Chapter 3

~~ETHEL~~

The moment my lips touched Keanu’s, his whole body went rigid. For a moment, I was sure he was going to shove me away.

He didn’t.

Instead, I felt his hand on the back of my head as he deepened the kiss, our lips melding. It was like zaps of electric current shooting through my veins. His tongue brushed over my lips, but just as I was about to open up, a high-pitched shriek broke through the moment.

“What the fuck?!”

I broke the kiss, but I didn’t look at Max. My gaze remained on Keanu, my heart thumping inside my chest. His eyes were dark, unreadable.

I was beginning to question the wisdom of what I’d just done.

I had just kissed my boss without his consent to piss my ex-boyfriend off. What the fuck was wrong with me? I was definitely getting fired.

“What the fuck, Ethel?” Max screeched again, his voice filled with indignation. “Did you just kiss another man in front of me?”

I finally looked at him, my irritation bouncing back. “Should I get you glasses so you can be sure of what you saw next time?”

“No, this is bullshit. You’re just trying to make me jealous.” Max shook his head resolutely, as he reached for my hand. “But Babe, we can work this out.”

”Let go of my woman!” Keanu hissed, his tone low but dangerous.

My woman.

I knew he was only playing along, but I couldn’t help the shivers that cascaded down my spine. Especially when he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me flush to his body.

Max’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. “No, she’s mine!”

Before I could anticipate his next move, he lunged forward. I gasped, sure that he’d just punched Keanu.

But Keanu was faster.

He caught Max’s fist just in time and gave it a ruthless twist. Max yelled out in pain, “Son of a bitch,”

Keanu continued to twist, his lips stretched in a smile that held no warmth. “Don’t throw a punch unless you can make it land, Anderson.”

He finally let go of Max who stumbled back, staring at him eyes wide. “How did you know my surname?”

The corner of Keanu’s lips twitched, his expression calculating. “What do you think?”

The air was so thick with tension you could cut through it with a knife. I knew it needed to end before this escalated.

“Max, just go away. You and I are done.”

Max looked at me, and his lips curled in disgust. “I should’ve known that all those nights you claimed you were going to a meeting, you were actually whoring yourself out to your boss. You had the audacity to act all offended when you saw me with Tanya, but it turns out you’re nothing but a slut.”

“One more insult out your mouth,” Keanu’s voice rang with warning. “and you’re going to be lucky if you return home with any of your perfect teeth intact.”

Max opened his mouth as if to do just that, but taking in the intimidating look on Keanu’s face, his mouth shut right back up. Turning, he stormed back to his car and entered it like he was being chased. Five seconds later, the car peeled down the road at top speed.

“Yes, run along you cheater,” Maya screamed after him as she clapped her hands.

I winced. At this point, I was sure half of my neighbours had heard all this commotion.

Maya turned to me. “Are you okay, Ethel?”

I nodded. “Yes. Thank you, Maya.”

I could see the questions swimming in her eyes as she moved her gaze from me to Keanu then back. “I guess I’ll leave then. Have a good night.”

She paused, looking at Keanu. “It was nice seeing you again Mr. Hunk... I mean Mr Martell.”

With that, she scurried off to her car, but not before giving me the you-have-so-much to explain look.

Now I was left alone with my boss to face the consequences of my actions.

My cheeks on fire, I forced myself to look at him. “Thank you, Mr Martell. For helping me out. And...” I cleared my throat. “And for playing alo—”

“You used me.” Keanu cut me off, but there was a hint of amusement dancing in his cyan eyes as he pinned them on me.

When he closed the distance between us, it took everything in me not to take a step back.

“You used me, Ethel,” he repeated, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Nobody uses me without giving me something in return.”

I swallowed hard. “”I’m sorry, Mr Martell. I... I’ll understand if you want to fire me for that.”

A dark chuckle left his mouth. “Fire you? I didn’t ask for an apology, Ethel, and I’m certainly not firing you. I just want you to tell me.”

He took my chin between his fingers and angled my head to look him straight in the eye. “What are you willing to do for me in return?”

My pulse was racing. What did he want in return? Why did I feel like I already knew?

“I... I don’t know,” I whispered.

His lips stretched into a smirk. And then he let go of my chin and stepped back, giving me space to finally breathe freely again.

“Why did you come here?” I asked to distract myself from how unsettled I felt.

As much as I was grateful for his timely intervention, it felt strange. Keanu had only been here once when he dropped me off after we’d worked late into the night.

“You left this at your desk.”

Reaching into his pocket, he produced a bracelet. The silver bracelet I’d worn today. I’d taken it off because the lock on it kept getting caught in the keyboard while I was trying to type.

I looked at his face as I took it from his hand. “You came here just to bring me this?”

I’d assumed it would be something important or work related. Not this. He could’ve just kept it in my drawer and I would’ve gotten it back on Monday.

Had he really come all this way just to return this to me, or was it just an excuse to see me?

“Does Anderson have a spare key to your flat?” Keanu questioned, cutting through my thoughts.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Then you’re coming home with me.”

It took a second for his words to register.

“Wh...What?”

Keanu looked at me impatiently like I was a five-year-old he needed to explain something basic to.

“It’s too late to have somebody replace the locks, and that guy has a spare key he can use to get in. You can’t sleep here tonight. I’ll take you to my house. Then we’ll have the locks replaced tomorrow.”

I bit my lip, realising what he said made sense. But that didn’t mean I had to sleep at his house.

“Thank you for the offer, Mr Martell. But I’ll just call. She’ll come and—”

“What, Ethel?” Keanu cut me off, raising a brow, daring me. “Are you scared of being in the same house as me?”

“I...No, of course not.” I quickly said.

“Good. Go grab whatever you may need for tonight and tomorrow morning. I’ll be waiting for you in my car.”

Without waiting for me to protest, he walked towards his sleek, black Maybach parked on the other side of the street.

Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?