“In her emotional and mental state, Ethan, I don’t know for sure.”
“What if she’s going to hurt herself? Or the baby?”
“Or Olivia,” John adds.
Terror washes over him. “Call the office, get a hold of anyone who can confirm that Olivia’s in the building and safe. Alert security.”
“Already all over it,” John responds with his phone to his ear.
Ethan paces the floor, becoming even more frantic.
“Ian says she made it to the office, he’s walking down to the research department right now.” John watches Ethan slowly begin to unravel. “She’s not there. He’ll keep looking.”
“Cancel my next meeting. I’m going over there.”
“Already done.”
Ethan makes the drive there, in record time, and searches every office at O’Connell Industries. Nobody has seen her for hours. “You have no idea where she went?” Ethan asks James, suspiciously.
“No. She was here one minute and then she was gone. I don’t think she’s in the building, to be honest.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because she took her bags with her.”
Ethan searches her desk in the research room and then takes off toward his office. James is right. She’s taken everything with her.
“I put security detail on Jessica,” John says, bursting in to the room. “She hasn’t left her house since she called.”
“Well, that’s good news I suppose.”
“She doesn’t seem to be a threat to anyone but herself at the moment. So let’s calm down a little and assume that Olivia is safe.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know. But I think we should keep your appointment with the builders. Ian will let us know when she shows up.”
Reluctantly, he agrees. He stops at the corner, waiting to merge onto the main street when John rolls down his window.
“Ummm, Ethan.”
“What?”
“Look.”
Ethan looks where John is pointing but doesn’t see anything. “In the coffee shop,” John clarifies.
Ethan crosses four lanes of traffic and parks in front. John’s right, it’s her. They get out of the car and head in to the busy café. He picks up the pace when he realizes that there’s a man sitting across from her.
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” John advises.
He hears her laugh and it makes him tense. That smile, that laughter, belongs to him. It’s only for him. Jealousy hits him hard, like a shovel in the back of the head. He storms toward the table, bumping into people and pushing waitresses out of the way. He stops abruptly a few feet away, almost causing John to crash into the back of him.
Sensing his overwhelming presence Olivia looks up. “Ethan?”
Dave Cameron gets to his feet and smiles.
“Come join us.” He moves to grab an empty chair.
“It’s okay, Dave. I can’t stay.” He moves toward the table, staring at Olivia and making her nervous. “If you don’t mind, I need to have a few words with my wife.”
“Of course. I’ll pay the bill and wait outside with John.”
“What are you doing here?” Olivia asks, as the two men disappear out of sight.
“Where is it?” He picks up her purse and unzips it.
Olivia grinds her teeth, annoyed at this huge invasion of her privacy.
“You didn’t call me when you got to work. I’ve been calling all morning. I’ve been worried sick.
Olivia crosses her arms and raises her eyebrows. “Well… you see; I have this overprotective, overbearing husband, who seems to think that he has the right to determine when I should use my cell phone. Since he was the one who turned it off, I deemed it appropriate to leave it off until he says its okay for me to turn it back on.” Her aggravation is well noted in the tone of her voice.
Despite his anger, he tries to fight the urge to laugh at her. Even when she’s annoyed, she’s beautiful. Not finding what he’s looking for, he drops her purse down on the table. A small smile starts to curl at his lips. “Well played, Mrs. O’Connell. You’ve made your point.”
Ethan leans over her, bringing his lips close. Olivia is still angry with him, but she licks her lips, preparing for his kiss. Hovering closely above her sweet, warm mouth, Ethan pauses. Moving his hand across her chest, he slides his fingers under the material and in to her bra. Olivia lets out a disappointed growl as he wraps his hand around her phone and pulls it out.
“We still need to have a serious talk about boundaries,” she says agitated, as she adjusts her collar.
“So you keep telling me.” He smiles, as he turns it on and hands it back to her. As he does, it rings.
“I’m fine, Ian.” A concerned look washes over her face. “Oh, that doesn’t sound good. Ethan is with me, we’ll come back now.”
“What’s going on?”
“You’re father has called a meeting. He’s going to make an announcement, and Ian thinks we should be there.”
Ethan nods, guiding her protectively through the crowd to the front of the café.
“I’m sorry if we concerned you,” Dave offers, as Ethan joins them out front. “I popped in on my way to the office, and it was clear from the sounds her stomach was making that she hadn’t had any lunch. Or breakfast.”
All three men turn to her with disapproving looks.
“Well, this is certainly awkward.” She gives them a playful smile.
“I’m sure you’re not stupid enough to be having an affair with my wife,” Ethan begins. Olivia gasps.
“No, I’m not,” Dave assures him.
“So, I assume you’re visiting because you have test results?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“We’ve found a few things that we need to be aware of.”
“But everything is fine,” Olivia interjects, locking eyes with him. “Right?”
“Right,” he confirms, reluctantly.
“Good, I’ll walk you to your car.”
John ushers Olivia into the Zagato and Ethan heads down the block with Dave. “You’ve known me for a very long time,” Ethan says, as Dave unlocks the car.
