Page 24 of Knot Their Starlet

“I can’t.”

The thought never even registered in my head. My mother’s parting words hang over my head. She’s still entertaining the idea of keeping Ezra as a backup option. If I went behind her back and tried to take some sort of legal action against him? She’d lose her shit. Even if it’s just with the OCN.

“Why not?” Beck pushes.

The muscles along the upper part of my cheek start twitching. It happens sometimes when I’m really stressed. I hate it. It’s like everything, including my own body, is out of my fucking control right now.

“Do you want me to be honest?” I ask, reaching up and covering the side of my face that’s out of my control before lifting my gaze to meet Beck’s.

I don’t know why I’m even asking. I’m never honest. Not really. There’s always a story to tell. A narrative that’s been set way before the season of life started filming.

But there’s something refreshing about Beck. Something that makes me want to tell him the truth. Like I’m reaching out desperately for connection, begging someone to see me.

“Of course,” he nods. “Always.”

“My mom wouldn’t let me.” Words suddenly feel so difficult. Not only am I in a position where I’m sharing things that reveal an ugly dynamic that never sees the light of day, but I’m also being forced into a position where I have to beg them for help.

“She—she won’t? That just doesn’t make sense,” Beck says, running a hand through his hair. “Why wouldn’t she?”

“Because if you don’t say yes to the whole fake relationship show she wants us to put on for the media, she wants me to go back to him.” The words feel like razor blades coming up my throat.

“You’re fucking joking,” Beck gasps. “She’d make you do that?”

“That’s not normal,” Leo adds, the area around his eyes tight with tension. “You know that’s not normal, right?”

There’s a vague understanding that Leo is right. That this isn’t normal. A mother shouldn’t do this to her child. Especially not one who’s been through similar trauma in her past.

“Well, it’s my reality. Does it matter that it’s not normal?” I mumble. “It’s not like I can really change the options here. So please, I know it’s a big ask⁠—”

“Fuck no,” Eli’s voice cuts through the air like a whip. “You’re not dragging Beck further into this shitshow.”

“Wait a second⁠—”

Elijah grabs Beck’s arm, walking him to the door. Taking the one person that feels like the one chance I have at salvation away.

I should’ve expected this.

Headlines are always trying to tell a story.

Beckham Knight being my knight in shining armor is just another thing they’re selling to get clicks. It’s not a reflection of reality.

Reality is ugly. Even for someone like me. It’s not the glitz and glamor the media tries to portray.

“Are you—are you sure you want to disregard the offer?” I stutter, making Elijah freeze in his tracks.

His glare sucks me in and presses me down with the force of a black hole.

Desperation to make things work with Beck, desperation to make sure I don’t have to be forced to do the whole song and dance with Ezra after he assaulted me, desperation to please my mother, infuses itself into my very soul.

I’m prey again. Backed into a corner.

So I bite.

“I could tell the media about you two, you’d⁠—”

The words are barely out of my mouth before Elijah is at my bedside, his lips curled into a snarl. He grips the railing of my hospital bed so hard the gurney groans.

“If you know what’s good for you,” Elijah growls, his voice menacing. “You will keep your mouth shut. Do you understand?”