Chapter 10 Kellan
Kellan
I stare up at Micah, his hand still pressed against my chest, and something inside me snaps.
The pain that's been clawing at me for weeks suddenly eases, replaced by an overwhelming need to close the distance between us.
I don't think, just act. My hands come up to cup his cheek before I pull him down to me, attacking his lips with mine.
The kiss is everything I fucking needed. The second our lips connect, the pain in my chest vanishes completely. Just gone, like it was never there at all. In its place is warmth and rightness and something that feels like coming home after being lost for too long.
I pull back slightly, breathing hard. "I'm so confused."
Micah hums against my lips and nods, his eyes dark and dilated. Then he's kissing me again, a passionate need simmering between the both of us. It doesn’t make sense. None of it does. His good hand moves from my chest to the back of my neck, fingers threading through my hair.
The kiss intensifies and I'm completely floored when Micah pushes me back against the wall, taking charge.
No one ever takes charge with me. I'm the Alpha, I'm supposed to be the one leading, the one in control.
But here's this Beta, pressing me against the wall and kissing me like he's been starving for it.
And for some reason, I really, really like it. The surrender, the letting go, the not having to be the one making decisions. A desperate groan escapes me, Micah not even missing a beat as he swallows the sound, his tongue pushing into my mouth and tangling with mine.
Then reality crashes back reminding me of where I am. Tom's office. The band is outside and we have less than ten minutes before Tom comes back demanding an answer. This is insane and I need to stop before this goes any further.
I gently push Micah off of me, the Beta stepping back immediately, respecting the gesture even though I can see the confusion in his eyes. We're both breathing hard, the air between us crackling with interrupted tension.
"I'm glad to see you're okay," I say, trying to catch my breath and organize my thoughts. "But you don't have to do this. I'll make sure you get the paycheck if you need it or whatever, but fuck. This whole thing is messed up."
Micah blinks at me. "What?"
I move past him to the desk, flipping through the pages of the packet Tom left. My eyes scan the documents, looking for the NDA Micah signed. When I find it, anger floods through me. "That sneaky ass bastard. Did he explain what you were signing?"
"He said it was an NDA." Micah moves to stand beside me, looking down at the papers. "That anything discussed in this room couldn't leave this room."
"No." I point at the document, at the fine print above his signature. "You signed the first page of this fucking thing, agreeing to be my boyfriend until we release our next album. It's not an NDA, it's the actual contract. Fuck, no, it's fine. Just go home and I'll—"
Micah sighs, dragging his good hand down his face. "That's what I get for not reading more closely. Should have known better than to sign something without reading it properly first."
He looks tired suddenly, exhausted in a way that goes beyond physical.
There are shadows under his eyes that match my own, and I notice details I missed before.
The way his clothes hang a little looser than they should, like he's lost weight.
The tension in his jaw that suggests constant pain.
The careful way he holds himself, protecting his injuries.
"What does the contract really entail?" Micah asks, his voice softer than before. That whiskey scent of his is almost muted, confusion lacing in my expression but I focus on the issue we have on hand currently.
"Some pictures. You staying at my house for appearances.
" I flip through more pages, skimming the requirements.
"Dinners out and stuff. Public appearances, social media posts, the whole fake relationship package.
Simple things, really, except for the part where we're lying to everyone.
But it's fine," I continue, already pulling out my phone.
"I can fix this. I'll call our lawyer, explain that Tom misrepresented the document. We can get you out of it."
I unlock my phone and immediately grimace. My social media notifications have exploded, hundreds of alerts flooding my screen. I tap on Instagram and my heart drops into my stomach. "Shit."
"What?" Micah leans over to look at my phone, his shoulder brushing mine. The contact sends another jolt through me but I try to ignore it.
There on my Instagram feed is a photo of me and Micah. We're in the office, my hand on his face, his hand on my chest. It looks so fucking intimate and real because it was. Fuck, I should have known Tom would have a camera in here. I just didn’t know that he would work so fast.
The caption reads: When you know, you know. Meet Micah <3
"How..." Micah stares at the screen. "Why am I on your socials?"
"Because Tom prepares for everything." A growl punctuates my words as I tighten my grip on my phone. "He fucking knew what you signed and immediately went to make it official. Probably had someone waiting to watch the cameras and steal a photo the second we were alone."
The post already has thousands of likes and comments.
I scroll through them quickly, seeing the mix of support and jealousy and curiosity.
People asking who Micah is, people saying they're happy for me, people declaring they're heartbroken that I'm off the market.
The narrative is already being written, the story Tom wanted already spreading across the internet.
"I can't fix this," I admit, shoving my phone back in my pocket.
"Tom's out of control. The second this went public, it became real.
Breaking the contract now would create a PR nightmare.
" But I need to fix this. The confusion and wariness on Micah’s face is fucking with my emotions.
Some part of me wants to protect the Beta, the other part of me wants to take him and…
Fuck.
Micah just stands there, processing. I watch a range of emotions flicker across his face.
Shock, resignation, something that might be acceptance.
He takes a breath, wincing slightly as he reaches over to cradle his side.
"Just some dinners and stuff, right? I can handle that.
" His voice is steadier than I expected.
