Chapter 31: Trouble in Paradise???

Drew didn’t flinch.

His hazel eyes flicked down to Knox’s extended hand, then back up to Knox’s unblinking, dark gaze. Slowly, Drew reached out and gripped Knox’s hand with a firm, steady pressure. Neither of them backed down, their posture stiff in the freezing midnight air as the noise of the crowd roared around us.

"Drew Miller," Drew said in a calm voice calm. "Good game tonight."

"Thanks," Knox replied smoothly as he kept his grip a fraction of a second longer than necessary. "You heading out, or were you planning on grabbing food with us?"

The offer sounded polite on the surface, but the underlying edge was razor-sharp. Drew tilted his head, reading the charged atmosphere between Knox, me, and the oversized silver number nineteen resting across my chest.

"I’ve got a ninety-minute drive back to Oakhaven," Drew said, stepping back and pulling his leather strap over his shoulder. "So I’d better get on the road before the post-game traffic hits." He turned to me, his smile softening into something warm and familiar. "Text me when you get a chance, Nora. Let me know you got back safe." 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

"I will," I stammered, my heart still hammering against my ribs. "Drive safe, Drew."

Drew gave me a quick wave, turned on his heel, and disappeared down the crowded concrete stairs into the sea of screaming fans.

Priya glanced between Knox and me, her eyes darting from Knox’s jaw to the tension in my shoulders. She took a cautious step backward toward the heavy glass doors of the lobby. "I’m... going to go grab my tote bag from the lobby," she said quickly. "Take your time."

The second Priya ducked inside and Drew was out of earshot, I turned on Knox.

I didn’t want to make a scene, so I tried not to yell. But I stepped right up into his space, speaking through my teeth in a low, furious whisper that made my chest tight.

"Babe?" I hissed, my cheeks burning with a heat that had nothing to do with the freezing midnight air. "Are you out of your mind, Sheridan?"

Knox leaned back against the iron handrail, unbothered by my glare. He unzipped his leather gym bag with one hand, resting his other thumb in the pocket of his varsity jacket.

"My father was watching from the center VIP box," Knox said, his voice dropping into a dry, arrogant rumble. "Half the student section was standing on this plaza. You were wearing my jersey, sitting next to a guy who couldn’t keep his eyes off you. What did you expect me to do?"

"I expected you not to act like a possessive maniac!" I snapped, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. "He’s my friend from high school. I told you that."

"He doesn’t look at you like a friend from high school, Bennett," Knox said, his eyes narrowing as he looked down at me. "And as long as you’re wearing my name on your back in public, you don’t entertain guys who look at you like that."

"Am I a contract requirement or your property?" I asked with irritation in my voice.

Knox stepped off the handrail, his long strides closing the distance until his broad shadow swallowed me whole. He leaned down, his face inches from mine, his gaze burning with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat.

"You’re the girl wearing my jersey," he growled softly, his voice gravelly against the chill of the night. "Which means until this deal is done, you keep your hands to yourself."

"Fine," I said, my temper snapping entirely.

I grabbed the hem of the heavy purple-and-silver jersey, pulled it straight over my head in one swift motion, and shoved it hard against his chest.

The icy midnight wind hit my bare arms immediately through my fitted black t-shirt, making a sharp, violent shiver run down my spine.

The cold was harsh, biting straight through the thin cotton, but I refused to wrap my arms around myself or show an ounce of weakness.

Knox caught the jersey in one hand, his jaw clenching tight as his eyes dropped from my face to my shivering shoulders. The arrogant smirk vanished completely, replaced by a dark, dangerous scowl that sent a different kind of chill through me.

"Put that back on, Bennett," Knox commanded. "It’s below freezing out here."

"Don’t tell me what to do, Sheridan," I said, taking a step backward and jabbing a finger toward his chest. "I wore your stupid jersey to the game. I sat in Section 102. I fulfilled every single clause of your contract for tonight. Take your jersey and go back to your frat house."

Knox didn’t move.

He stood on the concrete steps, the purple jersey clutched in his hand. His chest rose and fell as he stared down at me silently.

"I said put it back on," he repeated, stepping into my space again until his knuckles nearly touched my arm.

"And I said no," I shot back, holding my ground despite the cold biting into my skin.

Before Knox could say another word, the glass doors of the arena lobby burst open behind us with a loud clatter.

Priya ran out onto the concrete plaza; her phone was clutched in her hand, and her face had gone completely pale under the bright outdoor lights.

"Nora," she gasped, her eyes wide with panic as she shoved the screen directly between Knox and me. "You guys need to look at this right now."

I blinked, pulling my gaze away from Knox to look down at Priya’s phone.

It was a fresh post on the Briar Campus Buzz page, uploaded less than two minutes ago.

The image was a crystal-clear, high-resolution photo taken from the bottom of the plaza steps. It showed me standing in front of Knox in my black fitted shirt, jabbing a finger into his chest, while Knox towered over me with his jaw set, holding his #19 jersey in one hand and reaching for my arm with the other.

The arena spotlights illuminated both of our faces in sharp detail.

Underneath the photo, the viral caption read:

Trouble in paradise? Real-life lovers’ spat between Captain Sheridan and his diner girl right outside the player exit after the home opener victory! Looks like someone is in the doghouse...

My blood ran cold. The comment section was already scrolling with over a hundred likes, reposts, and campus tags.

"Damn, she’s really yelling at Knox Sheridan in public? Legend."

"Is it just me or do they look ready to kill each other?"

"So much for the happy couple photoshoot lol."

I looked up, meeting Knox’s gaze. The arrogance had vanished from his face, replaced by a dark, dangerous stillness as he stared at the screen.

"Fuck," he cursed out between gritted teeth.

"So..." Priya whispered, her eyes darting between the two of us in sheer panic. "What are you guys going to do?"

Knox didn’t answer right away. He snatched the phone from Priya’s hand and scrolled through the comments before handing her back the phone.

He stepped right back into my space.

"First," Knox growled softly, unzipping his jacket and wrapping it around my cold shoulders before I could even object, "we get out of the cold."