Chapter 13 Bite Him

I froze for a split second.

I might never have had a boyfriend before Blake, but as an adult, I wasn't completely clueless about the basics.

And because I understood exactly what Ethan was doing, my entire face caught fire.

Anger flashed through me, white-hot and electric, shooting straight to the top of my skull. Before I could think twice, I acted on pure instinct—I turned my head and sank my teeth into the flesh between his thumb and index finger.

The moment I did it, I panicked. I scrambled away, backing up until I hit the door, watching him with wide, nervous eyes.

"Why are you running?" The corner of his mouth curved upward, creating a cold, sensual smile.

Under his intense scrutiny, my calves trembled. I dropped my eyes, unable to meet his stare any longer.

"Brave enough to bite, but not brave enough to look at me?" His voice cut through the silence.

I forced myself to lift my head. "You started it. If you hadn't been so inappropriate, I wouldn't have bitten you."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, his eyes narrowing. "Inappropriate how?"

I didn't answer that question. If we continued down that path, the conversation would cross into territory too explicit for comfort.

Instead, I quickly steered us back to more practical matters. "About what you promised earlier... is that still valid?"

"What did I promise you?"

I struggled to form the words. "About my grandfather in the hospital..."

Seeing his cold expression, I lost my courage halfway through.

"I'm sorry for bothering you," I muttered, turning the doorknob, ready to escape.

"Take one step out that door and see what happens." His voice dropped to a dangerous register.

I turned back to face him. "What exactly do you want from me?"

He wheeled his chair until he was right behind of me, then hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap again.

I didn't want to sit on his legs. I pressed my hands against the wheelchair's armrests, trying to stand.

Ethan tightened his arm, his hand gripping my waist and forcing me down. "Don't move," he commanded, his voice deep and husky.

My spine stiffened, and my cheeks burned again. This shameless dog of a man, I thought, even as I kept my expression carefully composed.

"Mr. Bennett, please don't do this," I said softly, my voice dripping with false concern. "Your leg is already injured. What if we make it worse..."

Ethan suddenly bit the back of my neck.

"Ow!" I hissed in pain.

He pulled away, his eyes darker than before.

I quickly moved forward, and this time Ethan didn't stop me. He released his grip and swiftly turned his wheelchair away as I stood.

I pretended not to notice, fixing my slightly disheveled hair and clothes before speaking again. "Mr. Bennett, about my grandfather's hospital..."

"The money's already been transferred," Ethan said. "Your grandfather has been moved to a VIP room."

I stared at him in shock. "You've already sent the money? When did this happen?"

"Five o'clock this afternoon."

I went completely still.

Five o'clock—that was when Blake had just returned home from work, and I'd called him to the garden, hoping he'd take me back to campus.

Which meant Ethan had been plotting this from the beginning, just waiting for me to walk into his trap.

But how could he have known? And he had already made arrangements.

Looking back, I wondered if his entire scheme had started yesterday when I came looking for the cat. No, that didn't add up—even the cat had been part of his plan.

I stared at Ethan in astonishment. I could swear I'd never met him before coming to the Bennett estate. "Mr. Bennett, have we met before?"

"Olivia! Olivia Reed!" Blake's voice thundered from the hallway like an enraged bull.

I tensed, looking anxiously at Ethan.

Ethan remained perfectly composed, meeting my gaze without even blinking.

"Third Uncle!" Blake continued shouting. "I called Grandma—she's coming back tomorrow!"

My anxiety spiked. I walked over to Ethan, offering helpfully, "I'll go explain things to him."

Ethan seemed irritated. He grabbed a cigarette pack from the desk, shook one out, and put it between his lips. Then he gestured toward me with a slight lift of his chin.

I stared at him blankly.

"Lighter," he said, the cigarette bobbing between his lips.

I mentally rolled my eyes. The lighter is right there on the desk. Can't you grab it yourself?

But I didn't dare say that out loud. Instead, I turned and picked up the lighter, offering it to him.

He didn't take it. He just watched me with those intense eyes, the cigarette still hanging from his mouth.

I leaned forward, flicking the lighter and bringing the flame close to his face.

We were inches apart. I studied his features up close—sharp contours carved like a knife had shaped them, a clean jawline, high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and sensual, severe lips loosely holding the cigarette. He had a cold, harsh face, but something about the way he smoked added a hint of rebelliousness, giving him an edgy allure.

My heart inexplicably raced, and my hand trembled slightly as I held the lighter.

Ethan caught my wrist, removed the cigarette with two fingers, and smiled with unsettling playfulness. "Why are you shaking?"

My face heated up again. I hurriedly stuffed the lighter into his shirt pocket and turned away. "If I don't go out there soon, your nephew might call the police."

Ethan let out a cold laugh. "He doesn't have the guts."

I pulled my hand free. "I'll clear things up with him."

"Clear up what?" Ethan took a drag of his cigarette.

I felt helpless. "Mr. Bennett, I'm Blake's girlfriend right now. What we're doing behind his back... it wouldn't sound good if people found out. I don't care about my reputation, but I'm worried about yours."

Ethan smiled faintly. "How considerate of you."

"Don't worry," I said. "From now on, I'll keep my mouth shut. Until we part ways, I won't let anyone know we were ever together."

Ethan inhaled deeply on his cigarette, then pointed at the door. "Get out."

I opened the door and stepped into the hallway. The moment I emerged, Blake charged toward me like a missile.

"Olivia." His hands gripped my shoulders tightly. "Did my uncle do anything to you?"

I pulled the door shut behind me. "Your uncle is injured and needs help getting around. He wanted to hire a caretaker for the next two months. Since I have nothing to do over summer break, I volunteered to be Mr. Bennett's caretaker."

Blake stared at me in disbelief. "You rushed over to my uncle's place for this?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes, my grandfather is in the hospital, and I need money. Your uncle has already paid me in advance."

Blake demanded, "Why didn't you ask me if you needed money?"

I looked away. "I don't want to take money from you."

Blake grabbed my arm. "You are my girlfriend!"