Page 16 of Knot Today (Hiddenverse #5)

Willow

We won.

I can still feel it—the rush, the roar of the crowd, the burn in my muscles as I crossed that last point. The final whistle blew, and we’re going to Nationals.

The girls are cheering, throwing their arms around each other, bodies colliding in a chaotic blur of sweat and victory. We did it.

Daisy grabs my shoulders, shaking me with her excitement. “Jinx, we’re going to Nationals!”

I grin, heart hammering in my chest. “Hell yeah, we are.”

We tumble into a pile of hugs and laughter, the sheer energy of the win vibrating through my bones. This is it. This is what I live for.

But then, I feel it. Or rather, I don’t.

The familiar prickle of being watched, that distinct awareness that Finn is lurking just out of sight…it’s not there.

I scan the sidelines, my breath hitching slightly. He should be here. He’s always here. Camera up, lens trained on me as though I’m the only thing that exists.

But there’s nothing. No Finn. I try not to feel disappointment. That’s silly.

I glance toward the edge of the rink where Graham stands, arms crossed, eyes already on me. Carson is nearby, smirking as if he’s reading my mind, and Hunter—well, Hunter’s just watching. Silent. Steady. Unreadable.

Did they keep Finn away?

I don’t get the chance to ask. Not that it would surprise me, they are here to keep Finn away from me.

“We’re going out,” Daisy announces. “No arguments. You’ve bailed on us the last two weeks.”

I barely have time to breathe before the team is rallying, plans forming faster than I can keep up with.

Carson falls in beside me as we leave the arena. “You’re safe, peaches. We’ve got you. Just have fun tonight. Enjoy your win.”

The club is not our usual.

It’s bigger, darker, packed wall to wall with bodies moving to the pulsing bass. Strobe lights cut through the haze, neon flickering across the dance floor, illuminating faces in rapid flashes.

Carson, Hunter, and Graham are nearby, always within reach, always watching. It’s almost become normal for me, having them as shadows. A comfort even. Not that I don’t feel perfectly safe on my own. I don’t need them.

“You gonna stand there all night?” Daisy nudges me, her grin wide. “Come dance. Show your bodyguards what they’re missing.”

I exhale, shaking off the tension. Carson said I was safe. They’ve got me. And if there is a part of me that is scared of anything, it would be Landon showing up and trying to talk to me again. Not Finn taking my picture. But either way, they’re here, watching. It will be fine.

So I let go. Just for a little while.

The music takes over, my body moving with the rhythm, sweat slicking my skin. Daisy spins me, laughter bubbling from my lips. This is normal. This is good. Twinkle and Cheese join us.

Then, I feel it, awareness spiking through me. Warmth traveling over my body. Eyes on me.

Finn.

I don’t see him. Not at first. But I know. My stomach tightens, a different kind of thrill running through me. My perfume probably spikes too, not that anyone could smell it in here with the descenter heavy in the air.

I scan the crowd, heart thudding—ready for—I don’t know, a glimpse of the man who is obsessed with me. Because maybe I’m becoming a little obsessed with him too. A little curious in a way I shouldn’t be.

And that’s when I feel something else. Something deeper. Stronger than my curiosity.

The musk hits me first, fresh laundry, grounding, devastatingly familiar. Even with the blockers in the air, I can smell him, because he was made for me. My body reacts before my mind catches up.

Landon.

My entire world stops spinning. I don’t even have time to process before his voice cuts through the music.

“Willow.”

A shudder racks through me. The air is suddenly thick, pressing in around me, squeezing my ribs tight. My heart slams against my chest, memories flooding in before I can stop them.

I turn, and there he is.

He stands barely a few feet away, his hazel eyes locked onto me, taking me in as if he’s been starving for this moment. I stagger back a step, my breath caught in my throat. Bodies are still dancing around us. No one even pays attention to us.

But Carson is there instantly. Hunter, too. Both stepping between us, shields of muscle and tension, their postures going rigid and lethal.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?” Carson asks, his tone light, but still dangerous.

Landon’s gaze flicks from me to them, his shoulders squared and unyielding.

“I need to talk to her,” he says.

“You don’t need anything,” Hunter snaps. He sees the truth in my reaction, the way my body betrayed me at just the scent of Landon. “And you won’t be talking when I do what I threatened.”

I shake my head, forcing words out. “Landon, leave me alone.”

A muscle ticks in his jaw. “Please, just—”

“No.”

Graham appears then, his presence a final warning.

“Walk away,” he suggests, voice easy, the way someone would offer directions to a stranger.

Landon’s fists clench at his sides, his breathing uneven. For a second, I think he’s going to fight it, going to keep pushing, but then he exhales harshly, stepping back.

They don’t move until Landon does. Until he fully turns and disappears into the crowd. The moment is over.

Except it isn’t. Because the guys are still focusing on Landon. And Finn takes his chance.

A firm grip on my wrist—

A pull, fast, precise—

And suddenly, I’m moving through the crowd, away from them, away from the safety they’ve started to represent. Finn has me.

Again.