“What?”“You know better. I am very guarded about my property Mae Ricci, and for the entirety of our contract, you are mine. I won’t have you acting like a hussy where Cartwright is involved.” And we were back to square one.I huffed as I jumped from his lap, ignoring the erection he was sporting. His hands slipped off me easily. ” You know what Ethan. you can take your adjusted contract and shove it up your ass because I’m no longer interested.“And then I marched to my room like the bad ass queen that I was. Soon to be very hungry, but bad ass nevertheless.I slipped down the stairs an hour later unable to contain the rumbling of my stomach. Damn Ethan Crowe for making me act like a child. I bumped into Cecilia on my way down.She shrieked startled and then placed her hand on her chest. “Miss Ricci, you scared the shit outta me. I was actually coming to check on you.”“I’m sorry. I thought it would be just me and Ethan in the house.”“It should be, I’m here on my own. I left
We drove in silence because I did not want to ask Ethan where we were going, I wouldn't know if he told me anyway."We're late, you know." he said his eyes still focused on the road.“You should have called to tell me you wanted to take me out. ""But we already had plans.""Plans that were canceled because you were being an ass." He glanced at me, "I'm trying to rectify that." "You're doing great.” I told him with a grin.I felt euphoric. I did not realize I was looking forward to spending time with Ethan so much.He pulled up to the Malroy art museum and my mouth fell open. It looked even more fancier that evening, with garlands and other decorations hanging on the walls adding to the beautiful aesthetic of the timeless art pieces in the room. I looked at him for answers.“Julia Mackintosh does a spring show every year, celebrating her favorite time of the year, spring.” Did he just say Julia Makintosh?My head was spinning.“I was expecting some fancy dinner Ethan I didn't
When we separated, he clasped my hand tightly. “On to the next activity.”I blasted Mitski from the speakers as he drove us to our new destination. Once again, my breath was taken away by the sight. It was a small cozy restaurant that boasted of one of the classiest decor I had seen, with low hanging chandeliers and a low lighting.“I didn’t know if you wanted a private dinner or something more public.” He spoke into my ear. His hands gripping my hips. “I chose this because I don’t want to think of what I’ll do if i was alone with you.”When I looked up at him he was close enough to kiss. I swallowed hard and riveted my gaze, taking a wide step away from him.I crossed my hands over my chest. “You’re going to have to do more than sweet talk me, Ethan.” He smiled at me. “I’m starting to realize that.”We took our seats away from most of the other guests. When the waiter came to take our orders Ethan was in control of the conversation, frowning slightly when the waiter’s gaze would
The drive home was the same. I shivered in the passenger seat, as he sped through LA. We marched up the stairs together till we stooped by my room.“I had a good time at dinner.” I told him as I searched his eyes for the kinder Ethan. The one who had a soul behind his eyes.“I’m glad.” He responded shutting me out.Desperate for some kind of connection, i pressed my body flush against his and kissed him, waiting for him to respond. He remained frozen for a second, and then he gripped me tightly against his body.I wasn’t sure i wanted to make love to Ethan that night. I felt alone, even with him.“My new favorite thing is you kissing me.” He said hoarsely against my lips while I trembled at the ferocity of our kiss.He groaned as he pulled away from me.“I need to leave. I have a work emergency I need to attend to.”Discomfort snaked it’s way through my chest and found it’s home in my heart. All evening I hadn’t seen Ethan touch his phone. How did he hear of an emergency then?
“Okay, send me the details.” I told her finally. This was part of my deal, blending with his people. “Oh Wynona, there’s the fashion show, the Legacy luxe by Anna-“ “Yeah, what about it? Wait are you going to be on it?” “I donno…” I said slowly.“Of course you are, and so am I.” So was Ava. “I could not make it to her last one we’ll do this one together. We’re going to have so much fun!”“I’m glad you’re excited.” I grinned, getting on my knees to retrieve the glue-gun from underneath the center table in the living room.“You should be too, I heard she’s displaying Saskia van der Meer’s works. Do you know how rare it is to see even a single dress that belongs in her collection, and we’re getting nearly a dozen!” “I gotta see that.” I admitted.“Exactly, i don’t know if I’ll ever get to wear a Saskia dress in my entire life. Now’s a good fucking time.”“Fine, I’m convinced.” I said with a laugh, still sitting on my knees. “Send your party thing okay, I’ve gotta get back to wreckin
Ethan’s grandfather made sure I was in riding gear, complete with an helmet before he let me mount one of his horses, Sage.I tried to stay calm as the horse bristled underneath me and he spoke to it like a kid.“Does baby talk usually work on horses?” I asked, amusement in my voice. He gave my horse final pats on it bottom before he mounted his in one fluid motion. His age had not limited his agility.“Oh yes, they’re basically oversize puppies. They can be cheeky as well. Which is why I told you. You gotta stay calm. If she senses your fear, she’ll react to it.”“It’s hard to stay calm when you’re on a self operating beast.”He chuckled. “You remind me of Ethan’s first rides. His father let him come with me after he turned fourteen. He refused to get on until I swore, the horse would not move an inch while he was on.”“How did that work out?”“Oh the usual, the horse made a run for it and your fiancé screamed to high heavens as he fell behind.” I cracked up at the picture of
