My mind had finally succumbed to years of pressure, and I was hallucinating because what other logical reason could there be.
“Ethan?”
“Hello, Q,” he said, running a hand through his blonde hair.
I couldn’t believe my eyes that Ethan Blake was standing on the doorstep. The last time I’d seen him was years ago when he walked out of my life, but nothing had changed. He still sported stubble around his jaw. Still styled his hair in a messy way with it sticking up from all angles. Still called me Q like he didn’t rip out my heart and step all over it.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said, eyes shifting to Gray.
When I glanced up, Gray’s jaw was set, and his hands were balled into fists.
“It’s fine,” I breathed, sure I was a step away from passing out.The three of us stood in awkward silence before I spoke again.“Ethan, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you, but I couldn’t get a hold of you,” he explained.
“So you turn up at the house?”
“It’s past midnight.” Gray’s voice cut across the conversation, cold and sharp.
“Yeah. I realise it’s not the most sociable hour. I’m Ethan.”
Ethan held his hand out and I had another wave of panic because Gray wasn’t wearing a cuff. But Gray just looked at his hand in disgust.
“It’s past midnight, Ethan,” Gray repeated.
“Sorry,” Ethan replied. “I should go.”
He turned around, and I stepped over the threshold.
“No!” I called.
“No?” I heard Gray echo behind me.
“You wanted to talk?” I asked Ethan.
“I don’t think your friend would be very happy.”
“We’ll go to the diner.”
Ed’s was open 24/7 and served the greasiest food. Ethan and I used to finish our assignments there when we were home for the holidays. Tucked in a booth, huddled close together, sharing fries and kisses.
“Go ahead. I’ll meet you there,” I said to him.
“Sure,” he said, looking nervous, turning away.
When I turned around, I don’t think I’d ever seen Gray look so livid in all the time I’d known him. His eyes were completely black, and his aura pulsated in violent waves. I moved back towards the house, and he stepped aside to let me in before slamming the door so hard it caused the building to shake.
“You aren’t going,” Gray told me, voice low and dangerous.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re not seeing him, Scott.”
I blinked at Gray and the anger I felt before rushed through again. “I told you, you don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.”
“You gave your heart to me! You promised it to me! If you so much as look at him, I’ll destroy him!”
Gave my heart to Gray? Promised my heart to Gray?
