Chapter 5

Ardella pushed through the front doors of the club. The cold rain of early autumn New York crashed down on her without warning.

She did not have an umbrella. The freezing water instantly soaked through her trench coat, making her shiver violently.

She raised her arm, trying to flag down a yellow cab. But the Manhattan streets were empty in the downpour.

A massive, black, bulletproof Rolls Royce Phantom glided through the rain like a ghost. The license plate was a row of eights. It stopped right in front of her.

The windows were tinted black, but Ardella knew exactly whose car it was. Her heart seized in her chest.

The trunk popped open. Leo stepped out of the front seat, holding a large black umbrella over his head.

He did not ask for her permission. He walked over, his footsteps completely silent against the wet pavement. He stopped right in front of her, the massive black umbrella casting a dark shadow over her face. Slowly, he opened the heavy rear door of the vehicle, making a gesture of cold invitation. The interior light illuminated the luxurious leather, contrasting sharply with the freezing rain outside.

"Mr. Stone is waiting, Miss Price," Leo said, his voice cutting through the downpour like a blade. "Please don't make this difficult."

Ardella spun around. She yelled over the sound of the rain, demanding to know what he was doing and telling him to leave her alone.

Leo looked at her with a blank face. "Mr. Stone does not like to wait, Miss Price. Please get in."

Ardella let out a harsh laugh. She yelled back that she did not need charity from a man who just claimed he did not know her.

Ethelbert sat in the deep shadows of the back seat. His long legs were crossed. He was rolling a silver lighter between his long fingers.

He did not look at her. His voice cut through the sound of the storm, a hard, absolute command. "Get in. Or I will have Leo tie you up and throw you in."

Ardella knew he was not joking. He would do it right here on the street. To avoid the public humiliation, she clenched her jaw and climbed into the car.

The heavy door slammed shut. The noise of the rain and the city was instantly cut off.

The back seat was huge, but Ethelbert's presence made the air feel dangerously thin. Ardella felt like she was suffocating.

The Rolls Royce pulled smoothly into the wet streets. The only sound was the rhythmic wiping of the windshield wipers.

Ethelbert reached out and pressed a button. The thick soundproof glass partition rolled up, completely sealing them off from Leo in the front.

He finally turned his head. His eyes slowly dragged over her wet hair and ruined clothes.

"What's wrong?" Ethelbert asked. His voice was thick with mockery. "The Coffey heir doesn't know the basic etiquette of sending a car for his fiancée?"

The words hit a nerve. Ardella forced her chin up and fired back. "We care about our soul connection. We don't care about material details."

The silver lighter in Ethelbert's hand snapped shut with a sharp, violent click. The temperature in the car plummeted.

He leaned forward. His massive frame trapped her against the door. His cold breath brushed against the tip of her nose.

"Soul connection?" he whispered dangerously. "Watching him fuck another woman in a VIP room is part of your connection?"

Ardella's stomach dropped. He had seen her. He knew exactly what happened inside that room.

She refused to back down. She stared right into his angry eyes. "We are young. It's an open relationship. You don't need to worry about it."

She paused, making sure her next words would cut deep. "Former. Guardian."

Those two words hit a forbidden switch. The muscles in Ethelbert's jaw flexed so hard they looked like they would snap.

His hand shot out. His large fingers clamped hard around her delicate chin, forcing her head up.

His rough thumb rubbed dangerously against her bottom lip. His voice was a dark, terrifying growl. "Say that one more time. I dare you."