“Olivia.” Megan isn’t as successful in holding back her tears. They flow freely down her cheeks as she loosens her hold and peruses her sister from head to toe, checking for damage.
“Shannon?”
“O’Connell,” Megan corrects. “Damn good thing too. What were you thinking, travelling so far after something like that?” Megan pauses, her eyes welling up with tears.
“You know?” Fear flashes through her. “Oh God, O’Connell knows? How? I didn’t tell anybody.” She desperately tries to hold back the tears, afraid that if she starts, she’ll never be able to stop.
Megan throws her arms around her sister and squeezes her so tightly that she can’t breathe.
Olivia closes her eyes when she figures it out. “Ethan has my phone, doesn’t he?”
“Yes, he knows.” Megan holds up her cell. “Are you going to phone him yourself and let him know that you’re here safely? You know that I’ve been instructed to let him know the minute you get here.”
Olivia frowns. “Please don’t make me, Meg. I’m not ready to talk about it.”
Megan strokes her fingers through Olivia’s hair and gives her a nurturing look. “Okay, I’ll call him,” she says sympathetically. “But you’re going to talk to me about it.”
“Okay, Meg.” Olivia wipes away the tears from her sister’s cheek with the pad of her thumb and then dries her own with her sleeve. “I have some explaining to do, and I’m not quite sure where to start.”
Megan forces a small smile, overwhelmed by the guilt. It’s yet another time that her sister has needed her, and she wasn’t there. “Let’s get you home and make sure that you’re okay. Then you can tell me why I had to hear it from somebody other than you.”
Ethan’s frustration is not well disguised. The legal team handling his case has done their best to make headway, despite numerous setbacks. If this is an attempt to frame Ethan O’Connell, it’s well thought out and perfectly executed. Even Shannon is starting to feel defeated.
“I’m done doing things the right way, Miss Quinn. Find out what it’s going to take to make this go away.”
“I don’t think it’s only money she’s after, Ethan. If that were the case, she would have dropped it when she received the money from…” she pauses, “from whomever. We’re still waiting for the court order to get that information from the bank.”
“Then what does she want?” he asks impatiently.
John places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently as a reminder.
“Ethan,” Shannon begins, “I have an issue with dealing with things outside of the law.”
Ethan turns to give John a warning look. Shrugging his shoulder out from under his hand, he gets to his feet. “I don’t. There are times in our lives when we have to make tough decisions. Are you the right man for this job, Miss Quinn?”
Shannon’s face turns red with anger. Her normally soft and curvy feminine body goes taut, tense. John moves to her side, taking on a supportive position. She glances over at him and a small smile forms on her lips. She’s got this.
“Mr. O’Connell, I can assure you that I am the right person for this job. I will, whenever possible, try to resolve our roadblocks within the confines of the law. However, since you are requesting that we explore more creative tactics, I’ll put together a new plan and put it into action.”
Ethan tries to hide his amusement as he glances over at John’s impressed expression. “Very well then, Miss Quinn. Carry on with your new plan, and update me as soon as you have more information.
Shannon nods; turning on her heels, she leaves the room.
Looking troubled, John turns to Ethan and raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure that’s the route you want to go? I’m not sure it’s a wise decision.”
“Oh? You have an objection to putting all this bullocks behind us?”
“Well, first off, making it simply go away won’t clear your name. People will always wonder if you did it.”
“I don’t care,” Ethan interrupts.
“YOU will always wonder if you did it. You don’t care right now, but you will at some point,” he adds. “Secondly, I’m sure that the board of directors is waiting for you to do something they can use against you. Please consider that this time, you’re taking Shannon down with you. It will end her career.”
“Fuck,” Ethan growls. “I hate it when you do that.”
“Do what.”
“Become the voice of reason.”
John nods. “Just give it some thought. Have you heard from Olivia?” he asks concerned.
“Megan called this morning, she said she was exhausted. She hasn’t done anything but rest since she arrived.”
