Page 87 of Captured Love

Good seeing you after the game.

My thumb hovers over the comment as if I can erase it from his page and from my mind with sheer willpower. The emoji she used feels like a slap in the face.

Is she implying that?—?

No. No way. Knox wouldn’t?—

Would he?

I let out a shaky breath as I scroll quickly to see if Knox replied, but there’s nothing. No acknowledgment. No like. Maybe he didn’t see it. Maybe he ignored it.

But it doesn’t stop the knot from forming in my stomach. I lock my phone and place it on the ground near me. I keep telling myself it’s nothing and she’s just trying to get his attention.

Except it doesn’t feel like nothing.

I'm so lostin thought that I almost don't hear the footsteps approaching. While the carpet does muffle the sound, I can still hear the person growing closer. At first, I assume it's just a student who wandered in to grab a book before the library closes in less than thirty minutes. But when I turn around, Knox is standing there, hands in his pockets, staring me down.

My mouth drops open in shock. “Knox? What are you doing here?”

“Thought you might need some company,” he says, his voice low and smooth.

“What—why?”

He shrugs casually, but his eyes are fixed intently on mine. “You mentioned you were working late tonight so I thought I would stop by.”

Why am I questioning my boyfriend’s motives?

I shake my head, trying to recover from my shock. “Well, this is...unexpected.” A small smile tugs at my lips as I step closer to him. “I swear you’ve been in here more recently than you’ve ever been in here the entirety of your Crestwood career.”

That makes him laugh. “And you would be correct. Maybe I'm expanding my horizons. Or maybe I just wanted to see you.” He reaches out, his fingers grazing my hip and pulling me gently toward him.

Being in his arms again makes me feel warm and cherished. However, I still feel uneasy as because there is a knot still sitting low in my stomach. I glance at him, hesitating before I blurt, “Did you see the comments on your post from last night?”

Knox tilts his head slightly. “Not really. I just posted it and hopped off. Why?”

I hesitate.Just let it go.But the words slip out anyway. “Tessa commented on it.”

His expression shifts instantly, and I can see the coldness in his eyes. “What did she say?”

I grab my phone off the floor and scroll to the post. Knox steps closer as I hold up the screen, his eyes scanning the words. His lips end up pressed into a thin line.

“Selene, I didn’t see her after the game,” he says firmly, eyes snapping back to mine. “I took you back to your dorm room and that was it. I haven’t talked to her, haven’t even thought about—” He stops short and lets out a long breath as if he’s trying to keep from swearing.

“I know,” I say quickly, but my voice doesn’t sound as confident as I want it to.

“She’s just trying to get attention,” Knox says. “That’s all this is. I didn’t see her. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

My fingers tighten around my phone as I glance back at the screen. The comment stares up at me, mocking my insecurities that I’ve done so well to hide. Or so I thought.

Knox’s fingers brush along my jaw as he tips my face up, so I have to meet his gaze. “Hey. I’m with you. Not her. Don’t let her mess with us.”

I swallow, heat rising behind my eyes as I force a small smile. “I know. It just caught me off guard.”

“Then forget about it,” he says, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Because I promise you, she’s not part of my life anymore.”

His thumb grazes my cheekbone and just like that, the knot in my chest starts to loosen. I exhale slowly, the stress that I felt begins to fade as I let myself lean into his touch. For a moment, neither of us says anything.

Then Knox tilts his head, and I immediately recognize the look in his eyes. I already know where this is going. I quickly shake my head before I say, “Knox...”

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