“Get to the point, Ethan.”
Ethan nods. “You’d tell me if there was something I needed to know, right?”
“Yes.”
“Are my wife and baby okay?”
“Yes, she has a condition called velamentous cord insertion.”
“That’s pretty dangerous from what I remember.”
“Not always. The umbilical cord abnormally connects into the fetal membranes instead of the placenta and as the baby develops they are vulnerable to rupture.”
“What can we do?”
“Nothing. Just keep an eye on them, make sure it doesn’t develop into a more serious condition called vasa previa.”
“That, I know, is very dangerous for them both,” he says becoming concerned. “The percentage of stillborn or fetal death is extremely high.”
“I’m going to keep a close eye on them, Ethan. We’re going to plan a C-section. A normal delivery would be too risky.”
He glances down at a message from John.
“I need to go. I’ll have John set up regular appointments.”
“Every two weeks.”
Ethan nods. “Promise me, that you’ll let me know if she doesn’t show up, or doesn’t do what she’s told. She’s a stubborn one, that woman.”
Dave smiles. “Perfect match for you.”
Ethan shakes his head as he walks away. “Everybody keeps saying that.”
O’Connell Industries looks like a ghost town when they get back. On the way to the boardroom, Olivia glances into the research department and finds James, packing his belongings into his bag.
“James? Where is everybody?” Olivia asks.
“Upstairs in the boardroom.”
“Why aren’t you up there?”
“I’ve been sent home,” he says dimly.
&
nbsp; “Olivia,” Ethan prompts. “Let’s go find out what’s going on.”
She hesitates, not knowing what to say. “Keep in touch, James.”
She has no problem keeping up with Ethan’s quick steps as they make their way down the corridor to the boardroom.
Ian is standing at the door waiting for them. As they whisk into the room, he closes the doors behind them.
Aiden sits at the front of the room with his Human Resources and Publicity staff at his side.
“This can’t be good.” Olivia frowns.
A hush falls over the crowd as Aiden gets to his feet. “Today, I have brought you all here to announce that I have made the difficult decision to exit and cease all research and development on the Artemis Project.”
All eyes turn to find Ethan in the room. Olivia reaches down and tries to take Ethan’s hand in a supportive manner, but his fists are clenched tightly together.
“I have not made this decision lightly,” Aiden continues. “We believed so strongly in this project and the difference it would make, that we invested heavily to ensure its success. Still, after significant time, we continue to produce unfavorable results. I regret that I’ve made the decision to direct our time, energy, and resources into a project that will provide a greater sustained profitability.”
John squints his eyes, trying to work through something. “You’re controlling owner, right? So how can he make any decisions without your knowledge or approval?”
“He’s an O’Connell,” Olivia surmises. “He does what he wants.”
Ethan spends the next couple of hours behind locked doors with his father. Olivia takes the opportunity to pack up her stuff in the research room. She’s not quite sure yet what she’ll be doing now, but she’s certainly not going to be sitting in there alone.
When she gets to Ethan’s office, John is just leaving.
“How is he?” She asks frowning.
“He’s a lot better than I expected he’d be.” John gives her a sympathetic smile. It’s not much of an apology for how difficult Ethan can be.
“I’ll see if I can cheer him up.”
John shakes his head in disagreement. “No. Let him be. He needs time. I know him well enough to know that he’ll lock himself in his office for a few hours, and then he’ll go to the gym and work it out. He’ll be good as new by the time he gets home tonight. Trust me.” John waits for her acknowledgement, worrying that she’ll ignore him since she’s every bit Ethan’s equal where stubbornness is concerned.
Shoulders slouched, Olivia sighs. “Fine, you’re probably right.”
Despite her best efforts, she can’t follow John’s advice. Needing to settle her husband, she decides to meet him at the gym after his workout. She sneaks in, closing the door quietly and stands against the wall. She watches as he works out his frustrations in the ring. He’s a well-chiseled mass of muscle. The dark ink of the tribal tattoo on his shoulder glistens as a result of his rigorous workout. The Celtic influences in the design truly reflect the man he is. She thinks about tracing her tongue across every line of that tattoo, and becomes flushed. When he finishes his round, he looks up and finds her watching. Grabbing a towel, he wipes the sweat from his face as he walks toward her.
“What are you doing here?”
She shrugs. “I just wanted to see you.”
He grins. “Give me a kiss.”
Olivia ducks, trying to escape his sweaty touch.
“Hey,” he says amused. “You’re pretty quick on your feet.”
“That’s some pretty impressive footwork,” his sparring partner adds jokingly. “Maybe she should box.”
“Can I?” Olivia says excited about the idea.
“Hell No!”
“Why not?” she asks disappointed.
“Because you’re five months into a high-risk pregnancy.”
“You said I had to learn self defense,” she argues.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“So is being mugged.”
“She has a point,” his partner adds.
“You’re not helping.”
“Seriously, Ethan. We don’t have to throw her into the ring with a sparring partner. Just teach her how to block and get in a few good shots.”
Olivia smiles and bats her eyes. “I tried all those martial arts classes. This I want to do.”