“Give her time. It’s only been a few days and it’s not just her body that’s gone through something traumatic. ”
Ethan feels sick every time he thinks about it. “I’m trying to keep myself busy by sinking my teeth back into business. That guy from France was on a conference call yesterday. I fucking hate him.”
“I was pretty sure that you would.”
“Who hired him?”
“Charles himself.”
“Son-in-law?” Ethan asks, curiously.
“Nephew, I believe.”
Ethan curses. “They’ll be watching everything I do.”
“Trust nobody,” John advises. “And don’t be doing anything without running it past me first.”
He watches the door impatiently, regretting that he agreed to let her meet him there. She was very secretive about her reason for arriving alone. Anxiety washes over him. He should have insisted on escorting her to the ballroom then he wouldn’t be worrying about her safety or her motives. That’s his job as the man, keeping her safe. Without question, he would kill anyone who meant her harm. The thought of anyone hurting her makes the muscles in his stomach tighten with anger. He’s always been in complete control of his life and those around him. That’s the way it should be. But he would cross oceans and climb mountains for this woman; grant her anything she desired just to see her smile. Who is he kidding? He chuckles to himself, shaking his head. Since the moment he met her, she’s been holding the reigns. All she has to do is bat those gorgeous long eyelashes at him, and he falls in line. So much for being an alpha male: his authority in their relationship is only because she allows it.
When he hears them announce her arrival, he breathes a sigh of relief. Turning to cross the room to greet her, he stops dead in his tracks. All the air escapes from his lungs. He wasn’t expecting the vision that’s walking toward him. When he first met her, she was a feisty young girl in bare feet and baggy pants, trying to fit in with the boys. There’s no sign of that tomboy today. She blushes at his reaction, her cheeks flushing a pale pink: the color mirroring the delicate lace ball gown that flows with her movement and clings to every curve of her body. Her long hair is pulled up and held in place with a clip made of pink feathers and pearls. A few curls spill out at the sides and rest on her shoulders. His eyes lock on to hers, sending her a silent approval, since words seem to have failed him. Gone is girl that he watched blossom into a well-manicured young lady. Standing before him, with her alluring sensual lips lined in a luscious red, is the most stunning WOMAN he has ever seen. Swallowing hard he reaches into his pocket, ensuring the blue velvet box is still there. Tonight he’ll make sure that she’s HIS woman, forever.
Ethan opens his eyes, his chest expanding with his quick intake of breath. He reaches for her, hoping that the past few days have all been a dream and he’ll find her there, where she belongs. He needs to hold her, touch her; run his fingers through those curls. He gets a deep gnawing ache in the pit of his stomach as his hands meet with empty space. Sitting at the side of the bed, he holds his face in his hands, distraught. His life has always been a shit show, but he’s always plowed through it, not allowing it to affect him or slow his momentum. Now everything is different. Emotional. It’s frustrating that both his moments of bliss and his absolute misery are tethered to one woman.
Getting to his feet, he paces the floor and glances over at the bedside clock, seven a.m. He picks up his phone and squeezes it tightly as he continues to pace. His thumb hovers over the call button. Closing his eyes, he taps it and holds the phone to his ear. As the call begins to connect, he growls. What the ever-loving-fuck is he doing? It’s only three a.m. in Nova Scotia and she needs her rest. He pauses, preparing to disconnect the call.
“Hi.”
Ethan’s heart stops beating at the sound of her quiet, frail sounding voice. “Olivia, I’m so sorry to wake you.”
“Are you okay?” she asks, concerned.
“Yes. NO. I promised to let you rest. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Ethan. I wasn’t sleeping.”
“Dreams?” he asks, wondering if she’s shared his recollection of his past life proposal.
“Yes, at first,” she admits, her voice tapering off slightly.
“You’re having nightmares again?”
