Men in Control: Special pack: The Smith Brothers Series

by Brenda Ford

  “Who? Your mom and Seth?” I give her a strange look. Why the hell is she coming at me so hard? “Yes.”

  “Good, because me and you need to talk about some things alone, don’t you think?”

  She perches on the edge of the couch and glares at me. The last thing that I want to do is go and sit with her because I don’t like where this is headed already and nothing has even happened yet, but I have a feeling that she finally wants to get off whatever is on her chest and I won’t be able to escape it.

  “What’s going on, Rosie? You seem all pissed off about something.”

  “I want to talk about Oliver.” Urgh, of course she does. “I want to know what’s happening there?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I decide to play dumb to begin with. “Oliver who?”

  “Come off it, Ellie, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Oliver Smith from next door.”

  “Okay.” I nod but continue to keep the blank look on my face. “What about him?”

  “You were flirting. You and him, there was something going on between you. I could see it. Everyone could.”

  Okay, so maybe it isn’t quite the secret that I thought it was, but that still makes me smile. I kinda like the idea that it’s so obvious how much we like one another. It means I’m not crazy.

  “Well, I don’t know what you’re talking about. We had a perfectly nice conversation.”

  “Oh, right. And you’re going to pretend that’s all it was, are you?” she snips sarcastically. “A chat?”

  “Yes. I wanted to meet him.” I offer her a one shouldered shrug. “I want to meet everyone here. This is now my new home, isn’t it? This is all just very strange for me. Seth too. We have lost our only parent and now we’ve had our whole lives uprooted. I just want to know everyone around, that’s all.”

  Rosie narrows her eyes at me suspiciously. I guess I won’t be able to run the sob story passed her. “Right, so there isn’t any flirting there? No romantic interest at all? Nothing to worry about?”

  “Why would you be worried? You are with Tristan, not Oliver.”

  All the color drains from her face. It seems like I might have hit a soft spot here. “That’s not what this is about. This isn’t about me and Oliver. He is my best friend, nothing more. He has been my best friend only since I have been here, and I don’t really want someone messing that up.”

  I fold my arms over my chest. “Me and him won’t affect you guys at all.”

  “It will if you end up hooking up and it gets messy. Of course, it will affect us then. There isn’t any way it can’t.”

  I shook her a cheeky smile. “But what if we end up in the middle of a happy ever after?”

  “Oh please,” she scoffs. “You are never going to end up together. You and Oliver don’t match at all.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Now, she’s just being a bitch.

  “Well, maybe I don’t know you as much as I used to, but you seem loud and cocky, whereas he is sweet and quiet. Caring and thoughtful. You’re confident and outgoing, not like him at all.”

  “Wow.” I tut and shake my head. “What a crock of shit. You’re right, you don’t know me.”

  “Well, I do know that he’s far too old for you. You are seventeen years old, Ellie, and he’s twenty three. That’s a six year age gap, which isn’t a lot when you’re older, but right now it’s a massive one. You are far too immature for him, which is why it’s destined to blow up before it even begins.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about, Rosie? These all seems like bullshit excuses to me. I am not immature, you know nothing about what my life has been like, so don’t judge. And so, what if me and Oliver aren’t the same person? That would be boring. Do you think that you and Tristan match? Because I don’t. But unless we were having this conversation, I wouldn’t tell you that because it’s none of my business.”

  Rosie gets a pinched look on her face. She doesn’t like me attacking her, but I’m not going to let her just come at me and not defend myself. How dare she say anything about me and Oliver? I’m allowed to like whoever I want and everything that she has just said only makes me like her more.

  “I will date whoever I want,” I growl. “And it has nothing to do with you.”

  “You’re acting like an ungrateful bitch right now,” she practically shrieks. “We brought you here to live with us and now it’s like you’re throwing it back in our faces. I can’t believe this.”

  “You did a nice thing,” I agree. “And I appreciate that. But that doesn’t mean you owe me. I’m an adult. Maybe not by law, which is why I’m here, but as soon as I hit eighteen years old, I will be gone.”

