Page 6 of Ruthless Possession

But maybe that’s what hewanted—to see how long I could take it before I cracked.

And I wascracking.

CHAPTER 5

Noah

The party was loud, the kind of loud that made it hard to think.But I didn’t need to think.I already knew why I was here.

William.

I’d been watching him since he walked in, my eyes tracking his every move.He was drunk—laughing too loud, smiling too much, his movements loose and uncoordinated.He looked… different.Carefree.Like he didn’t have a single thought in his head.

And it pissed me off.

Because he wasn’t supposed to look like that.He wasn’t supposed to be laughing, flirting, touching someone else like I didn’t exist.Like that night didn’t exist.

My grip tightened around the glass in my hand, my jaw clenching as I watched him lean into some guy, his hand resting on the guy’s arm.The guy said something, and William laughed, his head tilting back, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“You gonna just stand here all night, bro?”Ethan’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to see my brother smirking at me, his arms crossed over his chest.“Or are you actually going to do something about that?”

I didn’t answer.I didn’t need to.Ethan knew exactly why I was here.He’d been giving me shit all week about William, about how I couldn’t seem to let him go.And maybe he was right.Maybe I couldn’t.

But that didn’t mean I was going to admit it.

“Looks like he’s moved on,” Ethan said, nodding toward William.“Guess one night wasn’t enough to keep him hooked, huh?”

I shot him a glare, but he just laughed, clearly enjoying himself.“Relax, man.He’s just having fun.You should try it sometime.”

I didn’t respond.My eyes were locked on William, watching as he leaned in closer to the guy, his hand sliding down to rest on the guy’s chest.My stomach twisted, a surge of anger rising in my chest.

He wasn’t supposed to be touching anyone else.

“You know,” Ethan said, his voice dripping with amusement, “if you want him that bad, maybe you should actually do something about it.Instead of just standing here, brooding like some kind of possessive psycho.”

I shot him another glare, but he just shrugged, holding up his hands in mock surrender.“Just saying, man.You’re not exactly subtle.”

I didn’t respond.My eyes were still on William, watching as he laughed at something else the guy said,what the fuck could be that funny.My chest tightened, a wave of possessiveness crashing over me.He wasn’t supposed to be laughing like that with someone else.He wasn’t supposed to be looking at someone else like that.

He was,is,supposed to be mine.

I downed the rest of my drink, slamming the glass down on the bar.Enough was enough.If William thought he could just forget about me, he was wrong.If he thought he could move on, flirt with someone else, pretend like I didn’t exist, he was about to learn just how wrong he was.

I pushed off the bar, my eyes never leaving William as I made my way across the room.The crowd parted for me, people stepping out of my way without a word.They knew better than to get in my way when I looked like this.

William didn’t notice me at first.He was too busy laughing, too busy flirting, too busy pretending like I didn’t exist.But then I was there, standing right in front of him, and his laughter died in his throat.

“Noah,” he said, his voice slightly slurred from the alcohol.His eyes widened, and I could see the flicker of something—defiance?—in his gaze.“What are you doing here?”

I didn’t answer.My eyes dropped to the guy he’d been flirting with, “Are you going to move or do you want me to break your hands,” I said and felt a surge of satisfaction when the guy immediately backed off, muttering something about needing another drink.

Good.He knew better than to get in my way.

“Having fun?”I asked, my voice low and dangerous.William blinked, his cheeks flushing as he looked away.

“I—I was just—”

“Flirting,” I finished for him, stepping closer.“With someone who isn’t me.”

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