CHAPTER 30
Erin let herself into Ethan's apartment, heart beating a wild rhythm in her chest. She leaned against the door, knuckles gripping the knob as though unwilling to take the necessary steps into the room, worry and dread turning her skin cold. She took a deep breath forcing much needed air into her lungs, tight with anxiety as she silently tried to reassure herself with Kim's words.
She could hear the low murmur of voices coming from the balcony and Erin muttered another prayer as she forced her steps in that direction. Ethan and Marcus occupied the two wrought chairs, both men slumped against the furniture in a drunken sprawl with Ethan facing away from the door, nursing half filled glasses filled with what Erin knew would surely be alcohol. A half empty bottle of Jack Daniels sat atop the table and her heart sank. Dealing with a sober Ethan was hard in itself, but when he was intoxicated...heaven only knew what his reaction would be.
Marcus noticed her first and straightened, acknowledging her presence with a discreet nod. He made a show of checking his watch and leaned forward to set down his drink. "Dude...I gotta get back to the office, someone needs to handle the fallout from the failed conference."
Ethan merely shrugged and took a gulp of his own drink, draining the contents in one swallow. Marcus gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and walked past her, giving Erin a long searching look that told her he probably knew about what had transpired between them.
She swallowed, her gaze darting back to Ethan, her heart breaking at the dejected slump of his shoulders as he gazed fixedly at the view outside, still oblivious to her presence. She'd done this to him...had hurt him by her thoughtless actions...her lack of trust in him. Refusing to give in to the self pity that threatened to overwhelm her in a cloak of pure misery, Erin stepped closer and perched on the edge of the seat Marcus had just vacated.
"Hey," She murmured. His head whipped around to stare at her, his gaze slightly unfocused from the amount of drinks he'd consumed. "I went to your office, but they said you'd already gone home."
Seconds passed as Ethan simply stared at her, his expression cold and unwelcoming and Erin nearly wept at how different he looked from just a few hours ago. This morning, there'd been love, warmth and desire in his eyes, but now, those bright blue orbs were simply an empty shell.
Erin shivered and wrapped her arms around her body, despite the warm breeze of the late summer.
The silence stretched between them, intense with a cacophony of emotions....regret, shame, pain...each emotion stealthily creating a gulf between them and Erin knew she had to do something or lose everything.
"Ethan....I'm so sorry," She freed her hands and reached for his, resting on his thighs. To her relief, he didn't push her away, and she gripped his large, warm hands in her own. "Please....I know I made a mess but I swear...."
"Save your apology for someone who deserves it." Ethan cut in, freeing his hand from her grasp, as his gaze flickered with a maelstrom of suppressed emotions. He stood, easily towering over her as he leaned close, so close she could smell the alcohol on his breath, his mouth pulled in a cynical smile. "Can't have the pampered little princess waste an apology on a worthless bastard now, you could catch something filthy."
Erin flinched at the dig. "That's not fair Ethan. My mother's opinion doesn't count as mine."
He smirked. "Life's not fair, Sweetcheeks. Fair's for idiots who believe in happily ever after...the poor fuckwits who actually get fooled into thinking, that a spoiled brat who's never known what it means to live in terror every single fucking day of their childhood, could actually deign to love a bastard from the streets. You know who would be perfect for you? That little shit....Tom....Ted....Todd? Fuck his name, just fucking go and play the perfect little heiress and get the hell out of my apartment!"
"I don't want to be with Todd!" Erin yelled back at him, "I want you, Ethan. I don't care what my parents think, I don't care about your background..." She broke off, choking back tears of fear and frustration. "Please, I love you....
"Not another fucking word Erin." He snapped, his eyes blazing. "I don't need your apology, your explanations and certainly not your goddamned pity. There's nothing you can say right now that's going to do either of us any good."
He straightened and turned away, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. "You need to leave now, before I say something we'll both regret."