“They’re always the same,” she begins, trying to hide the emotion in her voice. “Dark and cold… something heavy on my chest, making it so I can’t breathe. Then a feeling like I’m floating.”
“You should be here,” he says, feeling helpless.
“I know.”
“Come home, Liv,” he pleads.
“In a few days,” she promises.
Ethan’s heart begins to beat again and he takes a deep breath. That was what he needed to hear. “I know you’re not ready to talk about it, but are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Okay, I won’t press you for more than that, right now. I just need to know that you’re good. I should let you get some rest. Good night, Olivia.”
“Ethan?” she says, sounding a little unnerved.
He pauses. “Yes?”
“Will you stay on the phone with me until I fall asleep?”
“Of course, Baby. Is your laptop there?”
“Yes. Right beside me.”
“Log into Skype. I need to see you. I’ll stay with you as long as you need.”
“Okay. I’ll do it now.”
“Good girl.”
Those two little words launch butterflies in her stomach. She wonders if that will ever stop. “I love you, Ethan.”
A gigantic weight leaves his shoulders. “I love you, too. I’ll see you in a few moments, Sweetheart.”
Ethan manages to get through the next couple of days focused and confident. Knowing that Olivia still loves him, and plans to return to him, calms his inner turmoil and allows him peace of mind. Something he needs right now, while he deals with the threat of a new corporate hotshot eager to prove himself.
John works on the opposite side of Ethan’s desk, putting some polishing touches on a presentation. He glances up as Ethan answers a call. The look on Ethan’s face concerns him.
“Did they catch whoever did it?”
“No, they have no suspects at this point,” Scott answers
“But you suspect it was him, otherwise you wouldn’t be calling me.”
“Yes, I think it might have been,” Scott says concerned.
“Does Olivia know?”
“I don’t think so. I’ve tried to deal with it quietly, but you know my wife. It was Rachel that discovered it, and it was all I could do to convince her not to call Olivia right away. I’m hoping that she didn’t ignore me as usual.”
“Are you able to deal with repairs and such?”
“Yes, I’ve already made all the necessary calls. The place is a disaster, Ethan. It was definitely not a robbery attempt. The purpose for this break-in was to scare the shit out of her. I’m not sure if he knew she was out of the country.”
“I hope so, actually. It’s terrifying to think he’d do it, if he thought she was around.” Ethan gets to his feet and paces. “Get things sorted out there, I’ll call Olivia.” Hanging up the phone, he immediately looks to John. “Someone broke into her house.”
“Sam?”
“Scott suspects so. Get on the phone and book her a ticket on the next flight back to Ireland. I want her with me, so we can watch over her.”
“Okay, and what do I tell her?”
“Tell her I decided that she’s had enough time, and she needs to come home. She’ll buy that. She’ll be pissed… but she’ll believe it. I’ll tell her what happened once she’s here.”
John stands and starts to organize some folders on the desk. Ethan watches for a moment then can’t stand it any longer. “Do it right now, John. I want her on a flight today.”
For the next hour, Ethan paces the floor, getting nowhere with the Dufferin police. They are well aware of what happened to Olivia three years ago, but there’s no evidence to suggest that Sam was responsible for this break-in. They’ll keep an eye out for him, but there’s nothing they can do unless they can place him at the scene. Frustrated, Ethan calls Shannon. Her team hasn’t been able to find the bastard that continues to haunt Olivia either. Ethan has to assume that it was him who broke into her home and left a very strong message. He’s not going to rest until he’s in custody or dead. Until then, he just needs to get her back home and keep her safe.
The door swings open, banging into the wall loudly and startling Ethan. John rushes in, looking panicked. He hands Ethan his phone. Angst washes over him. “Hello?”
“Ethan, she’s gone.”
“Megan? What do you mean gone?”
“She got a call a couple of hours ago and then excused herself to go lay down. She didn’t sleep well last night, so I didn’t think too much about it. I just went to wake her up to eat and she’s gone. There’s a note.”