Ethan rakes his fingers through his damp hair. “Something tells me this would be a good choice for you, but I don’t know.”
Olivia sends Ethan’s sparring partner a pleading look.
“We’ll teach her how to defend herself, that’s all. Nothing strenuous,” he offers.
“Please?” Olivia asks.
“No.” He pulls a dry shirt over his head.
Olivia folds her arms. “You know I’m only asking as a courtesy, right? I’m going to do it.”
Ethan pauses and flashes his partner a look when he chuckles. “Oh, Princess. What am I going to do with you?”
“Normally I’d say anything you want. But that’s not going to happen until you stop bossing me around.”
Ethan sighs. “Okay, how about this? We talk to Dave about it. If he gives you the green light, you can start. SLOWLY.”
“Deal!” She turns and opens the door.
Ethan gives his sparring partner a frustrated look. “I must be mad. Does it look like I need to help her find ways to kick my ass?”
Chapter Seventeen
The next day, Ethan sits quietly in his office still brooding about his father’s decision. He throws himself into his work, trying to cope with his anger and frustration. Normally on days like today, she would work in the research room, away from him. It was the perfect excuse to give him some space. Now, she sits in his office, wondering what her next move should be.
“Why don’t you get out of here and go work at Aurora today?” she suggests, tired of watching him sit and fester over it.
“I’m trying to tie up some loose ends from the project.”
“Ethan, I’m sorry to bring this up, but… I was brought here to work on this project.”
He looks up from his desk. “What are you getting at?”
“Maybe I should just head home to Canada. Get back to my regular job.”
“No.”
“But, Ethan.”
“I said no.”
She pauses, feeling sick at heart. “It’s my fault.”
“What’s your fault?”
“That everyone lost their jobs.”
He puts down his pen and sits back in his chair. “How so?”
“They have bills to pay, families to support. I let them down.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“It was my job to find a solution and I failed.”
Ethan responds to her dispirited tone. “No. You didn’t fail. My father is responsible for those people being out of work.”
“Now I’m out of work too.”
“Well, not exactly. I hired you on for this project under my personal business, not OCI. So in reality, you still work for me, until I say the project is over. I’m trying to figure out if I can hire on a few of the other engineers, so you can continue working on it.”
Olivia perks up. “Can we? Can we hire James?”
“I’m working on it, Love. I don’t want to get your hopes up.”
Olivia wanders over to his desk and wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him from behind. “I love you.”
“Somebody has to.”
“I do. It’s kind of hard not to. So, Boss, do you need the Volkswagen? I’m going to take the afternoon off.”
“No, I wouldn’t get caught dead driving that bucket of bolts.”
Olivia stares at him, shooting daggers with her eyes. “I’m good.” He laughs. “John can bring me home.”
She makes her way to the door and stops. “Wait until you see what I have planned for you tonight!”
“Tonight?”
“My Halloween surprise.”
“Oh.”
&
nbsp; “Did you forget already?” Olivia starts to panic. “Tell me you’re going to be home tonight.”
“Yes, I’ll be home,” he promises, distracted by a message on his phone.
“Ethan O’Connell! You better be there, or it will be the shortest marriage in history.”
Ethan laughs. “I doubt that. You don’t divorce an O’Connell. You’re stuck with me forever.”
She glares at him from across the room. “Oh, no, sir. Till death do us part, remember?” She crosses her arms angrily. “I know where to hide the body.”
“Okay, okay. I have a dinner meeting at five, but I’ll be home by eight. I promise.”
“Will all the trick-or-treaters be gone by then?” she asks curiously.
“I don’t know, really. I’ve never been home to hand out candy. Did you want them to be knocking on the door every two minutes?”
“Ummm. No. Just the opposite, I was hoping we’d have no interruptions.”
Ethan grins. “I thought so. We could always just turn off the light and ignore the knocking on the door.”
“Or we could put a sign on the doorknob that says to go upstairs and see Mrs. Malloy for candy.”
“Ohhh, another brilliant idea, Mrs. O’Connell. Will you be explaining to her why we can’t come to the door, then?”
“Gah!” Olivia wrinkles her nose. “Ignoring the door, it is.”
Eight o’clock comes and goes, and Olivia sits in the flat waiting. Impatiently she taps her fingertips on the table. When his name flashes on the screen of an incoming call, she lets it ring a few times while she takes a calming breath. “Let me guess, you’re not coming home.”
“The meeting has gone on longer than I expected,” he explains sounding anxious. “I need you to do something for me. It’s very important.”
Olivia sighs. “What?”
“I left important papers on my desk in the study, I need you to bring them to me right away. I want to get them signed, before he decides to walk.”
“Where’s John?”
“He had to leave.”
His anxious tone starts to concern her. “Is he okay?’
“I assume so, he didn’t explain. Olivia, this is really important,” he stresses. “I need you to get here as soon as possible with those papers.”
Olivia starts to worry. “Okay, I found them, but Ethan, Maddie picked up her car a little while ago, I have no way of getting there.”
Indivisible Souls: Book 3 of the Bound4Ireland Series Page 17
