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

CHAPTER 5 - SHE'S UNDER MY SKIN

Ethan

I typed my number into her phone and handed it back to her, knowing she would need it. There was no doubt in my mind. She didn't understand that the situation she was in was life or death. No matter how much I tried to convince her, she was too stubborn to listen. I was no kidnapper, and every time she called herself a prisoner, my anger grew.

I hated the disdain in her voice when she thanked me. I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much. Knowing she was walking out of my door and into certain death hung heavy on me. But what was I supposed to do? She wasn't willing to let me protect her.

As she approached the door, I gave Finn "the look." I didn't need to say a word. He knew what I needed him to do. He stepped aside, allowing her to believe she was leaving of her own free will. He gave her a head start and then followed not far behind. Finn was good at his job, and she would have no idea he was tailing her.

I took another sip of my bourbon and tried to relax. Sitting there alone, I let my thoughts wander to her, and it surprised me that worry was creeping to the surface. That was a feeling I wasn't used to. I never worried about anyone other than myself, so it was uncharted territory.

That's why I let no one into my world, along with knowing that I would put them in harm's way. I didn't need any distractions in my line of work; and she had become one in less than twenty-four hours.

She was feisty, tough on the outside, but I knew it was a mask for the fear she was hiding inside. How could she not be? She was so young, and I could only imagine how hard living on the streets had been on her. It baffled me how she survived on her own, looking the way she did.

Alone with my thoughts, I realized I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to know everything about her. When my phone rang, jarring from my thoughts, I answered it, hearing her voice on the other end of the line. It sounded like a whisper laced with panic, and my heart sank.

"Ethan, someone is following me. It's one of them," she said with fear dripping in her voice. She should have listened to me. Why was she so hard-headed?

"Olivia, calm down, you will be okay."

"He is right behind me. He is going to kill me." I could hear her voice cracking, the fear taking complete control of her.

"Olivia, listen to me, Finn is following you. He will get to you in time." I kept my voice calm, trying to reassure her.

It was then that I heard the phone crash to the ground, followed by her screams. I stiffened as my heart pounded. Nothing scared me, but I found myself scared for her.

I knew if she died, I would be responsible, and the thought crushed me. I couldn't carry the weight of another innocent person's death on my conscience. As I listened, my mind raced, trying to hear anything that would tell me what was going on. All I could hear was faint shuffling noises, and then the phone went dead.

I froze in place as the realization that she may not have made it out alive gripped me. I almost called Finn, but I didn't want to risk distracting him. A few minutes felt like an eternity before the phone finally rang again.

"Mr. Grant, the situation is resolved. I have her, and we are on our way back."

I finally exhaled, breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that she was with Finn and she was alive.

"And the assailant?"

"Terminated" was the only word he said before he ended the call.

I sat anxiously, waiting for them to return. I wanted to see her face, to see for myself that she was okay. When the door opened, I stood up in anticipation of what condition she might be in.

Finn entered first. As expected, he wore the aftershocks of a hard-fought battle. The guy did not go down easily. I stared at him, bracing myself for the moment she would come into view.

When he stepped to the side, I saw her and gasped. As a man who always maintained a calm facade, I cracked. Blood trickled from her neck, and the amount of it was shocking. I rushed over to inspect the injury. As I got closer, I realized the scumbag had a knife to her throat. Thank God Finn arrived before he could finish the job.

Blood was gushing as I inspected the wound further, determining if it would need stitches or not. If it did, I would have to call my personal physician. There was no way I could explain her relation to me to the hospital staff.

To my relief, the cut was severe but not deep enough to need medical attention. I ran to the kitchen to get a clean, wet cloth to help her clean up. She was sitting on the couch when I returned, grasping her neck. The bleeding wouldn't stop. I told her to lean back and rest her head on the sofa so I could put pressure on it.

Finn left to get the first aid kit and returned a few minutes later. She did as I instructed, and as I was treating her wound, I saw tears fall from her eyes like an avalanche. When she first arrived with Finn, she was silent, without a tear in sight. The shock had worn off, and reality had set in.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I should have listened to you," she said, trying to choke back her tears.

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A/N

Thank you for taking the time to read this sampling of Ethan's Empire - Laying Down the Rules. The complete novel is available on Amazon in both paperback and Ebook form. I hope you will take a moment to check it out and see how the story ends.