A/N: Hello everybody! Hope everybody's week was wonderful and if you celebrate Labor Day I hope you had a good day off! Can we just have a candelight vigil for the end of summer? I'm so melancholy until Christmas comes *le sigh* Anywhoo, I'm back with another update and for once I don't have a lot of rambling to do so instead I'll just say, enjoy :)


Chapter Twenty Nine

Dean snorted with laughter as he rested his arms on the balcony banister. "Now isn't this cute?"

Seth turned away from gazing at the golden hued sky to face his former stable mate, rolling his eyes. "What now?"

"Staring off into space as you smile to yourself. I can only guess who is on your mind."

The coy smile that surfaced on Seth's face confirmed Dean's assumption without the two toned hair man uttering a word. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't hide how much he was enjoying Alani's company. What originally began as two individuals clashing because of their combative personalities had morphed into a more pleasurable and passionate connection. It still boggled his mind how things between him and Alani were smoothly progressing. She was unlike any woman Seth came across in his life. She kept him on his toes and constantly made him laugh. She simply didn't fawn over him because he was a star with WWE but instead she made him work for her adulation, a very distinctive change to what he was used to. Simply put, Alani Matthews was a riddle wrapped inside a Rubric's cube that was enclosed inside Pandora's box. But Seth enjoyed peeling back layer of layer of her personality and seeing a side of the real her, a person that a lot of people didn't get to see.

Moreover, he also truly felt as if he could trust Alani as well. With the exception of Dean and Roman and management, nobody in the WWE knew about his past heartache with Ashleigh. Seth did such an outstanding job of removing every trace of her from his memory and life that there were times he even forgot it happened. Nevertheless he felt relaxed confiding in Alani about a troublesome time in his life, knowing she wouldn't judge him whatsoever. After his confession, Seth felt that their connection deepened. Not only was there an extreme attraction sizzling between the two of them that was destined to explode when the opportunity presented itself but they allowed themselves to be vulnerable to one another and reveal their true personalities. While it was kinda scary, it was also intimate and made their courtship feel extra special.

"I swear you are almost as bad as Reigns."

Snapping out of his reverie, Seth directed his attention back to Dean. He lifted his beer bottle to his lips and took a sip. "And you're not?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I see the way your eyes twinkle when Lex comes around. Never thought I would see the day when a woman turned the infamous lothario Dean Ambrose into a complete sap. It's kinda adorable man."

Dean glanced over his shoulder towards Alexandria who was busy helping Jimmy try to salvage the food Dean almost burned on the grill, smiling to himself. From her loose fitting patterned pants to the simple white t-shirt and her hair gathered into a sleek ponytail, she looked absolutely breathtaking that night and Dean was once again baffled at how he was so lucky to have a woman like her in his life.

"When you have a great woman like Lex, it's kinda hard not to be sappy," Dean replied.

"How are the two of you holding up with this Gretchen thing?" Seth asked.

"We're tryna keep it together and go about business as usual. Waiting on the paternity test results so we can know what next step we should take. Just hope if I'm the father, I won't lose her."

Seth shook his head and placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. Although he wasn't as close to Dean as Roman was and wasn't constantly used as a sounding board for the auburn haired man, he still hated seeing him in this situation. In Seth's eyes, not only was Alexandria the best thing that ever happened to Dean and the main reason his road to redemption was successful, but Dean was also the cause of her newfound confidence and independence, traits she lacked when she first came to town. The two of them together were dynamic and brought out the best in one another and he didn't want to see them tore apart by a foolish mistake.

"Don't think like that Ambrose. The two of you together just work and make sense so there's no doubt in my mind that you will get past this hurdle. Hell, I look to you and Lex for inspiration when it comes to me and Lani so you have to make it."

"Inspiration? Us?"

"Hell yeah. Because if she can put up with your weird, eccentric ass, I know Alani can handle me in all my bratty glory."

