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CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

GARY

I blanched and jerked my hand back, but it was too late.

The massive ring wasn’t exactly easy to hide.

All eyes bored into me and Easton, who didn’t look at all bothered.

Because of course he didn’t. This was his thing.

The tension in the room swelled with potential chaos, and Easton loved every minute.

“Easton?” Mr. Warner demanded.

Easton’s only reply was a shrug. “He’s cute.”

I couldn’t help it. I slapped my palm to my face and whimpered. Note to self: never give Easton the opportunity to explain something you can explain for him. He’ll only look to make trouble.

It almost seemed like his chaos meter was dialed to eleven now that he was home.

Because he didn’t like his family? Or because he felt safe to be himself around them without fear of repercussion.

What would that be like? To be around your family with absolutely no fear?

I’d be jealous if I could feel anything but panic at that moment.

In a move that I only barely caught as I lifted my head, Sierra leaned over and grabbed Easton by the ear, tugging hard enough to make him growl. “Don’t be an asshole. If you really give a shit about Gary, you’d realize you’re freaking him out.”

Uh oh. Maybe I should have mentioned to Jayden beforehand about how possessive Easton was?

Because he didn’t like someone even hinting that he didn’t care about me.

I knew Easton cared. Maybe not in a lovey-dovey way, but he cared.

He took care of me and did what he could to make me happy, even when it made him uncomfortable.

The dark look that morphed over Easton’s face made them all lean back a little. Before he could open his mouth and make things worse, I quickly covered his mouth with my hands and forced out a smile.

“Can, uh… Can we have a second?”

Mr. Warner was still frowning, but he dipped his chin once just as someone in a server outfit stepped through the door to announce dinner. I hesitated, but Jayden shooed me out.

“Just go. We’ll see you in the dining room. Easton knows the way.”

I wasn’t going to wait around for someone to change their mind.

I grabbed Easton’s hand and launched off the couch, physically dragging him out of the room and into the hallway.

Since I didn’t get a good look around, I wasn’t sure where to go, but I found an open door along the way that led into a library.

An actual freaking library. I came to an abrupt halt, momentarily forgetting my mission as I stared in awe around the room.

“Holy shit.”

My revelry broke Easton’s mood, and he snorted, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. “So to get you to swear, I just had to surprise you?”

I flapped a hand but couldn’t be bothered to look away from the room. “Probably not. Nothing is as stunning as– Do those shelves go all the way up to the ceiling? How do you get up there to read the books?”

Easton rested his chin on my shoulder, turning me just enough to point at the ladder resting on wheels against one shelf.

“Holy shit! You have a Belle ladder!”

“A what?” His voice had a frown, like he didn’t know what I was referring to. I froze and looked over my shoulder incredulously.

“Like from The Beauty and the Beast? The movie?”

Easton gave me a bland look. “Does it look like I watched movies like that?”

I sucked in a sharp breath, spinning around entirely. “Who even are you? How can you not have seen that movie! It’s awesome! The bookworm gets the hunky man beast who literally claws wolves and fights a guy to keep her! And that library! It’s every book lover's dream!”

The tension in Easton’s shoulders and around his eyes disappeared, and he smirked at me.

“You’re such a nerd.” He followed that up with a kiss, so I didn’t take the insult seriously.

I threw my arms around his neck, resting my forehead against his.

He always gave me what I needed when I was upset.

If this was what he needed from me when he was upset, then I’d give it to him. I’d give him anything he wanted.

“I’m so making you watch that movie when we get home. We’ll have another week of vacation before classes start again. We’ll find the time.”

He grunted, which technically wasn’t a yes. I wasn’t going to let it go. He’d probably love the Beast character. That guy was all chaos and sweetness. Like Easton. Did that make me Belle? Because if I got a library out of all this, I’d die happy.

I couldn’t argue about it, though, because Easton claimed my lips again to shut me up, and it very quickly turned steamy. Again. Not complaining. Why would I complain about this?

However, I was hyper aware of where we were and who was waiting for us, so despite my body’s protests, I pulled away and rested my forehead against his again.

“Your family is waiting for us. Try not to lose it on them. We knew they’d ask questions.”

He grunted again, but I chose to see that as an acknowledgement.

