#dolan imagines

The biggest change had been your location. As soon as quarantine was beginning to shut down travel, Ethan begged you to come back from California to be with him and his family in New Jersey. 

It had only taken a few “Baby please, I can’t focus if I don’t know when I’m gonna see you next” type of pleas for you to succumb, and with online classes you had no reason not to. But that wasn’t the only change...

Your mornings started per usual - you were trying, no matter how futile, to stay close to your original schedule. When you woke up, you’d roll over into Ethan (if you’d strayed that is, sometimes you woke up wrapped up in his arms) and run your fingers along his cheek. It was always just enough to stir him so you didn’t startle him, but not enough to wake him up fully. Grayson had been nice enough to give the two of you their old room, and you soaked up the privacy while you could. 

“Morning baby,” he would always mumble, pulling you in tightly to his chest for a minute and nuzzling into your hair. You’d be content there for a little while, pressing gentle kisses to his skin until he loosened up a bit and you were able to get free. Then, he would lull back to sleep fully, curling up in the covers when you got up. You’d pull on one of his hoodies, a sports bra and some pants, then head downstairs, laptop in hand.

Since you didn’t have to commute, you gave yourself about an hour more of sleep, which meant you actually got up around the same time as Grayson. Most the time, even he wasn’t up as early as you during normal school back in California. But seeing him in the morning now was actually really nice - you and Gray had bonded so quickly when you met them, and he was instantly like a brother to you. You weren’t sure it would have worked out if you weren’t as close as you were.

Wednesday morning, he was headed out on a run, but was eating his breakfast in the kitchen before he left.

“Morning Y/N,” he smiled, passing you a plate with a piece of avocado toast and some cut up apples that had been sitting on the counter.

“Gray you didn’t need to make me breakfast!” You exclaimed, but your heart warmed at his thoughtfulness. 

“Early bird gets the worm. Besides, isn’t it almost finals week? I know that’s supposed to be hell, might as well get some good fuel in.” He said it casually, but you wanted to cry - it meant so much that he even knew that it was finals week in the first place. 

“Thanks. It really means a lot,” you said, throat a bit tight. 

“Don’t mention it,” he smiled, passing you and ruffling your hair as he headed out the door.

You ate the toast, grateful for something on your stomach as you started looking at the assignments you still had due this week. And as you expected, it was a lot. Lots of studying was a given, but you had a 30 page paper due by Friday, and you’d only made it about a third of the way through. You wanted to knock the rest of it out by the end of the day, but it was going to be hard, with lots of research involved. 

And so you made another trip up to Ethan’s room, snagging your backpack and smiling at his curled up form and quiet snores. With a sigh you left the room again, curling up on the couch by all the tall windows, trying to at least enjoy the view if you had to be stuck by your computer all day. 

Then the real work began. Website after website, journals, textbooks, citations; over and over and over again as you began to chip away at the paper. The world kept moving around you, mostly in the background. Grayson got back from his run, getting a glass of water from the kitchen. Lisa waved her good morning, leaving you to your work and not wanting to interrupt. 

Your attention shifted around 10am, when Ethan made his way out of bed and into the kitchen, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He looked so soft in the morning, and you knew exactly what was coming before it even happened. You moved your laptop backwards, waiting.

Sure enough, he shuffled his way over to the couch, curling up on the cushions and laying his head on your lap, mumbling a bit as he got comfortable. You leaned down to kiss his head, running your fingers across his scalp and feeling him hum at the sensation. He was still tired - he always got up earlier if you weren’t still in bed with him - so it was no surprise that he dozed off again beside you. You simply reached over him, typing away on your computer as best you could. 

If you had it your way, you’d spend the whole day doing nothing with Ethan. You’d be content to lounge out with him, doing nothing. Since the boys had switched from their vigorous schedule, they’d both become so much more relaxed, and it was so nice to enjoy the free time you had. 

But you didn’t get your way. And the paper wasn’t going as easily as you thought it would.

