Save Me

Three - Ethan

I'm f*****g screwed, I know it, but I need to play this cool or I might as well kill myself right here, right now.

"I'm beginning to feel left out here Sunshine" I teased. She pulled away from Isla and she stood rooted to the spot looking me up and down. f**k. She is f*****g checking me out. My jaw clenched, whatever you do, stay f*****g composed. 

"Well, look what the cat dragged in" She mocked, stepping up to me. To my surprise, she wrapped her arms around my neck and stretched up to give me a hug. I chuckled to myself at how tiny she was, but something about her had definitely changed,  "It's nice to see you too Stranger, I didn't know you were coming home too". 

"I wasn't planning on to, but your brother talked me into it." My voice was cold as I reminded myself of what a bad idea this was. And just like that she pulled away from me and turned back to a guy standing behind Flint and Isla. I hadn't noticed him before, but there he stood also towering over Thea, I mean I guess it's not bloody hard, she is so small. f**k ETHAN. Stop it. 

"Flint, Isla, Ethan..." I watched as she slid her hand into his and this feeling burned up inside of me. "this is Brody. We have just got back from his Dad's villa in Italy." I felt my hands clench at my side. 

"Hi, guys, so nice to finally meet you." Brody looked like a right tool, standing there with his muscles on display. Every nerve in my brain was telling me to relax, just chill. But I couldn't stop myself from glaring at Brody, even as a car honked, I couldn't break my glare. "Ah, that's my ride... Mr. and Mrs. James, thank you again for letting Thea come and stay with me." he flashed them a charming smile. I scoffed in my mind. Jerk. 

"Oh, Brody I think we can drop the formalities, don't you?" Mrs. James soothed. I can't f*****g believe this. He has wormed his way into my family. Who the f**k does he think he is. 

"Flint, Ethan, Isla, really nice to meet you..." he leaned into Thea "I'll call you later babe. I had an amazing time." and then he kissed her. He f*****g kissed her! Chill Ethan, it was a peck on the cheek, not a proper kiss. "I love you." Oh no, you f*****g didn't. My fists were clenching and unclenching at my side. 

"I love you too, and good luck with your Dad." Thea cooed at him. WHAT THE ACTUAL f**k! He strolled away to black SUV just a few spaces down. ETHAN! Get a f*****g grip! I suddenly became aware of Thea's hand trailing across my chest. 

"Looks like it's your lucky day" I could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Huh?" And suddenly my mind came crashing back to the scene in front of me. I hadn't packed the car to accommodate 6 passengers. So going on tradition, Thea being the smallest would be sitting on someone's lap. My lap. Ethan, get it to-f*****g-gether. "Sounds good to me Sunshine" and I placed my hand on her hip guiding her to the car. 

How many times do I need to remind myself I'm f*****g screwed? Because for some reason, despite keeping my distance for the past 2 years, here I am, in her presence for not even 2 hours and I can feel my guard slipping. I mean, here I am in the back of the car with Thea sitting on my f*****g lap, one hand on her legs and the other on her back. And for the first time in such a long time, I feel content and at ease. But that is quickly shattered.

"So is Brody your boyfriend then?" Flints amusement intruding my rare happy thoughts. And I freeze feeling the same burning sensation creep up inside me. I can't bring myself to look at Thea, let alone join Flint with the teasing interrogation like I would have done in the past.

"We wish they would get together officially." Mrs. James had chuckled jokingly. And with that my whole body tensed, fighting the urge to clench my fists, knowing that it would give me away. 

Flint whipped back round to face Thea, "What do you mean 'officially'? please don't tell me you are in some casual, no strings attached kind of relationship." I could feel anger building inside of me, no way was she allowing someone to treat her like that. 

"Not that my relationship with Brody has anything to do with you." Thea's voice was defensive, but what caught me off guard was her emphasis on the word relationship. If he was her boyfriend then surely she would have just said so. But the way she said it, the way she said relationship just didn't sit right. 

"So you and Brody are just f**k-Buddies and you have just spent two weeks together on holiday?" Flint was raging, I didn't need to see his face to know that. But all I could see were images of Brody thrusting himself between Thea's legs, her head lolling backward in pleasure. Her hands digging into his back as she spasmed and jolted from an orgasm. 

"FLINT CARTER JAMES" Mrs. James' yell tore me away from the torturous images playing over and over again in my head. But I still couldn't trust myself to look at the occupants in the car. 

"No mum, don't even bother," Thea snapped "My s*x-life Flint has absolutely nothing to do with you. Do you understand me? And for your information, Brody and I spent two whole weeks alone in his father's villa." OH FOR f**k SAKE! They literally could have f****d all over the Villa, with no interruptions, no distractions, and GOD-KNOWS how many positions! ETHAN! f*****g stop! You can't f*****g do this. You can't think of her like that. But the thought of someone...STOP. Just f*****g stop. Now. 

I slowly allowed my self to relax as we drove the remainder of the journey home in silence. Trying to keep my mind from wondering, but I didn't once dare glance in her direction. As we clambered out of the car in The James' drive Mrs. James suggested take-out for dinner. Flint smirked at me raising his hand, matching him I raised mine too and we slapped mid-air knowing we were ordering Joe's. God, it has been so long since the last time I sat down with The James' eating Joe's and pretending not to notice when Thea would nick my Chicken Wings. I chuckled at myself remembering Thea eye-ing up my portion and then purposely adverting my gaze in the opposite direction so she could nick one. 

"I think I'll pass," Thea mumbled as she stormed past me. I watched as she walked through the front door and disappeared out of sight. Flint and Isla already had their bags flung over their shoulders and hauling them in behind her, and I knew Flint wasn't ready to drop this.