19. ETHAN
CHAPTER 19
ETHAN
Jax was telling me something when the door swings open. And then I see them, and the world slows down around me.
Marcus is kissing her. Olivia’s hands are on his chest, pulling him closer, and Marcus is holding her like she belongs to him.
No.
“Get your hands off her,” Jax growls, his voice low and menacing as he steps forward. My pulse thunders in my ears, drowning out the sound of the door slamming shut behind us.
But I can’t move. My feet are rooted to the spot, my brain scrambling to catch up with the reality playing out in front of me. No, this isn’t happening. This can’t be happening. Olivia isn’t supposed to be kissing Marcus. She’s supposed to be with me.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Jax was supposed to be my only competition. Not Marcus. Marcus wasn’t even supposed to be in this equation. But there he is, kissing her like he’s been waiting for this moment his entire life. And she’s not pushing him away. She’s kissing him back.
My heart is hammering against my ribs, and my fists curl at my sides as anger and disbelief rise in equal measure.
"Don’t you see?" I say, my voice louder than I intend, raw and bitter. "She’s enjoying it."
Olivia jerks back like I’ve slapped her, her lips slightly swollen from the kiss, her eyes wide and filled with something I can’t place—shock, hurt, maybe both. But it’s Marcus who reacts first, turning toward me, his face hardening.
"Ethan, don’t?—"
"No," I cut him off, my voice rising again, the knot in my chest threatening to explode. "You don’t get to act like the good guy here, Marcus. You’re no better than the rest of us. You think you can just walk in and?—"
"Ethan," Olivia says, her voice shaking. She steps between us, her hands out like she’s trying to hold back an avalanche. "Stop it. Just stop."
But I can’t stop. The words are spilling out now, fueled by the frustration, the jealousy, the sheer disbelief of what I’ve walked in on.
“We…I think we were together,” I say.
She sighs.
“Wait, you too?” Jax says, stepping forward.
Olivia groans. She obviously didn’t mean for this to be out like this. “I was going to explain.”
“What? That you slept with all three of us?” Jax says, looking at Marcus for confirmation. He doesn’t protest, which is a reply.
Fucking hell.
"First me," I say, looking directly at Olivia now, the bitterness sharp in my voice. "Then Jax. Now Marcus. What’s next, huh? Who’s next, Olivia?"
Her face crumples, her lips parting like she’s about to say something, but no words come out. I immediately regret saying it, the sting in her eyes hitting me like a sucker punch. But I can’t take it back. It’s out there now.
"That’s enough, Ethan," Marcus says, stepping in front of her like a shield. "You don’t get to talk to her like that."
"Don’t tell me what I get to do, Marcus," I snap back, my voice low and venomous. "You think you’re some noble protector, swooping in to save her? Give me a break."
"This is ridiculous," he says, his voice sharp. "All of this. We’re not going to stand here fighting over her like idiots."
"Then what do you suggest?" I shoot back, the sarcasm dripping from my words. "We take turns?"
"Ethan, shut up!" Olivia’s voice cuts through the tension, loud and trembling. She steps forward, her hands shaking as she glares at me, then at Marcus and Jax. "What is wrong with you three? This isn’t about you!"
She’s right. God, she’s right. But I can’t bring myself to say it. The knot in my chest tightens.
“I can’t deal with this right now,” Olivia says, walking past me. “I need to leave.”
My hand shoots out, grabbing hers as she walks past me.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I say firmly, the words spilling out before I can think them through.
Her steps falter, and she turns to face me, her eyes wide and searching. There’s a strange expression on her face.
I hold her hand tighter, my chest pounding with words I can’t quite string together. All I want to do is pull her closer, to kiss her senseless, to remind her that I was here first, that I’ve wanted her longer than either of them could even comprehend. But I can’t.
Instead, I say, "We’re not done here."
"Ethan," she says softly, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "I can’t do this right now."
"Yes, you can," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. "You have to."
From the corner of my eye, I see Marcus step closer, his jaw tight, his shoulders squared. "Ethan’s right," he says, and I glance at him in surprise. "We can’t keep doing this, Olivia. Not without…clarity."
Jax scoffs, leaning casually against the doorframe, but there’s tension in his stance. "Clarity?" he says, his voice laced with sarcasm. "That’s what you’re calling this mess?"
"Shut up, Jax," Marcus snaps, and for once, I find myself agreeing with him.
Olivia lets out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "What are you even talking about?"
I exchange a glance with the others, the unspoken agreement settling between us. It’s now or never.
"I like you," I say, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. "I have for a long time, and all those feelings came rushing back when I saw you outside the apartment. I was just stupid enough not to acknowledge those feelings before. And I thought… I thought maybe you felt the same way."
"You’re not the only one," Marcus says, his voice quieter but no less resolute. He steps forward, his eyes locking onto hers. "I care about you, Olivia. More than I ever expected to."
Jax finally pushes off the doorframe, his smirk fading into something softer, more vulnerable. "Yeah, well, get in line," he says, his tone lighter but his gaze serious. "Because I’m pretty sure I like her, too."
Olivia looks between us, her expression unreadable, her hand still clasped in mine. My heart feels like it’s about to burst out of my chest, the weight of the moment pressing down on me.
"I…" she starts, her voice faltering. She shakes her head, her gaze dropping to the floor. "This is insane."
"Maybe," I say, stepping closer to her, my voice soft but firm. "But it’s the truth. And you need to know it."
For a long moment, the room is silent, the air thick with unspoken tension. I can’t read her expression, can’t tell what she’s thinking, but I’m desperately hoping, praying, that she’ll look at me and say something—anything—that will tell me I still have a chance.
"You can’t keep running from this, Olivia," I say, keeping my tone as even as I can. "We need an answer. You need to choose. Otherwise, we can’t move forward with Love Lab."
She stares at me, her eyes wide, stunned. "Are you serious?" she asks, her voice rising slightly. "Even with the injunction, that’s what you’re worried about?"
"Yes," I say, my voice firm but not unkind. "I need to know where I stand. Where we all stand. This…whatever this is between us—it’s bleeding into everything else. And we can’t keep pretending it’s not."
She looks like I’ve slapped her. Her shoulders sag slightly, her eyes dropping to the floor. "I can’t," she says quietly.
"Why not?" Jax steps forward, his voice softer than I expect, but there’s an edge to it. He’s trying to mask the frustration, but I can see it in the tight line of his jaw.
"Because," Olivia says, her voice trembling, "I think I might like all three of you."
My mind races to catch up, my heart pounding in my chest. Did she just say…?
I glance at Marcus, whose face is frozen in stunned silence, and then at Jax, who looks like he’s been physically struck. Neither of them says a word.
I turn back to Olivia, but before I can speak, she’s already moving. Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears as she spins on her heel and bolts for the door.
This time, I don’t stop her. I can’t. My hand falls limply to my side as the door slams shut behind her.
The silence that follows is deafening. My chest feels tight, like I’ve been punched, and my brain is a whirlwind of emotions I can’t quite name.
"Well," Jax says finally, breaking the silence, "didn’t see that coming."
I rub the back of my neck, my mind still stuck on Olivia’s words. All three of us? Is that even possible? And what does that mean for any of us?
Marcus exhales sharply, folding his arms. "This is…complicated."
"Understatement of the year," I mutter, shaking my head.
But as stunned as I feel, I can’t ignore the undercurrent of something else—something darker and more insidious. Doubt. Jealousy. A quiet voice in the back of my mind whispering that maybe I’m not the one she’ll choose.
Or worse…maybe she won’t choose any of us.