TANGLED BETWEEN BROTHERS

Nicole's POV

Sunlight streamed through the thin curtains, cutting streaks of gold across the Ryder's Mansion.

I hurried down, not wanting to be late to school as this is the start of a new semester but I almost turned back upstairs the moment I saw Adrian.

That was my first instinct the moment I reached the bottom of the staircase and heard movement in the dinning. My hand tightened around the railing, my pulse loud in my ears. Adrian was the one person I wasn't ready to face.

I could feel him before I saw him, his sharp presence surrounding the room. He stood by the counter, dressed in dark slacks and a crisp shirt, sleeves buttoned all the way down as if last night had never happened. As if nothing had cracked open between us.

He didn't even look at me, not once.

No pause, flicker of recognition. Just the quiet clink of a mug as he poured coffee, his posture calm and distant, impossibly composed. The lack of acknowledgment unsettled me more than any lingering stare would have.

"Could it be that he was too drunk to remember what happened?" I thought silently to myself.

I forced myself to move fully into the room. My body shivered a bit as I took a seat at the table, smoothing my hands over my lap.

Moments later, Liam walked in, his presence lighter. "Morning," he said casually, pressing a quick kiss to my temple before grabbing a plate.

Neither brother responded to the other.

I noticed it then, the way I always seemed to lately, the distance between them. No greetings or shared glances. Not even irritation, just... absence. Like two men occupying the same room while living in completely different worlds.

Breakfast was simple and light. Toast, fruit and coffee.

I took small bites, I didn't really have any appetite and aside from that my thoughts were anything but quiet, maybe it was because I felt guilty.

Across the table, Adrian scrolled through his phone, his attention fixed anywhere but me. It felt intentional as if ignoring me was easier than acknowledging the tension coiled tight between us.

"Why I'm I bothered? Nicole, you should be happy that he's ignoring you." I scolded myself.

Liam chatted about his plans for the day, filling the silence.

"Enjoy your classes Nicole, make new friends, socialize, have fun." he said casually.

"Yes, yes, I will." I smiled lightly. That's why I love Liam, he is so caring and intentional.

"You look very pretty when you smile." he smirked in a seductive way.

"Please focus on eating." I shook my head at his nonchalant behavior.

"I want to eat you," he teased.

"Pervert." I felt so shy.

Adrian didn't respond to whatever that was happening, he just stood up suddenly. "I've got work, and Liam make sure you come early." he said calmly, already adjusting his watch.

That was it.

No goodbye, he walked out without turning back, leaving the room colder than before.

I stared at the doorway long after it closed, my heart racing for reasons I refused to name.

________________

Adrian's POV

The building looked the same since he left, the cold glass, sharp edges, pretending to be clean while hiding rot beneath it.

I stepped out of the car just as another pulled in beside mine.

Ethan. He's the only closest and trusted friend I have.

He got out, adjusting the cuff of his shirt like everything in his life needed to be precise. Same calm posture. Same serious eyes that missed nothing. I was the one who begged him to come work here, dragged him out of a comfortable job into this mess and he still showed up on time, unbothered.

"Morning," he said simply.

"Morning," I replied, falling into step beside him.

We walked in together.

The elevator ride was quiet, not awkward. He glanced at me once, the way he always did when he sensed something off.

My office door closed behind us with a soft click.

He dropped into the chair across from my desk without being asked, crossing one leg over the other. "You look like shit," he said flatly.

I huffed. "Nice to see you too."

"That wasn't an insult. It's an observation."

I loosened my tie, pacing instead of sitting. The memory hit me without warning, dim kitchen lights, the hum of the fridge, the way Nicole froze when she realized I'd been there all along.

I stopped walking.

"I'm attracted to her," I said suddenly.

Ethan didn't react, not even a blink.

"My brother's girlfriend," I added.

"That part is implied," he said calmly.

I ran a hand through my hair. "Last night... She came into the kitchen. Didn't know I was there. She was wearing-" I stopped myself, jaw tightening. "Doesn't matter. I was drunk. She was half-asleep. Things crossed a line."

Ethan leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing like he was calculating something.

"Did you touch her?"

"Yes."

"Did she stop you?"

"Yes."

"Then stop romanticizing it," he said. "You didn't lose control. You tested a boundary."

The words landed harder than I expected.

"She's with him," I muttered. "And yet-"

"And yet you want what you can't have," Ethan finished. "That's not new for you. What's new is that this one isn't a distraction."

I finally sat, elbows on the desk, staring at nothing.

"She looked at me like I was a mistake she almost made," I said quietly. "And like she hated that she didn't regret it completely."

Ethan exhaled slowly. "That's dangerous."

"I know, that was why I pretended like I didn't remember what happened yesterday."

He leaned forward now, his voice steady and grounded. Ethan was always the anchor when my thoughts spiraled.

"Listen to me," he said. "You're here for a reason. Your mother didn't die for you to ruin yourself over desire. If you go after her, you don't just hurt Liam, you give him leverage."

I clenched my jaw at my brother's name.

"And Nicole?" Ethan continued. "She's already standing in the middle of a war she didn't sign up for. If you care about her, even a little you don't pull her deeper."

Silence stretched between us.

"What if she's already falling?" I asked.

Ethan's gaze softened, just a fraction. "Then you protect her by staying away until the truth comes out. After that..." He shrugged lightly. "Choices are cleaner when blood isn't on the floor."

I leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

Ethan was always three steps ahead.

"Welcome to the family hell," I said dryly.

He stood, straightening his jacket. "I didn't come for the family. I came for you. Don't make me regret it."

As he walked out, I knew one thing with brutal clarity:

Nicole wasn't the problem, she was the trigger and everything I had buried was already rising to the surface.