So you wrote. And wrote. And wrote. It was like pulling teeth trying to piece it all together, and it was taking forever. The frustration mounted, and Ethan could tell you were stressed so he let you be, knowing that when you were doing school stuff it was better to just leave you to your devices. 

But come 6pm, he couldn’t take the look on your face anymore.

“Baby. Babe. Y/N.” It took three times to get your attention, but you peeled your eyes away from the screen, looking up at him. He looked sad, but you’d known him long enough to realize that he was worried.

You slid your laptop over to the arm of the couch, signaling that you wanted him to join you for a minute. You hadn’t even noticed he had a cup of tea in his hand, which he sat down on the table for you before he sat down next to you.

“You alright? You’ve been working all day.” His voice was soft, and his skin was cold. You realized suddenly that he smelled like a mixture of pine and saw dust. He’d been outside with Gray. 

“I’m okay. Just stressed out. This paper isn’t as easy as I thought it would be, but I’ve made it this far and I’m gonna finish it today if it kills me,” you explained, rubbing at your eyes. They were sore from staring at your screen for so long. 

“Which translates to ‘I love you but I’m not taking a break no matter what you say’, huh?” Ethan offered you a soft smile. You leaned into his shoulder, nuzzling up for a moment and breathing him in.

“Once I’m done I’m all yours. Promise,” you whispered. 

“That’s not what I’m worried about love. I just don’t want you in here all stressed out. I hate it,” he explained. 

“I’ll be okay,” you reassured him.

“I know, and I know you’ll kill it, like you always do. Doesn’t mean I like seeing you upset. What’s this one about anyways?” He gestured to your screen.

“Spinal cord injuries. It’s a case study about a 16 year old, focused on paraplegia, and patient education about autonomic dysreflexia.”

“Well, as usual, I’m fucking useless,” he mumbled. Usually when he said something about your intelligence in regards to his, he was joking. But there was something else behind this one that made your heart tighten a bit. 

You were about to ask him what was wrong, but Grayson came back in from outside - the workshop, no doubt - and made his way to the kitchen. 

“Y/N, you up for two Grayson meals in one day? I’m making veggie burgers,” he offered, already pulling out pans.

“Yeah that would be great actually,” you smiled at him.

“Alright, 3 burgers coming up,” he replied, not having to ask Ethan if he wanted one. 

“You got this. I’m gonna work on the video for a while, okay?” Ethan kissed your temple before getting up and leaving you to it.

With the quiet rustle of Grayson cooking in the background, and the warm tea waking you up a bit, you got to work at a much faster pace than you had before. Even so, you didn’t beat Grayson and he stopped by with a plate as you typed away.

“More brain fuel for the genius of the family,” he teased, sitting it down next to you. 

“Thanks Gray, love you!” You chuckled, immediately starting to eat, not realizing how hungry you were. 

It was good, as most things that Grayson made were, and it gave you the final boost that you needed. 

By 7:30, you had submitted the paper and felt like a huge weight had lifted off your shoulders. You hopped off the couch, scooping up all of your things and heading back to Ethan’s room. 

As usual, he was on his computer with his headphones on, editing away. You sat everything down, coming up behind him and putting a hand on his shoulder, a non-startling way to let him know you were there. 

He kissed the back of your hand before taking it and gently pulling, spinning the chair around with the momentum and pulling you down so you settled in his lap facing him. Like this, you were taller than him, and he reached both hands up to cup your face, one moving to take your hair out of the bun that it was in, strands falling around the both of you as he kissed you.

His scruff tickled you as your lips moved together, making up for the lost time of the day. His hands moved down to your waist, large and warm as he squeezed, his fingers moving under your hoodie until he found your skin. No matter how many times he did this, it always took his breath a bit, and he pulled back for a second to look at you.

“You finished your paper I assume?” He smiled, freeing a hand to tuck some hair back from your eyes. You rested your cheek in his tattooed palm, gazing at him.

“Yep.”

“Feel better?”

“Mostly.”

“Mostly?” He countered, confused. 

“What were you upset about earlier?” You asked. 

“Nothing.”

