Free Web NovelChapter 47: I want to go back to work tomorrow
Ethan traced a finger down Emily’s bare back as she lay on the bed.
"I’m worried about her," Emily said. "She hasn’t called me since yesterday. That isn’t like her."
"She’s with Julian," Ethan said kissing her back. "There’s nothing to worry about."
"Are you sure?" Emily asked, turning around to look at him.
She wasn’t wearing a top. Ethan’s eyes dropped immediately. He forgot what he was saying.
"Um... yeah," he stuttered.
"I never believed he was actually engaged though," Emily went on. "That woman must be a total bitch to force herself into his life like that."
"Yeah, totally," Ethan agreed.
Ethan gently moved his hand to squeeze her nipples.
"Ethan! Are you even listening to me?" Emily snapped, poking him in the chest.
Ethan blinked. "Look, Emy, Julian is a big boy. He’s one of the most powerful men I know. And that woman is a bitch, and Julian doesn’t even like her. So you don’t have to worry about her."
Emily sat up, pulling the silk sheet to her chest. "Powerful?"
"No, I meant... influential," Ethan corrected himself quickly, his heart skipping a beat. He cursed internally for letting his guard down. "He has a lot of connections, Emily. That’s all."
Emily frowned. "Well, if he hurts my friend one more time, I will personally make sure he regrets the day he met her." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Ethan grinned. "Am sure he wouldn’t dare."
He moved quickly, pulling her back into the center of the bed and pinning her down with a hungry grin.
"Besides, I have a more urgent problem to deal with," he murmured, his voice dropping. "I need to get rid of this."
Emily glanced down at his saluting manhood.
"No." She scrambled out from under him, breathless and laughing. "I need to clean up first. And no, Ethan, you are not finishing inside me again. I’m not taking any chances."
Ethan groaned, falling back against the pillows with a dramatic sigh. "You’re a cruel woman, Emily."
"I know," she called back from the bathroom, the sound of the faucet running.
They had been fucking like crazy lately. For some reason, ever since they met, they haven’t been able to get enough of each other.
"You done in there?" he shouted, a smirk returning to his face. "Because I’m not a patient man."
Emily stepped back into the bedroom, drying her hands on a towel.
"Patience is a virtue, Ethan," she said, tossing the towel at his face. "Maybe you should try it sometime."
He caught the towel and pulled her back toward the bed. "I’ll try it tomorrow. Right now, I have better plans."
....
Night had fallen. Lyvana finished giving instructions to Bertha, Sarah, and the security team; everything was finally back on track.
She looked around the cozy cottage, not quite ready to leave the beauty and peace of the place just yet. The lights from the building glowed softly behind her as she watched the small, still pond. It was comforting.
The cool night air brushed against her skin, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her hand.
Mark.
She stared at his name on the screen, her chest tightening. With a slow breath, she answered.
"Mark."
There was a pause on the other end before his voice came through. "Finally. Where have you been Lyvana? I’ve been calling you forever."
"I ran into some trouble, but I’m fine now," she replied.
"Where are you?"
"I’m in town trying to get some money," she lied, "since my accounts are... well, since there is nothing in them."
"Don’t bother," he said. "I’m already handling the bank. Just come home, Liv. We’ll fix the mess together."
"I will be back tomorrow morning."
"Where exactly are you?"
"Just in town," she repeated, "clearing my head."
"Don’t be so worried, my love. I will do everything possible to get your money back. When did you say you were coming back?"
Lyvana rolled her eyes.
"Tomorrow," she said patiently. "We can talk then."
"Tonight would be better," Mark countered. "I can come pick you up."
Her stomach tightened. "No, that won’t be necessary."
"Liv... I miss you."
Huh, that’s certainly new, she thought. "Let’s talk tomorrow."
She hung up before he could say another word. Mark was never this calm or sweet or concerned not when it came to her. Could he be responsible for the theft? No... that was too rotten, even for Mark.
Still, he had taken over her company in her past life. What if—
Julian came up behind her and draped a soft shawl around her shoulders, interrupting her thoughts.
"How far are we from home?" she asked.
"It’s a two-hour drive, but we’ll take the helicopter. It should only take about twenty minutes."
She nodded then turned back to the view. "Can we come back here again?"
"We can come back this weekend," Julian promised.
"What if you are busy?" she asked playfully. frёeωebɳovel.com
"I will ask Lily to add the trip to my schedule. Your recovery is my priority."
She tilted her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "Speaking of recovery... did you actually make the chicken soup and the dinner yourself?"
Julian laughed. "To be honest, if I had cooked it, you probably wouldn’t be able to eat it."
Lyvana laughed.
Before long, the conversation turned back to the one thing they couldn’t agree on: Lyvana going back to work so soon after the accident. They argued for a few minutes until Julian finally stood his ground and gave his conditions.
"You can go back," he said, "but you take it easy. At least this week, you only spend half a day at work. No unnecessary stress. And you see Dr. Aris before you come home every day."
He also insisted she bring in a professional to handle the heavy lifting. He wanted someone experienced, meticulous, and discreet to manage the logistics of the upcoming event.
He mentioned Celeste Armand, a legendary event strategist known for being ruthlessly organized. Celeste was the kind of woman who turned chaos into choreography, and she was exactly who Julian wanted watching over Lyvana’s projects.
"I think you are in way over your head, Julian. People have to book her months, sometimes a year, in advance. And she doesn’t do small shows like mine."
Julian winked and made the call anyway.
