Chapter 29 Lie to Me
Living with Ethan Bennett wasn't a recent development. We'd been sharing the same roof, the same meals, and yes, the same bed for over a month now.
During these weeks at Oakwood Estate, I'd learned more about Ethan than I'd ever intended to. His morning routine was military-precise. He liked his coffee black with exactly one teaspoon of honey. He showered twice daily and could hold business calls in four different languages.
I'd also discovered just how powerful his possessive streak ran. Last week, we'd attended one of Alexander's events at Horizon Club. I'd made the mistake of laughing a little too long at something Jackson Hayes said. That night, Ethan had been insatiable, leaving marks on my body that took days to fade. Afterward, he wouldn't let me leave the estate for three days, claiming I needed "rest."
Now, wherever I went, Walter or another staff member mysteriously appeared. Once, I'd mentioned wanting to shop for new books. Two security guards materialized to "accompany" me to the bookstore. Protection, Ethan called it. Surveillance was more accurate.
"Is Noah more attractive than me?"
Ethan's question cut through the silence of our hotel room. His tone was casual, but his eyes were razor-sharp, tracking my reaction with predatory focus. I'd felt his tension building all evening, especially when Noah kept glancing our way.
I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck, stretching up on my toes to press a strategic kiss to his jawline.
"Don't ask silly questions," I murmured against his skin.
The tightness in his expression loosened slightly, but he wasn't letting go that easily. "He seems to like you."
I pulled back enough to look into his eyes. "Does that bother you?"
"Should it?"
I decided to shift tactics. "Have women ever liked you, Ethan?"
His brow furrowed, as if the question had never occurred to him. "I don't know. Maybe they have, maybe they haven't. I never noticed." His hands settled on my waist. "No woman ever dared approach me, and I never permitted them to try."
"I'm sure they have!" I insisted with exaggerated confidence. "You're so handsome, with such a great body. You're brilliant, wealthy... women must have crushed on you constantly. Even if they were too intimidated to say it out loud, they definitely had secret feelings for you."
A satisfied smile spread across Ethan's face. He seemed almost boyishly pleased by my praise, his eyes brightening with undisguised excitement.
"Sweetheart," he murmured, bending down to brush his lips against mine, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Apart from me, have you ever had feelings for anyone else?"
"No," I answered.
My response was perfectly ambiguous. I hadn't had feelings for Ethan, and I hadn't had feelings for anyone else either.
Ethan's perception was too sharp to miss my evasion. He nipped at my lower lip, his dark eyes boring into mine. "No, you don't have feelings for me, or no, you've never had feelings for anyone else?"
I moistened my slightly numb lips, choosing my next words with care. "I've never had feelings for anyone else."
"Your eyes give you away," he said softly, disappointment flickering across his features. My lack of affection clearly bothered him.
In one fluid motion, Ethan lifted me into his arms, kicked the door shut behind us, and settled me on his lap. His hands gripped my waist firmly as he positioned me to face him directly, our eyes level.
"Olivia," he said, his voice sharp enough to cut glass, "lie to me."
I wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my cheek against his shoulder. "Ethan," I replied, my voice deliberately soft, "I don't want to lie to you. I want to genuinely fall in love with you."
I lifted my head, meeting his gaze with what I hoped was a tender expression. "Give me some time to really fall for you. Please?"
My calculated display of vulnerability worked better than I'd hoped. I could practically feel Ethan melting, his iron control softening under my manufactured sweetness.
His throat worked, Adam's apple bobbing visibly as he swallowed. "Would a month be enough time?" he asked, his voice rough.
A month? I wanted to snap back with "Why not just one day?" but bit my tongue. If I challenged him that way, he might actually demand I fall in love with him by tomorrow.
"Isn't a month too little?" I asked, hugging his waist and playing up the pleading tone. "Ethan, a month isn't enough. Could you give me more time?"
"How long do you think is appropriate?" he countered.
I tested the waters. "Would a year work?"
Ethan chuckled, pinching my cheek gently. "Three months, maximum."
I nodded, accepting the compromise. Three months it was—for now. I'd figure out a new strategy when the deadline approached. One problem at a time.
When Ethan didn't loosen his hold, I pushed lightly against his chest. "I'm tired," I said. "I need to rest."
He carried me to the sofa, kissing my face and the corner of my mouth with lingering affection. "Rest then. I need to take a conference call in the study. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to see your grandfather."
"Okay," I agreed, keeping my voice meek.
Ethan grabbed his laptop and disappeared into the study, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Despite having just flown, I wasn't actually sleepy—just exhausted in a way sleep couldn't fix. My mind buzzed with fragmented images: my years studying in Pacifica, my time in Los Angeles, and most prominently, these past weeks with Ethan.
Thoughts of Ethan inevitably led to thoughts of Blake. My relationship with Ethan would forever be entangled with Blake, considering it was Blake who had first brought me to the Bennett estate, unknowingly delivering me into his uncle's possessive grasp.
Since the day Blake had called me, I hadn't heard from him again. I didn't know if he'd given up contacting me or if Ethan had blocked him somehow. Either way, I preferred the current silence. The fewer complications, the better.
My phone suddenly rang on the pillow beside me. The screen showed an unknown number with Pacifica's area code. I hesitated, wondering if it might be family or perhaps an old classmate.
"Hello?" I answered tentatively.
Before I could finish, a familiar voice came through. "Olivia, it's me. Noah Mitchell."