  “With what? You don’t have anything. Do you know how much it costs to live?”

  “I will have an inheritance, my mom has left me some money, plus once the house sells, I will have that money. That will get me started, and I intend to get a job as well. I know how to live. I know how to look after my brother as well. I have been doing a lot of that for years. But like I said, Rosie, you wouldn’t know me anymore. You haven’t been in my life, and if you carry on like this then you won’t be in my life ever again.”

  Rosie is gob-smacked. I can tell by the way that she keeps opening and closing her mouth like a gold fish. I have blown her away, which is good. I hope it’s because she is now realizing that I am growing up more than she thinks. I don’t need her approval to date Oliver, but I don’t want to be patronized either.

  “Look, Ellie, I don’t know what to say to you here, I don’t want to get into an argument with you. I just want to keep you away from Oliver because I don’t want to see either of you getting hurt.”

  “You think Oliver will hurt me?” Unfortunately for Rosie, I’m not ready to let it go just yet. “Or would I hurt him?”

  She shrugs helplessly. “I don’t know, Ellie. I don’t think that either of you will do it intentionally. I just think it might just happen. I can’t see you two working. I don’t think it’s going to happen…”

  “Do you like him?” I snap. “Is that what this is about? Because if it is then…”

  “I’m with Tristan. Of course, I don’t like Oliver.”

  “Then it’s none of your business. If me and him do end up together, then it’s our decision.”

  “Don’t you care about your family?” Rosie cocks her head to one side. “Is that what this is? You care about some guy that you don’t know more than me and my mom? After everything that we have done…”

  “If you want to keep throwing your help back in my face, then I would rather not have it.”

  We stare at one another, panting, rage flowing between the pair of us. I don’t even know if either of us mean what we’re saying anymore. We are one step away from trading childish school yard insults. Neither of us are handling this well, but I don’t think I’m wrong. I won’t be controlled, it isn’t right.

  “You are making a mistake.” Rosie holds her hands up and walks backwards away from me. “I’m telling you now that you are going to regret this. You will come back apologizing to me soon enough.”

  “I don’t fucking think so. I will never apologize to you. Not after you have come at me like that. You talk about immature, but you have acted like a crazy jealous bitch over some guy you claim is your friend…”

  “He is my friend. He’s my best friend. I don’t want you near him.”

  I roll my eyes and snort, temper bursting through me. “I will do whatever the hell I want. You keep out of things that are nothing to do with you, Rosie. I might be your family, but me and you are not friends.”

  “Fine by me.” She slams the front door open so hard it hits the wall hard. “Fuck you.”

  She leaves me with even more certainty that I need to get the hell out of here now. I can’t stand this house, I don’t like that tension, I am an adult who can do whatever I want to.

  Chapter 9 - Oliver

  My eyes grow heavy, this work meeting has been g
oing on for far too long, I’m really disconnected by it now. I have done my part and discussed the accounting details; I really could go. But Brad likes to run this business exactly in the same way that our father did, which means everything gets shared with everyone. Our father had a lot of success and he made a lot of money. So, we all stay to hear everything. Brad, like our father, has the theory that keeping everyone on board and having no secrets leads to a more successful working relationship. Usually, I’m totally in agreement with him but today my mind is all over the place.

  As Brad turns around to write something up on the white board, I sneak a glance at my cell phone, just to see what the time is. I’m surprised to see that I have some messages from Rosie.

  Rosie: Oliver, it feels like forever since I’ve seen you. How are things?

  Rosie: Oliver, are you ignoring me now? What’s going on? Talk to me please…

  Rosie: Tristan is out of town tonight; do you want to watch a movie? I have some popcorn in!

  Huh, this is a little strange. She doesn’t normally message me a lot of times, but I guess it has been a while since we really connected and she was pretty mad at me for letting Tristan see me, but it seems like she has forgiven me now. It would be cool to hang out with her and see how she is.

