Chapter 20

Seraphina

It was late Friday afternoon, the cool breeze of autumn drifting through the campus as I walked briskly, my mind lost in the maze of thoughts I tried not to let consume me. I needed to focus—needed to stay in control of this situation, no matter what the fuck was going on between me and the three of them.

And then, as if the universe wanted to test me, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me, the familiar weight of his presence so close, so unmistakable. Tyrone.

I didn’t try to avoid him; it was futile anyway. Instead, I picked up my pace, but I already knew he would catch up. And he did.

He appeared before me, stepping into my path as though he had orchestrated this moment from the beginning. He didn’t speak at first, just watched me with those dark eyes that seemed to see straight through me.

"You’re still trying to run from us," he said, his voice a low, dark hum that slid under my skin, making my heart beat a little faster. "But you don’t run fast enough."

Before I could respond, he was on me, his hand grabbing my arm with a force that made my breath catch. Without warning, he spun me around, his body pressing mine against the cold brick of the building. His hands were everywhere, moving over me, feeling, testing.

"Tell me you don’t want this," he murmured, his breath hot against my ear. "Tell me you don’t want me."

I didn’t have an answer. The words wouldn’t come. My body had already betrayed me, aching for him, for them. He knew it, too—he could smell it, feel it in the way I trembled when he pulled me tighter to him, his hard length digging into my stomach.

Tyrone's hand moved, almost leisurely, under the waistband of my jeans, his fingers grazing the skin of my hip. It was just a touch—so fucking light, so teasing—but I was already burning.

"You want this," he murmured again, his other hand tracing the curve of my jaw, his thumb brushing against my lips. "You want me to take you right here, don’t you?"

The air between us was thick with tension, but all I could do was respond with a broken, desperate breath, my chest rising and falling as my body screamed for him.

His hand moved lower, dangerously close to where I needed him, but he stopped, his touch pausing just above the edge, driving me to madness.

"Please," I whispered, a plea I couldn’t stop. My body was moving of its own accord, grinding against his thigh, desperate to feel something, anything.

"Please what?" he asked, his voice a deadly whisper. "Tell me what you want, Seri. Say it."

I opened my mouth, but the words caught in my throat. My hands found their way to his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his jacket. The frustration I felt was a raw, gnawing ache. I needed to let go, needed him to push me over the edge, but he wasn’t giving me that release.

His hand dropped lower again, this time wedging firmly between my legs, pressing against my heated core in a way that made my stomach tighten and my breath stutter. His fingers pressed hard against my clit, sending an electric shock through me.

"Do you like that?" he purred, making me nod frantically. "You’re so fucking wet, I can feel it threw your pants."

I couldn’t control the desperate moan that escaped my lips, the sound of my need undeniable. I was so close, so fucking close. I could feel the pressure building, my body almost screaming for release.

And then, just as it felt like I would break, he stopped. His hand pulled away sharply, holding onto my hips to keep me upright.

I groaned, my entire body trembling, the ache in my core now unbearable, burning through me.

"You’re such a tease," I choked out, my voice shaking. I couldn’t even look him in the eye. "You’re a fucking asshole."

Tyrone let go of me, stepping back further, a slow, satisfied smirk playing on his lips as he watched me struggle to regain control. He didn’t say a word for a long moment, just watching me with that cold intensity, studying every inch of me.

"Come to our party this weekend," he said finally, his voice smooth, but with that dangerous edge I couldn’t ignore. "I’ll be waiting for you. Don’t make me come find you."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, gasping for air, my body on fire and aching in the absence of his touch.

I didn’t know how long I stood there, completely lost in the aftermath of what he’d just done to me. But I knew one thing—when I saw him again, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. And he knew it.

As I made my way inside the Alpha Phi house, every step felt like it was dragging me down deeper into a pit of confusion. The cold night air brushed against my skin, sending a chill through me that had nothing to do with the weather. Tyrone’s lingering touch still pulsed through me, his breath in my ear, his hand gripping me with such precision. The taste of his kiss, the ache of not having my release… it all swirled inside my head like a storm that wouldn’t let up. I wanted to be angry, to be furious at him for pushing me so far, but a part of me… a part of me wanted that edge, that lack of control, that desperation.

I needed to get away from it all.

The Alpha Phi house loomed in front of me, its lights casting a warm, welcoming glow, but it felt like a prison now. I was suffocating, trapped by the pressure of everything—the sorority, the men, my own growing desires. As I walked through the front door, I almost expected the noise and chatter of the party to hit me immediately, but it was quiet. Too quiet.

“Seri!” I froze as two of the girls, Ivy and Natalie, approached, their smiles sharp and expectant. Ivy raised an eyebrow at me. “Where have you been? You’re not planning on skipping the party tomorrow, are you?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I had to get away, I had to clear my head before I lost myself to this place and these people. “I’m actually not going to be here this weekend. I’m going to visit family,” I said, forcing the words out. It sounded rehearsed, but I needed something to give them, make them leave me alone.

Their faces fell briefly before they exchanged looks, but Ivy quickly recovered. “You sure you don’t want to at least stop by? We’ve got huge plans—everyone’s going to be there. We were hoping you’d be part of it. I mean, we want you there.”

I shook my head, already feeling a headache creep up on me. “I really need to go. It’s important.”

Natalie narrowed her eyes but didn’t push it further. “Okay, well… if you change your mind, we’ll be waiting. The party’s going to be amazing.”

I offered a tight smile, more out of politeness than anything else. “Thanks. I’ll be back next week.”

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked up the stairs, desperate to be alone, to think. As I packed my bag, the tension in my chest wouldn’t ease. I had to get away. The men, the power games, the constant pressure… it was all too much. I wasn’t sure what I was doing anymore, but I couldn’t do it here. Not with them so close, not with that kiss still burning in my blood.

Once I was packed, I grabbed my keys and headed for the door. It was late, the house quiet and still as I stepped into the night. I was going to the only place in the world that could make me forget about everything else, and I needed to be away from here. Away from the mess I was getting myself into.

I didn’t look back.

The engine rumbled to life as I backed out of the driveway, the headlights cutting through the darkness. The further I drove down the road, the more I could focus. Everything else—the men, the sorority, their games, the tension—faded as the miles stretched on.

But I knew one thing for sure: no matter how far I drove, I couldn’t outrun what was building inside me. And that thought was more terrifying than anything else.