Erin felt her heart break in two. She'd known he would take this hard, had known there was every possibility he would throw her out of his apartment, but a small part of her had been hoping he loved her enough to be forgiving...hearing him say those words was like a knife slicing open her heart with every syllable. Still, she wasn't going to give up, Ethan loved her and even though he was furious at her right now, she knew that if she walked away now, she would be throwing away something that meant the whole world.
Steeling her resolve, she straightened her shoulders and stared him down. "I admit I made a mistake, Ethan and that's why I came here...to fix that mistake." Folding her arms across her chest, she shook her head, obstinate. "I love you, Ethan. And there's nothing between Todd and I...if you must know, I called him a couple of days ago and we parted on friendly terms. I did this even before I knew you loved me, because you are the only man I want. I don't care what my parents think, I know what my heart wants. So you're either gonna have to toss me out or call the cops to do it. I'm not leaving until you forgive me."
Ethan went still, every nerve tense at her declaration. Erin wished he would turn around so she could see his expression, to judge just how a deep an impact her words had caused. But he didn't face her, just stood still, the only sign that he was stricken were his fists, clenched tightly. Seconds turned into a minute and stretched, then broken by Ethan's bitter laugh. "I should have known you'd pull a stunt like this. Fine, stay if you wish...I'll leave instead."
He spun round and stalked to the living room in quick strides. A moment later, Erin heard the front door slam.
"Oh God!" Erin buried her face in her hands, pain and rejection oozing out her body in waves. His harsh voice still reverberated in her ear, her mind painfully running the conversation over and over again until she felt like a broken record.
Darkness had fallen by the time Erin finally raised her head, her eyes and heart empty...unable to process anything. In a daze, she moved to his bedroom sinking down on his bed and reached for a pillow, hugging it close to her, his scent soothing her a little, stirring up a fresh round of tears that she'd thought impossible by now.
**********
Ethan rubbed at his eyes, gritty and red-rimmed from the lack of sleep as he entered the dark living room. He groped his way to the couch and flopped down, groaning as the aching in his legs eased and his muscles nearly wept in relief. After leaving the apartment, he'd walked and walked...not caring where he was going...the need to put as much distance between himself and Erin as he could possibly manage the only thing on his mind, seeking to escape the mind numbing pain that consumed him, even though he'd downed enough alcohol to fill a small pond. He'd forced himself along, the feel of the cold air on his exposed skin slowly working to clear his alcohol fudged brain until he'd been thinking logically, finally able to process the truckload of thoughts in his head.
Finally, his brain had registered the screaming pain in his legs and he'd become aware of his surroundings, stunned to find himself wandering about a small park in the dark a good distance away from his place...and Erin. Tired, but still reluctant to return, he'd sat for the next few hours, the events of the past few hours running through his brain like a bad movie, until he'd come to a decision.
He sighed, the pressing emptiness of the place weighing down on him, reminding him of things he'd much rather forget...She'd only spent one night in his place and yet she'd somehow left her mark...branding his place with her scent, her memories and now she was gone...it haunted him...the sound of Erin's voice as she'd begged for forgiveness, the stubborn tilt of her chin when she'd categorically refused to leave when he'd asked.
Restless, he hauled to his feet and trudged to his bedroom, grimacing at muscles stiff from overuse. He badly needed a hot shower and sleep, the former having more appeal than the latter because he knew there was no way in hell he was going to...
Ethan flipped the switch and froze, his eyes widening at the sight of Erin, curled up on his bed, fast asleep. The sight of her released a band in his chest, and for the first time that evening, he didn't feel as though his life had spun wildly out of his control. He leaned against the doorway and gazed at Erin for several long minutes while his brain and heart fought over what he should be feeling right now.
His logical organ felt irritated that she'd managed to intrude on his privacy even though he'd asked her to leave....and but his heart...ok and his southern organ was quite pleased and firmly aroused to find her here...the mere fact that she'd stayed doing a whole lot more to prove her sincerity than any spoken apology. It didn't make her accusations any less biting, nor did it ease the devastation her mother's words had wrought and if this happened a couple of weeks ago, Ethan knew he wouldn't have hesitated to throw Erin bodily out of his bed....