And he didn’t fight when I pulled him back toward the hallway.

Easton always got possessive, but this time was different.

It wasn’t the idea of someone taking me from him.

It was the idea that he wasn’t treating me well that pissed him off.

I didn’t know how to take that. I wanted to think it was good, that he cared about how this relationship went, but I also knew this wasn’t an actual relationship.

Did he want it to be real? Or was I just reading too much into everything?

The dining room was through the sitting room with the tree and down another hallway. This place was a maze, and I asked at the exact wrong time, “How do you not get lost in this place?” Right as we stepped into the dining room with Easton’s family.

I flushed bright red as all eyes swung our way again.

Easton seemed to enjoy the question, though, and snorted as he led me to the two empty chairs with plates in front of them.

The table was big enough that it could probably sit twice our number easily but was only set up for the immediate family.

And me. Sad little bookworm Gary sitting down to have dinner with a probable billionaire.

If the Wikipedia article was right about Mr. Warner’s net worth anyway.

“It takes some getting used to. I almost asked Arthur to draw me a map the first few times I was here,” Evie offered, trying to break the awkward tension.

All of Easton’s family were staring at him, like they were waiting for an explanation that Easton didn’t care to give.

I sank a little in my seat, old fears of family members lashing out rearing their ugly heads.

That movement pissed Easton off and he tightened his grip on my hand, glaring at his family.

“If you’ve got a problem, just fucking say it. But stop being assholes about it. You’re the ones who are freaking him out.”

“N-Not freaked out!” I practically yelped. This all started because they kept thinking I was freaked out. I mean, I was, but that wasn’t important. “I-I’m okay. Everything’s fine.”

“No. Everything is not fine,” Mr. Warner interrupted. “I apologize, Gary. We don’t mean to upset you, but you’ll have to forgive us for being surprised. Easton never mentioned he was in a serious relationship.”

Once again, my hand shot out to cover Easton’s mouth. I knew he was going to scoff or say something snarky. I needed to get ahead of this before he completely lost it. I shot him a warning look before trying to explain for him.

“It, uh… It hasn’t been that long, honestly. And we’ve been busy with school and classes. Easton’s also been helping me get in shape. And he hadn’t even told me who you were until last week, so–”

Sierra put up a hand to stop my rambling. Someone needed to stop me, but I was a little nervous she’d only make things worse.

“Hold on. You didn’t know who we were? Did he not give you his last name?”

I lifted a shoulder uneasily. “I mean, I heard it in class, but I didn’t know it meant anything. He was just… Easton.”

Easton pulled my hand away from his mouth, kissing my palm for a second before lacing our fingers.

“That’s why I’m marrying him. He doesn’t give a shit about the name, or my connection to you, or any of it.

He won’t even let me buy him a damn winter jacket without putting up a fuss.

He wants us to be equals. How the fuck often do you think someone like that comes around? ”

The way he spoke almost made it sound real. Like he really wanted to marry me and those were his reasons for it. I wished it was real. Even if Easton was broke and floundering like me, I’d still be happy to spend my life with him.

“Easton, language,” Mrs. Warner scolded. I nearly threw myself to grab Easton’s other hand, stopping him from flipping her off, which I knew he would. He did it to Coach when he complained about Easton and Chuckles cursing too much during a video game.

Jayden, who was sitting beside me, looked like he was choking, he was fighting his laughter so hard. When I raised my eyebrows at him, confused and a little incredulous, he shook his head, wiping tears from his eyes.

“You gotta admit, he knows Easton well. He’s blocked him from flipping his shit three times already. And Easton actually listens to him.”

Easton looked disgruntled about that comment, but he didn’t argue. He slouched in his seat, his grip on my hands almost tight enough to be painful.

“I’m sure you’re happy together, but this is very sudden,” Mr. Warner said, ignoring Jayden’s comment. “It seems too soon to–”

“It’s happening. Whether you want it to or not,” Easton snapped. “I was nice enough to tell you, but I don’t need your fucking permission. He’s mine .”

He said it with such vindication and determination, I never stood a chance. I knew in that exact moment that I had failed to protect my heart. I was in love with Easton Warner. And when he eventually got tired of me, it was going to rip me apart.