The parking lot was a stage, and every student lingering there was part of the audience.
Engines hummed in the background, doors slammed shut, but no one left. They wanted a show. And Ethan Grant, standing under the late afternoon sun with that calm fire in his eyes, was giving them one.
"I said," Ethan repeated, voice low but carrying, "I need to talk to her."
Lila's heart hammered in her chest. She hated how the entire world seemed to fade until it was just him—dangerous, stubborn, and unshaken despite four furious brothers in his way.
"No," Aiden snapped, stepping forward. His fists were already balled. "You don't get to 'need' anything when it comes to our sister."
Ethan tilted his head slightly, finally letting his gaze flicker to Aiden. "You really think you can control her choices forever?"
"She's not choosing you," Jordan said coldly.
"That's her decision," Ethan shot back.
"She already decided," Tyler said, crossing his arms. "And she's not interested."
Lila's throat tightened. She hadn't actually said that. She should've. But the words had stuck in her chest, trapped by something she couldn't name.
Ethan caught the silence. His gaze snapped back to her, sharp as a blade. "Is that true, Lila?"
Her breath stuttered. The whole parking lot was listening. Her brothers loomed over her, waiting for her to deny him.
And Ethan… Ethan was waiting for the crack in her armor.
She swallowed hard. "I don't—"
"Don't answer him," Aiden barked, his voice cutting hers off.
Something inside her snapped. "Stop it!" she yelled, louder than she intended. Heads turned, whispers surged.
Her brothers froze. Ethan's smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but his eyes burned with something rawer.
"I can speak for myself," Lila said through gritted teeth.
But before she could continue, her dad's unmistakable black SUV pulled into the lot. The tinted windows rolled down, revealing her father's sharp gaze beneath the shadow of his brow.
The murmurs around them grew louder. Everyone at school knew the rumors about her family—their reputation, their influence. And right now, those rumors felt very real.
"Inside. Now." Her dad's voice was final.
Her brothers didn't hesitate. Aiden grabbed her bag. Jordan took her arm gently but firmly. Tyler and Caleb flanked her as they herded her toward the SUV like she was the most valuable treasure in the world.
Ethan didn't move. He stood there, unbothered, watching as if he already knew this wasn't the end.
Just before Jordan closed the door behind her, Ethan called out. His voice carried over the lot, echoing like a vow.
"I'm not going anywhere, Lila."
The door slammed shut, but his words followed her all the way home.
Dinner that night was a battlefield without weapons.
Her mom tried to keep the peace, setting down plates of roasted chicken and potatoes, asking about school.
But at the far end of the table, her dad sat like a king at war council, his sharp eyes pinned on his children.
"So," he said finally, voice deceptively calm, "which one of you is going to explain why I got three phone calls about a fight in the parking lot?"
Aiden's jaw tightened. "He cornered her."
"He didn't touch me," Lila muttered.
"Not yet," Aiden shot back.
Her dad's fork clinked against his plate. "His name."
"Ethan Cole," Jordan supplied.
Her dad leaned back slowly. He didn't shout, didn't curse. He didn't have to. The silence around him was heavy enough.
"He's not welcome near this family," he said finally. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," all four brothers echoed.
Lila opened her mouth. "Dad—"
His eyes snapped to her. "No. You don't get to argue this. You don't understand the kind of boys who think they can own something just because they want it."
Her chest ached. "I'm not something to be owned."
"Exactly," he said sharply. "Which is why he'll never have the chance."
Her mom reached over and squeezed her hand gently, a silent comfort in the storm. Her big sister, Elara sitting on the other side, leaned close enough to whisper, "Don't worry. I'll help you figure this out."
Lila forced a smile, but her stomach was in knots.
Because even if her dad outlawed Ethan from their world, she knew one thing for certain.
Ethan wasn't going to obey.
She was right.
That night, when the house was asleep, Lila slipped onto her balcony to breathe in the cool night air.
And nearly screamed when a shadow moved below.
"Relax," Ethan's voice drifted up, calm as ever.
Her pulse shot into overdrive. "Are you insane?!" she hissed. "My dad will literally shoot you if he finds you here."
He smirked up at her, hands in his pockets like he owned the darkness. "Then don't tell him."