But not now, not when his feelings left him messed up, undecided....powerless.
Ethan sighed, straightening from the door and crossed to the bathroom, taking care not to wake the sleeping woman. Studying himself in the mirror of the medicine cabinet, Ethan winced at the face reflecting back at him. Dull, red-rimmed eyes, the hint of a five 'o'clock shadow just grazing his jaw line, mouth set in a grim line, exhaustion oozing from every pore. He looked exactly like he felt.
Miserable, utterly, fucking miserable.
He yanked open the cabinet and fetched a bottle of Ibuprofen, downed two pills and stepped into the shower, groaning in appreciation as the steaming water soothed abused muscles. He stayed in, keeping his mind carefully blank until the water turned cold before dragging himself out, his mind on autopilot, going through the motions of getting ready for bed.
Donning a pair of boxers, Ethan stood at the foot of the bed where Erin still slept, blissfully oblivious to his presence as he contemplated climbing in beside her and increasing his chances of getting some sleep or taking his chances with the couch in the living room and risking permanent spine damage. Comfort won, and he crawled in beside her, noting for the first time the trail of dried tears on Erin's face, the sight pulling at something in his gut. regardless of how bad she'd hurt him, his damn heart still softened to see the evidence of her misery. Before cold hard reasoning could prevail, Ethan reached for Erin, pulling her snugly against his body, his chin resting on her hair, the soft strands tickling his chin. Instinctively, Erin snuggled closer, whispering his name in her sleep.
********
Erin opened her eyes, wincing as the light streaming through the window hit her lids, still sensitive and sore from last night's crying bout. Shielding her eyes, she pulled herself up, wincing as the stiff muscles in her neck protested the move. Rubbing at the sore spot, she yawned, eyes roaming the room.
Her eyes widened and she jerked off the covers and scrambled from the bed, heart beating a wild rhythm.
"You came back," She stood by the bed, conscious of her rumpled state as Ethan's eyes swept over her, his expression that blank look that confused her to no end. "Are you OK?"
Ethan rose from the window ledge, his eyes fixed on her face. Abashed, Erin lowered her gaze, settling on the dark red tie contrasting with the white shirt he wore beneath the black suit. Surprised, her eyes darted back up to his face, noting the freshly combed hair, the alert blue eyes that didn't look in the least bit like someone who'd spent the night getting drunk and she felt even more self-conscious as she realized that Ethan must have come back sometime and had gotten dressed and ready for the day while she'd made herself comfortable on his bed.
"I'll make some breakfast while you shower and get dressed." Ethan ignored her question, issuing the order in that quiet authoritative way of his. He consulted the watch on his wrist, an impressive looking Rolex and frowned. "I took the liberty of calling your assistant and she should be here by the time you're through with the shower, there's a spare toothbrush by the sink and if there's anything else you need, ask. I have to go in early, but I'll leave your food in the microwave..."
He shrugged, the action emphasizing the muscles underneath his suit. "Like I said, just holler of you need anything." He gave her a polite nod and strode out of the room, leaving Erin still struggling to catch up with the confusing twist of events.
"Ethan, wait." Jolted into action by the sound of the door slamming shut, Erin hurried after him, nearly tripping over her own feet. She caught up with him in the living room, her hand on his elbow bringing him to a halt. She scooted around so she could look him in the eye, hope coursing through her veins. The fact that he wasn't throwing her out on her ass was a good sign but Erin wasn't entirely sure what to make of his reaction this morning. "Are you still mad at me?"
Her question caused a flash of some emotion in his expression, but it vanished just as quickly, to be replaced by that inscrutable look. "We'll talk when you're done with your shower."
