Chapter 15 CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 15
YAEL
Jordan’s eyes were on me the second I dropped my phone on the table, face twisting like I’d just committed a felony.
“What’s with the murder look?” she asked.
I exhaled sharply. “Knox texted me earlier.”
“Knox? The debate Knox?”
I gave her a tight smile. “Do you know any other one?”
She snorted. “What did he want?”
I picked my phone up again and read the message out loud. “‘Dean’s orders. You’re needed for some things.’” I looked up, scowling. “The audacity of this man.”
Jordan chuckled, stretching in her chair. “I think he likes you.”
I blinked. “You think everyone likes me.”
“Because they do,” she said, smug. “You should see the way he looked at you yesterday during the debate. Like you were a math problem he wanted to solve and also ruin at the same time.”
“Yeah, sounds romantic,” I muttered, grabbing my bag.
After class, I headed to the student committee room. It was held in the glass building near the admin block — sleek, too professional, like it was trying too hard to impress.
The moment I walked in, everyone went silent.
Fabulous. Just what I loved — unwanted attention.
Knox was standing near the whiteboard, hands in his pockets, wearing that same smirk that made people fall for him and made me want to throw things.
“Everyone, this is Yael,” he said smoothly. “You’ve all probably seen her name on the Dean’s list.”
A few polite murmurs followed, a couple of curious glances, and then—
“Wait,” one girl with box braids asked, brow lifting. “Aren’t you Aaron’s girlfriend?”
The disgust shot through me faster than I could process it.
“Excuse me?”
She blinked, confused. “You were wearing his jersey yesterday, right?”
“I’m his sister,” I said flatly, folding my arms. “You know—same bloodline.”
A chorus of oohhhs followed, and someone muttered, “That explains the attitude.”
Knox chuckled. “Settle down, everyone. We’ve got a lot to do for the charity gala.”
He glanced at me, that smug expression plastered on his stupidly perfect face. “Yael, you’re with me.”
Of course.
Of course he’d pull that card.
I swallowed my irritation. “Fine.”
We left the room, the buzz of chatter fading behind us as we stepped into the hallway.
I waited until we were halfway to the parking lot before snapping, “You couldn’t have paired me with someone else?”
“I could have,” he said casually. “But that wouldn’t be as fun. We're going to Cee.”
I glared at him. “You get joy from pissing me off, don’t you?”
He laughed under his breath, the sound low and annoyingly attractive. “You make it too easy, princess.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Why?” he tilted his head, teasing. “It fits.”
“It doesn’t,” I bit out. “I’m not your anything.”
He smirked, eyes flicking to me briefly before turning back to the road. “Keep saying that.”
We reached his car — a black Audi that looked like it was kissed by money and ego.
I sighed as he opened the door for me with a mock bow. “Milady.”
“Do that again and I’m walking,” I said.
He chuckled. “Touchy.”
We got in, and the drive to Cee was… painful.Mostly because Knox wouldn’t shut up. I looked back and saw a beautiful vase.
By the time we reached Cee — the high-end restaurant known for charging the price of someone’s rent for a single appetizer — I was one snark away from jumping out of the moving car.
He parked, and we both stepped out. He was still teasing.
“You know, if you keep glaring like that, your face might stay that way.”
“Good,” I said. “Then I’ll scare off men like you.”
He grinned. “You think I scare easy?”
“I think you like the chase.”
“Depends on who I’m chasing.”
I rolled my eyes and stepped into the elevator, clutching the vase we were supposed to deliver. It was one of those delicate crystal things that screamed don’t drop me or you’ll owe your soul.
Knox walked in after me, leaning lazily against the wall as the doors slid shut.
And then—people started flooding in.
Within seconds, the elevator was packed. Too packed.
I was pressed forward, my back hitting Knox’s chest.
Oh no.
No no no.
I could feel his breath near my neck. Warm. Controlled.
His hand shot out instinctively to hold my waist, steadying both of us when someone bumped from behind.
“Relax,” he murmured. “You’ll drop the vase.”
I swallowed hard. “I’m fine.”
“Sure?” His voice was dangerously close. “Because you’re shaking.”
“I’m holding glass worth a fortune,” I snapped quietly. “Anyone would shake.”
He hummed. “Right.”
The air was thick. Suffocating.
I could practically feel the strength in his fingers against my waist — big, warm, steady.
Every breath I took felt like I was inhaling him.
Focus, Yael.
When the elevator dinged and people began to file out, I didn’t wait. I rushed forward so fast, I nearly tripped.
He followed, laughing. “You’re running like I scared you.”
“You wish.”
“I don’t need to wish.”
I stopped, turned sharply, and glared at him. “Are you always this annoying, or is it just with me?”
He tilted his head, eyes glinting with amusement. “Just you. You’re fun to annoy.”
I wanted to throw the vase at him.
We finally got to the restaurant’s reception area. Knox handed the vase to the manager while I stood beside him, pretending I wasn’t still flustered from that elevator moment.
When the manager left, Knox turned to me, tone softer. “You did good.”
I blinked. “I held a vase.”
He smiled. “Still. You didn’t drop it. That’s progress.”
“Wow,” I said dryly. “Such high praise.”
He chuckled again, hands in his pockets. “You know, I never figured you for the type who’d join the student committee.”
“I didn’t join,” I reminded him. “You drafted me.”
“Semantics.”
“I’m leaving after this.”
He stepped closer, voice dropping slightly. “We’ll see.”
I rolled my eyes and brushed past him. “You’re insu
fferable.”
“Admit it,” he called after me. “You’d miss me if I stopped teasing you.”
I didn’t turn around. “You’d miss me first.”
He laughed. “Probably.”