His Nightingale

4

Chapter Four - Accidents

Three weeks have flown by and it's now the start of February. I avoided Ryder like the plague. If he had noticed he certainly didn't show it. I'm frightened by him since the day he cornered me in the stables and accused me of being someone I'm not. It hurt and not just emotionally but physically because he was gripping my arm so tightly that day that it had caused a bruise.

I stare at my body in the mirror and pull down the sleeves of the dress with a sigh. I have always been one to bruise quite easily and that's why all the bruises littering my body are taking their sweet time to heal. Shaking my head, I turn away from the tall mirror because I feel disgusted at my appearance. I look terrible. I feel terrible.

Tying my hair up I make my way down the stairs and towards Evan's office. But just as I get off the last step I freeze when I see Ryder exiting his father's study. And his eyes are fixated on mine, like a predator watching his prey.

I immediately avert my gaze to the floor and start walking towards the office. My hand clasps around the doorknob and I struggle to let out a breath of relief. But just before I twist it I glance upwards and find Ryder already staring at me. We lose our grip on reality and I take in his features just like he's doing with mine. His eyes are the clearest shade of blue I have ever seen but they're always cold, allowing no emotion to slip through.

The door pulls from my grasp suddenly which makes me jolt as I look up to see Evan staring at us in confusion. I greet him quietly before hurrying into his office and making my way to the desk where a pile of files are waiting for me. Before I came along the previous assistant, Bethany, used to help Evan with the files and the desk I now occupy was once hers.

"Ella, I'm going to go check on the stables. Will you continue from where we left off yesterday?" Evan pops his head in with a pleading smile.

I chuckle and nod, knowing he wants to be doing anything other than sitting in his office and completing work. I hear him yell a "thank you!" before he closes the door and I'm left to work in silence.

***

I sigh and lean back in my chair sometime later before rubbing the back of my neck. For three hours I had been entering numbers and names into the new accounting system on the home computer. My shoulders are now incredibly stiff and my neck hurts. As I step out of the office my ears focus on the rushed and panicked conversation and I'm surprised to see that it's now four o'clock. I frown when I notice Michelle's pale face as she hurriedly packs her handbag. She glances up as I step forward and a fleeting moment of relief flashes in her eyes.

"Oh Ella, just who I was looking for! Noah has had an accident so Evan and I are heading to the hospital right now."

"What?! Is he okay?!" I gasp and grip the hem of my dress tightly.

"I hope so." She murmurs worriedly and the desperation to get to her son is crystal clear in her eyes. "Roman and Theo will be back later tonight so you and Ryder will have to take care of things here while me and Evan are gone."

"O-Okay." I whisper but not liking the idea at all.

"You'll be fine." She smiles motherly before pressing a kiss to my temple and making her way towards her husband. "My son isn't that bad."