On His Face - Tabatha Kiss Page 0,81

lucky next time.”

I pause on the steps of Delta Xi. “Maybe you’re right,” I say, exhaling slowly. “We’ll talk about it tonight.”

“See you then.”

“Bye, Heidi.”

“Bye.”

She hangs up first. I lower the phone to my side as my guts get all twisted up inside. First, that morning Seth showed up at her house. Then, the entire fall out of the dance. Now, this?

Heidi’s right. Our next close call might be the one to hit its mark.

We said we’d cross that bridge when we had to.

Now is the time.

I open the front door and walk inside. My housemates pack the common area waiting for the house meeting to start. There are still a few minutes to spare. I can run upstairs, get changed, and—

“Hey, Rose,” Brick bellows from the sitting room. “Get in here.”

I scan their faces, but the thoughts of my brothers remain hidden behind smirks and shadowed eyes.

The crowd parts as I step forward into the room, then immediately closes behind me to block me in.

That can’t be good.

I reach the middle of the room. Brick stands with his giant arms crossed and his square-shaped jaw tightly closed. Beside him, looking angry and dejected...

Seth.

Definitely not good.

I clear my throat. “What’s up, guys?” I ask. “The meeting starts at four, right?”

Seth looks at his phone. After a few quick taps of his screen, my phone vibrates in my hand. I turn it up. A new photo message.

“Mr. Newbury has come to us with a dispute,” Brick says. “Care to explain that photograph, Mr. Rose?”

I swipe it open.

Fuck.

Heidi was too late.

I pinch and zoom, hoping that there’s something there that could cast some doubt. Maybe my face is cropped, or she drew a mole or a freckle I don’t have. Anything that might argue that this guy isn’t me.

But that’s my face. Those are my hands.

And that’s my distinguished-looking dick.

I zoom in on the title card. Heidi Newbury. Hard to argue she wasn’t the artist with that sitting there, too.

The Objectified Man?

Really, Jenna?

“Rose.”

I look at Brick. “I think good art speaks for itself,” I joke.

He doesn’t laugh. No one does.

Especially not Seth.

“Why is my little sister drawing you naked, man?” he asks me.

Point blank. Eye contact.

I could lie. I could try to bullshit my way out of this. I could say that I modeled for her class. That’s true, after all, but it’d only take Corey to confirm that I wasn’t there on full figure day. Wouldn’t take a genius to determine how she really got up close and personal with my lower half.

Now is the time.

I swallow hard. “Because we’ve been seeing each other,” I answer. “Since September.”

The room shifts. A shiver races down my spine. No one says a word, but the way the air moves when two dozen men all look to their leader at the same time is bone-chilling.

Seth just glares. I wish he would say something, though. Or shout. Or punch me in the nose. I can take it. Hell, I deserve it.

Brick takes a breath and stands a little taller. “Any Delta Xi man who breaks Delta Xi law will be punished to the full extent of Delta Xi law!” he says.

They all raise a fist.

“Drop! Drop! Drop!”

I stand alone, surrounded by the chanting voices of my brothers as Seth looks on.

Well, shit.

Chapter 43

Heidi

My phone rings. I check the screen.

Jenna.

I let it go to voicemail. Not really in the mood to talk to her right now.

It rings again. I ignore it.

A text pops up. And another. Then, another.

With a huff, I grab the phone again.

Answer.

Answer.

Answer.

The phone rings in my palm.

Fucking fine.

I swipe it on. “What?” I ask.

“Okay, so, I know you’re probably still really pissed at me, but have you heard from Drew at all tonight?”

I flex my jaw. “Not in a few hours. Why?”

“You...” she pauses, “might want to get down here.”

“Down where?” I ask.

“The Delta Xi house.”

“Why?”

“He... well...”

I frown, out of patience. “He what, Jenna?”

“He’s in trouble.”

My heart jolts. Of all the days for Drew to be in trouble...

Maybe I’m jumping the gun here. It could be unrelated.

“What kind of trouble?” I ask.

Jenna laughs dryly. “It’s hard to tell over all the... chanting.”

“Chanting?” I squeak.

She tilts the phone for me, and I hear it even louder.

Delta Xi! Delta Xi! Delta Xi!

“I’m pretty sure it’s the I’ve been dating my best friend’s little sister behind his back and now my frat is kicking my ass kind of trouble,” she says.

My gut sinks. “Oh.”

Our luck really ran out this time.

“I mentioned I’m really sorry, right?” Jenna