Chapter 12
Twelve
Strolling into Seth’s office, I’m immediately hit with the thick tension in the air.
Seth’s hurling his cell phone across the room, growling, “Fuck!” The phone smashes into one of the couches, then bounces to the floor. Surprisingly, it doesn’t shatter.
“Day’s that bad?” I ask, leaning against the doorframe, waiting to see what he’s going to throw next. I holed myself up in the empty bar most of the day, working on drums for the recent songs we’ve written. With the new album about to launch, followed by tours and gigs, I want these songs pulsing through my veins like they’re part of my very being.
Seth’s expression remains grim. “Rick’s saying that Wing Music isn’t backing down. They’re accusing us of breaching the contract and want to sue us for everything we’ve got.”
Ice floods through my veins. “What the fuck for?” I nearly bellow the question, disbelief thundering through me. This is the last thing we need now.
“Clearly, Reed hasn’t told you the news.” Seth marches across the room and switches on the huge TV in his office on the back wall, remote in hand.
I frown. “What news?”
He flips through the channels until he reaches the entertainment news channel on the TV. Our mugs are plastered on the screen, followed by a side photo of Danica at the party from last night, staring down at her hand. Then a headline pops up underneath about an alleged engagement. Then it cuts to a panel of the presenters talking about the shock of Seth’s engagement rolling through the industry and speculating who the mystery Omega is. Seth had publicly admitted that he had no plans to settle down with anyone. However, their shock is way overdramatic.
“Well, this is a new kind of fucked up,” I murmur, flopping down on the couch as he snatches the phone off the floor.
Seth explains how his mom gave Danica a family ring at the party and assumes his cousin’s friends leaked the photos to the media for payment.
“I’m already in talks with our lawyers, but I’d rather this not get into a legal battle,” he groans, his brow furrowed as he paces across the office from his desk to the television.
“This is fucking insane,” I mutter. “We need another way out, then.”
“My phone and emails are overloaded with every media company wanting to interview us and meet the mysterious Omega.” He’s running his hand through his hair repeatedly, his shoulders curled forward, clear he’s fraying at the edges and about to spiral.
“Listen,” I say, getting to my feet and blocking his pacing. “We just need to reverse engineer this. We can’t take them head-on. We know you’re not engaged, so we just need to prove it to them and the whole damn world that it was a mistake.”
“And how the fuck do we do that? It’s our word against theirs, and the media are blood-starved hounds, digging up every inch of information. And I sure as hell don’t want to reveal Danica’s with us, so Nexus rocks up and takes her.”
I nod, frustration worming up my spine. We can’t even declare to Nexus that she’s our Omega and record our relationship since that will get out into the public, proving we breached our contract. Goddamnit.
“We need a believable story, then. One we can pull off to convince them you’re not engaged. And show how quickly rumors can spread in the media, blah, blah. Play the victim card and all that bullshit.” I pause, then blurt out, “Maybe we say she’s your cousin from overseas. Nah,” I say just as quickly as the words fall from my mouth. “Your family may not buy into joining such a big lie.”
Seth pauses in front of me, his brows pulled together. “Wait. Earlier, Danica mentioned something about showing the media it’s a misunderstanding… she talked about showing them she works for us.”
Our gazes clash, a spark of possibility igniting.
“Fuck, yeah, that could work,” I agree. “And we need a new marketing manager after you fired our band manager,” I add, half-jokingly.
“We explain she came to the party to introduce herself to the family,” he adds, nodding as if the idea’s growing on him more. “We don’t need to mention the ring. She could just be looking at her hand in the photo.”
I chuckle. “But you had to go and introduce her as our Omega, not to mention the bathroom incident.”
Seth’s expression tightens. “Fuck!” Then he’s shaking his head. “We can work around it. I’ll explain it to my family. She’s our new band marketing manager, and it was a joke that I called her our Omega. I’ll talk to my mom privately about the ring. To the others, I’ll say as soon as Dad gave me crap about having an Omega, I let him believe it was real out of spite.”
“Sounds like something you’d do,” I explain, yet the dread that the plan won’t work sits on my chest like a block of ice.
He runs a hand down his face, probably from sweating so much from his nerves.
“We’ll make this believable.” I slap a hand on his shoulder. “Chill the fuck out. We’ll just need to convince Danica of this and that she’ll be stuck with us.” The idea warms my insides, and my cock gives a throb in agreement. “Though, as far as I’m concerned, she isn’t going to leave us. I want her as our Omega,” I announce, wanting my intentions to be clear. “I can’t even explain what my brain is thinking, but the moment I inhaled her scent, it felt right.”
He blinks at me with an expression I can’t read.