It was a knee jerk reaction, and he knew that you weren’t going to take that as an answer. You simply waited, settling on his lap and tucking your forehead up against the side of his neck, tracing over his collarbone tattoo while you waited for him to find the words. Sometimes, he found it easier if he wasn’t looking right at you to say what he felt. 

“You’re out of my league,” were the words he finally found, and it took all your power not to scoff. 

“Why do you feel that way?” 

“You’re so much smarter than me. You’re about to finish college, and I barely have a high school diploma to my name. You just wrote a paper, god knows how long, and I didn’t even know what you were talking about. I wouldn’t even understand it, much less be able to help you with it like I should. I just feel stupid, all the time.” 

There were a million different things you wanted to say, but you’d learned something while dating Ethan. For him, he thought anything you said was out of obligation. He felt like you were ‘just saying it to make him feel better’, not because you meant it. 

So instead, you’d learned you needed to show him. 

You got off his lap, ignoring the panic on his face as you sat back down, now facing the same way as him, the computer screen lighting up your faces. 

“What were you doing before I came in here?” You asked, keeping your tone neutral.

“Editing, you know that,” he said, even more confused. 

“No, what exactly were you doing?”

“Importing footage, splicing, adding transitions, text overlays. The usual,” he explained.

“Do you realize that I have absolutely no idea how to do any of that?” You said, turning to look at him.

“You could learn, I could teach you easily.” His eyebrows furrowed. 

“Just like I could teach you about spinal cord injuries.”

You let that sit for a minute, knowing he wasn’t going to have an argument against you.

“You are smart Ethan. You put your energy and your knowledge into your work, and I put mine into school, which I’ll eventually put into work as well. And besides, if anyone is out of someone’s league, you’re definitely out of mine,” you smiled.

“Well, maybe you aren’t so smart if you believe that, even for a second.”

There was light in his eyes again, and you knew the storm had passed. 

“Now then, when does that video have to go up?”

“Whenever.”

“Then I think we’ve both spent enough time staring at a screen today. Cuddles?” 

His answer was given by wrapping a strong arm around your waist as he stood you both up. You knew the drill; he was about to pick you up, pull the covers back and put you down in bed, but he paused. 

“Too many clothes,” he mumbled, a mischievous grin on his face. He quickly pulled his shirt off over his head - a fresh one, you hadn’t even noticed that he’d changed from what he’d worn all day. He tossed it on the bed before turning to you, fingers toying at the hem of the hoodie you had on.

He quickly pulled it over your head, and then he groaned.

“What?!” You giggled, looking down at yourself. 

“Regular bra’s I can handle, but those things are a death trap. I always feel like I’m choking you,” he gestured to your sports bra. You laughed a bit, pulling it over your head yourself and tossing it to the side. Ethan reached past you to snag his shirt, pulling it over your head. Once your face cleared the collar he kissed you softly, smiling as you tilted up to meet him. 

His fingers tucked into your sweatpants, guiding them off your hips until they fell down in a puddle at your feet. You stepped out of them quickly.

“Much better,” he smiled, hands going to your hips as you jumped up onto him. Your legs wrapped around his hips and his hands moved around to your ass, holding you up. You kissed him again, running your fingers through his short hair. 

“Cuddles?” You poised again.

“I could stay here all day,” he grinned, kissing you again. 

“Suit yourself,” you smiled. It wasn’t hard for you to just hang there. 

“Alright fine, I’m cold. Dismount.” 

You smiled at the code word, climbing down off of him and crawling into bed, opening your arms. 

Ethan was right behind you, crawling under the covers and wrapping you up in his arms. 

“I can’t wait for your semester to be over so we can do this all day long,” he mumbled, breath warm on his skin.

“Hmmm, maybe I’ll make you teach me how to edit so I can be double smart,” you grinned.

“Oh shut up.” You could hear the eye roll in his voice, but he just pulled you closer, so tight you could barely breathe. 

“I love you, lil genius,” Ethan said into your hair, loosening up a bit and settling into a comfortable position. 

