CHAPTER 5

The inside of the limo was silent except for the sound of the traffic filtering through the windows.

Ethan studied the woman sitting across from him staring through the tinted window. He noted the tense shoulders and the worry in those green eyes, the same ones that had once enchanted him beyond reasonable thought.

That is, until she had shown herself for the shallow woman she really was, by breaking their relationship simply on a whim.

Nicky’s sleek bob framed a face that hadn’t changed much in the past five years, except for a certain self assured maturity in her features. Ethan allowed his gaze to travel down the flattering green blouse that brought out the color of her eyes, the short, black skirt that showed off her legs to advantage.

His eyes came to rest on her hands, clasped primly on her laps, showing off a nice looking, diamond engagement ring - simple yet undoubtedly worth a small fortune. The engagement to Ryan Silverton, of the New York Silvertons, and heir to a large fortune, had made the news two years ago.

The press had dubbed it, ”A match made in billionaire heaven’

She turned, flushing when she noticed his scrutiny and nervously lifted a hand to tuck a stray strand of blonde hair back into its sleek bob.

“Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Ethan,” she said, her voice subdued yet still tinged with that upper class Boston accent he remembered. “I know how busy you must be, so I appreciate it.”

Ethan’s lips curled in a derisive smile but he made no reply. He could feel nervousness and uncertainty emanating from her in waves, and he experienced a brief flash of satisfaction at seeing the cool princess so uncomfortable .

She shifted in her seat and crossed her bare legs, giving him a good view of smooth healthy skin. Curiously, that should have sparked his interest - he was a red blooded male after all - but he felt nothing.

Curiouser and curiouser.

She cleared her throat delicately and continued. “I want to apologize Ethan, for what happened -”

“You said you wanted to discuss the hotel.” Ethan cut in, in no mood to listen to her excuses for the past.

He had the satisfaction of seeing a brief flash of irritation cross her face, before it was quickly replaced by a fake smile.

“Yes,” Nicky replied, running her tongue over her lower lip to moisten it. “But I feel I should at least try to apologize for calling off our relationship in the way I did.”

Ethan glanced at his watch and gave her a pointed look.

“I’m not interested in the past,” His voice was hard. “If that’s what you want to talk about, I’m afraid you’re wasting your time. And mine.”

Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment. “Fine. Look, I just want to ask you to stop what you are doing to my family and Erin. They have nothing to do with what happened between us. If you have any issues about the past, take it up with me, and leave them out of it.”

The atmosphere in the limo was thick with tension. Ethan kept his gaze fixed on Nicky, disdain showing in the curl of his upper lip and narrowed eyes.

“Issues?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “What issues, pray tell, Nicky?”

“You’re obviously still hung up about us, and you’re using it as an excuse to punish my family. Why else would you buy out my uncle’s company from under his nose? Plus, Erin told me the awful things you said to her the other day at your office, you threatened and insulted her!”

He chuckled, the sound devoid of humor. “So, Miss Snob came running to you? How ironic. I thought she wore the pants in this relationship both of you have going on. Or was I wrong?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“She says jump, and like an obedient little ferret, you jump as high as you can.”

He leaned back against the seat and folded his arms across his chest, his expression as mocking as his tone.

“Frankly Nicky, I’m surprised Erin gave you permission to speak to me. Now I’m curious to know, did she ask you to plead on her behalf?”

Nicky glared at him, and he could clearly see how she struggled to keep her temper from flaring up.

“Erin doesn’t make me do anything,” she said through clenched teeth. “I am more than capable of making my own decisions.”

The brows went up even higher. “Indeed?”

She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the shrill ringing of her phone. Thrown out of focus, Nicky frowned at her white purse for a moment, then opened it and pulled out her still ringing phone.

She glanced at the screen, pursed her lips and pressed the red button before shoving the phone back in her purse and looking up at him.

Something in his expression didn’t sit well with her and her own expression turned sour.

“What?” She snapped.

He shrugged and reached for the leather briefcase resting on the seat beside him, snapping it open and pulling out a bulky folder. He spread it open on his lap and nonchalantly retrieved a fountain pen from his breast pocket.

“Oh, nothing you want to know,” he replied, injecting boredom into his tone. In truth, he was already bored of this conversation.

“As I was saying before,” Nicky leaned close, her voice earnest, as though she needed to convince him of her assertion.

“I don’t need Erin’s permission to make decisions and carry them out as I please. I’m a grown woman, soon to be a married woman. Perfectly capable of doing things on my own.”

“And yet, you allowed yourself to be manipulated by your dear, sweet cousin.” He observed drily, his attention on the documents he was signing.

She bristled, and prepared to launch into another bout of protests, but Ethan had heard enough. He held up a hand for silence, leaned back slid open the privacy partition between the front and backseat.

“Please pull over, Karen,” He said to the middle aged woman driving the vehicle. “Ms. Gosling will get off here.”

“Yes Sir.”

Nicky glared at Ethan when he faced her again.

“I was not done with our discussion.” She said frostily.

“That so?” He replied, raising an eyebrow. “Regretfully, I have a meeting in five minutes so I’m afraid this conversation is over.”

The limo came to a stop, and seconds later, his driver pulled open the passenger door.

“Have a nice day, Nicky. And congratulations on your impending nuptials.”

Her expression turned ugly, but she wisely didn’t say a word, merely gathered her purse with an enraged huff and slid out. Karen shut the door and returned behind the wheel.

“Where to now, Sir?”

“The office.”

As the car slid back into traffic, Ethan stared out the window, lost in thought.