“Let’s deal with that once we fix up this mess.”
“I know you want her, too. I didn’t forget how you spoke about her after your time with her at Nocturne, but sure, let’s get over this hurdle first. I just want to make it clear… I will make her mine, with or without you two.”
He’s already heading to his desk, and I don’t push him, knowing his anxiety affects him differently. It drags him down to a dark place where his mind is so focused on the problem at hand, he can’t process much else.
“Let’s go break the news to her,” he suggests, already stepping out of his office. “Then I’ll call Rick at Wing Music to explain the situation.”
I sigh and step out after him to start damage control, though part of me feels a surge of protectiveness over dragging Danica into his mess. We’re all in a tight spot now and need to work together.
Danica
“No way, I can’t be a band marketing manager, and everything that goes with it and…” I mutter, trying not to panic. This is Fever, and I’m a nobody with no experience.
“Which part can’t you do?” Seth asks calmly, all of us standing near the kitchen, where they pounced on me when I came searching for a snack.
“All of it,” I reply, trying to keep my racing breathing steady. I barely know how to organize myself, let alone a band. “I know nothing about managing a band. And it’s not like I can show my face without Nexus seeing me and coming for me.”
“And that’s why we need each other,” Jasper pipes in, smiling at me as if there’s not a worry in the world. Except they are about to get potentially sued, so now they’re hatching a plan involving me to cover their asses. The truth is, I don’t hate the guys or want them to get into a legal battle with a massive record label.
I blink, processing it all.
“I’m not saying no to helping you because you’ve helped me, and I will do the same for you, but I don’t think I can do the job. Unless you’re saying it will be a pretend job?”
“Yes and no,” Seth answers. He then takes my hand, and there’s a warmth to his touch, the kind that slinks up my arm and ripples across my chest, hardening my nipples and making me suddenly lean toward him. A simple touch, and that’s how quickly I’m smitten with him, especially after his grizzly reaction this morning to the news about our engagement.
We’re sitting at the kitchen table while Jasper’s heading over to the fridge.
“You won’t have to show your face anywhere in public, so you won’t be in the limelight,” Seth explains. “Right now, I manage the band, and if we go on tour, I will need some help. I’ll guide you. Trust me, I’m not dumping this on you. Most of this is for appearances and cover story.”
“Wait, back up. There’s a tour?” The words escape past my lips in a half-whisper.
“Six weeks across the United States,” Jasper clarifies, then hands me a cold bottle of water with the lid already removed.
Taking the drink, I gulp it down.
“That’s kind of intimidating, but I’ll be honest, also a bit exciting to see how it all works behind the scenes.”
“So, that’s a yes?” Seth asks, watching me intently.
There’s something incredibly charming about his hopeful expression. A flicker of hope fills me that I can do something to help them, something that gives me some kind of purpose with them.
“Sure.” I nod slowly. “I’ll help out where I can, and I’ll remain behind the scenes.”
Relief washes over Seth’s face, and Jasper lets out a small chuckle.
“So, what’s the first step?” I ask, determined to get started. I’ve always been interested in the music industry. What better way to learn but firsthand?
“Talk to the record label to sort this out and get them on our side,” Seth explains, standing from the table as if he’s antsy to do this. “After that, the PR team will put out a statement to clarify the misunderstanding to set the record straight.”
I smile, knowing he means it’s ensuring his fans think he’s still single, and part of me struggles with that notion. However, this isn’t about us. We’re going to help each other, and I’m about to become their fake band marketing manager—all the while attempting to survive my growing heat. If they actually want me as their Omega is still uncertain… I’m just as torn by mixed-up emotions, by an attraction I can’t control.
Shaking those feelings away, I embrace my new direction.
“So, it looks like I’m going on tour with Fever!” I say nervously, to which only Jasper chuckles.
Reed waltzes into the room in tight black jeans and a button-up with the top few buttons open, revealing the tats on his chest.
“You are? What did I miss?” he asks.
Seth’s on his way out of the room and lands a hand on his shoulder. “Come with me, and I’ll fill you in.”
Then they’re gone, and Jasper’s sitting across from me, studying me.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay? Tours are insane and non-stop.”
With a deep breath, I brace myself for my life to suddenly turn into a storm.
“What better place for an Omega on the run to hide, right?” Standing, I leave the kitchen and hurry to my room just as a rush of panic comes over me. I’m about to go on tour with Fever. I’ll be stuck with them for months, traveling while trying to hide.
God, why did I agree to this?
You’ve got this, Dani.
Surely, it can’t be that hard? What could possibly go wrong?
I really wish I hadn’t asked that last question and tempted the universe… She hasn’t exactly been my friend recently.