Ethan laughs at her persistence, blowing air out of his lips and running a hand through his disheveled hair. He couldn’t deny that he was excited about their little rendezvous, deciding to go for a run to work off his almost nervous energy. It makes him hate y/n y/l/n. She does look pretty though. She always looks pretty. Her coat looks warm and her adorable beanie made sure he noticed her as soon as he turned the corner towards the park’s center. Y/n turns to face him, cradling the mug in both her hands. “We need to talk,” the way she looks at him makes him feel soft, he pushes this feeling aside with a lighthearted roll of his eyes. “We do, y/l/n.” “That little stunt you pulled, with The Daily Mail, that was smart,” she chuckles, “I can’t pretend I’m not impressed.” Ethan Dolan shrugs his shoulders, basking in her begrudged compliment, “I do try.” “Is there much point in me asking why?” He purses his lips, watching her watch him intently with a furrowed brow, “Hate to spoil the magic for you, but it helps with my image. I also wanted to make the first move.” Y/n scoffs, “You made a move alright, Dolan.” “You can’t deny the chemistry between us,” he wiggles his eyebrows at her. “I can and I will,” she narrows her eyes, as if she’s scanning his every detail, “I don’t think you understand how transparent you are. This was never about our ‘chemistry’, this is you trying to save your own skin.” Ethan wishes she was right.Y/n is, to an extent. If the public saw that he was in a relationship with the woman that wrote a stellar article about him, they’d go wild. The world is a huge sucker for romance, the cheesier and least realistic the scenario the better. Their photograph at Delevigne’s was too good an opportunity to pass up. LIFE Magazine sales are only increasing, people desperate to try and read between y/n’s lines in an attempt to decipher the compelling private life of Ethan Dolan. It also makes sense that they’re in a relationship; he’s successful and attractive, she’s successful and attractive. Of course, Ethan’s reputation would be saved too. Having the world think that y/n was committed to him meant that any article she published ‘exposing’ his antics would be seen as a fluke or perhaps some kind of magazine hack. Ethan could also release a statement claiming he and y/l/n have separated and the only reason she wrote the article was to spite him. He has to admit, it’s clever. But he can’t ignore the fact that it stretches beyond that. It’s not entirely a stunt to save himself. He’s grown to like y/n, he can see aspects of himself in her persistence. She doesn’t throw herself at him, he has to work to spend time with her. It’s all very old fashioned, the whole putting in the effort. Ethan Dolan is not accustomed to trying his hardest to woo a woman. Through making this statement that they are exclusive, it gives him more time with her, a chance to prove himself and change her mind. Y/n monopolizes on his silence, “I’ll compromise, if you don’t change your little business tactics, I’ll publish draft one. If you do decide to reevaluate your principles, consider the article binned.” She looks away from him, her cheeks burning with repressed anger. Y/n doesn’t like getting annoyed, she also doesn’t like Ethan Dolan knowing he has an effect on her. Ethan ponders her words, they make sense. Frankly, since he’d read her first draft he had been thinking about Dolan & Dolan’s principles as a company. He’s always seen himself as a philanthropist, even when he and Grayson were knocking down office blocks to make room for their skyscrapers, he’d offered redundant employees jobs. Granted, they were higher paid jobs with better working conditions and the paternity leave scheme is one of the greatest the city has ever seen. All he’s done wrong is lie. If Ethan Dolan was to tell the world that he makes his money through crippling businesses until they have no choice but to sell themselves to him, it doesn’t sound too great. But, if he lets everyone know that he’s rebuilding derelict communities and providing better employment for the people of New York, it’s a different matter. Y/n’s first draft is scathing, to say the least. She writes from an overt point of distaste and Ethan has to remind himself she’d planned out her writing before actually meeting him. He likes to think that maybe she was taken aback by personable he is, but he stops himself from being too arrogant. Y/n y/l/n can write, which is his blessing and his curse. She’s his own double-edged sword, a grenade that could explode any second, his secret weapon and his own downfall. Her ambivalence is brilliant. “I’m not expecting you to change, Mr Dolan. I know that it’s not in your nature to change your mind, but don’t think that this little game of mommies and daddies is gonna stop me.” “You drive a hard bargain, y/l/n,” he finally speaks, folding his arms across his chest and keeping his eyes on her side profile. “This isn’t a deal, it’s never been a deal. It’s about you doing the right thing,” y/n exhales heavily, sipping her tea. She’s tired of Ethan Dolan ignoring the truth. “I’ll think about it,” Ethan says, smiling at the way her eyes widen in shock, “but I’m gonna need you to do something for me in return.” It’s hard not to laugh when she’s brought back to reality, a scowl gracing her features. “The Robin Hood Foundation is throwing a charity gala this Friday, come as my date and I’ll talk to Grayson.” Y/n laughs, a full-bellied laugh that causes her shoulders to shake, but it’s tainted with a sense of bitterness, “I should’ve known it wasn’t going to be easy.” “New York City is convinced we’re in love, let’s give them something to talk about.” “Even if I do come with you to this charity party, which is incredibly ironic by the way, there’s no way you’ll do anything to change Dolan & Dolan.” “Never say never, y/l/n.”