Ethan swallows hard. “Let me guess.”
“Ethan, what’s going on?” Megan asks anxiously. “It says that she’s gone home to Dufferin County to deal with stuff there. What stuff?”
Ethan curses and rakes his hands through his hair. “Someone broke into her house last night. Whoever it was completely trashed the place.”
“Oh my God! And she’s on her way there?”
“I suspect the call earlier was from Rachel.”
“No, Ethan. It was definitely a man on the phone. I could hear his voice.”
A thousand different things cross his mind, none of them ending well.
“Ethan!” Megan raises her voice, trying to get his attention back. “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll arrange for someone to meet her at the airport and stay with her until John and I get there.”
“Ethan, I’m frightened for my sister,” Megan says, close to tears.
“So am I,” Ethan admits as he hangs up the phone. He picks up his wallet and glances up at John. He doesn’t have to say another word. John already knows.
“The jet’s on stand by,” he confirms. “We can leave right now.”
Chapter Three
Olivia walks out the gate doors into the main concourse of the airport and meets with Carter’s unimpressed expression. She pauses, surprised to see him, and forces herself to give him a polite smile.
“What are you doing here?” she asks curiously, as he takes her carry-on bag from her shoulder.
“You know why I’m here. Did you think he was going to let you go to the house by yourself?”
“I mean, why are you here in Canada?”
He begins walking toward the parking garage; his heavy gait and large steps are difficult for her to keep up with. “I’m here for personal reasons,” he says without turning to look at her.
“Carter, slow down. I’m tired,” Olivia begs
After opening the passenger side door for her, he opens the trunk to stow her bag. When Olivia catches up, she stands at the door watching him. Carter slams down the trunk and glances over at her, looking her in the eyes for the first time since she got off the plane.
Olivia frowns. “You’re angry with me.”
He lets out a frustrated growl and shakes his head, breaking eye contact. “Yes, I’m angry. Get in the car.”
Olivia s
its quietly for most of the ride. Carter’s anger doesn’t soften at all on the forty-five minute drive from the airport. She tries a few times to lighten things up with polite conversation, but her attempts are met with one word answers or complete avoidance.
“Carter,” she begins, needing to put it to rest.
Determined to focus on the road, he glances sideways for only a brief moment, acknowledging her.
“It’s my home, Carter.” She continues, “I need to make sure everything is okay there.”
“Scott is looking after everything; there was absolutely no reason for you to come.”
“All my personal belongings are there, things that belonged to my mother. Surely you understand that I need to see for myself.” Carter shakes his head, seemingly biting his tongue. Olivia pauses, and then a thought occurs to her. “Oh, Carter, I’m sorry. You’re here for personal reasons, and O’Connell has screwed up your plans by assigning you babysitting duties.”
“Let me make it perfectly clear… there’s nothing more important to me than keeping you safe.”
“So why are you so angry with me?”
“Why? WHY?” Carter’s body stiffens as he becomes even more agitated. “Do you have any idea just how fucking selfish it was for you to make that decision on your own?”
Regret washes over her. “You’re not talking about the house, are you?” She frowns and turns to look out the window, trying to avoid his censure.
“No, I’m not talking about the fucking house.”
“It was my decision to make, Carter. Telling people would only have made the decision harder, more painful.”
“No, Olivia, that was a decision for the two parties involved. Yours and the father’s.”
“O’Connell made it very clear. He doesn’t want kids.”
Carter hits the brakes hard, causing them to lunge forward as the car makes an abrupt stop in front of her townhouse.
“Oh? Let me ask you this,” he says, looking tormented. “Are you absolutely sure that it was his baby?”
Tears well up in Olivia’s eyes as she locks into his stare. His normally bright blue eyes no longer sparkle. Today they’re a troubled shade of grey. A lump forms in her throat making it impossible to speak.
Indivisible Souls: Book 3 of the Bound4Ireland Series Page 3