"It'll give me something to do other than sit in my fucking house all day staring at bills.
" He sighs, running his hand through his hair.
"Your manager made a really sweet deal and fuck, I know it's exploitative, but it'd pay off everything.
I could actually breathe for the first time in a month.
" He looks conflicted as he says those words as if using me to make his life easier hurts more than the predicament of being pushed into the public eye.
"What are you talking about?" I turn to face him fully.
"The Alphas who did this," Micah gestures to his cast,, "got out on bail. Until they're charged with what they did to me, I don't get a payout from any lawsuit. Insurance helps some but not much. I'm drowning in medical debt and can't work for at least another month. Maybe longer."
Sudden anger floods through me on the Beta's behalf but there’s nothing I can do.
I already gave my statement and anything I touch might just make it worse for him.
The only recourse left is to do the very thing Tom wants.
"Can you really pretend for a month?" I ask, needing to know.
"Live in my space, go out with me, act like we're together when cameras are around?
" The moment the questions are out of my mouth, my mind starts wandering. It’s not such a strange prospect and the longer I dwell on it, the more I kind of want it.
Micah shrugs. "What do I have to lose? My dignity? Pretty sure I lost that when I fell off a roof and got rescued by a rockstar."
I snort and then fix my expression, trying to stay serious. "The fans will rip you to shreds when we break up. Or at least try to on social media. They'll blame you for the breakup, say you weren't good enough, that you used me. It gets ugly."
Micah shrugs again. "I don't really do social media and I live in a small ass town. It's fine. Let them say whatever they want. I probably won't even see it."
"And this..." I gesture between us, at the space where we kissed, at the connection neither of us can explain.
"What about this?" My face goes red as I take a small step back. I don’t do embarrassed or awkward but the intensity in Micah’s expression as he meets my eyes, the desire lingering there goes straight to my cock.
I bite my lip to keep from making an embarrassing sound but it does nothing for my scent.
Micah's expression softens even as his nostrils flare, the muscles in his jaw tightening a little.
"Let it happen naturally, I guess? I…” He clears his throat, suddenly looking a bit more sheepish.
For such a large man, it looks adorable.
“I still have the flowers you bought. Can't get you out of my head no matter how hard I try.
The pain in my chest is gone with you standing here and as much as I say fuck biology, it feels like something more than just circumstantial attraction. "
"We're going to have to pretend to be a real couple," I say, testing the words, some part of me hating ‘pretend’. "Act like we're falling in love even though we barely know each other."
"I'm good with that." A goofy smile spreads across Micah's face. "It's not like I have better plans."
My stomach flutters at that smile. I didn’t get to truly see him when he was in my arms the last time but Micah’s not just hot.
He’s gorgeous in a rugged, handsome kind of way.
But it's more than that. It's the way he carries himself, the honesty in his expression, the fact that he's standing here agreeing to this insane arrangement and smiling about it.
I wonder if it's really that easy to fall for someone. If you can meet them under the worst circumstances, barely speak to them for weeks, then kiss them in an office and suddenly know that something fundamental has shifted in your world.
I swallow nervously. "Okay, yeah. Let's do this."
I move to the door and pull it open, not surprised to find Tom is right outside. The smug expression on his face confirms he was most likely eavesdropping.
"First off," I say, my voice hardening, "you're wrong for trapping Micah into that contract without explaining shit to him.
You know that if he says no now, he'll be a pariah among the fans.
They'll insinuate that he did something wrong, that he's breaking my heart.
You've made it impossible for him to back out without consequences. "
Tom shrugs, completely unbothered by the accusation.
"I take it that you both accept, then? Great.
" He claps his hands together. "Take him home, Kellan.
Read through the contract together and see what's required of you.
We can amend a few things if necessary, though the core requirements are non-negotiable. "
I twist around to see the ease that was on Micah’s face switched out for the overwhelmed look he had when I first came into the office. His eyes dart between me and Tom, almost as if the added presence of reality has made this harder to digest. I don’t blame him.
His good hand comes up to rub at his chest, right where I know the scar runs down from his neck.
The gesture feels protective somehow, Micah slowly curling back into his shell.
Panic spreads through my chest as I nod to Tom.
"Yeah, whatever. I got it." I take Micah's elbow gently, steering him out of the office and past Tom. "Come on."
We walk through the backstage area, past crew members who glance at us curiously.
Past Rex and Liam and Jordan who are still hanging around, their expressions ranging from confused to concerned.
I don't stop to explain, just keep moving toward the back exit, needing to get Micah out of the chaos and somewhere he can relax again. I really don’t like that look on his face.
It isn’t until we get to the covered parking lot, my beat-up Jeep sitting toward the back.
The paint is faded, and there's a dent in the rear bumper from when I backed into a pole.
The interior also smells faintly of old coffee and Dr Pepper and fast food because I never learned how to cook.
Fuck, I should have cleaned this shit out.
Micah stops when he sees it, his expression somewhere between amused and surprised. I unlock the doors and turn to look at him. "You definitely thought I had some kind of sports car, didn't you?"
Micah looks adorable as color rises in his cheeks. "Maybe. Just a little."
A laugh escapes me. "There's the personality for the band, the image Tom creates. But everything else you're about to see? This is all me."