I turned around to look at the crowd, leaning against him and unable to see what he could from his towering height.
Suddenly, the people in front of us parted, revealing Ethan’s father. I plastered a perfect future-daughter-in-law smile on my face, and it froze into place as my eyes connected with the man walking just behind him.Colton!
I threw a helpless look to Ethan, who was way too lost in his own head to even realize I was crumbling.
Ethan's hand tightened on my hip as his father stopped in front of us, a big smile on his face.
I kept looking at his father, despite Colton's overwhelming presence and the fact that I could feel his eyes burn my skin.
I needed to get out of here. I needed to disappear.
“Ethan, son! You finally made it.” He laughed. “I should have known better than to expect you to be on time.”
Ethan’s fingers gripped my hip.Jab number one.
His father turned to me. “Ava, I’m happy you could join us.”
I opened my mouth and closed it again, my brain still frozen from shock.
Ethan finally looked down, his eyebrows etched in concern. He nudged me gently.
“Hi, yes, thank you.”
“Ava.” His voice—fuck, his voice. It was not the light buzz of alcohol from the other night that made me react to him the way I did. I had not even sipped my champagne yet and I could feel his gravelly voice coursing through my whole body.
I forced myself to look up into his accusatory orbs, trying my best to keep a composure I was certain wouldn’t last.
“Ah yes, you’ve never met Ava, have you, son?”
“No, I don’t believe I have. It’s not like I see my little brother often. I’m Hugo St-John, Ethan’s older brother.”
Fuck me sideways. Why him,ofall the men in London?
I couldn’t help but scowl a little at him and at the jab he’d taken at Ethan.
That man was clearly a master manipulator. Gone was the American accent; he now sounded just as posh as all the people in this room with his stupid upper-class pronunciation.
Pot, meet kettle,‘Mary’from the bar, the little voice of my conscience reminded me.
Ethan pulled me toward him. “This is my fiancée, Ava.”
Hugo’s eyes flashed with anger, before he finally broke eye contact and looked at Ethan with his eyebrows raised.
“You never mentioned a fiancée.”
“You never cared about what was happening in my life.”
Hugo shrugged.
“Yes, isn't she beautiful? I still hardly believed she picked him,” his father added.
Jab two.
“We’ve been together for five years,” Ethan added and I looked down with a wince.
I was a cheater in Hugo's eyes now.
“I see,” he replied and I could feel the weight of accusation in his voice. Was I the only one to hear it?