Page 19 of Knot Their Starlet

Oh. I need to get better at that.

I take a deep, steadying breath, offering Eli a reassuring smile.

“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks.”

He notices everything, always has, and probably always will.

Which is why I avert my gaze as quickly as I can.

We still haven’t had a chance to talk about what happened between us last night.

Probably because I’m a wimpy piece of shit who hates confrontation of any kind.

What would be worse? Him telling me that it was a mistake, or him saying everything is okay when I know deep down that it’s not?

I’d rather just not know—ignorance is bliss and all that.

“This is her room. Please let me know if you need anything,” Leena says, gesturing to a closed door.

“Thanks, Leena,” I say, flashing her a smile that feels much tighter than the one I gave her earlier.

“You’re thinking an awful lot,” Leo murmurs, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “You good?”

“I’m fine.” I nod.

I have something else to focus on right now. Having Andromeda Sterling collapse in my arms last night, covered in blood from a head wound, showed me that there are people with much bigger problems than mine. I’m lucky. Even if it doesn’t feel like it all the time.

The moment I step foot into the hospital room, I can’t help but feel like something is... off.

For one, there are half a dozen people in the room just as sterile and harsh as the one we were waiting in, and none of them seem at all concerned about the person they’re here to see. None of them makes any move to greet us, either.

Andromeda is curled on the hospital bed, her knees tucked up to her chest. There’s tension in her shoulders and a tightness in her expression. Maybe it’s from the fact that she was just assaulted last night, but something tells me it’s not just that.

Maybe it’s an omega thing. But her chamomile scent carries bitter notes that are too fresh for comfort.

When I can’t take the terribly awkward silence a second longer, I take a step closer to Andromeda’s hospital bed.

“Hi, Andromeda,” I say, offering her a soft smile. “Sorry to intrude, I just really wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Call me Andi,” she says, her voice a little rough.

Behind the curtain of her tangled hair, I can see the hint of dark purple bruises around her neck. Fingerprints.

My caramel scent burns in the air, betraying the anger that flares low in my belly. Who would do that to her?

A monster, that’s who.

Eli shifts behind me, clearing his throat. The noise snaps me out of my daze, and I work on reeling my scent back in.

“Andi, got it,” I say, jerking my gaze back up to her eyes.

She has sharp, dark eyes and a gently sloping nose that leads to full lips. The bruising at her temple and the miserable expression she’s wearing don’t detract from her striking, enchanting beauty.

“Well, Andi, these are for you,” I say, awkwardly lifting the flowers I have in my arms to break the silence that’s sunken into the crevices of the room.

Her eyes flicker down to the flowers in genuine surprise.

“Those look like funeral flowers,” she murmurs, her lips quirking up into a small smile.