That set Ethan off as he tore his gaze from me and rounded on Brodie. “You cannot take her out to one of your bullshitHollywood partieslooking like that. You’re asking for trouble, and Eve can find that all on her own.”
Wait… “Are you referring to my little kidnapping incident? Because that could have happened to anyone.”
He stared at me, shaking his head. “So why does it always happen to you? You’ve been here for a few months and already got nearly blown up and kidnapped. For fuck’s sake, Eve.” He took a step closer as well, until I was nearly sandwiched between them. When he turned the full force of his gaze on me, I had to shore up my resolve again or I was about to blindly obey his command. Dominant Ethan did things to me that were downright depraved, and I lost every ounce of feminism in my body.
“I’m going to this event with Brodie.” A firm statement, and I would not waver, despite my own misgivings about it. “I need to know I can venture out into the real world and not lose my shit. My therapist was constantly encouraging me to get back tolivingas he called it, and until now, I’ve still been hiding.”
And I could have died in the trunk of a car without truly experiencing life; I’d been wasting time. Well, no fucking more.
“You can’t stop her, Eth,” Brodie reminded him quietly. “That’s not how this is going to work while we all live inBluebell House. Here, Evie belongs to all of us, and you have to learn to share.”
Jesus. Fucking. Christ.
“Evie belongs to Evie.” My statement and tone were weak because his claiming only added to my current drought of feminism. The thought of belonging to them all—not Andrew—just about sent me to my knees.
“Right, babe,” Brodie confirmed. “You get a claim as well, but that doesn’t take away from my claim. And I have you tonight, which was booked many weeks ago.”
With that, he threaded his arm through mine and started to lead me away. My legs were a little wobbly after that claiming, but I managed not to fall.
Last second, Ethan reached out and grabbed me, dragging us both to a halt. “I’m the professor in charge here, and I’m saying that you can’t go, Eve.”
There was a sudden pain in my chest, like he’d stabbed me with his harsh command.
How dare he?
“You weren’t aprofessorwhen you were smashing me into library shelves,” I hissed at him, my temper rising with each word. “You don’t get to pick and choose, Professor Sullivan. And you don’t own or control me. If this is what happens when we spend time together, then you know what? Count me the fuck out. We’re done.”
I yanked my arm from his hold, and now I was the one hurrying through the house toward the front door. Before Ethan could respond and before I could analyze the slash of hurt I’d seen on his face.
“You okay?” Brodie asked as I dragged him down the stairs, suddenly able to run in heels when I could barely walk in them before. “Because I can go back in there and beat the fuck out of him if you’d like.”
“Nah,” I said, far more casually than I felt. “He’s not worthit. I want to go to this event with you and enjoy myself. It’s been too long since I’ve done anything for fun.” And forever since I went on a date.
Not like it was easy to date when you’d been the cause of a school shooting because a guy had grown a little too obsessed with you. Made it hard to venture into the dating world again, though I’d certainly been giving it a red-hot try here.
Speaking of. “Ethan isn’t going to do anything stupid, right? He doesn’t strike me as unstable, but his attitude right now felt a little extreme for the situation.”
Brodie looked uncomfortable as he led me over to his waiting Bugatti, the black car shiny in the early evening light. “He’s just worried about you, Eve. I’m not sure he knows how to express that, and the fact that he can’t just go out on dates with you probably bothers him as well. But I promise, he would never harm you; you are perfectly safe with all of us.”
As if to prove his point, as he opened the door for me, a large black SUV pulled in directly behind us. He leaned closer, his handsome face creasing into a grin. “I’ve got extra security for the night.”
Right. Of course he did. Because he was a freaking movie star, which I was finding harder and harder to remember.
As I settled into the leather seat, he closed my door and strolled around to his side. I glanced out the window to see that Ethan and Connor were on the steps, arguing away, though neither followed the path down to the car. It bothered me to see Ethan upset like that, even if it was all as Brodie said, over his concern for me.
When you were concerned, you discussed those concerns with the other person. Demanding I stay without even listening or talking to me about it was a whole other red flag. Maybe I had been crazy to think that I could have more than one relationship within the house, even though we were all just casual and no promises had been made.
It was naïve of me to hope that there wouldn’t be jealousy and other issues. Ethan had proved that tonight, and for once, I wanted to be away from him and the house.
“So…whatisthe event we’re going to?” I asked once we’d passed the front gate security and pulled onto the main road. “You haven’t told me anything except that it’s a ‘work thing’ and Ethan mentioned a Hollywood party?”
Brodie chuckled, shaking his head. “Don’t worry, Evie babe. We’re not flying to Hollywood. Eth was being way too dramatic. We’re just going to Arrowville…there’s a small film festival on this weekend and they’ll be showing a first cut ofBloodstone Sentinel: The Resurrection. I thought maybe you’d like to see it with me? Or…Jesus now I’m second-guessing that. Do you think I’m a narcissist for taking you to seemeon screen for two hours?”
My jaw had dropped right to the floor. “Brodie Keller…are you kidding? I’d love to see it with you! Is this the first time you’ll see it, too?”
He nodded, seeming sheepish all of a sudden. “Yeah. They had some delays in post-production so I haven’t had a chance to get over to LA for a screening.”
“Well, shit. I’m honored. But aren’t these things a big deal? Like with, um, photographers and stuff?” I smoothed my hands over the silky skirt I wore. It was pretty, yes, but it was hardly a designer gown for walking the red carpet.
