with your current popularity,” Everett says plainly. “She would be far from my first choice.”

“Why?” I shake my head. I don’t understand why he’s bringing up other people when the situation at hand has to do with her.

“Because it would mean involvement with Gina Sterling, and frankly, I spend too much time and money keeping you safe from the fame-hungry hands of people like her to serve you up on a silver platter.”

“I don’t disagree that her mom seems clinically insane. But that doesn’t mean Andi was lying. I honestly think that’s a bigger sign that Andi was telling us the truth. So are we just going to sit there and let her get sucked back into an unsafe situation if we can do something about it?”

Everett’s expression flickers for a split second. He’s a private guy, but I know the basics of why he’s so protective of me in the first place.

His entire family is made up of omegas. His mom was a single mother raising three kids, and his two younger sisters both ended up presenting as omegas.

That’s the angle I should push if I want his support.

“She’s alone, Everett. I’m lucky enough to have you and Eli and Leo, but she has no one. And she just got fucking assaulted by her boyfriend, and I’m pretty sure we cared more about how she was doing than anyone in her hospital room. Doesn’t that count for something?”

Everett takes a deep breath, pursing his thin lips together.

“Even if she was telling the truth about being forced back into a relationship with the motherfucker who beat her, it was still manipulative of her to threaten to essentially blackmail you. Blackmail us,” Eli grunts.

“But is that by choice or by necessity? From the looks of things, we’re her last hope.”

I feel like I’ve been transported to an alternative universe. I truly don’t understand why they all seem so hesitant to help another omega in need. They would spare no expense in money or time, or effort, to help me.

Andi’s just as special as I am. I know I don’t really know her yet, but it’s the principle of the thing.

“What if the Sterlings’ beta PR guy had a point? About my image? Maybe a fake relationship would help?”

“The untouchable image you have is on purpose,” Everett cuts in. “It’s a feature, not a bug. Sometimes, not even being an alpha can save you from those who have more money and power than you can even dream about. There’s nothing wrong with your designation, but understand how much worse it could be because you’re an omega.”

“Well, guess who else is an omega?”

Everett lets out another soft sigh.

“You’re not going to drop this, are you?”

I rip off my glasses so I meet his gaze head-on.

“No.”

“What if we agree, but keep things on our terms?” Leo cuts in, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “They sign our contracts. Our rules, our playing field. That way we can limit the hold Gina Sterling and her team have on any decisions that could make things more difficult for Beck?”

“Yes! What about that?” My heart flutters in my chest, and my burnt caramel scent practically explodes out from me with excitement. “And then maybe that also means limiting the control Gina Sterling has on Andi too!”

“Our contracts should have an ironclad NDA,” Eli grunts.

I should talk to him. He seems to have a one-track mind when it comes to hiding what happened between us in that alleyway.

It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Is it protection? Or is it something different? Something like embarrassment.

“Most contracts for arrangements like this have ironclad NDA’s on both sides,” Everett says. He draws his gaze back to me. “I understand this means a lot to you, Beck. We’ll make this happen.”

“Really? Thank you, Everett, thank you so much.”

“I need to meet her. Bring her to the studio. Publicly. We’ll arrange for some paparazzi to snap some photos of the two of you going in.”