He stepped around her and disappeared into the kitchen and Erin contemplated going after him, curious and anxious to know what fate awaited her, then thought better of it and retraced her steps to the bathroom, mind whirling through several possibilities, as her stomach roiled in panic. She hurriedly freshened up, donning Ethan's robe, luxuriating in the warm, male aroma that filled her nostrils from the fabric as she stepped back into the bedroom to find Heather perched on a chair, fresh clothes spread out on the bed.
"Morning, Boss!" Heather grinned, shooting Erin a knowing look. "So, is this going to be a regular sort of thing? Not that I mind, of course." She rested her chin on one hand and sighed in appreciation. "A girl could certainly get used to getting a phone call from heaven first thing in the morning."
Despite her agitated nerves, Erin couldn't help but be amused by her assistant's words. "Heaven. Seriously?" She put on fresh bra and panties, perched on the bed to begin applying make-up in quick strokes, wanting to catch Ethan before he left. "Is Ethan still here? Did you see him?"
Heather nodded; busying herself with gathering Erin's used clothes into the bag she'd brought. "Yeah, he met me at the door and told me to look for you here."
Erin nodded and quickly got dressed, pausing to access herself in the mirror. Heather had chosen well, and the sleeveless black pencil gown with a deep v-neck, black belt with twin gold buckles that cinched in her waist and matching three-inch heels coupled with her hair up in a loose ponytail, gave her a sleek, confident, professional look. Taking in a deep breath, she dismissed Heather and after one last check in the mirror, made her way to the kitchen.
Ethan was perched on a stool by the counter, frowning at his laptop open in front of him, cup of coffee in hand. He looked up as she entered and Erin rejoiced to see the momentary look of male appreciation as his gaze swept over her before he returned his attention to the screen.
"There's toast and eggs if you want." He informed her as she crossed to the coffee pot to pour herself a cup. He kept his gaze firmly on the screen, not looking up even when Erin retrieved the plate he'd made up for her and took the stool opposite.
"Thanks." Erin murmured, but he merely managed a distracted nod. She took a bite of the eggs, touched that he'd taken the time to make them just as she liked - sunny side up. After the first bite, her hunger returned full force and she concentrated on filling her stomach. Biting into the last morsel of toast, Erin looked up to find Ethan watching her with a thoughtful look and she resisted the urge to blush like a school girl.
She forced herself to swallow, washing it down with coffee, all the while conscious of his gaze on her. Taking another deep breath, Erin prepared to apologize again.
"Ethan, about yesterday -"
"Forget it." Ethan cut in firmly, taking a sip of his coffee. He returned his attention to the screen again, leaving Erin staring at him in jaw dropping shock.
Wait, what?
"Huh?" at a loss for words, Erin could only mutter the first thing that came to mind. Forget it? Was that all?
Ethan looked up, lips twitched briefly at the stricken look on Erin's face. "What?"
Erin opened her mouth but no words came out. She shut it and tried again.... This time managing to stutter a few words. "But...you...we...I thought." Frustrated, she shook her head to clear her confusion and simply looked at him with a silent plea for explanations.
Ethan blew out a breath and closed the lid of his laptop, rubbing at the corner of his left eye. "Yes, I was fucking pissed at you and your parents yesterday. I'd be lying if I said I'm not still angry that you could even begin to think I would hit a woman no matter how much said woman deserved it....no Erin, let me finish...." He held up a hand to stop her protests, his tone brooking no arguments. "But when I thought about it, I realized that quite a number of times in the past, I have given you reason to believe I could resort to physical violence what with the number of times I have threatened to do the same."
His mouth twisted in self deprecation. "So when I thought about it, I couldn't really lay all the blame at your feet without getting some shit splattered on myself as well." He met her eyes and nodded. "Now, about your parents, I don't know what brought about that phone call and no offense babe, but your mother's a bit of a drama queen."
Recovered from her shock, Erin could only agree silently, a guilty flush suffusing her face as she realized that she'd picked up the talent from her mother too.