Seth and Dean shared a chuckle and clinked their bottles together. A soft voice clearing their throat interrupted their conversation making them both glance behind them. Shock appeared on Seth's face as his chocolate browns landed on Zariah standing shyly in front of him. His gaze did a subconscious sweep over her body that was barely covered in a pair of denim cut offs and figure hugging white tank top that showcased her surgically enhanced breasts. He shifted nervously as his eyes landed on her face again, watching a sly smile cross her lips. Seth hadn't seen nor spoken to the diva since that fateful night in Paris. Once he and Alani finally decided to give things between them a try, Zariah quickly became a non factor and a part of his past making him fall out of contact with her in the process.

"Zariah? Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Enjoying this gorgeous weather and great food like everybody else," Zariah replied with a smile. "How have you been Seth? Been a while since I've heard from you."

Flashing the heavily tattooed woman an apologetic and nervous smile, Seth nodded. "I'm great. It's just kinda funny seeing you here. I didn't know you knew Cameron."

"Yeah she kinda took me under her wing when I got promoted to the main roster. She's been a big help and decided to invite me so I can mingle with the roster."

"Cameron took you under her wing?" Dean chuckled loudly, shaking his head. "Trust me that's the last person you wanna take tips from unless you wanna learn how to pin somebody while they're on their stomach."

Biting his lip to stop from laughing, Seth turned to Dean. "Gimme and Zariah a moment will ya Ambrose?"

Eyeing the blonde woman suspiciously, Dean nodded his head reluctantly. He wasn't sure about leaving Seth alone with Zariah since he wasn't getting a good vibe from her and knew about the past between the two. But hell Seth was grown and could handle the situation. "Sure. I need another beer anyway."

Zariah watched as the men bumped fists with each other before Dean walked away leaving her alone with Seth. Claiming the vacant spot against the banister next to Seth, Zariah leaned against it and folded her arms, crossing her legs.

An awkward silence filled the air as Seth tried to control his anxiety. He, like Dean, didn't have a good feeling about being alone with Zariah. Unbeknownst to Alani, Seth and Zariah once shared an easy going, no strings attached arrangement that went as far back as his time in the indy circuit. There had even been a few times when they hooked up once they both ended up with WWE. However, as far as Seth was concerned, their arrangement was abolished the moment he kissed Alani. That night he realized he didn't want to deal with any other woman and was solely focused on entering a relationship with Alani. Any other distraction was eliminated and forgotten about. However, he couldn't bring himself to be completely rude and dismissive to Zariah and found it completely harmless to engage in small talk with her.

"So I didn't know you were moving up to the main roster," Seth said after a few minutes. He rocked back and forth on his heels to ease his nerves.

"Yeah, I just got called up in the past couple of weeks. I tried texting you a few times to tell you the news but you didn't respond."

Seth ran his hand on the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah. Sorry about that. Just been busy you know how crazy life can get."

"I bet. I mean being one of the top guys in the company and dating somebody new, things can get pretty hectic."

"Wait, how did you-"

"We may not have been in touch for a while Seth but I still hear news about what's going on with you from time to time. We do work for the same company after all." Zariah slightly nudged Seth's shoulder with hers and grinned. "Alani Matthews? I gotta hand it to you, she's pretty. No wonder you forgot about frumpy little me."

Frowning at the hint of dejection in Zariah's tone, Seth turned to face the woman, guilt gnawing away at his core. There had been a point in time when the two of them were friends, confiding in each other about their career goals and training with each other to become better wrestlers. But the moment Seth and Alani started dating, he dropped Zariah without a second thought, forgetting about her in the process. It wasn't as if Seth did it on purpose. But his focus had been solely placed on making things work with Alani and his career he didn't truly have time for anything else. However, as he observed the melancholic expression on the woman's face he realized that maybe he should have done a better job of being a better friend instead of being a selfish prick.

"I know I haven't been around much Z but that doesn't mean I tossed you to the side like yesterday's trash," Seth claimed.

"Well that's what it feels like. You're the only person I truly have to confide in about my career since my family doesn't really understand my passion for the business. So just think of how I felt when I couldn't even get in touch with you to share my big news with. I felt lonely as hell and like I had nobody to talk to."

