same thing over and over again expecting a different result. And it’s becoming clear that my insanity has always been my love for Ezra.
“I find it interesting you brought Damon into this.” Ezra rubs his thumb across his bottom lip, his body weaving, the energy in him sparking and snapping against my skin. “Because I think you like to keep him around just in case shit doesn’t work with me. I think you like to keep your options open. And that’s why you refused to tell him the truth. That’s why you were so mad this morning. But Damon isn’t dumb, killer. He didn’t wait around for you to talk to him after seeing that because we’re fucking used to women who are perfectly fine with whichever one of us they get. Damon and I both now think that you’re just another one of those women, one who doesn’t give a fuck whose bed she’s in, just as long as it’s with one of us.”
He not only jammed the knife in, he gave it a good damn twist. This son of a bitch managed to turn what he did this morning around on me.
And I refuse to accept it.
“You know what?” I roar. “Both of you can fuck off if that’s what you think I’m doing! I’m sick of this!”
Slapping at the tears that leak from my eyes, I turn my back on him and run down the stairs. He’ll never see the truth of what he’s doing. He’ll never believe that someone can love him for him.
I’m done arguing with him about it. Done tiptoeing around, trying to avoid all the land mines they both have scattered about.
I’m done.
Reaching the grass, I hear Ivy’s voice above me, and I glance over my shoulder to see her blocking Ezra from chasing after me.
For a quick second, I worry that he’ll hurt her in order to follow where I’m going. Even now, his eyes are locked on me while Ivy moves to block his path.
But then I see Gabe step in, and I quicken my pace to find somewhere to hide for a while.
I can’t take any more of this, can’t handle having my love tossed in my face like it means nothing.
If that means I have to leave them both, then that’s what I’ll do.
Just like after high school.
Regardless of what it does to me in the process.
Ezra
The ride back to town was pure torture. I’m not going to lie. It was like chewing glass, my teeth clenched tight, jaw aching and the tense silence slicing my skin with every mile we drove.
With Ivy up front and Gabe driving, Damon, Emily and I were stuck in back, Emily not talking to me, and Damon not talking to either of us.
Gabe and Ivy attempted to fill the silence a few times, but gave up when all they got in return were three angry glares.
Emily sat in the middle, and every time our elbows accidentally brushed together or our thighs touched, she’d sneer in my direction and scoot closer to Damon.
Unfortunately for her, Damon would just growl because she was taking up his space, so she’d scoot my direction again.
It was a back and forth the entire time, and pure relief when Gabriel dropped Emily off at her house. But the relief quickly faded when Damon and I glanced at each other and turned to stare out our windows.
Gabe must have been feeling it since he practically peeled out of our driveway after dropping us at home, the tires leaving small marks on the concrete. Not that I can blame him.
This entire situation is bullshit. I’d want to haul ass, too, if I could. But that’s not the case, so instead I stalk inside the house behind my brother, taking notice of the tension in his jaw and shoulders, as well as the way he eyes me like I’ve got a target on my face.
“Do you need to take a shot?” I ask.
“If I take a shot this will end up bloody.”
“Probably because I’ll beat your ass.”
He rounds on me, both of us squaring off now that we’re nose to nose. I was just kidding - kind of - but, shit. If this is where we are then I’m fine with it.
“Say what you need to say, little brother.”
“Stop calling me that.”
I grin. Damon’s temper is at the surface. But maybe this is what needs to happen. We both need to get through this. We need to work it out, and none