"Still, I understand how she would think I was out to take advantage of you, but I don't give a damn what your parents think. I didn't poop gold from the moment I was born, but, I'm still a helluva lot better than any fucking asshole born with a silver spoon sticking out his ass. So you can tell them I said if they don't like the fact that I'm dating their daughter, they're going have to deal with it. Which brings us back to our relationship..."
He turned to face her, his expression giving nothing away. "I'm still human, and your words cut me...hard. Right now, my head's messed up and though a part of me- the greater part wants to damn you to hell, I can't deny my feelings for you. But I need time Erin, for the next couple days, I may be brash, distant sometimes, but that's just me trying to get past all this. It doesn't change the way I feel about you, I still love you Erin. It's just so I won't unwittingly explode and hurt you in the future if I don't deal with this now. OK?"
Erin managed a nod, and for the first time, Ethan smiled, the action completely transforming his features from severe and uncompromising to boyish and sweet. Her heart lifted at the sight, and for once, Erin was able to take a breath without hurting, relief turning her bones to mush. She would take anything...would do anything if it meant she didn't lose the man she loved.
She pushed back her stool and stood up, circling the countertop, her eyes never leaving his. Ethan watched her approach, his eyes darkening in arousal. Erin came to stand between his legs, feeling her body heat up in awareness.
"Thank you." She whispered, cupping his face in her hands and brushing her lips against his own, savouring the taste of him then kissed him again, moaning when his hands wrapped around her, and his mouth settled firmly over hers, shattering her senses with his kiss.
Things had just begun to heat up, when Erin's phone rang, breaking up the moment. Not wanting to end the kiss, wanting so much more, Erin simply ignored the damn thing, molding her body closer to Ethan, her hands gripping his tie in a desperate effort to keep him close.
"You should get that," Ethan murmured, pulling away much to Erin's disappointment, his eyes mirroring her reluctance to let go.
He reached for the phone where she'd left it on the counter and handed it to her, chuckling at the disgruntled expression on her face as she tugged her dress back down. "I gotta get to work anyway, my meeting starts in less than twenty minutes."
"OK," Erin glanced at the screen, surprised to see her father's number. "It's my dad." She looked at Ethan with a worried frown, pressing the call button. "Dad?"
"Morning," Her father's usual gruff tone came over the phone. "I take it you're at Lachlan's place, is he there?"
Erin blushed, mortified and guilty at the fact that her father knew where she'd spent the night. No matter how old she got, it was still pretty unsettling. She looked at Ethan, packing up his laptop back in its case, wondering what to tell her dad. Heaven only knew why he'd decided to call her rather than speak to Ethan directly.
"Ummmm...what's this about?" She hedged, trying to get more information. She wandered into the living room, needing some privacy. "Is something wrong dad?"
"I have something to say, and I think it would be best if I said it to the both of you. Now Erin, would you please get your Mr Lachlan and put this on speaker?"
Ethan came into the room, straightening his tie and cast her a curious glance. Flummoxed, Erin held the phone away from her ear, cupping a hand over the speaker. "My dad wants to talk to both of us." She whispered in alarm, "What should I do?"
His brows rose in query. "What does he want?"
Erin gave a helpless shrug. "He wouldn't say, just that he wants you to listen in."
Ethan seemed to consider this for a moment, glancing at his watch. He sighed and set down his brief case, holding out his hand for the phone.
Fingers trembling, Erin set the call to speaker and handed it over, sidling close to Ethan so she could hear.
"Good Morning Harold," Ethan spoke, his voice betraying nothing of his thoughts.
"Lachlan." Harold's curt voice filled the room. "I know you and my daughter might be wondering if this is a repeat of yesterday's fiasco, but I assure you, it is not."
Erin's eyes met Ethan, both thinking identical thoughts. Ethan smiled, the action not quite reaching his eyes. "Well, I can say that's a relief."
"Yes well...I realize my wife and I may have over-reacted a tad, but our daughter's well being is important to us, and I especially do not like when she is been taken advantage of.."
