Hot Coffee (The Hollens)

Chapter 30 (Behind Closed Doors)

Ethan's POV

I was upstairs in my bedroom searching for my car keys when I heard her voice from downstairs calling

out to me. What the fuck was she doing here already?

I walked out of the room and went down the stairs. She was standing at the bottom, all excited with Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

another woman beside her. She informed me that she'd caught an early flight and introduced the

woman beside her as Dianna Promme, a wedding planner. What the hell was wrong with this woman?

She moved in for a hug but I pushed her away gently. I tried to explain that I needed to talk to her but

she began talking to Dianna Promme. I was getting impatient.

She squealed at the pictures of a wedding magazine.

I noticed Emma in the corner. I went over to her and instructed her to go to the guest room while I

handled Sharon. Things had the potential to get ugly and I didn't want Emma getting caught in the

middle of it. She complied and I sat next to Sharon, watching the woman who betrayed me, the woman

I had proposed to, the woman I was supposed to get married to. I had to deal with her drastically but

privately.

I had no idea who Dianna Promme was, so I didn't want to make a scene in front of her while she was

in my house. I had to be professional. I tossed my anger aside, for now, and pretended I was into the

wedding planning.

Emma approached me and handed me my coffee. I so needed this coffee right about now. My tongue

brushed on something hard.

What the hell! Why is there a ring... Wait a minute... Did she seriously do what I think she did?

I looked down the entrance to the guest rooms and saw her bright brown eyes peering at me. I got up

and followed her, forgetting about Sharon who was so enthralled in the wedding planning she didn't

even notice me get up.

Emma locked herself in the room while I pounded on the door, yelling for her to let me in, not caring

who heard me. She told me to go to hell.

I was furious. Why she just couldn't trust me?

She screamed again for me to "go away".

I knew she was upset, maybe she thought I was reconsidering Sharon. I stopped banging on the door

and hid slightly against wall to see if she would step out. I watched as the door opened slowly. I

stepped out and pushed it open. I walked in, looking at her with rage, but I wasn't upset with her. I was

mad at myself for being so blind.

"What's this?" I asked, holding up the ring, "Didn't I tell you that if you take it off we'll have a serious

problem?"

She seemed to be scared of my tone or the look on my face, maybe both, because she wouldn't even

look at me.

"Why is she still here? Oh, you can't hear me now? I asked why is she still here?" She was getting very

sassy with me. I would have to punish her for that.

"She's here because I want her to be here," I answered sharply.

She gasped. Tears flooded her eyes. "Don't touch me. Don't you ever touch me!" she snapped as I

tried to comfort her.

"Emma, stop this. You don't understand what's going on here."

"Oh, I understand perfectly, Mr. Hollen."

She really knew how to push my buttons.

"You just wanted to get me into bed with you. Now that your fiancee is back I could go to hell for all you

care. If you wanted to get rid of her she'd be gone by now, but you don't. You were wrapped up with her

tightly on the chair that you could practically pass as the thong up her ass."

Ouch. Talk about no chill. This girl was spitting words like a flame thrower.

"Emma, you need to calm down and–"

"No! I'm not calming the fuck down. I'm done being calm! I'm done with people taking advantage of me!

I'm done with being kind and being weak! I'm done with lies, and I'm done with you!"

I looked at her in amazement. She was so cute when she's angry. "If you don't calm down–"

"You're scared she'll hear you? You're scared she'll leave you and find someone else? You're scared

that the wedding would be off?"

She made me laugh. I wouldn't be scared. I'd be so damn happy. "Baby," I began.

"I'm not your baby."

My patience was running thin and my anger was taking over. I didn't want to yell at her again but she

wouldn't shut up and let me explain. If I yelled, I'd get the results I was looking for but I'd hurt her

feelings and make her cry and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

"Emma," I tried again, "listen to me."

"No."

"Let me explain."

"I don't want any explanations. Just get out."

"You're not being rational here."

"Do I look like if I give a damn about that? I've had it with your lies and your bullshit."

"What lies are you talking about Emma? When have I ever lied to you?"

"Leave me alone!"

I couldn't, not like this. I walked up to her and pinned her against the wall. "Now, calm the hell down

and listen to me."

She struggled to break loose but the attempts were useless. "Let me go."

"Emma! Sharon and I are over. I'm not with her. If I were, wouldn't I be out there with her planning our

wedding instead of in here pinning you on the wall? What's wrong with you? You're so angry that you're

blind. I'm here with you while she's out there. I'm breaking it to her when that woman leaves."

"Why?"

"Because I also need her to confess to something, Emma." I released my hold on her.

"Confess to what?"

She was going to be my wife so I didn't want to hide things from her. "She was tampering with my

company's accounts."

Emma gasped. Her eyes flared up and she headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked quickly as I walked over to her.

"To let that bitch know that her reign is about to come to an end!"