Chapter 4
Oh that's just great. Fox rolled his eyes. "Excuse you. What the hell is your problem?"
Ethan seethed with anger. "My problem is you. What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Fox didn't let go of Theresa. He didn't plan on letting go either. "What's it look like I'm doing? I'm comforting Theresa. She got upset." Fox said matter-of-factly.
"Upset? Please Fox. You're just looking for an opportunity to-"
"STOP IT!" cried Theresa. "I've heard enough!" Theresa freed herself from Fox's hold. "I-"
She looked from Ethan to Fox and couldn't take it. Tears filled her eyes and she fled the room.
"Now look what you did." Ethan said exasperatingly.
"What I did?! I didn't do a damn thing. You're the one who rudely interrupted us by screaming like a psychotic bastard."
"Psychotic bastard?" Ethan scoffed. "You have a lot of nerve Fox. First, you pay a surprise visit. The next, you're bothering Theresa-"
"Bothering?" interrupted Fox. "I am not bothering anyone."
"Please Fox, save it. The only person you've been around since you've gotten here is Theresa. I don't know what stunt you're trying to pull, but you better leave Theresa alone."
Fox sighed. "Oh half-brother of mine, when will you stop telling me this? You've repeated over and over again, 'Leave Theresa alone' blah, blah, blah." Fox walked up to Ethan. Fox towered over Ethan and pointed a finger to his face. "Stop trying to tell me what to do and mind your own damn business. If I choose to be around Theresa then that's my decision."
"Well then its a risky decision Fox because I swear to God if you try anything on her I'll-"
"You'll what, Ethan?" questioned Fox. "Beat me up? Recall the night I got here and we had a little scuffle in Theresa's bedroom. Remember how that one turned up? I kicked your scrawny ass."
"Uh no you didn't. No one won that fight." said a livid Ethan balling his hands into fists.
Fox laughed. "Whatever Ethan. Believe what you want to believe to protect you're pride. Anyhow, you can't keep me away from Theresa no matter what you say or do."
"I'll do whatever it takes to keep you away from her."
"Why the sudden change of heart Ethan? She kicked mother out in the snow and for awhile it seemed apparent that you hated her for that. Why are you still so protective of her Ethan? Do you still love her?" Fox questioned.
"Well I'm surprised you don't hate her for putting mother out." Ethan replied avoiding the questions.
"I don't think of mother in the way that you do. You see her as this caring, loving mother, but I see her as a cold-hearted woman who had the nerve to turn most of her attention on one son. The son who came from the man she supposedly loved." Fox said resentfully.
"That is not true. She did not put all her attention on me."
"Oh please, Ethan. Think about it. Mother would drop anything and everything to shower you with love whenever you came in the room. But if I came into the room that was a different story. Just to ask for a little peck on the cheek was too much to ask of her. No, Ethan. You got everything. The hugs, the attention. You were and still are numero uno to her. Mother doesn't care about me nor my sisters-your half-sisters. She didn't give a damn about me nor the others because we were the spawn of Julian. She could care less about us and you know it. You just don't want to destroy that perfect picture you've painted of her all these damn years." Fox began to walk away.
"We're not finished here Fox." Ethan said.
"Oh? What else is there to discuss? I've said what I wanted to say to you already."
"But I haven't said all that I've wanted to say to you."
Fox looked in disdain at his half-brother. "Fine, go ahead. I'm listening." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"I'm sorry that you feel that way about mother. But I don't want you using that to your advantage."
"'My advantage?'" "What the-"
"Don't try using that to get sympathy from Theresa." interrupted Ethan in a warning tone.
"I shoulda known. Theresa. You know what your damn problem is Ethan? You can't leave her alone! You can't mind your own damn business. Ya know, I think the only reason why you're warning me is because you're afraid that she may move on to bigger and better things. It would irk you if she moved on to someone like me wouldn't it?" questioned Fox already knowing the answer.
"Someone like you doesn't deserve Theresa." said Ethan.
"Well, that's not your decision to make Ethan." Fox said.
"Maybe not. But like I said, I will do anything to keep you away from her."
"You can try Ethan, but you won't succeed. Besides, I've already made my decision about Theresa."
"'Your decision'? And what might that be?"
"I am going to pursue her, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it." Fox said knowing he was pushing Ethan towards the edge.
"That's bullshit Fox. Besides, she's your step-mother damnit." Ethan seethed.
"No matter. I know she's still married to dear old pops but that isn't going to stop me. That's just one of the two obstacles I've got to overcome."
" 'One of two'? What's the other obstacle?" asked a curious Ethan.
"She's still in love with you Ethan." Fox said waiting to see the effect his statement made on his half-brother.
Ethan's heart broke. He tried to mask his feelings in front of his half-brother. "She knows it's over between me and her." he said in a low tone.
"Yeah, well she still loves you just the same. But don't worry Ethan. I'll be there for her. I'll be comforting her and making her forget all about you by- well, I won't reveal how but I have my ways of letting women forget all their troubles. And ya know, they seem to enjoy it. A lot. " Fox bragged with a smirk on his face.
"You will keep your damn hands off of her if you know what's good for you."
"I know what's good for me Ethan. And what's good for me includes Theresa. You know you're a damn fool for letting her go. Oh well. That's your loss and my gain." Fox said pointing to himself.
Ethan was ready to charge his half-brother. Anger boiled inside him.
"You can't do a damn thing Ethan. She will be mine and there's nothing you can do about that."
Fox walked away confidently knowing Ethan felt helpless.
"We'll see about that." Ethan said through clenched teeth.
"See about what?" asked Gwen coming up behind her husband.