“Finally, something good—greatis coming my way.” I give a spastic wave as he heads on over. Knox is sexy to the bone, so of course, every girl in Kappa G cranes her neck just to get a better look at the star football player they’ll be cheering madly forcomefall.
“Hey, hey!” He’s still grinning ear-to-ear as he gives me a quick peck on the lips, so maybe this means he’s finally out of his funk? “Good-looking crowd.” He gives both Harley and Henry a high five before nodding to Ava and Lucky. “Ladies night, Itakeit?”
Knox holds the scent of a fresh shower, rich cologne with deep notes that hit both me and Sylvia in all the right places. And that T-shirt of his hugs his pecs like nobody’s business. I can’t wait to get this boy home and peel his clothes off, one delicious layer at a time. My heart flutters like a flurry of wild butterflies at the thought of Knox Toberman being mine—allmine.
“They’re on their way,” Ava assures him of Grant and Lawson’s eminentarrival.
A hand waves over to us through the crowd, and not until the bodies thin out do we see the unimaginable—Janelle Jump-Your-Boyfriend’s-Bones Wahlberg is limpingthisway.
“What in the hell?” I whisper mostly to myself because if I’ve discovered anything about myself these last few stress-filled months is the fact I like to process informationoutloud.
Knox gives a sorrowful look to both Henry and Harley before dipping his lips to my ear. “Sorry, I’ll be right back.” He heads over to the two-timing twerp and her face lights up. She’s wearing her signature bloody vamp lipstick, but instead of the tight-fitting dresses made of spandex she usually squeezes herself into, she looks rather frumpy, as if she’s seriously considered the pros of the donut diet—not that I haven’t looked into thismyself.
Henry steps up and nods over at them. “Who’s that?” He struggles with his breathing a moment, and I feel bad for adding to thestress.
“That”—I give a hard look to Ava and Lucky—“is just an old friend of his.” My face heats with the fire of a thousand hells. Why did Knox have to pick this night to be civil toward her? And why is his hand on her shoulder as he lovingly stoops to speak with her? Oh my God, Justin was right. She wants Knox. Whatever it is she’s trying to pull, it’s apparently working—at least as far as getting hisattentiongoes.
Harley snarls at the two of them. “He looks awful friendly. Is he always so touchy-feely with othergirls?”
“You know”—Ava hooks her arm through Henry’s and Harley’s—“Kappa house has some very unique features that only the sorority sisters are privy to, but I’ll be glad to fill you in on all the secret nooks and crannies. How about alittletour?”
Henry preens over at me as if he’s just struck gold. “That’s sounds exactly like the good time Icamefor.”
“Pervert!” I shout after them as theytakeoff.
“Your brother and sister are delightful.” Lucky’s features harden to flint as we stare at Knox and his blonde ex-beloved. “Unlike your boyfriend at the moment. Did he just rest his hand in the small of her back? That’s a total douche move. Do you need me to kick his assforyou?”
I stare dumbfounded as he assists her to the refreshment table and pulls a water bottle from the cooler before proceeding to open it for her as if she were achild.
“What’s going on?” I can’t believe my eyes as I trek my way over with Lucky staunchly, and rather violently pissed by my side. “Thirsty much?” I wrap my arm around Knox’s waist and fume at how stupid and jealous I just sounded—partially because I happen to be stupidly jealous at themoment.
Jen looks up at Knox with that idiotically helpless look on her face, only there’s a twinge of frustration in her eyes as if she’s silently bidding him to get ridofme.
“Hey”—Knox glances over at Lucky as if he were equally burdened by our presence—“so, is Lawson here yet?” He scans the crowd just over our shoulder. “I think I see him down near the dining room. Why don’t you guys head over? I’ll be there inasec.”
My face slaps with heat. “Oh my God,” I trill the words with self-righteous astonishment. “Youaretrying to get rid of us.” I’m affronted. I’m fuming. I’m hold-my-earrings-get-the-Vaseline livid over the fact he’d stoop to such a low blow movewithme.
“No.” He slaps his hands over his eyes as if he’s just stepped into a nightmare—one that I happen to be starring in. Oh my God, what if he wants her back? I glare down at the little petite troll with those quivering red lips. “I just think I need to talk to Jen for a minute,that’sall.”
Lucky takes in a quick breath that sounds as if she inhaled a penny. “Whatever you have to say to this beast, you can say it right here in front of the two of us. This little skank ruined her chance at exclusivitywithyou!”
“I second that motion,” I say as I try to clasp my arm tighter around his waist, but he retracts a bit. “What’sgoingon?”
Knox takes a deep breath before gently placing his open palms carefully over my cheeks. “Harper.” His eyes close for what feels like an infinitely long time. “You’re the last person in the world I wanttohurt.”
“Oh my God.” I stagger back, unable to catch my breath. “No.” I shake my head. “This isn’t happening.” Knox loves me, and I love him. “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid, Knox. Don’t do it. Whatever BS she’s feeding you, she’s just reelingyouin.”
Jen places her hand on his shoulder and practically falls into him. She whispers something into his ear, and his eyes close once again with the look ofsurrender.
His mouth opens and closes as he looks to me as if he’s afraid to say whatever the hell comes next. “I’m going to give her a ride back to herapartment.”
Now it’s my mouth opening as I take in a never-endingbreath.
Lucky huffs with enough irritation for both of us. “Two questions: Why the hell don’t you just tell her to scram? And are youcomingback?”
His brows hood over as he chews on his bottom lip, contemplating the question himself, and just like that, my heart snaps in two. In the mother of all ironies, it’s in that moment I realize I never loved Justin. I never felt an ounce of affection for the boy in comparison to what I feel now, because God Almighty, this hurts so very bad. Knox just pulled the floor out from under me like a rug, turning my entire worldupsidedown.
I stagger backward a moment before my hand touches down over the refreshment table and I hurl a bottle at Knox’s head. It smashes against the back wall so hard the glass obliterates on contact and a spray of fizzy liquid rains down over thecrowd.