Seth exhaled and placed his hand on Zariah's shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly. Her eyes locked on his and he flashed her a genuine, friendly smile. "Well I'm here now. So tell me all about the whirlwind you're experiencing."

"I don't want you to feel guilted into caring Seth," Zariah said with a shake of her head. "Don't worry about me go have fun with your girl."

At the mention of Alani, Seth's gaze moved towards the inside of Cameron's loft. When he didn't spot the backstage interviewer, his attention returned to Zariah. "That's not what this is Z. I'm honestly interested and it's the least I could do."

"Are you sure? I don't wanna get you in trouble."

Dismissively waving his hand at the statement, Seth took a seat in an empty chair. "This is simply two old pals catching up. I'm sure Alani won't have an issue with it," he told Zariah as he patted the empty seat next to him. "So tell me all about how you're adjusting to your new hectic lifestyle as a main roster performer."


Alani felt her hands tremble at her sides as she turned away from Randy and walked into the kitchen. This could not be happening. Why did it seem like whenever she was ready to push the veteran wrestler further into her past, he always reappeared to stir something up? She knew she had a bad feeling about coming to Cameron's housewarming party for a reason. As far as she was aware, the petite diva and Randy had never had any real interactions that would warrant him receiving an invite to her party. So either he found out through the gossip mill backstage that Alani was attending or Cameron invited him to cause some drama. 'Truce my round black ass,' Alani thought to herself.

"So you're just gonna ignore me? That's kinda rude don't you think Ms. Matthews?" Randy asked, his amused smirk firmly planted on his face.

Whirling around to face the man again, Alani placed her hand on her hip. "What the hell are you doing here? You don't even know Cameron like that."

"You don't know who I know Alani. Anyway, I should be asking you the same thing. I thought you two hated each other."

"She invited me and I accepted. We're tryna work on our issues," Alani explained. She grabbed the cup Alexandria handed her earlier and downed her drink in one large gulp to ease her anxiety.

"Well that's nice of you Ms. Matthews. So tell me since you're in the mood of giving people second chances, are you feeling generous towards me?"

Alani's eyebrow raised and she chuckled, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye. "You can't be serious can you? Randy I wouldn't give you a second chance if my life depended on it. Not after the shit you put me through."

"The shit I put you through? Oh sweetheart, I think Rollins has made you have selective memory regarding our time together. I didn't force you to stay with me. Hell, I didn't even hide from you that I was involved with another woman. You knew that all along. So stop trying to make me out to be the bad guy like you didn't have a say in what happened between us."

Alani shook her head as she felt frustration swirl inside of her. It really didn't surprise her that Randy was trying to flip the blame from him onto her, a tactic he constantly employed. Sure she knew about his relationship before they hooked up and he didn't use physical force to make her stick around. But that didn't excuse the fact that he constantly lead her on, feeding her fairytales he had no intention of making real. Alani was under the impression that once she moved on, Randy would do the same and find another gullible and unsuspecting woman to fill the void she left. However, the exact opposite was happening. It was as if Randy was obsessed with the notion of being able to control her. He truly believed the mantra that if he couldn't have her, nobody could. He was determined to make her life a living hell but was doing it in a subtle manner. From showing up uninvited to her birthday party to his presence at the gathering tonight, Alani knew he was plotting something big to try to rip her and Seth apart and would not stop until he succeeded.

But the only way that was gonna happen was over her damn dead body.

"Goodbye Randy."

Alani spun on her heel to make her way to the balcony away from Randy. Before she could move, he grabbed her by her elbow, pulling her closer to him. Alani struggled to remove her arm from his grasp as she bit her tongue to stop herself from causing a scene. The last thing she wanted was Seth and Randy coming to blows over her.

"Why are you acting like you're disgusted by my touch Alani? I remember a time when you got goosebumps whenever I touched you," Randy whispered. He chuckled lowly as his fingertips traced her soft skin, memories of the many times he felt her naked body pressed against his running through his mind.

"There's only one man's touch I enjoy now and trust me he isn't you," Alani quipped. Her own sly grin inched onto her lips as she watched Randy's eyes darken at the mention of Seth. "What's wrong Randy? Did I hit a nerve?"

