“What the hell were you thinking?”
I keep my head lowered as Ethan paces before me. I’ve never seen him so angry.
“I told you not to go anywhere without Caleb!” he roars.
I press my lips together. “It was just across the road. And Jake was on his way.”
“And what happened in those few minutes?” he demands. I glance at Jake, and Ethan snaps, “Don’t look at him. Look at me. Tell me you’re not this reckless with your life, Natalie, because if you can’t control your impulses, I’m going to put you under lock and key till I have dealt with every single threat!”
“It was my fault, Ethan,” Jake begins.
“Not a fucking word out of you!”
His twin falls silent.
“I did kick his ass a little,” I offer tentatively, only to be glared into silence.
For a few minutes, the heavy silence that fills his office has me on edge. Ethan has never raised his voice at me before. I don’t entirely like it, but I know I could have been more cautious. If I hadn’t had those brass knuckles, I wouldn’t havebeen the only one who suffered. I’m responsible for another life right now.
Ethan leans against his desk, his fingers running through his hair. “Alright. Okay. The police are already looking for him. We have plenty of witnesses who saw him pull Natalie into the alley and try to strangle her. But then, there are also a lot of witnesses who saw Natalie attack him with a weapon.”
“It was self-defense!” I explode.
“That’s not the point. Get out, Jake.”
Jake shoots me an apologetic look, and my shoulders slump. Now I’m really going to have it.
I hear the door close behind him, and my heart sinks, “Etha?—”
His arms wrap around me, his voice rough. “How can you be so reckless with yourself? Didn’t you think for one moment that I can’t lose you? What if he had a knife, Natalie? What if he stabbed you? What if Jake never got there in time? What if?—”
I cover his mouth. “There’s no room for what-ifs. I’m sorry, Ethan. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t realize the danger would be so close to home. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
“No lunch, no going anywhere.” He clasps my cheeks. “Promise me. Stick by my side.”
“I’ll be careful,” I promise him. “I’ll arrange my lunches to be in one of the conference rooms.”
He tilts my head back and studies my neck. His voice is whisper-soft, a chilling edge to it. “I’m going to make that bastard regret even breathing on you.”
“You do that. I’m pretty sure I broke his nose, though.”
His hand slides around my hip in a way that has my breath catching. His eyes hold mine, dark and intense, as he dips his hand into my pocket, retrieving the brass knuckles. He examines them for a brief moment, his fingers brushing against mine and sending a shiver down my spine. “I’ll get you better ones made. They have sharp spikes on them. It’ll tear his face open.”
“Ethan!”
I snatch my weapon back from him, trying to ignore the heat blooming where his fingers touched my skin. “This works just fine. I don’t need that much violence around the baby.”
His hand grabs my jaw, holding me in place, his thumb caressing my lower lip. “I want to kill him. I want to rip him to fucking shreds. He laid his hands on you. I’m going to not only press charges for this assault, Natalie, but also for the one from five years ago. I’m going to put him away for as long as I can. I’m going to ruin him financially.”
My stomach is in knots, yet I can’t help but respond to the possessive hunger in his eyes. “Do it. I won’t stop you. I won’t let him or my mother push me around anymore. Do whatever you have to.”
He lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me fiercely. My arms wrap around his neck, my body melting against his. I ignore the slight ache in my back as he pulls me closer, one hand sliding to the small of my back. His mouth is hot and sends streaks of pleasure down to my core.
I can feel myself grow wet, but he pulls away within the next heartbeat, his voice ragged. “No. You’re going to get a checkup first.”
“W-What?” I gape at him, reeling, still feeling the ghost of his lips on mine.
“A checkup,” he says, firmly now. “You’re going to your OB. Right now.”