  Oliver: I’m at work at the moment, stuck in a meeting. I will come over after.

  Rosie: Great! I’m looking forward to it. You can even pick the movie again.

  Oliver: No way. You pick, it’s your turn. I will even suffer a shitty Hollywood chick flick.

  Rosie: I will choose something good then. Make sure we can both enjoy it.

  There is definitely something a little different about the way that Rosie is messaging me, usually when it’s her turn to pick a movie, she does what she can to torture me. She must feel bad for taking her mood towards Tristan out on me. That’s good, it’s something that we can talk about later on. I would like to know what’s going on with her and Tristan to check that she’s happy. I don’t know what’s going on there, it seems tense. Now, I feel like I might be able to help her without having my own agenda behind it.

  Oliver: Okay, I will message you when I’m on the way home. See you soon.

  I feel another bolt of energy. I can engage a little more with the meeting, now that I have plans with my friend. In the same house that Ellie is in as well. It doesn’t hurt that I might get to see her too. I have been desperately trying to get my hands all over her ever since that dream and I haven’t had the chance. I haven’t really seen her ever since the meal. Maybe tonight that will change…

  “You know, this isn’t bad,” I laugh as I take a sip of the fizzy pop. “A bit soppy, but okay.”

  “I told you it would be one you like! Hey, give me a bit of that drink. It looks nice…”

  She sidles closer to me and takes the drink from my hand. As she pops the straw in between her lips she keeps her eyes on me which is weird. She isn’t acting like herself at all. She seems off.

  “Hey, are things going with you? Is there anything that you want to talk about?”

  “Like what? Things are good with me. I’m glad that we get to hang out again.”

  “Well, we can when Tristan isn’t around, can’t we?” I smile as I say this, so she knows I don’t mean it as a dig or anything. I don’t want to get Rosie’s back up against the wall because I hate being on the wrong end of her fiery temper. “So, now that he’s out of town, we should fit it in as much as we can.”

  “I would like that.” Rosie’s hand rests on my arm and stays there. “He seems pretty jealous of you.”

  “Who does? Tristan? Why would he be jealous of me? He’s the one who’s with you.”

  As her eyes light up, I immediately wonder if that was the wrong thing to say. It sounds like I’m the jealous one now and I want to be with her. Funny how I can make that suggestion when I’m not desperate to be with her anymore. I survived my crush without making it awkward, I don’t want to wreck it now.

  “Well, I think he’s under the assumption that I want to be with you.”

  “Maybe because we haven’t really met.” I shrug. “I might seem like a threat. And if he remembers the time that we went to that party together so I could act like your boyfriend… well, that will be an issue.”

  “You say that like you want to meet him. Is that what you want?” She almost glares at me.

  “I don’t know. I don’t mind. I mean, he’s your boyfriend, isn’t he? It’s up to you.”

  I glance towards the door, again wondering where Ellie is. I thought that I might have been able to see her by now. I even assumed she might come to watch the movie with us. I was looking forward to a night of sizzling secret sexual tension. Although I suppose it would be weird if Rosie picked up on it.

  “Well, I don’t know what’s going to happen with me and Tristan, so it doesn’t matter anyway…”

  “Are you guys going to break up? I know it’s been a roller coaster, but…”

  She sucks in a breath; her eyes dart downwards. I’m worried that I’ve pushed her too far.

  “I don’t know. I mean, he doesn’t treat me well, does he? I keep thinking that there might be better choices out there. Someone who would actually care about me and treat me right. Really care about me and love me.”

  Her eyes pick upwards and meet mine. She’s staring at me expectantly, she wants me to tell her my opinion on it, but unfortunately, I can’t. I have seen this situation before and they always end up back together. My opinion isn’t wanted, nor is it needed. All I can do is nod and not give anything away.

  “Oh.” All of a sudden, Ellie’s voice shatters the tense atmosphere in the room. Thank God.