"I just find it comical that you're still lying to yourself. You already know that Rollins isn't half the man I am and won't be able to handle a woman of your caliber Alani. Yet, you're determined to prove to me that this farce of a relationship is real and that you don't need me although we know that's nothing but a lie."

Alani finally snatched her arm from Randy's grasp, her anger quickly unfurling. "Let's get one thing straight Randy. I don't have to prove shit to you. You're insignificant. A pest. An old man that can't get through his thick head that I've moved on. As far as I'm concerned, Seth is five times the man you will ever be and is well capable to treating me how I deserve."

"I do love it when you get feisty like this Lani," Randy replied, licking his lips. "Reminds me of the old days."

"Look Orton if you know what's good for you, you will back the fuck up and leave before I kick you in a place that will ensure no little Ortons will be running around anytime soon. Focus on your fiancee and leave Seth and me alone."

Randy stepped close to Alani, his eyes boring into hers. She held her breath and waited for him to make a move, her leg rearing back to deliver on her promise. Instead, his gaze lifted from her face and glanced over her shoulder, a grin on his lips.

"Looks like I'm not the only one you have to worry about staying away from you and Rollins."

Alani turned her head slowly, her eyes instantly settling on Seth and Zahria engrossed in a conversation as the two of them sat close to one another, their bodies turned towards each other. Nervousness bubbled in the pit of her stomach as she observed them, the scene appearing too cozy for her comfort. Alani subconsciously gritted her teeth as she watched Zahria's hand land on Seth's chest, her annoying, bubbly laugh invading her ears like nails on a chalkboard. Alani's honey brown irises fell on Seth as he sat there, completely unbothered and laughing at whatever private joke the two of them were sharing, his stance relaxed and comfortable.

"Those two sure do look mighty friendly don't they?" Randy placed a hand on Alani's shoulder. She quickly shrugged it away making him chuckle. "Sorry Alani, did I hit a nerve?" he asked in a smug voice before stepping around her and walking to greet a group of wrestlers.

Alani remained completely still in her spot as she continued to watch Seth and Zariah, unable to turn away like she was watching the aftermath of a bad car accident. Her hands clenched together into fists at her sides, her eyes narrowing. She silently counted to ten, attempting to calm her temper. The logical side of Alani reminded her that there was nothing wrong with two co-workers having a friendly conversation. Not only that but she saw right through Zariah. Between the display she was putting on that afternoon with Seth and the remarks she made to Alani in the locker room, Alani knew Zariah was simply trying to get under her skin to cause dissension between her and Seth. The best thing for the Jersey native to do was to remain strong. The moment she allowed her emotions to control her actions, Zariah would win and Alani couldn't let that happen.

However, the moment Alani saw Zariah's hand land on Seth's knee and squeeze it, her irrational side reared its ugly head and her self control immediately vanished.

A woman on a mission, Alani stalked to the balcony, her steps determined and unwavering. Her hips swayed from side to side as she approached the duo neither of them noticing her.

"Here you are. I was just looking for you."

Seth's head raised at the sound of Alani's voice, a grin instantly appearing on his face. He stood up and wrapped his arm around her waist, bending down to peck her lips. However, Alani slightly turned her head causing his lips to land on her cheek instead. Seth pulled away, his expression faltering when he observed the unamused glimmer in her eyes.

"Yeah, I was just out here talking to Zariah. I don't think you two have met. Z, this is Lani and Lani this is-"

"We've already met," Alani interjected.

"You have?"

"Yeah. Met her when she first got called up. No need for formal introductions Seth."

The monotonous pitch of Alani's voice sent a chill down Seth's spine. He felt her body tense in his embrace as his eyes wandered from Zariah whose smarmy smile remained intact and to Alani whose forced smile stretched across her face.

"Oh, I wasn't aware you two met."

"I woulda told you but I didn't consider it too important," Alani replied with a careless shrug.

Zariah chuckled to herself as she stood, ruffling her hair with her hands. She grabbed Seth's upper arm and squeezed, flashing him a dazzling smile. "I thin I'm gonna head back inside. It was nice catching up with you Seth. I guess I'll see you around backstage. Alani, nice running into you too."