----------------

The sporadic flashes are blinding, each being triggered by a shout of their names or an exaggerated compliment. Y/n bears her teeth in a forced smile, trying her hardest not to blink at inconvenient moments. “Miss y/l/n! Turn your head to the right please!” She complies, closing her mouth and placing a hand on her hip. “Who are you wearing tonight, y/n?” She’d been told not to answer questions, so she glances towards her Louboutin heels quickly to compose herself. “Is it true wedding bells are ringing?” Y/n’s eyes flicker towards the incessant flashes, she laughs. She poses again, crossing her legs like the girls Vogue rave about. Since the overwhelming success of her article, y/n has become no stranger to photographs. The paparazzi have been following her every move since Ethan Dolan declared that they were ‘exclusive’. Y/n has been greeted by ominous flashes on her way into the office, swarmed at the local grocery store and bombarded by absurd questions while clambering out of the cab. She’s learned to keep her head down, to not give anything away, not so much for her own sake but to avoid inflating Dolan’s ego. Her face being on gossip sites and social media feeds is all too familiar. Y/n's taught herself how to pose. "Have I mentioned that you look ravishing this evening, y/l/n?" a warm palm comes to rest between her shoulder blades as his hot breath graces her cheek. The shouts of the photographers become louder as y/n slides her arm around his suit-clad waist. "Too many times," she grimaces. Ethan's hand grazes down her back to rest on her hip, pulling her into his side and kissing her cheek. He enjoys the charade, milking every moment for what it's worth. Y/n wants to scold him for almost smudging her painstakingly flawless makeup, but she's remained composed for too long to ruin the facade now. He looks good, that cannot be denied. Ethan Dolan always looks unspoiled, it's genetic, but tonight he looks better. His blazer and bright crimson dress pants make him look younger than the regular black suit he wears for business, reminding y/n that he's just as juvenile as she is. He's taken the liberty of shaving, she wonders how soft his jaw is now it's devoid of stubble but catches her mind wandering. Y/n cannot afford to get enraptured in Ethan Dolan's minor details. "They love us," he mumbles, as he waves to a pap that seems familiar. "I should hope so," y/n speaks through her teeth as she smiles, her cheeks are beginning to hurt. "The world can't resist an attractive couple." "Too bad it's all an act then." She cranes her neck to kiss his cheek, slinking away from his familiar grasp and following an assistant dressed in black along the carpet. Y/n feels like she can breathe now that the cameras are far behind her. She's lead through the huge doors of Guastavino's, lifting the floating skirt of her dress in order to step into the building. The lobby is bustling with waiters and chaperones, guiding New York's elite into the reception area of the gala. Beside the huge glass reception desk, two large display boards present the smiling face of Ethan Dolan, along with other seemingly legitimate philanthropists as they are thanked for their generosity. If y/n did not know any better she'd be proud. She's researched the foundation and Ethan does, in fact, donate an unfathomable amount of money to the cause on an annual basis. It's impressive, commendable. She just wishes everything was like this, that Dolan & Dolan were as praiseworthy as they appear. "If you come this way, Miss y/l/n, I'll take you to your table," the young woman with long auburn hair smiles. Y/n follows her through the huge double doors into the dinner hall, snatching a gasp at the dimly lit room. Its scalloped ceilings are illuminated by golden lights attached to the stunning pillars dotted around the room. Tables are draped with velvet cloths and huge centerpieces are decorated with gold-tipped lilies. It's stunning, to say the least. Y/n and her chaperone weave through the partially filled tables until they reach one towards the venue's stage. She spots Grayson sat with his back to the screen playing a slideshow of the charity's patrons, his hands moving animatedly as he converses with a middle-aged man. The young girl gestures to an