ETHAN'S EMPIRE - Laying Down the Rules- formerly PROTECTING OLIVIA

CHAPTER 3 - I THINK I WAS IN SHOCK

Olivia

The door shut behind me as I looked nervously around the room. I was still trembling, and no matter how hard I tried to steady myself, I couldn't. Fear had taken control of me, and it was like nothing I had ever felt before. I could still hear their vile words shouting at me and the sounds of their feet pounding against the pavement behind me.

From the moment I entered his car, I felt like a prisoner to a man I knew nothing about. For all I knew, he was just as evil as they were. It's not like I got the warm fuzzies from him. He seemed cold, calculated. I half-expected him to burst in at any moment and take me for himself, or worse.

At that moment, I felt completely and utterly helpless. I thought about calling a friend to come and pick me up, but I knew with the army of guards surrounding the place, they would never get to me. Besides, I couldn't get them involved in the mess I was in.

He let me keep my phone, which seemed odd considering I found myself in a full-fledged hostage situation. I spent the next half hour just staring at it, trying to decide what my next move should be. Calling the police seemed like the obvious choice, but something stopped me every time my finger reached for the number nine. If I underestimated them, I would be dead before the police ever reached me.

Still scared out of my mind, I locked the door behind me. Unsure of what else to do, I decided to explore the room to distract myself. I had to do something to keep my fear at bay. The first thing to catch my attention was how massive it was. Enormous windows overlooked the city skyline. There was even a door that led to a large patio that seemed to wrap around the entire penthouse. Glaring at the lights below, I couldn't ignore the beauty of the city. It stood in stark contrast to my night of terror.

Every part of my surroundings was sleek, modern, and luxurious—a far cry from the cot I slept on at the shelter. I wandered into the bathroom, stopping in awe as I saw the beautiful white porcelain throughout and the leather chair in the corner. This guy must be filthy rich, I thought to myself.

Once I reached the mirror and saw my reflection, I barely recognized the person staring back at me. I ran my hand across the scratch on my face and winced when I saw it was still bleeding. My eyes trailed down to my blouse. Pulling at the fabric, I tried to close it, but it was no use. They had ripped it beyond repair. The person in front of me was a filthy, tattered mess.

Disgusted, I continued looking around the room. I noticed beautiful, plush towels set on the edge of a soaking tub. Maybe I can wash the filth off of me, I thought to myself. Shutting the bathroom door and locking it for extra protection, I pulled off my ruined clothes and climbed into the tub. The entire time, I prayed Ethan would leave me alone. By the look on his face when he left me, I had a feeling I wouldn't hear from my "captor" for a while.

Hot water surrounded my body as I sank into the tub, allowing myself to breathe for the first time since I heard those monsters in the alley. Once I settled in, tears fell, and I let them. What had I gotten myself into? How could I get out of it? Or could I at all? Crying may not have helped the situation, but it brought me a small sense of release.

After my bath, I felt a little more human. As good as a person could feel after being almost kidnapped, raped, and killed. I looked down at the torn clothes on the floor and knew there was no way I could ever wear that uniform again.

I had nothing else to wear, so I wrapped a towel around myself and headed toward the bedroom. Finding another leather chair in the corner of the room, I sat down and just waited there. I didn't know what I was waiting for, but I didn't know what else to do. Maybe I was in shock. Who takes a bath at a stranger's house? It felt like I was losing my mind and didn't know how to reclaim it.

I don't think I even moved. I just sat there staring at the wall. After a while, I heard a knock. I grabbed the towel in the front to secure it and cautiously walked to the door. Unsure what would be waiting on the other side, I eased it open. Ethan strode in and immediately came to a halt. I wasn't sure what the look on his face was, but I was so uncomfortable standing there in a towel that I wanted to sink through the floor. Then I noticed something in his hand.

"I brought you a few things," he said, presenting me with one of his T-shirts and some antiseptic for my face.

"Thank you," I replied, not sure what else to say. What was the proper way to respond to someone holding you hostage?

"Let me help you," he said. I sat down cautiously as he cleaned my wound, retracting as the alcohol stung my face. I looked into his eyes, hoping to find answers, but I found nothing there. They were empty. Not a single emotion showed in them. When he finished, he informed me that his T-shirt was only for the night and he would have more clothes for me when I woke up.

When he finally left the room, I quickly pulled his shirt over my head. I stopped halfway to take in the scent. It smelled of him, and it was intoxicating. Somehow, it smelled manly and fresh all at once, and I couldn't tear myself away from it.

Once I covered myself, as much as one could in a T-shirt and underwear, I left the room in search of something to drink. I wasn't sure if it was allowed, but he didn't say otherwise, and I was thirsty. I found the kitchen easily and could see him seated on the couch in the other room.

He had a look of a thousand pounds of worry etched on his face. I wondered what thoughts were racing through his mind. Did they have anything to do with his plans for me?

His bodyguard, Finn, as I had heard him called, noticed me. His eyes seemed to run the length of my body. They scanned me up and down and then up again. He shot me a mischievous smirk, and I could see that he was enjoying the view.

Ethan looked up, first noticing how little clothing I was wearing. Then his attention turned to Finn. He noticed right away how Finn's eyes were fixed on me and gave him a look that I didn't understand. It seemed to be a warning of sorts. Why would he care how Finn looked at me?

Finn was very handsome in his own right and looked to be around the same age as Ethan. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, was incredibly fit, and had a kind face. It was a face that made you feel as if you had known him forever.

I tried to keep the T-shirt pulled down as I turned to Ethan and asked, "May I?" motioning toward the fridge. He nodded, and I opened it. Retrieving a bottle of water, I shot him another glance and noticed that he still had his eyes trained on me. It wasn't creepy but seemed to be more of genuine concern.

Not sure what was going on, I decided I should head back to the bedroom I had been "assigned" to. When I reached the hall, I could hear them talking to each other. I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard Ethan say, "If I ever see you looking at her like that again, you will be on my bad side. That is a place that you don't want to be."

************

A/N

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please remember to vote and I would love to hear your feedback. What do you think about the situation Olivia is in?