Zariah made her way back into the loft leaving Seth and Alani alone. He nervously cleared his throat, feeling the tension in the air beginning to suffocate him. "Are you hungry? I think Lex managed to-"

"Alani! I'm so glad you could make it!"

Two sets of eyes turned to see Cameron sashay onto the balcony. She smiled and tilted her head in greeting to Seth before facing Alani again. "Why are you two out here and being anti social? C'mon and grab a few drinks and let loose!"

"Actually Cameron I think Alani and I are going to head ou-"

"You know what Cameron, that sounds like a great idea! Do you have any tequila? I could really use a shot right now," Alani told the petite woman.

"What kinda question is that? Of course I have tequila girl! And I feel like taking a few shots too. Let's go."

Cameron spun on her heel and started walking back to the loft. Alani moved to follow her when Seth grabbed her wrist, halting her movements. "Sweet cheeks, that wasn't what it look-"

"Don't Rollins." Alani held up her hand and shook her head. "Just stop while you're ahead."

Seth watched helplessly as Alani walked away, not bothering to glance back in his direction. He dragged a hand over his face, realizing he was now on Alani's shit list, a place he definitely didn't want to be.


"Thank you for coming tonight. I know Cameron's not your favorite person so it meant a lot that you actually put your feelings about her to the side for me."

Dean shrugged his shoulders as he wrapped his arm around Alexandria's hip. He wedged her between his body and his front door while he gazed into her eyes. "You already know I'll do anything for you darlin'. Even pretend as if I like Cameron to keep the peace. But I can't lie, I'm glad you suggested we leave early before she irritated me any more," Dean replied making Alexandria chuckle. He pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, cupping her face in his large hand as he intently stared at his girlfriend.

Squirming underneath his gaze, Alexandria felt the butterflies fluttering rapidly in the pit of her stomach. Despite all of the issues the two of them were going through, she turned to complete putty when Dean looked at her like he was at that moment. Adoration gleaming in his orbs that she was certain her own eyes reflected. Like she was the most gorgeous woman in the world. As if she was the only woman that mattered.

"Are you okay?"

Dean nodded as his free hand reached inside his cargo shorts to fish out his keys. "Yeah. Just thinking about how amazing you are. Any other woman would've dropped me and my issues a long time ago Lex but you're still here and I'm so grateful to have somebody so compassionate, caring, loving, and understanding like you on my side. You accept me with all my flaws but still encourage me to become a better person. I'm just sorry I've let you down so far."

"Hey." Alexandria placed her index finger underneath Dean's chin and raised his head. "No matter what we're going through right now, you have improved babe. The Dean I met last year would've balked at the idea of possibly becoming a father and ran the opposite direction to avoid the change. But you're determined to be a better parent than the one you ever had if this baby turns out to be yours. While I hope this all is a big mistake, I'm proud that you aren't running from your responsibility. Sure you're not perfect and are a little rough around the edges but that's one of the many things I like about you."

"It is?" Doubt flashed across Dean's face.

"Yep. Because I don't feel the pressure to be perfect when I'm with you Dean. I can be myself, a complete contrast to the person you are, and still be assured you won't judge me or force your ideal of perfection onto me. It's refreshing and much appreciated especially after the life I had before I came to Tampa. You always talk about how I helped you change but honey I could definitely say the same about you. You helped me gain this confidence I have now and helped me escape from under my parents' controlling ways. I'll always be grateful to you because of that Dean."

Before Dean could respond, Alexandria stood on her tip toes and captured his lips in a sizzling kiss. Slightly caught by surprise at the move, Dean's grip tightened around Alexandria's hip to steady himself from tumbling over as he eagerly reciprocated. Their lips worked together in a seamless and fluid motion prior to Dean completely taking over the kiss. He sucked on Alexandria's soft top lip, pulling the flesh into his mouth making her body tremble in his embrace. Her small hands grabbed the front of his plain navy V-neck t-shirt, pulling his body into hers as she fell against his door with a thud. Dean's calloused fingertips caressed her barely exposed hip prompting breathless moans to flow from her mouth into his. Their tongues grazed one another and Dean growled against his girlfriend's lips.

