right? - d. twins✔️

xviii

i breathe deeply, trying to regain myself. ethan sits in disbelief, his hands at his sides, eyes glued to road before him.

"does he know?"

"no." i breathe.

"did he cause it...?"

i draw in a painful breath, "yes."

i don't even need to look, ethan's face is consumed by hurt.

"he was too rough...far too rough...but i couldn't let him know." how i was still able to cry i don't know, but i did.

"it would kill him, and he'd surely kill me." i say, knowing all too well that it was the truth.

"how far were you?" ethan asks, still staring at the road.

"i was just about to show..."

"how long ago?"

i wave my hand in defeat, "like a month maybe, i didn't care to keep track."

"how were you going to tell him?"

"dammit ethan i don't know maybe a fucking cake!"

he snaps his head in my direction, his look causing me to go cold.

"were you ever going to tell him?" his is voice cold and hard. he really is grayson's brother.

"to be honest ethan i don't know...how could i, it would tear him to pieces and it nearly destroyed me. anything left of us would have fallen apart right then and there and it wouldn't of been pretty." i run my hands over my face wiping away my excessive amount of tears.

"to be honest vivian none of this is pretty right now. it's pretty fucked up but that's about it."

"i'm much too aware of that ethan." i lean back against my seat, shutting my eyes. i'm too tired to deal with this right now, i've dealt with it for too long, and for the first time, i'm all out of ideas.

ethan starts the car, and we slowly make our way back to the ranch house. when we get there, he suddenly begins acting as if i'm not even able to walk on my own. granted, my own husband hit me in the head pretty hard, but i'm capable of doing things by myself.

"i really am okay." i finally protest as he grabs my hand when i get up from the couch. he gives me a puzzled look.

"i just-"

"does anyone know we're here?" i blurt, going to the fridge to grab a bottle of water for myself.

"no. no one even knows i own this place." ethan says, hoisting himself to sit up on the countertop. i take a long drink, keeping my eyes on him.

"have you even checked your head?" he asks, jumping down to the floor. immediately, he stands behind me, his fingers searching through my hair to check for any injuries.

"ethan, come on." i breathe out, annoyed.

"you're bleeding a bit," he tells me, showing his fingertips which are now covered in blood.

"we need to get you to a hospital."

"whatever." i huff.

"what is up with you all of a sudden?"

"nothing, okay? let's just fucking go." i grab my coat from the rack at the front door, going to the car. i slide myself into the passenger side, deciding to let him drive. ethan gets behind the wheel, and we don't talk the whole time.

"how did this happen?" the nurse asks, putting something on the back of my head that stings.

"i fell." i look at ethan for assurance. he shrugs.

"backwards?"

"yeah, i slipped on the the ice in my driveway."

reasonable.

"you should be all good. no stitches are needed, but just take it easy for a few days," she looks to ethan who's standing against the wall with his arms crossed.

"i presume you're the husband?" she asks him, and i see his eyes widen.

"yes i am." he blurts out without hesitation, and i shoot him a scowl, but when the nurse looks back at me, i smile.

"i'd keep a close eye on her then, don't want her having any more accidents." she enunciates the word a little too much for my comfort.

"don't worry, she's in safe hands." ethan exclaims in a hard tone, causing the nurse to look his way before slipping out the door.

"so now you're my husband?" i shoot him a hard look.

"only if you'll have me, princess." he smirks, his arms flexing against his chest.

"oh don't tempt me." i tease, my voice oozing with sarcasm.

"haven't i already?" he says bluntly, keeping his eyes on me.

i feel my cheeks flush, do i answer him truthfully? it would be a nice difference after all these lies, right?

"hardly." i spat, almost immediately regretting my words.

ethan's face softens with pain, lowering his head to examine his shoes.

"why are you acting this way...," he says softly, "i'm doing everything i can to protect you."

i nervously pick at the hangnail on my thumb.

"i know ethan...i know."

when we get back home, the two of us sit on the couch, drinking wine.

"did you cry over....it?" his question makes me cringe, but i answer honestly.

"not at first. honestly, i didn't want to have her because i didn't want grayson to hurt her, and i knew she wasn't made out of love."

"she?"