empty seat and y/n sits, thanking her before watching her march away. "Y/n!" Grayson cheers, his attention drifting from his discussion to her, "So glad you could make it tonight. Isn't this amazing?" "It's lovely to see you, Mr Dolan," she smiles politely. He scoffs, "Call me Grayson. You're dating my brother, we're on first name bases now." Y/n wonders if Grayson knows. He and Ethan are twin brothers, they're bound to be close, but she knows that Grayson is just about as good as a middle school girl at keeping a secret. Would Ethan risk telling him? If they're 'relationship' is destined for inevitable failure, maybe it's for the best that he believes it too. The younger Dolan shifts in his seat, "Y/n, this is David van Douglas, one of the Foundation's CEOs," he gesticulates to the man beside him. Van Douglas holds out a hand to her, she shakes it with a firm grip, "What an honor it is to meet you, Miss y/l/n. I'm such a big supporter of your work." Y/n grins, "Thank you so much. If anything I should be honored to be in your presence, Mr van Douglas. Your work is truly amazing." "We'd be nothing without the Dolans' donations," he admits, shrugging a little in his Givenchy suit. "Dave, you know it's the least we can do," Grayson pats the older man on the back, "tonight is going to be such a success." "Yes, the venue looks beautiful," y/n adds, glancing around her again. A pair of hands come to rest on her bare shoulders. She can smell Paco Rabanne's Invictus, it's unmistakably him. His thick fingers stroke her soft skin gently, it's affectionate. "I see you've met my other half, David," y/n can hear the smirk in his voice. "I have and she's enchanting," van Douglas rises to his feet and steps towards Ethan, pulling him from y/n and into a hug, "it's good to see you, Ethan." "You too, it's been too long." Y/n turns to watch the men embrace, noting the way Ethan claps van Douglas on the back, the same way Grayson had done earlier. They mumble something that isn't intelligible, so she shifts back towards Grayson. She's taken aback by the way his eyes are boring into her, a smirk plastered on his chiseled face. "I know," he mouths. --------------- "So then I said to her, 'Cecelia, you can't not have caviar at your sixth birthday party, that's simply reprehensible!' and she was completely vexed for the rest of the week!" "Oh Pierre, she sounds delightful!" "A real handful!" "Utterly adorable!" Y/n has not spoken for at least an hour. The socialites around her delve into a conversation she can't quite understand. Their lives do not compare to hers, they're topics of conversation span well beyond her own comprehension. It's a little too intense. She nods politely and forces laughter when the others laugh, her eyes flicking to the Rolex on Ethan's wrist, praying time would move considerably faster. "It's not you, it really is this boring," he whispers in her ear, his arm coming around the back of her seat in order to be closer to her. "I never doubted my judgment," she hisses. "Your mediocre acting says otherwise," Ethan chuckles. "I didn't think Ethan Dolan settled for mediocre." Words are forming on his lips when he's interrupted by a slim woman with high cheekbones, "Ethan! Do tell us how you and Miss y/l/n met!" A medley of hums of agreement spurs y/n to turn towards him, taking in his champagne-flushed cheeks and fixed eyes. Ethan chuckles, running his fingers along y/n's forearm, drawing little patterns into her skin. This is going to be interesting. "I think it was love at first sight," he shrugs, earning a chorus of besotted whines and a fake smile from y/n, "I've never been so enraptured by a human being. When we met for our interview at The Ritz, she blew me away. I was and am in awe." All eyes turn to y/n, urging her to continue their story. She's never been exceptionally good at improvisation, she clears her throat. "He's so fascinating," she begins, glancing at Ethan for approval, "I told myself I wouldn't fall for him because I adhere to my professionalism, but I guess I'll make the exception for love." The table applauds them with gushing compliments and huge grins. Ethan quirks an eyebrow in surprise, he didn't expect her to be so convincing. Y/n's eyes rake over those surrounding her until her gaze meets Grayson. He