"Doll face-"

"I miss you Dean. I miss us," Alexandria interjected. Her hands slowly crawled underneath his t-shirt, her well manicured nails slowly dragging down his well toned abs.

Understanding the hidden meaning of her statement, Dean pulled back slightly to stare into Alexandria's eyes, searching for any hint of reservation. "I miss us too Lex."

Alexandria nodded, a tiny smile on her lips. "I'm done focusing on what happened in the past and what may happen in the future. I just wanna enjoy this moment with you right now."

Not needing to be told twice, Dean hurriedly fumbled with his keys, nearly dropping them to unlock his door. The couple stumbled inside his apartment, their lips reattached in a more feverish kiss. Dean kicked the door closed as Alexandria quickly peeled his shirt off his body. He guided her to his living room, the two of them giggling as she almost tripped over a pair of his shoes before her body landed on the plush couch.

Dean settled between Alexandria's parted legs, thrusting his crotch into hers so she could feel his awakened and hardened cock. "You see what you do to me? This is all for you darlin'."

Alexandria purred softly making Dean smirk at the sound, his eyes flittering closed. She arched her back slightly to latch her lips onto his neck when a deep grimace appeared on her face when she felt something poking her in the back. Reaching behind her, Alexandria pulled out a couple of envelopes and narrowed her eyes at Dean. "You know normal people place their mail on the coffee table and not the couch to poke their girlfriend's backs," she joked.

"Hey I was in a hurry when I grabbed it earlier and must've tossed it to the side," Dean replied with a sheepish grin. His expression slightly faltered as he watched the color drain from Alexandria's face. "Alex, what's wrong?"

Swallowing hard as she felt a slight burn in the corner of her eye, Alexandria's jittery hands turned an envelope around for Dean to look at. He felt the air evaporate from his body as his eyes landed on the name in the upper left hand corner before he glanced at Alexandria again, anxiety and nervousness shining in both of their gazes.

The paternity test results were in.


Alani hummed to herself as she stepped out the bathroom, rubbing her lavender scented body lotion onto her arms. She grabbed her glass of wine off the wooden desk and took a sip before plopping in her bed and grabbing her iPad. As she searched for a movie to watch, her cell phone vibrated next to her. She smacked her lips when she saw Seth's image pop up on her caller ID. Her index finger quickly swiped across the screen towards the left sending the call straight to voicemail before her attention returned to choosing a movie to watch.

It definitely felt like a Waiting to Exhale kinda night.

As Alani poured herself her second glass of wine (or maybe it was her third?), she continuously berated herself. Once again, she ended up with egg on her face. Her brain continued to warn her not to jump the gun with Seth. To take her time with him because there was still so much she didn't know about him. She was afraid of being played like a got damn fool like Randy had did for months but did she listen? Of course she didn't. Instead she allowed herself to free fall into an unknown abyss of feelings, transforming into a pile of mush whenever Seth sent her a text or stared into her eyes before kissing her. She pushed the doubts to the back of her mind, deciding to give him a chance to change her mind about the male species, a task she was confident he would accomplish.

How wrong she was.

While she was busy dodging every advance Randy made towards her, solely focused on making things work with Seth, he was too busy flirting with Zariah out in the open. It was as if Alani was experiencing deja vu, the scene she observed at Cameron's housewarming reminiscent of the time she saw the two damn near dry humping backstage in Paris. Seeing Seth and Zariah together earlier only solidified Alani's suspicions that the two were once involved. She could put two and two together. The body language, the gleam in Zariah's eyes as she looked at Seth. Not only did they share something but between the two interactions Alani already shared with the blonde, it was obvious she wanted Seth back in her clutches. However, it wasn't like Alani could blame Zariah. She wasn't stupid. She was aware of how much of a coveted bachelor Seth was. He was handsome. Talented. Confident. Charming. Any woman would trip over their feet to get a chance with him. The realization that Zariah was plotting to sink her claws into the man she was dating didn't upset Alani that much.

