Chapter 19
*Jiselle*
“I just want to see that she’s okay.”
That’s what Ethan said when Max opened the door. His body blocked the doorway, broad shoulders filling the space as I scrambled to fix my shirt and pull up my underwear and pants. I was still sitting in Max’s bed, sheets tangled around my legs, heart pounding at the sheer audacity of my brother showing up like this.
But the smell of… me was everywhere.
“She’s fine. She’s great, actually,” Max said, his tone clipped and thoroughly unimpressed. “You don’t need to coddle her.”
“I’m not coddling-”
“You do tend to coddle, Ethe,” I shouted from the bed, and I could see him desperately trying to look past Max.
But Max had an inch or two on Ethan, and for once, it worked in his favor.
I could basically feel Ethan narrowing his eyes. “Wait…”
I knew that voice.
Oh boy.
“Wait, did you just fuck my sister?!”
Max shrugged, unfazed. “It’s not your business if I did or didn’t. She’s an adult who can make her own choices.”
“She’s emotionally upset! You took advantage of her!”
“She’s emotionally fine,” Max countered, the only male who didn’t cower at Ethan’s ‘I’ll kill
you if you touch my sister‘ stance.
With a huff, I threw the sheets off my legs and dangled them off the side of Max’s ridiculously huge bed. Seriously, how did he even get a bed this big?
“Let him in, Max,” I muttered, trying to tame my hair.
Max threw me a raised eyebrow over his shoulder. “You sure?”
I nodded. “He won’t leave otherwise.”
Reluctantly, Max stepped aside, but not before shooting Ethan a warning look.
Ethan marched in, throwing a glare at Max before stopping in front of me. He took in my appearance–wrinkled clothes essfully unlocked ‘len lips–and cursed under his
breath.
Successfully unlocked!
“We are not having this conversation,” I said before he could open his mouth. “I do what I want with who I want.”
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Ethan scoffed. “I thought you were into Nate!”
I arched a brow. “Do you want me to be into Nate?”
From the corner of my eye, I caught Max’s scowl.
“Of course not,” Ethan replied instantly. “Nate isn’t looking to settle down, and you’re not the have–fun–only type.”
I shrugged. “So what exactly have you upset now?”
He sighed, rubbing his forehead like I was some rebellious teenager stressing him out.
“I thought you were just upset. I don’t want you doing anything you’ll regret.”
“I won’t.”
Max smirked from where he leaned against the wall, arms casually crossed. “Max has been my friend since I got here,” I continued. “A very good one, too.” Ethan narrowed his eyes. “And you can trust him with your heart?”
“It’s not really your concern who I trust with my heart, now is it, Ethe?”
He sighed again, tension lining his jaw. “I know, Jiselle. I know, but-”
I huffed, standing so we were closer, and I saw the genuine worry in his eyes. But if he continued like this, he would have gray hairs before we were thirty. I cupped his cheek, and he leaned into my touch slightly.
“Ethan, I’m capable of taking care of myself. You do coddle, and you are overprotective.” I smiled, softening the blow. “But I know you mean well, and I love you for it.”
His lips twitched, my identical green eyes twinkling back at me.
“But,” I added, my voice dipping in warning, “the next time you know I’m alone in a man‘ s room and come knocking will be the last day you have a fist to knock with, okay?”
Ethan’s eyes flared.
Max stifled a laugh.
Ethan stepped back with a sheepish look, scratching the back of his head. “Yeah, I didn’t think that through. I’m sorry.”
“You should be,” I said. “But it’s okay.”
He hesitated before glancing at Max. “You do know that Nathaniel hates his guts, right?”
“The feeling’s mutual,” Max muttered.
I shrugged. “What does that have to do with me? We grew up together. We grew apart. That’s all.”
Ethan studied me in the way that always made me know he was looking for something. And goddess, I didn’t want him to find it.
For once, I was grateful that Nate insisted we kept our bond a secret, let alone what
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Chapter 19
we did on my sixteenth birthday.
“Nate doesn’t just hate people for nothing,” Ethan said carefully.
I clicked my tongue. “Actually… actually, yes, I think he does.”
That’s what he did with me, anyway.
“Just be careful, okay?”
“I’m right here,” Max said, finally pushing off the wall to stand beside me. “Stop talking about me like I’m not. And before you go warning her about me, ask Nathaniel why he hates me so much. He has never been one who likes to share.”
I whipped my head in Max’s direction, eyes wide.
He caught onto my train of thought immediately.
“Not about a girl.”
I relaxed slightly but stared at him harder.
Ethan was watching us both, like he was contemplating dragging me out or leaving me alone.
Eventually, he chose common sense and self–preservation, finally relenting.
“I’ll support you,” he said softly, before directing his eyes back to Max. “But you hurt her, and I’ll disembowel you.”
“Got it.” Max didn’t even look remotely fazed.
That was… odd.
Even older males cowered at Ethan’s threats.
Ethan turned toward the door, but Max’s voice stopped him. “I’d rather chew off my
own arm than hurt her, Ethan.”
Ethan stilled.
Max tilted his head. “And my advice? If he doesn’t tell you right away, don’t push Morningstar about why he hates me.” His expression darkened slightly. “He won’t be able to tell you everything, and he’ll only put both your lives in danger.”
Wait, what?
Ethan frowned, confused, but nodded before leaving.
I turned to Max, brow arched. “Is that another one of the things you can’t tell me or else you’ll die?”
He chuckled, pulling me to his chest.
“Just trust that everything I can tell you, I will.” He eyed me warily. “But please don’t tell
me you want to talk about Nathaniel right now.”
“What do you have in mind to talk about, then?” I asked innocently.
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His teasing smirk was back, but this time, it held something dangerous.
His eyes darkened. “Oh, I don’t want to talk, Jiselle.”
He dipped his head, his lips brushing mine.
“But I do want to hear you make those sounds again. Maybe even louder.”
I sucked in a breath, heart racing.
“We have classes in thirty minutes, and I haven’t eaten yet, I mumbled against his lips.
His chuckle was dark, full of promise,
“Oh, I only need ten.”
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