After they finished dinner, they went to the living room. The atmosphere in the living room had settled into a rare calm after the playful teasing, but the conversation had taken an unexpected turn. Xander's twin brothers, Elliot and Evan, had managed to bring an unexpected lightness to the otherwise tense household. Erin sat across from them, half-listening, her thoughts drifting. The light-hearted banter between the three men was refreshing, but a small part of her still couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't belong here. She had a role to play, a mission that she was trying—albeit poorly—to ignore.
Xander leaned back against the plush couch, his usual stoic expression softened in the presence of his brothers, who were nothing like him in mannerisms but clearly shared the same sharp grey eyes.
"I still don't get it," Elliot said, grinning mischievously. "So, you're telling us she's not your girlfriend?"
Xander's gaze shifted towards Erin. His dark eyes were steady, the usual aloofness creeping back as he looked at his brothers. "No, she's not my girlfriend. Why will you even think that when I have a fiancé?"
Erin raised an eyebrow. The casualness with which he dismissed the idea made her stomach churn slightly. Was that a hint of… indifference? She tried not to let it bother her, but the thought of him with someone else, especially so easily written off in front of his brothers, stung. It shouldn't have. But it did.
"But you didn't answer my other question," Evan chimed in, a lazy grin spreading across his face. He turned to Erin, his gaze appraising, his voice light with a playful edge. "Are you his personal maid, or something more?"
Erin stiffened, her palms suddenly clammy. Xander's eyes darted briefly to hers, an unreadable expression flickering across his face. She shook her head, the words tumbling from her before she could stop them. "I'm not his girlfriend. I'm his personal maid. Nothing more, nothing less." she said, a forced lightness to her tone.
The twins exchanged glances, and then Elliot, ever the instigator, raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're really just his personal maid?" he said, the teasing lilt unmistakable in his voice.
Erin was about to reply, but before she could say anything, Xander's voice cut through the air, low and sharp.
"She's not just a personal maid." His tone was firm, bordering on defensive.
Erin blinked, glancing at him in surprise. He was never one to show such emotion, but now, in front of his brothers, his expression had shifted. His jaw was clenched, and his fists, though relaxed at his sides, were still tense. She had expected him to brush off the comment, to let it slide, but there was something protective in his voice.
Elliot raised both hands in mock surrender, clearly enjoying the rare moment of Xander showing something more than indifference. "Hey, I was just teasing. No need to get all upset."
"Yeah, no harm in asking," Evan added with a smirk. He shifted on the couch, his gaze flitting between Xander and Erin. "I mean, if she's not your girlfriend, that means she's still, uh, available… right?"
The air around Erin seemed to thicken. Her heart skipped, and she glanced at Xander, who was now visibly irritated. The subtle tension in the room was palpable. He clenched his jaw, his gaze locking onto Evan with an intensity that made Erin's breath catch in her throat.
Xander was always calm, controlled. But now? There was something darker in his expression. Jealousy? Erin wasn't sure, but the heat in the room seemed to mirror the heat in Xander's gaze.
"She's not available,'" Xander growled, his voice low and dangerous, almost too intense for the casual atmosphere they'd cultivated up until now. He stood up, the motion abrupt, and he directed his attention entirely at his brothers. "Enough."
The brothers exchanged surprised looks but wisely chose to drop the subject. Xander's usual composure was gone, replaced by something Erin had never quite seen before: a possessiveness that made her heart flutter, but also left her unsettled.
As Xander stormed away, his brothers fell silent, perhaps realizing they'd crossed a line they didn't understand. Erin sat frozen, her thoughts muddled, heart pounding against her chest. She had no idea what just happened, but it was clear that whatever was going on between her and Xander was far more complicated than she had ever allowed herself to admit.
Her eyes lingered on the door through which he had disappeared, and she couldn't shake the lingering thought that something had shifted—something subtle but undeniable.
Elliot broke the silence with a quiet chuckle, glancing at Erin. "Don't worry about him. He doesn't show it much, but I think you're his soft spot."
Erin glanced back at him, startled by his insight. Was he joking? Or did he actually know something about his brother that she didn't?
Evan leaned in, his smirk ever-present. "Xander's not great at showing affection, but when he does… trust me, you'll feel it."
Erin felt a strange flush crawl up her neck at the suggestion. She didn't know what to say.
"I—uh—need to go check on him," Erin said hurriedly, standing up before either of them could say anything else. Her heart was racing, and she didn't quite know why.
She pushed past the twins, not giving them a chance to respond. She needed to process what had just happened, but more than that, she needed to see Xander—understand what had just ignited in him, and why it had left her so unsettled.
As Erin reached the door to Xander's room, she paused. Was it really just jealousy? Or was there something more? Before she could knock, the door opened slightly, and Xander stood in the doorway. His expression was a careful mask of indifference, but his eyes—his eyes betrayed him. There was something vulnerable there, something raw.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly, her voice almost a whisper.
Xander didn't answer at first, his gaze studying her. After a long pause, he spoke in a low, measured tone. "I don't like them talking about you like that."
Erin's heart skipped. The honesty in his voice was something she hadn't expected, especially after how he'd been acting earlier. His hands were shoved in his pockets, and he stood a little too rigid, like he was still fighting some internal battle.
She took a step closer, meeting his gaze with her own. "You don't have to protect me, Xander. It's just… teasing."
His lips thinned, and for a brief second, Erin thought she saw a flash of something—regret? Frustration? She couldn't tell.
"I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But… I don't like it. They don't get to decide what you are to me."
Erin swallowed, the weight of his words settling heavily in her chest. Her mind raced, her thoughts conflicted. He was showing her sides of himself she hadn't anticipated—sides that made her heart race but also left her unsure of what she was supposed to feel.
"Xander, I…" she started, but the words faltered on her lips.
He stepped back, allowing her into the room. "You don't have to say anything," he murmured, his gaze softening for the first time. "I just… don't want you to think I don't care."
Erin's heart ached at the raw vulnerability in his voice, but it was a vulnerability she didn't know how to handle. She didn't know what this was—what he was trying to tell her. But one thing was for sure: things had changed. And there was no going back.
As she stood there, with him so close yet so distant, Erin couldn't help but wonder what kind of person she was becoming in this house, with Xander by her side.