  “What are you doing here?” Rosie barks, her whole body stiffening. Gone is any relaxed openness from her.

  “I live here, if you don’t remember.” Ellie rolls her eyes. “So, I think I’m allowed to be here, right.”

  “Er…” I dart my eyes between both women, wondering what I have walked myself into. There has been an argument, I’m quite certain, and I don’t know if I should say anything. Men should never get in the middle of a row between two women. I have seen that in the work place. There isn’t anything that we can do to not make it a million times worse, but I care about both these women. I don’t want to see either of them hurt.

  “Yeah well as you can see, me and Oliver are hanging out here…”

  “Watching a movie?” Ellie smirks. “I can watch that with you, can’t I?”

  “Not really. We actually need some time alone to talk. We’re having a private discussion.”

  “During a movie? But how are you watching it? That seems very strange…”

  I can’t take it. The animosity is really getting to me. It feels like the walls are closing in on me, threatening to suffocate me in the middle of this argument. I can sense that my presence is the issue, or it’s a part of it anyway, and I want to do whatever I can to make sure they solve this as quickly as possible. That’s something I’m sure they can do so much better without me around, acting like an awkward idiot in the corner.

  “I think I’m going to…” I jump up and edge towards the door, with the piercing eyes of both women upon me. “Get out of here because I have some stuff that I need to… to get on with… and Brad will be…”

  They aren’t listening to me. They are too involved in their argument with one another, so I move rapidly and stalk towards the front door. As I go, I remind myself that emotions run high in the wake of a death and it’s probably just the Clark family adjusting to their new situation. Once they all get used to their new life, everything will be fine, and all will settle down again. I hope so anyway, because right now they have been through enough.

  As soon as I get outside the door, I hear yelling. The argument has gone from stupid passive aggressive nastiness to full-on shouting. Maybe that’s for the best so they can both get it off their chest, but I don’t like the way it makes me feel. It’s gut wrenching to know that they are s
truggling through anything.

  I have a feeling that this might have a lot to do with Tristan as well because Rosie is usually so caring and open. I can’t imagine her treating her family members with any kind of coldness. He is the only person who seems to be able to affect her mood so much that she would be unpleasant to anyone else.

  What do I do? I ask myself desperately as I lean my head back against the door. Should I go back in?

  Rationally, I know that I should walk away, leave them to it. Let them get on with what they need to do. Hope that it sorts itself out. But I can’t move away, I’m stuck. Frozen to the spot. Waiting…

  “Fuck you, Rosie…” Ellie screams, now so close to the front door that I can hear every word. “Just fuck you.”

  She slams the front door open, almost knocking me to the ground. She barges passed me as if she doesn’t even see me and stomps off towards my house. Yep, it’s definitely towards my home…

  “Ellie,” I call after her. “What’s going on, Ellie? Where are you going?”

  She turns back but doesn’t say anything. Instead, she flicks her finger and silently demands for me to follow her. I know that I should be worried about Rosie as well, but I can’t stop my body from following Ellie. She intrigues me and I want to know what her next move is. She must have one in mind. Judging from her purposeful steps, she definitely means to go in that direction and she definitely needs me with her.

  “Ellie.” I just about catch up with her before she gets to the front door. “What are you…?”

  She grips hold of my shoulders and drags me downwards. This time she kisses me not in secret, she doesn’t care who is watching, and as my hands circle around his waist, I know that I’m not bothered either. It doesn’t matter if the whole world sees us, we aren’t doing anything wrong. We’re two consenting grown-ups, why shouldn’t we kiss? And if it feels so damn good and full of passion then I’m obviously going to want to do it all the time.

  Her lips move in unison with mine, her tongue massages mine, her hands knot up in my hair… fucking hell, this is even more passionate than it was before. It already feels like it’s leading somewhere. Ellie rolls her hips against me, grinding against my core, making me feel everything all at once and I fucking love it. So does my body. It reacts with a deep seated sheer excitement which takes my breath away.