The guilt of lying to Bron followed me all the way back home. Without thinking my feet led me to Ethan’s office, where I found him behind his desk, working.He shut off a tablet when I stepped in.“Hey,” I muttered drawing closer to him.“How’d your day go.” I let out a big sigh.”that bad huh?”“No it was good, I think. It went well. A little too well.”I though about what he said about finding love with Ethan. He was genuinely happy for his grandson and we were here faking it.“Come here.” He urged me.I jumped onto his desk and swung my legs at the bottom before he grabbed a hold of one and began undoing the lacing on my shoe. “Tell me how it went.”“Well we talked,” I shrugged “about his horses, their skills…he told me about your first riding experience.“Ethan chuckled as he slipped of the shoe and started with the second one. “My father still doesn’t know about that incident till this day.”“He asked about the restaurant.”“And?”“That went well too.”“So what’s both
“I bless my stars that your Fiancé decided to unveil you to the rest of us.” Anna spoke as she made her way to me. “You. You will wear the dress.”“But it’s a statement piece!” Ava protested as she battled her way through the women. “It was literally the last thing Saskia’s hands touched before she chucked herself off the roof.” I winced at her wording. ”a more experienced model should wear it.” She finished.“That dress highlights the suddenness of her death, as it is incomplete…” Anna explained her eyes burning into mine. “You showed up into our world unannounced, it’s so perfect I could cry.” “That’s ridiculous.” Ava scoffed in disbelief and looked around for support. “I think the dress should be removed from the show-to honor her family.” She said finally. A few women murmured in agreement.“That’s a bunch of crap.” Wynona shot back. “The first sighting of this collection since Saskia’s passing and you think the right thing to do is hide the dress? Stick to modeling Ava, not ha
MAEThe moment the door opened, and I saw who it was, my heart stopped. “Dad?” I croaked, my voice barely above a whisper. Tears sprang to my eyes almost immediately. I tried to sit up, but he was already by my side, gently pressing me back down. “Don’t push yourself,” he said softly, but there was worry in every word. He pulled up a chair and sat next to me, his hand covering mine. “You should be resting.”I blinked up at him, confused. “What… how are you here? Shouldn’t you also be resting?” My dad had fainted just two days ago and seeing him there made my chest ache.He gave me a small smile and shrugged like it was nothing. “I heard about a certain Mae being treated at the hospital. Someone mentioned your name, and I… I had to make sure it was you.” His voice cracked a little at the end.I swallowed hard, my throat hurting. “I’m okay now, Dad. I promise. I should be the one worrying about you. How do you feel?”“I'm fine.” He replied with a small smile. He just held my hand, his
CMAEThe moment Ethan walked in, my heart stopped. Not in a good way. He looked rough like he’d been through hell and back, but he still had this commanding presence about him. And those men in suits behind him? Yeah, that didn’t help. My stomach twisted, the knife in my throat feeling colder and sharper than ever now. Ava’s grip on me tightened, and I could feel her shaking just slightly. Their coming closer was making her nervous and her knife pressed into my neck even more, scaring me.“Ethan,” she said, her voice cracking but still carrying that desperate tone. “Tell them to stay back, or I’ll kill her.” That sent a chill down my spine, like ice running through my veins. She pressed the knife closer, and I winced, biting my lip to keep myself from crying out. It hurt, my shoulder had still not healed from the accident and the way she was pressing it down hurt badly.Ethan raised his hands, palms out, his voice calm, like he was trying to also calm her down. “Ava, just let her
ChaMAEMy eyes snapped open, and for a moment, everything was a blur. My head throbbed like someone had hit it many times, and my mouth was dry, my tongue sticking to the roof of it. My head hurt badly, like badly, especially the back of my head like it had been hit.I blinked a few times, trying to figure out where I was, trying to remember what had happened, but nothing made sense. The air was damp and cold, and there was this faint, musty smell that made my stomach twist. I looked around, my vision finally clearing, and panic hit me almost immediately, making my heart pound harder than ever.I was in a huge, dark basement, the kind you only find in horror movies, except this was real life, my life. The only light came from a single bulb hanging from the ceiling, swaying slightly like it might go out any second. My arms and legs felt heavy, and when I tried to move, I realized why. I was tied to a chair. Thick ropes dug into my wrists and ankles, holding me in place no matter h
