Perfect Bastard (by Mary D. Sant) novel Chapter 108

Chapter 108: Christmas Surprises

ELLIE

The drive to Ethan’s parents‘ house in Irvington took just over thirty

minutes. The property, nestled in a suburban area, was surrounded by

lush, natural landscapes. The house wasn’t just enormous, it was

luxurious.

Despite all the money they seemed to have, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan were

simply delightful.

They seemed so loving toward their two sons that it made the

atmosphere warm and welcoming. It quickly put me at ease.

Zoe and Bennett had arrived before us. It seemed they planned to stay

the night. After a pleasant chat in the living room, we all finally

gathered at the table for lunch.

I could tell Ethan was a little upset, even though he answered his

parents lovingly throughout the conversation.

Mary and Henry asked a few questions about how we met. It appeared

Ethan wasn’t one to share much about his love life with his parents.

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But, considering his past, maybe it was because he didn’t really have

one. In fact, he actively avoided anything beyond casual sex.

It made me reflect on how far we’d come, despite the obstacles. When

I met him, he abhorred any type of relationship beyond sex. But here

we were, officially together, in his parents‘ home.

We had overcome a lot, but his trauma seemed far more complex than

mine. I had managed to get over the abandonment and completely

forget Todd, but moving past the betrayal of someone you were about

to marry seemed a million times harder.

I was proud of him for fighting to get us here. The thought made me

rest my hand on his at the table, squeezing it lightly, which made him

look at me with a bit of confusion.

“It’s funny how fate works, isn’t it?” Ethan’s mother said. “You two

could have met much earlier if my son had attended his brother’s

wedding.”

“I suppose so,” I agreed with a smile.

“Fair point,” Bennett teased from across the table. “You missed my wedding and ended up missing out on the girl.”

“I’m not sure if that would’ve made any difference,” Ethan shrugged.

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“You would’ve just told me to stay away from her, like you did when I

met her.”

“You know I had my reasons,” Bennett replied.

“Sure, you were just playing the protective role with poor Miss Brown,

like everyone else,” Ethan retorted, dripping with sarcasm.

I shot Ethan a disapproving look before smiling at Bennett.

“Thank you for that,” I said.

“Are you sure you’re thanking the right person?” Zoe chimed in.

“Do you expect me to thank you for being nosy?” I asked, raising an

eyebrow.

“It seems there’s a lot we still don’t know, darling,” Ethan’s father

added with amusement.

I’d seen him at the wedding, but I hadn’t realized how much he

resembled his son. Bennett was practically a younger version of him-

maybe less charming and a bit more grumpy, but just as handsome.

His dark hair and strong jawline made him almost a carbon copy of

Henry.

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Ethan, on the other hand, had his mother’s dark blond hair, though

his features leaned more toward Henry’s. Some of his traits were a bit

more refined than Bennett’s, which might have been what made him

so attractive.

“But I’m sure my son would’ve noticed a girl like you,” Henry finally

said.

“No doubt about it,” Ethan agreed with a mischievous smile, placing

his hand on my thigh. “She had the most important thing,” he teased,

making me remember what he’d said the other day.

Bastard. I pinched his hand under the table, and he chuckled.

“A big heart,” he concluded, trying to hold back a laugh as he looked

at me.

I glared at him, trying to push his hand away, to no avail.

“I’m still mad at you,” his eyes burning with possessiveness as he

tried to mask it with a fake smile.

“Is that why you’re being such an idiot?” I shot back, forcing a fake

smile of my own.

His fingers tightened possessively around my thigh.

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“You’re lucky we’re at this table right now,” he murmured, almost

inaudibly.

“Or what?” I challenged.

“You’ll see, my beautiful, annoying little thing,” he muttered through gritted teeth, removing his hand from my thigh and gripping my chin

instead.

His tone not only irritated me, but also made me crave him to follow

through on his threat.

The conversation around the table continued, and I listened to a few more stories about Ethan and Bennett’s childhood and teenage years. Zoe seemed completely at home. After all, she was already part of the

family.

At some point, just before dessert, she suddenly stood up, excusing herself to go to the bathroom. I found it odd when Bennett followed

shortly after.

“Do you think this is, like, a couple thing?” I asked Ethan teasingly

before taking a sip of my juice.

“It’s just an excuse to fuck in one of the bathrooms,” he whispered,

and I nearly choked on my drink.

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I stared at him wide–eyed.

“You’re kidding.”

“Why the surprise?”

Oh God, it wasn’t a joke–he was actually serious. Were they really

going to do that with his parents here?

“Do you want to go to the bathroom too?” he asked loud enough for

his parents to hear.

“I’m fine,” I said, surprised by his skill at deception.

He smiled, pleased with himself for making me flustered.

*

An hour later, we decided it was time to leave. I said goodbye to

Henry, while Ethan did the same with his mother. Then we switched.

Mrs. Morgan approached me with a smile and hugged me warmly.

“You have no idea how happy I am to have you here,” she said, her eyes shining before she pulled back. “Not only is this the first time he’s brought someone here, but we also know how much this means

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after everything he’s been through. That’s why I’m sure you’re very

special. So, thank you.”

Her words touched me; she was clearly emotional.

“I love him,” I admitted. “Thank you for having me.”

“I hope it won’t be long before you visit again.”

“Of course.”

“Shall we?” Ethan asked, joining us.‘

I nodded.

“Thanks, Mom. Everything was wonderful,” he said, placing a hand on