Page 161 of Knot Their Starlet

The way he says the word brattiness has my breath hitching in my throat.

Am I a brat?

I mean, when I’m with him, maybe I am.

But maybe that means I’m only 25% brat, considering my brain seems to be fixated on the other three.

“Honey?” Everett prompts, his voice smooth and seductive.

“Honey?” I squeak out. “Where did that come from?”

He shrugs, his lips quirking up into a smirk. “The rest have their nicknames. And I do love the way your scent sweetens like honey.”

“Well, um, I did—” I say, shaking my head and trying to get rid of the buzzing in my mind from his words. Because he knows damn well when my perfume sweetens like that. “Have a question, that is,” I finish awkwardly.

He nods, waiting for me to ask.

“Well, I was just wondering how in the world you got my mom to sign off on this trip?”

“First of all, you’re an adult,” he says, his expression growing serious. “You don’t need your mother’s permission to go on a road trip.”

“That’s all dandy and good, but you and I both know my mom’s not...”

“Yes,” he sighs, glancing away. “Long story short, I tweaked the contract a little. Changed some percentages here and there.”

My jaw falls.

“So you... bribed her? With money?”

Will that be money I owe them? I mean, I should owe them, right? They’re taking money out of their pockets and putting it into hers just so I can join them.

They didn’t need me on this trip. They could’ve done it without me.

“Honey, you’re thinking an awful lot,” Everett says, his voice low. He shuts his laptop and slides it into the seat pocket in front of him before shifting to the side and patting the seat next to him.

I find my body moving before I even realize what I’m doing.

See? I can follow instructions. I’m totally not a brat.

“Sorry,” I mumble, drawing my gaze up to meet his.

“It wasn’t a bribe. It was a... business arrangement. One you don’t have to worry about. It didn’t eat into any of their cuts,” he says, gesturing at the front of the sprinter van to the rest of the guys.

“So it ate into yours?” I push, my brows drawing down.

“Smart one, aren’t you?” He shrugs, his lips quirking up. “It’s fine, I have more than enough money. There are more important things to me than that.”

I can’t help but think he means I am more important to him than money.

Which is a beautiful sentiment.

Probably easier when you’re fucking loaded, but still.

“Okay,” I say, offering him a soft smile. “Well, then, thank you. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about her breathing down my neck, at least for the trip.”

“You’re very welcome,” he murmurs, his voice soft. “How are you feeling about the journalist?”

“Who, Cameron? Oh, I’m feeling fine. Especially after he said I could join him on the project. He’s actually not that big of a dick. I think he was just under a lot of pressure that first night.”