On His Knees by Tabatha Kiss
Chapter 35
Seth
“What’s your name?”
I smirk for the cutie in front of me on the second-floor balcony. “Seth,” I answer. “What’s yours?”
“Seth?” she repeats. “Seth Newbury?”
My smile widens. Fuck yeah, she’s heard of me.
Seth Newbury. Delta Xi god.
Take that, Jenna Abrams.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say. “And you are?”
She tenses slightly before easing a step back. “I...” Her eyes dart around. “I just remembered. I’m allergic.”
“Allergic?” I ask.
“Bye.”
“Wait—”
She races down the stairs to the first floor. Apparently to get away from me as fast as possible because of some... allergy to men named Seth?
Okay, what the fuck is going on?
A strange one-off encounter? I can see it. Maybe. But that was the third woman in an hour to spit out an excuse and rush away from me the moment she learned my name.
Something weird is going on here.
I stare over the balcony onto the first floor. I scan their heads, targeting those of the reddish-blonde variety. Apparently, that’s my type at the moment.
“Hey, Seth.”
I turn with a blink, knocking myself out of my tunnel vision to focus on the dark-haired girl beside me in an oversized man’s dress shirt. “Oh. Hey, Wilder,” I greet. “Didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
“Oh, the moment Corey heard Pajama Night was back, we rushed out the door.” Her smile slips as she studies me. “How are you doing?”
“I’m all right,” I answer. “Having a blast, actually. This party is insane.”
She squints. “So, how are you doing?” she asks again.
I pause, going deeper. “I’m okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Been a minute since we’ve talked.”
“I’ve been keeping busy. The semester started, so I’ve been focused on that. And... nothing else in particular.”
She nods. “Uh-huh.”
“Oh — I took your advice.”
“Yeah?”
“I made a plan. Talked about it with Drew. It made me feel a lot better.”
She smiles. “That’s good! I’m happy to have helped.”
“You did. A lot. So, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Her eyes wander downward. “So, there’s nothing else going on?”
I shake my head. “Nope. Same old same old.” She stares at me, clearly unconvinced. “Why do you ask?”
Wilder raises her hand, crosses her fingers, and briefly taps the edge of her mouth. “Oh, just curious,” she says, putting her hand back down to her side. “A girl hears things, here and there.”
“What have you heard?”
Again, she smiles as she steps toward me. “Keep your ears open, Seth Newbury,” she says, lingering by my cheek. “I’m rooting for you.”
“What?”
And just like every other goddamn woman tonight, Wilder walks off.
The fuck does that mean?
I place my hands on the banister as I look over the balcony again. Keep your ears open. For what? What kind of vague-ass bullshit is…
I pause.
A girl hears things.
Wilder tapped her lips with crossed fingers.
Where have I seen that before?
I bite down hard. Oh, right.
Where else but the Beta Kappa house right across the street?
There’s a hit out on me.
And I know exactly who ordered it.