shakes his head slowly, impressed by her facade, licking his lips in incredulity. Y/n can't help but laugh, leaning into Ethan's side casually. "Tell me that was mediocre," she mumbles into his jaw, placing a kiss there for effect. Ethan is stunned. He keeps underestimating y/n y/l/n. This might be his greatest downfall, his Achilles heel in his otherwise indestructible nature. He's not weak by any means, but she makes him feel significantly less powerful. Ethan Dolan does not question himself, but part of him is beginning to wonder whether or not he's bitten off more than he can chew. Y/n y/l/n is fire and he doesn't enjoy the thrill being burned. The topic of conversation steers away from one of Ethan's lies to another. His business. The gala's guests are all deeply engaged by the Dolans' capability at such a young age, teasing information out of them as the champagne continues to flow. "So, Ethan tell us about your plans for the future." "Honestly Celine, the only way is up. Not that I can go any higher." The cackles are sickening, this is the side of Ethan Dolan that is so detestable. "How do you feel about potential partnerships?" "I don't think there's any company that could offer Grayson and me anything we don't already have. We're becoming too good at what we do." Y/n fights the urge to roll her eyes. "There are plenty of CEOs killing themselves to get some kind of share in Dolan & Dolan." "I know," Ethan takes a sip of his drink, his hand running up and down y/n's arm, "but adding other organizations into our midst seems unnecessary. It's not like we need the business equivalent of Viagra." He triggers sniggers with his crude comment. Y/n thinks she's about to burst, her mouth is working faster than her brain and before she can control herself words are spilling out in front of her. "Of course, we're all too familiar with Viagra, aren't we, honey?" Choked guffaws spring up around them. Celine covers her mouth with her jeweled hand. David van Douglas snorts. Grayson's eyes are as wide as his empty dinner plate. Ethan Dolan clenches his jaw, his fingers tracing on her skin have ceased their movement and he takes a big inhalation of air. Someone called Bart quickly raves about his steak and suddenly the table tries their best to shift the conversation away from y/n's wildly inappropriate remark. Ethan is silent, which isn't unlike him. Y/n's noticed the way he enjoys observing, it allows him to charm his audience. He analyzes before making comments, thinking out his every word. It's what makes him so alluring. Grayson fills silences with trivial small talk, Ethan's approach is always tactical. But now, he's flabbergasted. Words are not coming to mind, he's close to flipping the velvet-covered table and storming out of Guastavino's. He's been licked by y/n's flames. She feels her heart pound with adrenaline. It's a pleasant rush, she feels accomplished. Embarrassing Ethan Dolan is great fun. Y/n sips her champagne, reveling in her success. Ethan retracts his arm from around the back of her seat, she notices the way she suddenly misses his contact, feeling the weight of it on her. He raises himself to his feet. Y/n assumes he's escaping to the smoking area outside to blow off some steam by blowing smoke. The older twin reached for a clean fork on the table and his flute filled with bubbly liquid. Y/n's breath catches in her throat as he begins to tap the metal on the glass. "Speech!" a voice shouts across the room and the hall descends into silence, everyone is in Ethan Dolan's palm. "Thank you," he dips his head in a way that would be considered humble by the audience, "tonight has been truly magical, having everybody here to celebrate a brilliant cause. The Robin Hood Foundation has been doing great work for years, and to be named one of the year's most generous patrons is truly such an honor. Success is nothing without humility and generosity, which is why I can't think of anything better to do with Dolan & Dolan Enterprise's money than donate to such a worthy charity." The rooms erupts into civil applause, embellished with the odd whoop of appreciation. Ethan clears his throat and continues to speak. "As you all know, this year has been a whirlwind for my business and me. I feel as though I have become a new