“It’s fucked up, and you’re better off not knowing. While we’re on that subject, don’t get into it with them over me, Annabelle. You won’t win.”
The smile she gave him made his chest ache, because it was sweet and genuine.
“By ‘them’ I’m thinking you mean your dad and the Bradster, who by the way is a serious jerk, but I suspect that’s mainly from your dad’s influence.”
“There is no winning in this house, Annabelle. The path of least resistance is always the best one, so keep clear of both of them and don’t stand up for me,” Ethan said.
“You ever known me to back off, Tex? Ever known me to be cowed by a man?”
“Annabelle.” The word was meant to be a warning but it came out on a sigh. “This shit is complicated, and I’m used to it now, so I don’t need you getting in the middle. Let’s just get through tomorrow, and then leave without shedding blood.”
“Why’d you let them talk about you like that, Ethan? Your dad had a smile the entire time he was insulting you, but Brad was just an asshole. I’ve never seen you take a backwards step to anyone, but you let those two put you down without even trying to defend yourself.”
“Because there’s no way you can win here, not with both of them. I’ve tried, believe me, but the others just end up getting hurt. If my father can’t get me to do what he wants using manipulation, then he uses Hope, Taylor or my mother to get at me.”
“I could see when Hope and Taylor came up to you that they were hiding how they felt about seeing you again,” she said, placing her hand over the one he still had on her breast.
“Yeah, they’re the toughest part of not being here more often, but we catch up every few months when we can.”
“So, what’s the deal? Your dad wanted you to follow in his footsteps and you rebelled?”
“That about sums it up,” Ethan said, bunching the pillows behind him before he lifted Annabelle into his arms and lay back on them. She was now resting on his chest.
“So we had great sex and now we’re cuddling. I’m not sure that’s how this should work, Gelderman.”
“Shut up.”
Surprisingly she did and let him hold her. The tension inside him had eased, and having her in his arms felt good and right and he wasn’t going to analyze why, so he just rolled with it.
“Funny how you and your father look alike yet are worlds apart.” Her breath brushed his chest as she spoke.
“He has to have total control of everything. Every decision is run by him, every piece of furniture in this house is approved by him. My mother can’t even pick her own clothes. He does all that, and he does it with that smile, never raising his voice, and so he comes off as the good guy.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“When I was ten, my father decided my education should begin.” He would rather talk about anything but his family, but he owed Annabelle an explanation, seeing as she was here, right in the middle of it.
“You didn’t go to school until you were ten? I guess that explains quite a bit about you.”
“And there’s that smart mouth.” He tugged a lock of her hair. “No, the education I’m talking about was learning to step into my father’s shoes when he felt the time was right.”
“At ten?”
“My father believes in planning.”
“What happened?”
“I told him I didn’t want to, so he sold Hope’s pony, and she cried for weeks.”
“What’d your mom do? Surely she had something to say about that?”
Ethan remembered pleading with his mother, but all she’d done was shake her head and say that father knew best.
“My mom does what he tells her to do.”
“Wow, poor her. Her life must have been hell. I mean, this is all pretty impressive, but if he’s that much of a bully, she must have suffered over the years, especially if she wasn’t tough enough to fight back.”
Ethan knew what Annabelle said was right. He’d just never really forgiven his mother for taking her husband’s side in everything.
