Page 38 of Discover Me
Kellan nods but doesn't look convinced. His hands are still clenched into fists, his whole body radiating tension that doesn't match the situation. It's just a few hours. I'm not leaving permanently. But he's reacting like I'm abandoning him.
"Okay." Kellan's voice is rough. "Yeah. Go home, get your stuff. I'll see you later."
I want to say something more, want to ease whatever is bothering him beyond just the Tom situation. But I don't knowwhat he needs to hear and I don't understand what's driving this emotional volatility. So I just squeeze his arm once more before heading toward the parking lot.
Micah
I'm back at the house packing a bag, moving through my bedroom and gathering essentials. The familiar routine of choosing clothes and toiletries grounds me after the chaos of the morning. My duffle bag sits open on the bed, already half-full with jeans and shirts and the other mundane necessities of life.
A knock sounds at my front door. I assume it's Jamie or one of my neighbors checking in on me, making sure I'm healing okay after the fall. Small-town life means everyone knows your business and actually cares about it.
"Come in!" I call out, folding another shirt into the bag.
The door opens and I glance up, expecting Jamie's familiar grin or Mrs. Peterson from next door with another casserole. Instead, Derek and Colt walk into my house like they own the place, their Alpha energy filling my small living room with aggressive confidence.
My blood runs cold. "What the fuck are you two doing here?"
Derek's smile is all teeth, nothing friendly about it. "I heard you went and got hitched to that famous drummer while still keeping this investigation open against us." He moves further into my house without invitation, looking around like he's cataloging everything I own. "Tell the police it wasn't a big deal and we'll let bygones be bygones. Drop the charges, say it was just an accident, and we'll leave you alone."
Rage floods through me, hot and immediate. "You made me fall from a goddamn ladder, you assholes. And why? Because I wouldn't let you fuck me? Or is this just because you can't contain your anger and had to take it out on someone?" My voice rises with each word. "I owe you nothing and you both should still be in jail for what you did."
Colt steps closer, his bulk intimidating in my small space. "We're not doing shit. Just having a conversation with an old friend."
"We're not friends." I take a step back, my hand instinctively reaching for my phone in my pocket. "Get out of my house."
Derek laughs, the sound harsh and mocking. "It won't be your house for long if you don't start paying your bills." He swipes his arm across my kitchen table, sending the stack of bills and the dish of dried rose petals crashing to the floor. Papers scatter everywhere, the petals crushing under his boots as he moves. "Medical debt's a bitch, isn't it? Shame you had such a bad fall."
I stare at the destroyed petals, at the bills now trampled and dirty, and something inside me goes cold and quiet. "Fantastic.Truly. You break into my house, threaten me, destroy my property. Real smart when you're already facing charges."
Another knock sounds at the door, this one more aggressive. Before I can say anything, Jamie strolls in and takes in the scene immediately. His expression shifts from casual to dangerous in seconds.
"Well, isn't this cozy." Jamie's voice drips with sarcasm. "Even if there was nothing wrong with this picture and you were asking for remediation or some shit, Micah only has to call the station and let them know you're harassing him before you get taken into custody again." He pulls out his phone, making it obvious he's ready to dial. "I suggest you two fuckers leave him alone."
Derek turns his aggressive attention to Jamie. "You just think you're going to get some fame now that your Beta here is all wrapped up in famous dick. Hoping for a piece of that celebrity lifestyle?"
Jamie laughs, but there's no humor in it. "Actually, no. I would rather not have that. I'm perfectly content with my boring, normal life where I don't assault people for rejecting me." He takes a step forward, inserting himself between me and the two Alphas. "Get the fuck out. Now."
Derek and Colt exchange glances, clearly weighing their options. Finally, Derek sneers and heads for the door. "This isn't over. You'll regret pressing charges."
"That sounds like a threat," Jamie calls after them. "I'm sure the police would love to hear about that."
They leave, the door slamming behind them hard enough to rattle the frame. The silence that follows is deafening. I stand there staring at the mess on my floor, at the destroyed petals from Kellan's flowers, and feel something break inside me.
Jamie turns to me, his expression shifting to concern. "How are you? That could have been a lot worse."
"I could be better." I crouch down to start gathering the scattered bills, my ribs protesting the movement. "I was just grabbing some things and going back to Kellan's. Didn't expect a home invasion."
Jamie crouches beside me, helping collect papers. But then he stops and looks at me, really looks at me, with that expression that means he's figured something out. "I get that you're mates or whatever and all, but don't you think you're moving too fast?"
I freeze, papers clutched in my good hand.
Jamie steps closer, lowering his voice even though we're alone. "What is really going on? Because I don't believe for a second that grumpy bastard Kellan was just like 'oh no, my first love, move in!' That's not how relationships work, especially not with someone as closed off as he seems. So what's the truth?"
"You can't tell anyone." I meet his eyes, needing him to understand how serious this is.
Jamie's expression shifts to understanding. "It's fake, isn't it? The relationship. It's all for publicity."
I slowly nod, relief and guilt mixing in my chest. "They needed a different image for Kellan and the label. I didn't really read what I was signing. Tom, his manager, he made it seem like I was signing an NDA but it was actually the contract for the fake relationship. By the time we figured it out, he'd already announced it on social media."
