Chapter Sixteen: Veiled Smiles and Lies

Daphne's POV

Greg glowers at Ethan, leaning cross-legged against the doorframe. I didn't even know when the door opened.

“Oh please, don't stop on my account, you two are the stuff romance novels are made of.” He says sarcastically in that dry bored English accent of his with just a hint of a Scottish brogue.

Color drains from my face. “W-when did you get here?”

Just now around the part when he was reassuring you that he would take care of everything or whatnot.” He replies smoothly.

“Is there something I should have heard?”He looks around the disorganized office and whistles.

“Nothing to concern yourself about.” I glare at him and he just grins.

“By the way, what the hell happened here? It looks like an earthquake struck in the office.” Honestly, this man unnerves me. Can't he just take a hint?

His eyes rake over my body, searching for injuries. My heart warms at his concern.

“It's n-nothing. T-there was just a small mishap is all.” I reply primly, my Scottish accent thickens trying to hide my emotions.

“It doesn't look like nothing to me? It looks like someone threw a tantrum.” Greg stiffens beside me and just like that, I shift to pissed off in seconds.

“It was me okay? I threw a tantrum. Are you happy now? Drop it, okay?” His lips widen in a grin.

“I see you still throw tantrums, firefly. You really should stop that nasty habit.” That's a flat out lie. I've never thrown a tantrum in my life. I'm grateful, at least, that he is going along with my lie.

Remembering he put me in a situation to to lie in the first place, I glare at the smug looking asshole.

“Couldn't you have knocked before entering?”

“I did but you two seemed too caught up in whatever you were doing. Honestly, Daphne, there is a time for everything. Work is-” His scolding is cut short by Greg.

Realizing that his question will not be answered by the lawyer and getting upset that we were ignoring him, he turns his annoyance to me. “What the hell is he doing here Daphne?” He glares.

My expression takes on sheepishness. I have completely forgotten that he was here. I tend to get lost in the conversation when I talk to Ethan.

“I forgot to tell you that Ethan would be coming today. He said he had some documents he had to personally look through here at the office.” I say nervously.

“You should have told me.” One to always keep up appearances, Greg lets loose his charming smile. I'll pay for that when I get home.

“And why does she need to tell you?” Ethan’s left eyebrow lifts in query.

The tick in his jaw betray his annoyance. But his smooth reply hides it. “We are a married couple. We tell each other everything.”

“Of course you do.” He replies sarcastically.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all.” His eye twitches slightly. He is very close to an outburst. I have to diffuse the situation quickly. Before I can get a word in, Greg continues.

“Well, I'll just stay here why you-”

“I'm sorry, have you suddenly become a Greyson since the last time we parted?” Ethan interrupts him. Greg hates it when he is interrupted.

“Then your presence is not needed.” He says coolly.

“I'm her husband that makes me-”

“Is your memory short or something? I'm sure we covered this already. You don't have Greyson blood flowing through your veins so you're not to be present in any meetings that involve the family business or did you skip that out in the prenuptial agreement you were supposed to sign.”

Damn, Ethan struck a nerve.

I just know I'm going to get punished today. His ego has been bruised so he's going to bruise me in return. I wonder what it will be? I kick to the spine? A dislocated arm or a kick to the gut? I swear I will stab him with my heel I'd he goes anywhere near my stomach.

Wherever he’s going to hit me though, it's going to be somewhere others can't see. Yesterday was an anomaly though when he squeezed my neck. I guess the subject of a baby just triggered him.

To be honest, it's not like he hits me every day of the week. He only hits me when things don't go well for him and he needs to be in control.

Lucky for me, things go well for him often. But all that's about to change so I need something to discourage him from hitting me because I sure as hell won't take it lying down anymore.

“Only family members are allowed to be present for this meeting so if you will kindly excuse us…..” He waves him off like he is some kind of insect. I lower my head to hide the smile that creeps up my face.

“Should we get started, firefly?”

His gaze cuts to me sharply. “Why does he call you that.”

“Oh nothing,” I say dismissively.

“It's just a childhood nickname.”

“Don't tell me you're jealous, ‘Greggie’?” He says mockingly, throwing Chloe's nickname for him back in his face.

Greg's hands are clenched into fists.

“Of course not,” He laughs nonchalantly.

“That's ridiculous.”

“I'm glad to hear it. You see…..”

He walks to my table, goes to stand behind my chair and takes a lock of my hair, twirling it around with his fingers.

“You see, Daphne and I go way back. We have a sort of unbreakable bond. We're practically family.” His hand goes from my hair to my shoulder. Greg's jaw clenches as eyes follow the movement of his hand. He doesn't say anything though.

“Just wanted to clear the air, old chap. But like you said, you're not jealous. Now off you go. I'm sure you have some other important job other than just being the husband of a heiress, am I right?”

“Of course, I do.” He smiles tightly. Ethan certainly struck a nerve. He literally has nothing else to do.

“Now off you go. Wouldn't want to delay you. My firefly and I can manage just fine with you. Can't we firefly? So tell your husband to bugger off, won't you dear?” He jokes. Why does he have to drag me into this?

I offer my husband a reassuring smile. “Yes darling, we'll be fine. I'll see you at home.” There's a cruel light in Greg's eyes that tells me I'll pay for siding with the ridiculously handsome lawyer.

“Of course, I'll be on my way.” Then he walks out the room, leaving the door open. He saunters over to the door and slams it shut in the face of a fuming Gregory, murmuring something about privacy.

Immediately the door is closed, I fly out from my seat, my eyes blazing. “What that really necessary?” I hiss.

“Why didn't you tell me you were coming?” I glare at the man sitting on the chair opposite mine like he owns the place.

“Oh, was I supposed to?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “How much did you really hear?”

“You caught me, firefly. I heard pretty much everything.” He smirks. My heart thumps a little bit.

Reclining in my chair, I close my eyes and sigh deeply.

“Why did you come here?”

Suddenly, he is in front of me. He swivels my chair and means against the arms of my chair, trapping me with his body.

He ta

kes my chin in his hand and lifts it to meet my eyes, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Well, firefly I came to make you mine.”