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

CHAPTER 4 - STANDING MY GROUND

Olivia

The next morning, I woke to a knock on the bedroom door. Startled, I rushed to answer it. My head was still foggy from the night before, and the locked door had only given me a small sense of security. I assumed they had keys and could enter whenever they liked, so I pushed a chair under the door. It would at least give me a few seconds of warning if they crashed through.

When I pulled the chair away and opened the door, I assumed I would see Ethan. It came as a surprise when the face staring back at me was Finn's. He tried his best not to let his eyes wander down my body as he cleared his throat.

"Mr. Grant wanted me to tell you he will be out for the day and won't be returning until this evening." With his eyes fixed on mine, he handed me a bag and then turned away, going back to wherever he came from.

Shutting the door and locking it again, I looked inside the bag. To my relief, everything I needed was there: jeans, a T-shirt, and even underwear. It embarrassed me to know that while I slept, someone was out buying me underwear. Ethan missed nothing. It also occurred to me that it may have been Finn shopping for me, which made me uneasy. He was cute and all, but I definitely did not need him picking out my underwear.

After a quick shower, I put on my new clothes and grabbed my phone. I wanted to text my friend Iris. She sang at the café where I worked and was my best friend in the city. When I started working at the café after my dad died, she took me under her wing. She lost both of her parents in a car accident, so we had a lot in common. She worried when she didn't hear from her friends—not surprising after what happened to her parents—so I sent her a quick text.

"Hey, Iris, I wanted to check in and let you know I'm okay."

That was a lie, but I wasn't sure how to put into words what was really going on. I also didn't want her involved in the mess I had gotten myself into. As soon as I hit send, I heard the door slowly unlock. Finn came marching in with a look of concern on his face.

"Be careful what you tell your friends. Mr. Grant was clear that his protection does not extend beyond you."

I looked at him in amazement. How did he know I texted Iris?

"So, what are you saying?"

"The less they know, the better. You don't want to put them in danger, do you?"

I had already thought of that, and there was no way I would ever do anything to endanger my friends. I just wanted to let her know I was okay, for the moment anyway. "So, what exactly should I do with myself all day?" I asked. My frustration with the entire situation was growing.

"Anything you want, miss. As long as it's inside this penthouse."

"I don't think the police would take too kindly to you and your boss kidnapping me," I threatened.

His eyes narrowed as he stared into mine. "Mr. Grant doesn't respond well to threats." It was clear that his intention was to intimidate me, but there was something else in his eyes, something I couldn't put my finger on. I crossed my arms and glared at him as he turned to leave the room. As soon as he cleared the door, my phone dinged. Iris thanked me for checking in, and I wanted so badly to call her and tell her everything. I needed to hear a comforting voice, one that would soothe the fear and anger boiling inside of me.

I was being held prisoner in every sense of the word. It was at that moment that I decided. As soon as Ethan arrived home, we would settle our little situation. I waited for him in the living room, my patience waning and my aggravation growing by the minute. Who did this guy think he was, holding me captive?

When he finally walked in the door, it was dark out. I spent a very lonely day all by myself, without a soul to talk to, aside from Finn. There were guards outside the door, but inside it was just the two of us. He hardly said a word, so having him there was worthless. If I asked him a direct question, he would answer. But otherwise, he remained silent. I might as well have been completely alone. By the time I saw Ethan's face, I had been ruminating for hours.

"We need to talk," I told him as I met him at the door. I crossed my arms and planted my feet, wanting him to take me seriously. He had the same intimidating air about him as he did the night before. Giving me an annoyed look, he let out a long sigh.

"What do we need to talk about?"

I stiffened, trying to look as stern as possible. "Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that I am your prisoner?"

That got his attention. "You are not my prisoner. You are my responsibility. Don't get the two twisted."

The smug look on his face only fueled my fire. Gritting my teeth, I said, "You are the one who has it twisted. You're holding me against my will."

A condescending smirk replaced the smug look. "You are free to go any time you like. Just remember what I told you."

I stared at him for a moment, trying to determine if he was bluffing or not. When I was confident that he wasn't, I went into the bedroom to retrieve my things. When I returned to the living room, I announced I was leaving. He sat in front of the fireplace with a glass of amber-colored liquor in hand.

As much as I hated to, I had to admit that he looked handsome. He was still in his business suit, with his tie off and his top button undone. The expensive watch on his wrist drew my attention to his olive skin, but I was intent on standing my ground. I would not let him distract me.

He gazed straight ahead as I informed him of my decision. He looked stone-cold, like a statue. As I turned to walk away, I heard him ask, "Olivia, may I see your phone, please?"

I thought it was a strange request, but at least he was giving me my freedom, so I handed it to him. He typed something into it while I waited impatiently, tapping my foot and staring at the floor. As I walked away, I heard him say, "My number is under 'EG' if you ever need it." His kind gesture shocked me. It was a departure from his icy demeanor. Not sure what to say next, I just said, "Thank you," and got the hell out of there.

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A/N

Thank you for continuing to follow along with Olivia's journey. I hope you are enjoying it so far. Do you think Olivia was smart to leave? We will soon find out!