"Dad...you just said this wasn't going to happen." Erin pointed out, her ire rising. Ethan reached for her hand, his touch soothing her rapidly fraying nerves. She looked up at him, letting him see how sorry she was for her father's behaviour and he squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Let him talk Erin," Ethan said aloud, "He has every right to be angry, and it's better if we get that out in the open and deal with it."
"Quite right, Lachlan." Harold replied, his voice a bit subdued. "I am angry, and I still demand an explanation for your shenanigans with my daughter and my company....but we'll leave that for another time." He cleared his throat, and paused for a brief minute before continuing in a calmer tone. "The reason I wanted to talk with you, is to inform you that I have decided to call off our deal...and before you go off your rockers, allow me to clarify a few facts."
Erin could feel Ethan stiffen, and despite the relief that coursed through her veins at her father's announcement... she knew Ethan wouldn't see it as a relief at all. It was her turn to squeeze his hand in an effort to calm him.
"I still want those shares," Her father was saying, "they should never have left the company's control in that appalling manner in the first place, but...as my daughter rightly pointed out, if I go through with your offer, it would cause irreparable damage to not just your company's image, but to mine as well, and that's not a risk I'm willing to take. I have come to the belief that this...offer of yours was some asinine romantic move to prove god know's what to my daughter, and I refuse to be a part of it. So, I'm offering a new deal. I will purchase those shares at the current price in the stock market and you will sign over all shareholder rights to the company. That is my final offer Lachlan."
Ethan's mouth set in that familiar stubborn line and Erin knew he was about to roundly refuse the deal. Then to her surprise, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side.
"Very well Harold. I accept." Ethan said the words quietly, his expression resigned and slightly shocked as though he too couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. "But I also have certain conditions that need to be met."
"Of course, how about we meet in your office and we can discuss those conditions."
Erin listened in amazement as the two men ended the conversation after settling on a convenient time, shocked into silence for the second time that day. Oh boy! But if this continued, she was going to need a pace maker before the day was over.
Tilting her head back so she could see him better, she gave him a puzzled look. "What was that?"
His mouth twisted in mirth, as his other hand circled her waist, bringing her fully against him. "That, was me realizing when I've been made a better offer." He shrugged as though the thought didn't bother him. "Dealing with those fuckwits yesterday made me realize one thing...I'm not and never will be the sort of guy who kisses ass, which was what would have happened if this deal had gone through. I would have had the unpleasant task of trying to convince my investors and clients that I'm not mad, while trying my damnest to keep from ripping out their fucking throats for stupidity. So your dad's managed to save a lot of lives...including my own."
The man would never cease to amaze her. "You're the most unpredictable man I've ever known."
A feral glint came into his eyes at her declaration and one hand released her only to blaze a trail down her front, over her breasts, skimming past the juncture of her thighs to rest her hips, his fingers lightly stroking her through the fabric of her dress. "I intend to keep that title for as long as possible." He filled his hand with the fabric, tugging the material up to expose her bare skin.
Erin's breath hitched at his touch, her limbs already turning to jelly at his touch. "I thought you had to be at the office?" she murmured, sliding her arms around his neck, her heels putting her at the perfect height to nuzzle the skin on his neck, hiding a smile of triumph at his groan.
"I'm being unpredictable." Ethan replied, his voice a harsh rasp of need as he leaned down, scooping Erin into his arms and making for the bedroom.
A/N
The epilogue contest is officially over and we have a total of five entries (check it out in my reading list HR EPILOGUE CONTEST if you haven't read them yet). I have asked a couple of readers to help me select the best entry which will then be uploaded as a part of the main story but with all credit given to the writer. However, I will also be showcasing all the entries because, each one is unique and I am still truly amazed at the level of talent each writer has displayed.
If you have any questions, about the story or the contest, please contact me via private message and I will do my best to reply.
Thanks to everyone who participated, I really love you guys!
Now I'm going to get some much deserved sleep.