Knox “Beast” Harlan is the Blackridge Wolves’ most feared enforcer — the guy who drops gloves first and asks questions never. On the ice he’s unstoppable. Off it? His reputation is a problem. Fights, headlines, and a coach who’s finally had enough. One threat changes everything: clean up his image or get benched. You need protection. A name powerful enough to keep the wrong people away. So you make a deal. Fake dating. Public smiles. Private rules. He gets the perfect girlfriend for the cameras. You get safety. He thinks it’s simple — easy benefits, good PR, and zero complications. You think you can keep your heart out of it. But the more time you spend with him, the more the lines blur. Every late-night conversation. Every protective glance across a crowded room. Every time he learns something about you he was never supposed to know. Knox Harlan doesn’t do feelings. He doesn’t do attachments. And he definitely doesn’t do love. But some deals were never meant to stay fake. And the Beast is starting to realize that what he wants most… might be the one thing he can’t control.