That breaks the staring contest.
I look at River just in time to see him pull a disgusted face.
“First of all, never think about my sister like that.”
Ezra rolls his eyes. “Relax. I wasn't picturing anything.”
“You were absolutely picturing something,” Ethan mutters.
“Secondly, she's with Quinn.”
He perks up at that just as Elliot opens his big mouth. “Quinn? Isn't that the girl you had a threesome with?”
I might actually kill him.
“You what?”
River does not look happy.
His chair scrapes loudly against the floor as he stands, jaw tight, ready to kill my brother.
Brilliant. Another fight I’m going to have to referee.
For once, Ezra actually looks guilty.
I kick Elliot sharply in the shins under the table, but he barely flinches.
“In my defence,” Ezra says quickly, throwing his hands up, “I was very, very drunk.”
That doesn't help at all.
River takes a step forward, and before he can fully launch himself at the idiot, Emmet calmly reaches out, grips the back of his shirt, and pulls him straight back down into his chair like he weighs nothing.
“We all want to kill Ezra, but I’m not cleaning up any mess tonight.”
Fair.
I silently question how on earth this is my family as Elliot stands, smoothing down his hair. “Quinn is into girls anyway. He probably didn't get anywhere near her.”
“So technically, Riv still has a chance.”
River surges up again, but Emmet hauls him down again.
“Can we please,” I say, rubbing my temples, “get back to arguing about you being a manwhore?”
“I’m not a manwhore, I’m just enjoying the single life.”
“And how many diseases have you caught enjoying the single life?” River asks.
Ethan makes a sound. “Well—”
“Don’t,” Ezra snaps.
I tune them out.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and the second I see Willow’s name flash across the screen, everything else fades into background noise. The irritation and exhaustion disappear at the thought of hearing her voice.
I stand without announcing it and walk out; their arguing voices trail behind me as I head into the conservatory. The glassis fogged slightly from the temperature difference, rain tapping softly overhead.