The bigger issue was Seth's response. Or lack thereof.

In Alani's mind, if Seth was truly serious about her, he wouldn't have allowed Zariah to invade his personal space like she did at the party. He would've emulated Alani's actions towards Randy, sternly informing Zariah he was spoken for and wasn't interested in a romp down memory lane. Yet, he didn't do that. He actually looked like he was enjoying the attention from the diva and as if Alani was the furthest thing from his mind. He was so enamored with the conversation he didn't even know Alani observed the entire scene until she made her presence known.

Alani shook her head and chuckled. Of course she didn't deserve a happy ending. Not after she willingly engaged in an arrangement with a taken man that she knew was taken. A little nagging foe by the name of karma had placed Alani at the top of her shit list and made it very clear the happiness Alani desired so much would be very hard to obtain. And she had nobody to blame but herself.

A strong knock on her room door jolted Alani from her thoughts. Opting to ignore it, Alani directed her attention back to her movie and took another sip of wine. The knock became more persistent and once she realized the person on the other side wasn't leaving any time soon, Alani stood up, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, alright, keep your pants on," she whined as she made her way towards the door. She swung the door open, her honey brown eyes landing on the person she really didn't feel like dealing with at the moment. "May I help you?"

"You're just gonna ignore my calls?"

Alani shrugged. "I have nothing to say to you." She took a sip of her wine.

Seth inhaled deeply and gestured inside the hotel room with his hand. "May I come in?"

Alani contemplated Seth's request. Part of her wanted to tell him there was no chance in hell he could come in, emphasizing her point by tossing her drink in his face. But she loved wine too much to waste it. So instead, she stepped to the side and allowed him to enter.

Seth breathed a sigh of relief once he crossed the threshold, his eyes wandering around the room. Alani brushed past him, the scent of her lotion invading his nostrils and making him light headed. He watched as she took a seat on the bed and picked up her iPad continuing to watch the movie, ignoring him. Seth stuffed his hands in the front pockets of his slim fitting jeans, nervously alternating his weight from one leg to the other.

"So are you hungry? There's a 24 hour diner around the corner that serves some great waffles."

"Is that why you're here Rollins? To see if I wanted to grab a bite to eat?"

Seth visibly tensed at Alani's cold tone. Clearing his throat to calm his nerves, he shook his head as he stepped closer to the bed. "Well not exactly. I wanted to talk to you also."

"We're talking now aren't we?" Alani stated, her voice emotionless.

"You know that's not what I mean Lani. I haven't heard from you since I dropped you off at your apartment last week after Camern's gathering. You've been dodging me at the shows and ignoring all my calls and texts. That's not like you and I was just trying to see where your head is. Just wanted to catch up with you."

"Wanted to catch up?" Alani chuckled as she paused her movie. She glanced up and locked eyes with Seth, smirking. "Sure we can catch up. I've been busy with work. How about you? Having any more stroll down memory lanes with chicks you used to fuck?"

Seth winced slightly and ran a hand over his hair nervously. He watched as Alani folded her arms over her chest and raised her brow at him waiting on his response. "Is that why you're mad? Lani there's nothing between me and Zariah anymore. That's old news."

"Really? Well I couldn't tell from how you two interacted at Cameron's party. You actually looked very cozy with her to be honest. Like two old lovers getting reacquainted with each other."

"Lovers? Don't you think you're overreacting Alani?"

"Actually, no I don't. Despite what you may think, I'm a smart woman. I can read between the lines and I can definitely see not only was there once something going on with you and Zariah but she wants that old thing back. Not that I blame her. You are quite the eligible bachelor."

Seth walked to the bed and stopped until he stood in front of Alani. He grasped her wrists and pulled her to her feet, his fingers tracing her jawline."Even if she does want me, I'm not interested in her. You know that."

"I wouldn't blame you if you were."

Seth's brow crinkled in confusion. "Wait, what?"

"I mean, she's definitely not any competition for me when it comes to looks. But what she lacks in that department she makes up for in other ways. Like I'm sure she's the kinda girl that's real easygoing, doesn't weigh you down with baggage, always willing to be there whenever you need her. Sounds like the perfect match to me."