man, rediscovered what it is about business that keeps me so entranced and excited. Charity work is definitely one of my main motivators, but I have found a new one; love." Y/n's palms are damp, she looks to Grayson who sends her a shrug. Ethan is too unpredictable. "Y/n y/l/n is undoubtedly the love of my life. She has given the man who has everything more than he could ever imagine. I'm so so so in love with her. She makes life worth living, I wake up every morning with a new sense of passion and verve about business. I couldn't be more in love with you, y/n," he turns to stroke her cheek dramatically before facing his avid audience, "Who knows, maybe wedding bells will be ringing this time next year?" Y/n is deafened by the clapping. Everyone around her has their eyes fixed on her. Ethan pulls her to her feet and into a hug, she has no choice but to wrap her arms around his built frame. "It takes two to tango, y/l/n. I'm a great dancer." --------- "At least he didn't propose," Grayson pats y/n on the back sympathetically, "I wouldn't have put it past him." Y/n scoffs, slamming the rest of her gin and tonic down her throat and sliding her empty glass along the bar to the waiter serving them. He takes this as a signal to pour her another drink. "He's gone and extended the expiry date of our 'relationship'." "Exactly, it could be a lot worse," Grayson wants to tell her it's her own fault for aggravating his brother, but y/n is not in a state to be told she's wrong. She sends him a sarcastic smile. The number of guests that have approached her congratulating her on her stellar career and stunning boyfriend is enough to make her queasy. Y/n is sick of the words 'thank' and 'you' by now. It's all too much. Having to pretend to be civil with Ethan Dolan is bad enough, having to fake being in love with him is impossible. The devil incarnate swaggers over to the bar, his blazer discarded on the table nearest the bar. He pulls Grayson into a weird bro-hug that y/n will never understand and mumbles something to his brother about giving them some time to talk. The younger Dolan taps y/n's hand and slides off the bar stool, heading outside for some air. Y/n rolls her eyes as Ethan resumes his brother's position, shaking her head. "As I said earlier, they love us," he grins. Y/n doesn't reply, she nods a thank you to the bartender when he hands her the cold glass. She takes a big gulp and places it back down on the bar, running her finger along the rim. "It'd be such a shame if we had to end things, don't you think?" he watches her intently, perceiving the way her bottom lip is slightly pouted and her brow is drawn into a furrow. Y/n doesn't respond, her eyes staring into her drink, scorning the fact the ice to alcohol ratio is bitterly disappointing. "Listen, y/n-" "Your ego never ceases to amaze me," she snaps. Ethan is pleased she's interacting with him, but he jumps at her outburst, he doesn't bother trying to speak again. "You act like you're so much better than everyone here, your 'holier than thou' trope is getting a little repetitive. Honestly, Ethan, your hubris will be your downfall." Her hands move avidly as she talks, she's turned on her stool to face him, her eyes fiercely wide. He stares at her blankly, letting her release her tipsy rant. He thanks God that the bar is empty. Ethan notes this is the first time she's used his name. Just his name. It sounds nice, pretty in her voice. He takes her flailing hands in his, she doesn't wriggle them to release herself from his grip. She likes the way his skin feels against hers, consequently, she hates herself for feeling this way. "Unlike Lear or Faustus or Icarus, my flaw isn't fatal. You know this is a show, this is all fake; my persona, everything. You think you know who I am, y/n. You're wrong." "Don't try and win me over with literary references," she huffs. "Why? Are they working?"

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PART THREE! This has been a long-ish time coming! I took a few days off just to relax and celebrate my exams coming to an end, so a huge thank you for being patient! Once again, I am so overwhelmed by the feedback and love for this series. I’m really immersed in businessman Ethan’s world, so I hope you are too! Let me know what you think! - K xx