MAEIt was Julianna. Of course, it was Julianna. Why did I think she wouldn't come? Of course, she would. Seemed like everyone knew her except me and it was killing me. I wasn't even sure if she and Ethan had dated before. I wasn't sure about anything anymore.She walked onto the balcony like she owned the world, dressed to kill in this beautiful black dress that hugged her figure perfectly. She looked completely perfect. Her makeup was flawless, not a smudge out of place, and her hair looked like it had been styled by some overpriced Hollywood professional. She had this effortless grace about her like she knew people were watching, and she loved it. I felt tiny in comparison. I felt out of place at that moment. She was like the epitome of beauty, and I was the epitome of nothing. Well, not nothing. I believed in loving my body, but she just suited him perfectly while he and I were odd together.She made her way over to us with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, slipping he
MAEI spotted him the second Lindsey walked away like my eyes had been programmed to find him in any crowd. He stood near the far wall, looking way too good in a perfectly tailored suit, a drink in his hand, and that confident, effortless stance that used to make me melt. My stomach did this weird flip, and for a second, I thought about bolting right back out the door. But then Lindsey’s voice yanked me out of my thoughts. “Okay, I'm back.” Before I could react, she handed me another drink, her energy as bubbly as ever. “Thanks for coming. Seriously, it means so much to me!” I forced a smile, trying my best to match her enthusiasm. “Of course. I’m honored to be here.” She rolled her eyes and smacked my arm lightly, laughing. “Oh, stop being so modest. You’re family. I'm surprised you and Ethan didn't come together, but oh well. Couples always fight, right? Now, eat whatever you want, okay? I’ll be right back. Again. I have to say hi to a million more people.” “Go, go,” I s
MAEIt was another picture of Ethan and Julianna. They were holding hands, her other hand clutching a bouquet like they were in some sort of romantic movie, which made me sad instead of happy.My chest felt tight like someone had taken a fistful of my heart and squeezed it. And it hurt badly. I wished there was medicine for heartache because I couldn't take any more of this pain. I just wanted peace. Sighing, I tossed my phone to the side, the screen going dark as it hit the pillow. My fingers brushed against my cheeks, and I realized tears had started falling again. Why couldn't I stop crying? It was definitely because of my pregnancy. Not because of Ethan. Not.I curled up on my bed, wrapping my arms around my stomach without even thinking about it. My voice cracked as I whispered, “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry you can’t be close to your father right now.” My hand instinctively rubbed the small curve of my belly, as I could somehow comfort the little life growing inside me. The ac
MAEEthan walked toward us, his chest rising and falling like he’d just sprinted a marathon. “How’s your dad?” he asked with worry. He sounded sincere, like he was genuinely worried, but I couldn't think about why he was there or how he even knew my dad was at the hospital. I glanced at Miles, waiting for him to answer, because I sure wasn’t about to and the only other person who could have told him was Miles. I'd been with Mum all night so it sure as hell wasn't her and if it was Miles, I was going to kill him. Tear him in half.Miles rubbed the back of his neck, looking awkward, and said, “He’s stable now. My mom's with him now.” I stood there, my arms crossed tight against my chest, looking between the two of them. My brain was spinning. Why was Ethan here? He couldn't have magically known Dad was here. My eyes narrowed suspiciously at Miles, and he caught the look. He sighed like he knew what my question was. “I called him,” he admitted, shrugging like it was no big deal. “W
MAE Miles and I bolted outside, my heart hammering in my chest. The second we stepped out, I froze. My dad was lying on the ground, his face pale, his eyes closed. My mom was kneeling over him, her hands on his chest, crying. “Oh my God! Honey!” she sobbed. “Please, get up! Don't do this to me!”“Dad!” I shrieked, running toward him, my broken foot hurting way worse than earlier. Miles sprinted past me, grabbing his phone and already dialing. “I’m calling 911!” he shouted, his voice shaking, not helping my frayed nerves at all.I dropped next to my mom, my hands hovering over Dad like I didn’t know what to do. “Dad?” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Come on, wake up. Please.” He didn’t move. He didn’t even flinch. My mom’s cries were breaking me into a million tiny pieces. My heart was pounding hard, blood rushing to my head, making it very hard to think or breathe. The walls seemed to be closing in on me.It felt like forever before the ambulance arrived, though it couldn’t have b
MAEI zipped up my bag with shaky hands, my chest heaving as I threw the last of my stuff inside. My heart was screaming at me to stop, to wait, to give him a chance to explain, but my brain wasn’t having it. I wanted him to also say something, anything, apologize, beg me to stay, tell me what actually happened, at least explain, but Ethan? Ethan didn't seem to care.He wasn’t even begging me to stay. He wasn’t apologizing. He was just standing there like I wasn’t literally packing my things and leaving, like I didn't mean a single thing to him, like what we had, our love, our bond, our marriage meant nothing to him. And it fucking hurt. It hurt to not see him fight for us. Did he even care about us at all? Did all this even mean anything to him?And then he said it.“Maybe we do need a break from each other.”I froze. A break? I wanted to believe I'd heard wrong, but I didn't. He had said we needed a break and I wanted him to say that he was kidding. I wanted him to say he wasn't s