"Sweet che-"

"I mean I get it. We're not in a relationship. We just went on a few dates, nothing major. So you're free to fuck who you want Seth," Alani said. She stepped out of the Iowa native's embrace and moved towards the desk, feet away from him.

"Nothing major?" Seth repeated, his irritation slowly increasing. "Is that what you believe I think about the time we spent together?"

"It doesn't matter what I thought or assumed. I clearly was wrong. But if you're just looking to collect a few new fuck buddies like they're Pokemon cards, then count me out. I've done that shit before and quite frankly Rollins, I'm not doing the shit again."

"Have I asked you to do that again Alani? No, I haven't. I told you, that is the furthest thing from my mind right now. I'm only interested in getting to know you and only you. Why is that so hard for you to believe?"

"Hard to believe your words when your actions show something completely different."

Seth pinched the bridge of his nose, his remorse quickly slipping away and being replaced with an unbridled anger. He tossed his hands in the air out of frustration, growling. "You know, I don't fuckin get you."

"Excuse me?"

"I spend time with you. I get to know you. I am as respectful as I can be, jump through hoops to get close to you. Take you on romantic ass dates to prove to you that I wanna be with you. Yet, you're still punishing me as if I'm one of your no good ass exes."

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are Matthews!" Seth exclaimed. "Orton strings you along and you fall for his game like a dumb ass and now I'm paying the price! Is this how it's gonna be? Anytime you see me speak to another woman, you're gonna get all anxious and cautious? I gotta deal with your paranoia and insecurities that I had no parts in creating? I dealt with that type of relationship with Ashleigh and I'm not going through that shit again. What the hell do you expect me to do?!"

"You know what I expect? I expect for you to not let some chick who used to suck your dick and fuck you anyway you wanted to rub all up on you now that you're dating me!" Alani exclaimed, poking herself in the chest with her index finger. "I expect you to tell her to back her ass the fuck up because you're not fuckin interested! That's what I would do if the shoe was on the other foot because I have way too much respect for you to even entertain another man's antics. Trust me Seth, this has nothing to do with my paranoia and insecurities as you call it. This has everything to do with you not putting the drug addicted looking whore in her place like you should have!"

"Guess what? I'm a fuckin heartthrob. Like you said, women would trip over their feet to be with me. There are gonna be plenty of women that make advances towards me! If you're unable to handle that then maybe you're not strong enough to handle being with me."

Alani chuckled. "Wow. So you're going to flip everything onto me? This is fuckin amazing."

"Let's not pretend as if you're the innocent party in this. You let one slip up on my part overshadow everything else I've done right since that night in Paris. How much longer are you gonna let your trust issues stop you from being happy with me and trusting me? Or is that never gonna happen?"

Shaking her head, Alani wagged her finger in Seth's direction. She stalked towards the door and yanked it open. "I think you should go."

Seth rolled his eyes and a humorless chuckle fell from his lips. "Of course. Instead of us talking out our problems like adults, you want to toss me out. That's real mature of you Alani."

"You want to talk to me about handling things like an adult Seth? You're standing in my hotel room displacing blame onto me as if everything is my fault instead of accepting responsibility. Is that your idea of maturity?" Alani questioned.

Seth deeply exhaled and held up his hands as he stepped closer to Alani. "Look you're right. I'm sorry. Let's just go to the diner, get something to eat, and work this out," he suggested as he reached for her hand. His face fell when she snatched her arm away, shaking her head. "Alani-"

"Just go Seth. Until you can see where I'm coming from, I can't..I can't do this with you right now."

Seth stared at Alani with widened chocolate brown orbs, completely thrown off. He stepped closer to her once again prompting her to back away once more. Realizing nothing he could say at that moment could penetrate the brick wall she quickly hid behind, Seth scoffed and pushed past her, leaving the hotel room with a slam of the door.


A/N: Zariah & Orton stirring the pot. Paternity results have arrived. And Selani appears to have hit a roadblock. Of course I can't have people be happy for too long. Thoughts about Twenty Nine?