Chapter 236: When Push Comes To Shove
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘⭒❊✿❊⭒∘∙⊱⋅•
For a moment, none of us said a word. The only sound breaking the silence in that long, quiet executive hallway was the soft, measured rhythm of our footsteps...three of us moving awkwardly together, trying not to make too much noise.
It felt like any raised voice might shatter the fragile truce we’d just managed to establish. The thick carpet absorbed most of the sound, but I could still feel each step of my dress shoes echoing in my chest like a heartbeat counting down to whatever disaster awaited us next.
My heart was still racing from the shock of Ethan walking in on us, and now, here we were, leaving Logan’s empty suite like guilty teens caught raiding the liquor cabinet at some swanky party.
Ethan was the first to break away from the group. He slowed, then came to a stop altogether, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his tux pants in that classic rich-boy way that somehow looked both casual and defensive. He faced us, shoulders squared but his eyes were softer than I expected, especially when they landed on me.
"I’ll head back downstairs," he said, his voice low enough that it felt like he was speaking just to us, even with Adrien standing right there, radiating tension like a live wire. "If Logan starts asking questions—and of course he will...I’ll cover for you. I’ll say I was looking for you two to drag you back to the dance floor or something equally lame."
He hesitated, a flicker of a wry smile appearing at the corner of his mouth before disappearing again. "Just... don’t do anything stupid without giving me a heads up, okay? I’d rather not have to bail you out of jail at three a.m."
Adrien’s jaw clenched so hard that I thought I might hear something crack.
"Funny," he muttered, the sarcasm thick enough to spread on toast. "I was literally thinking the exact same thing about you."
Ethan shot a sharp glance at him, something familiar and unsettling flashing across his too-blue eyes, old resentment, fresh irritation, all the usual emotions that bubbled up whenever they were within ten feet of each other.
But to his credit, he didn’t snap back like he usually would. Instead, he sighed out through his nose, slow and tired as if he were swallowing the retort that was on the tip of his tongue.
"This isn’t about you and me," he said quietly, almost gently, which somehow made it hit harder. "It never really was."