Cracks in the Spotlight

13

The Invisible Line

Jane noticed it more now—Eve’s behavior. It was in the way his hand always lingered just a moment too long on her arm, or how he positioned himself just slightly between her and anyone else when they spoke. He wasn’t obvious, but for someone like Jane, who paid attention to everything, it was impossible to miss.

Tonight was no different. They were sitting in her living room, the dim lights casting a warm glow over the room, but there was an underlying tension. Eve fidgeted beside her on the couch, his gaze constantly flicking toward her. Ian’s voice echoed in the background, recounting some story about an old movie shoot, but Eve wasn’t listening.

His focus was on Jane.

“I don’t like the way he talks to you,” Eve finally muttered, his voice low but sharp.

Jane didn’t respond immediately. She sipped her tea, eyes fixed on Ian, who was oblivious to Eve’s growing agitation. She could feel the heat of Eve’s stare beside her, but she ignored it. Eve had been... different lately. Clingier. More outspoken, especially when it came to Ian.

“Why does it matter how he talks to me?” Jane asked after a beat, her voice even.

Eve shifted beside her, leaning forward, his expression almost pained. “He acts like... he knows you better than I do. Like he’s closer to you.”

Jane looked at him then, her gaze cool but probing. “And you don’t like that.”

“No,” Eve answered bluntly, not even trying to hide the jealousy in his voice. “I don’t.”

Ian chuckled, clearly amused by something, unaware of the tension building between Jane and Eve. But Jane stayed quiet, not offering any reassurance or comfort. She had no interest in getting between their silent rivalry. Eve was being childish, and she wasn’t about to indulge him.

Still, it was fascinating to watch. This new side of Eve—possessive, almost territorial. He was like a child clutching onto a toy, afraid someone else might take it away.

“Ian’s just... Ian,” she said with a sigh, setting down her tea. “You don’t have to like him.”

Eve’s eyes darkened, and he crossed his arms tightly over his chest. “I don’t trust him.”

Jane smirked, a hint of amusement in her voice. “You don’t trust anyone who talks to me.”

Eve opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it. He hated how transparent he was being, but he couldn’t help it. The more time Ian spent around Jane, the more it felt like he was losing her—like there was a part of her life that he couldn’t touch, no matter how hard he tried.

Ian’s voice broke through their private tension. “Do you still have that scar?”

Jane blinked, caught off guard. “Scar?”

Ian pointed to the side of his head with a small smile. “You hit your head when you were a kid. Big concussion. It’s probably faded now, but you had quite the bump for a while.”

Jane raised a hand instinctively to her hairline, brushing her fingers across the faint mark she had long forgotten. It was like a piece of her past she didn’t even realize was missing, and now it was back—thanks to Ian.

Eve, on the other hand, was seething. He clenched his jaw, the muscles in his neck tensing as he glared at Ian. “Why do you know so much about her?”

Ian’s smile didn’t falter. “We go way back.”

Eve’s fist tightened around the fabric of his pants, and before Jane could stop him, he stood up, glaring at Ian like he was about to fight him.