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Evie
"Max."
I was hesitant to approach. I could feel his anger radiating off him in waves. Julian was doing his best to calm him down, but it seemed like everything he said only made things worse.
So I waited.
Until I saw my brother fall apart. Until I saw him accept the truth of what Julian was saying.
That he wasn't my father.
That he couldn't control me.
That I would continue to push back if he didn't stop trying to control me.
When Max looked up and we made eye contact, it was like I was looking at a version of my brother I didn't recognize. He was ... sad. Destroyed. It broke me to see him like that. I always saw him as strong and full of life.
"I love you," I say as he pulls me into his arms. "You know that, right?"
"I'm not sorry. I'll never be sorry for protecting you. For loving you, Evie. You're my baby sister. I have to watch out for you."
Pulling back, I stare up at my big brother and attempt to see the situation through his eyes. It's not hard. He still sees me as the little girl who used to cry when boys would pull her hair. The same little girl who promised him she would never date boys because they were gross.
I'm not that girl anymore.
"You don't have to be sorry, Max. You just have to release the chain a little. I feel like I can't be myself when you're around. I can't talk to anyone you don't know. I can't dress a certain way."
"You're practically naked." His face goes serious as he takes in my outfit. It's scandalous, more so than my usual attire, but all the important parts are covered.
"There were girls in there wearing a lot less."
"Yes, and they weren't my sister."
"But they were someone's sister. And you would have hit on them or slept with them without giving that a second thought."
"Which is why I want to protect you from guys like me. Like Leo."
"You're a good guy, Max. You always have been. And Leo is nice. He hasn't even kissed me yet. I think he's too scared you're going to murder him if he does." Placing my hands on my hips, I wait for him to deny my accusation, but all he does is shrug his shoulders. "Leave Leo alone, Max. I like him."
"I don't."
"You chose him, handpicked him from all the pledges, to be your little brother. There has to be something you like about him."
Max scoffs, staring at his shoes as he kicks at the grass on the edge of the sidewalk. I'm sure there's a reason he chose Leo; he just doesn't want to admit it. Doesn't want to confess that he's a good guy. That would be too close to him giving me permission to like him.
And we can't have that.
That would be against everything Max believes in.
Punching him in the shoulder, he barely flinches, but the move gets his attention. His smile is forced so I pull him in for another hug.
"You should go back to the party, mingle, do the presidential thing."
"And you should go home and put some clothes on."
He can't see me roll my eyes, but that doesn't stop me. Letting out a sigh, I release Max and push him toward the house. Watching as he goes, I can still see his anger rolling off him in waves.
He's not going to calm down anytime soon, and I don't want to be here to witness his downfall. If he doesn't get his shit together soon, he's going to lose everything he's worked for the last three years. The brothers could vote him out as president, or worse.
