Chapter 05: A lesson to teach

ETHAN

I dropped by my brother's apartment for breakfast on Monday. I missed New York, it was good to be back. After six years of living in London, I had already acquired enough English customs. But I knew that soon I would start missing it, the people and their polite and reserved behavior that made me feel good and aligned with my ideal of a peaceful life without disturbances and commotion.

"I'm leaving, honey," Zoe approached to kiss my brother.

If someone asked me, I would vehemently deny that a part of me deep down envied what they had. Zoe entered my brother's life like a hurricane. I still remembered how he had gone crazy when he met her, more stressed and grumpy because he couldn't stand her and, at the same time, felt attracted to her. Bennett went through hell. That thought reminded me of a certain mad scientist who was spending more time in my head than I would like to admit. I pushed the thought away.

"Goodbye, Ethan, we'll finish that conversation later," she smiled at me.

Zoe was a beautiful and elegant woman, but the most incredible thing about her was her strength, always ready to fight tooth and nail to get what she wanted. It wasn't difficult to come to love and admire her after getting to know her a little. While I didn't know how the two of them had managed to deal with their differences without killing each other, I could see how alike they were in their determination. My brother was one of the most stubborn people I knew, and I couldn't even explain how proud I was of him and of being able to work alongside him.

"Don't encourage that," Bennett told her disapprovingly. We were sitting in the kitchen, around the counter, having breakfast.

"Don't meddle, Morgan," she rolled her eyes. "Good luck with your work," she said before heading towards the exit, walking firmly in her stiletto heels."

"Leave her alone, or this won't end well," he pointed the fork at me.

"It's fine."

"No, it's not. What Zoe wants to happen and what you're trying to do are very different things."

"I'm just trying to teach that woman a lesson."

"What lesson could you teach her? I told you it was a bad idea to even consider getting involved with Ellie. She's not the type of woman for you."

"Seems like you and she think alike. You both think she's too good for me."

"It's not about that, and you know it. Your lifestyle and everything I've heard them talk about regarding what Ellie wants right now don't align. It wouldn't end well."

"My lifestyle?"

"Yes, you want nothing more than sex because you're a fool who wants to be alone for the rest of your life, and you're afraid to give your heart to someone again because of what happened in the past."

"What does that have to do with it? She's an attractive woman. I didn't think I would offend her by inviting her to my bed. She started all this, by judging me and being arrogant. I tried to make things right between us, as you asked, but she refused. So why should I keep trying?"

"You don't have to try, just don't do what you're doing."

"I could do that if she stopped insulting me."

"You started this."

"Come on, Ben? I just invited her to have sex. It's not a big deal. She could have simply said no, but she decided to treat me like the worst scoundrel and be mean to me. She's exaggerating."

"You were a scoundrel. She's our friend, and you didn't know her for five minutes before deciding you wanted to fuck her." My brother got up, taking his plate to the sink.

"This could have been just a nice night if she had said yes. Why the hell are you all trying to make it into something bigger than it really is?"

"You're trying to make it seem normal, but I know you understand her side."

"I can understand, but it doesn't mean I'm going to let her use it to act superior and treat me however she wants. She's the one being a bitch."

"When all of this ends badly, remember that I tried to warn you."

"You weren't much better than I am with women. Do you really think you can advise about this?"

"I know you want different things. So just stay away from her, for both your sakes."

"She started it, Ben."

"Then finish it."

"Fine. When I teach her a lesson." He laughed and turned, leaning against the sink.

"When life kicks your ass, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Life can kick my ass after that woman spends a night with me and then comes begging for more."

"Do as you please. But remember, it might be you who ends up begging."

"I'm not like you."

"No, you're not. You're even more of a fool. And you know what? I'll enjoy seeing Ellie kick your ass. Now let's get to work."

It seems like my brother was thinking that it would end up like him, with that arrogant and self-assured mad scientist? She was attractive, and yes, I spent a good amount of time thinking about that ass and imagining what it would be like to run my hand under that skirt she wore on Friday. And to discover that her skin was as soft as I had imagined, and also how it would feel to have those full lips around my cock while she looked up at me with those grayish-blue eyes, and I held her by the nape of her neck, fingers entwined in the waves of her unruly brown hair.

Oh yes, I thought about it a lot. And how I would make her beg to have me inside her, just to break that "I'm too good for you" facade, but that was it. She needed to learn a lesson, and I needed to stop thinking about that ass so much. It was never good to dwell too much on a woman, even if it was just for sexual interest. So if that woman decided on her own that I'm a scoundrel, I would act like one towards her.