Page 26 of Until I Own You

Seth’s eyes widen. “So?! He’s a total womanizer.”

“It’s just flirting, Seth.”

“Not with him it’s not.”

My shoulders slump forward.

I’m exhausted by this game, this back and forth. “I’m a grown fucking woman, Seth. I can make my own choices.”

“I’m protecting you!” I can tell he is holding back, because if he could yell it, he would.

“You’re manipulating me!”

His brow furrows. “Manipulating?! I’m–”

“I told you to stop talking to me. And twice you’ve crossed that boundary. I don’t want you involved in any part of my life.”

Seth face slackens. “You don’t mean that.”

Of course, I don’t fucking mean that.

Seth has preoccupied every other one of my thoughts for years now.

I want him.

“I’ve never given you any shit for the way you fuck around at the club or any of the girls you’ve ever–”

“It’s different!”

Is he kidding right now? “How is it different?”

“Because someone needs to protect you! I’m not worth protecting like you need to be.”

I frown. “You really think that?”

Seth finally drops his hand from my arm and steps back. “Just stay the fuck away from him, alright?”

I blink.

“I’m done with this, Seth.” I take a couple steps away, trying to keep my composure. “Just stop.”

He doesn’t reply.

So, I walk away, setting an intention in myself. I’ll make the best of this wedding weekend. And I don’t care how mad Seth gets in the process.

6

SETH

I don’t know where Bridget is.

She disappeared right after the photos of the wedding party were taken and hasn’t returned to the gardens since.

I’m doing everything in my power not to ask if anyone knows where she went or to go after her but every nerve in my body screams at me, begging to go after her.

It’s not even just a bad habit from all these years of adoring her. It’s something necessary to my lifeforce. I feel like I’m dying not knowing where she is.

It was like this when she went away to college too. Didn’t matter how busy I was with my work, didn’t matter the pictures I saw she posted on social media. I was desperate to know that she was safe at all times.

---