A/N. Hope your weekend is going well.  In this chapter we learn a little about Ethan.

Don't forget to vote if you enjoy the chapter :)

Take Care

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Ethan rubbed the bridge of his nose as he checked the opening trades of the Tokyo stock exchange. The impact on the economy in China was having a knock-on effect in many of the countries across the globe and was a possible indicator of things to come.

In his business, there was no downtime. Somewhere, the finance markets were always open and trading; and, with the advent of mobile technology, he was only a swipe or button push from all the data he needed.

Seeing that there were no significant movements so far, he quickly flicked to his email to see if there was anything he needed to concern himself with. After responding to a couple, he sat back and closed his eyes, listening to the chaotic sounds of the arena as it began to fill up with people.

He was tired. He loved his job, but sometimes the nagging thought that there must be more to life got to him. He hadn't had a night off in the past four weeks. The lead up to summer always got to him. Why everyone scheduled their galas, fundraisers, and balls at the same time was beyond him.

At first, he had taken a date along so he could at least salvage something out of the evening. But, after a while, that too became tiring. They always expected more, despite being given the ground rules from the start. He had found the more affluent and wealthy they were, the clingier they became.

He was thankful that, with summer approaching, the social commitments would diminish considerably as everyone would escape the city heat in droves.

Although, he had to admit, the Van der Brink's yearly schmooze with their principal business partners was always one he enjoyed. It wasn't the schmoozing that he looked forward to, it was the fact that they always had it on the night of the first NBA finals game at the Garden.

Ethan, a basketball fan since childhood, was only too happy to attend — even if it wasn't his team playing. He had to admit that Mason hosting the event this year was an added bonus.

His friend's recent move to New York had been both unexpected and welcome. Although, he would miss his yearly trek to London, it was nice to have one of his closest friends in the same city. Something that stopped the moment he had graduated from Oxford and returned home to the states.

Ethan was pulled from his intraspection when he noticed the attendant straighten and look down the stairs expectantly. He leaned forward and peered at the opening to see who might have left the quiet suite for the loud and raucous arena. From his vantage point, hidden at the back of the bank of chairs, he could see the back of a woman's head as her ponytail came into view.

The moment she turned and headed to one of the front seats, he froze.

What the hell is she up to? his mind shouted.

He couldn't believe that he had run into her twice in as many nights. What's more — he couldn't believe he had not recognized her when he had first laid eyes on her.

To be fair, he reasoned, I hadn't really paid attention to the Private Investigator's photos.

He had been more concerned with the content of their reports, rather than the supporting images.

While the SEC and FBI had stopped their active search for Hutton, he hadn't. He was convinced Hutton's wife and kids knew exactly where he was. How else could they explain how their lifestyle was being funded? There was no way the Weymouth trust fund could possibly support one of their spending habits, let alone all of them.

If Ethan was honest, he had to admit the daughter actually worked for a living. And, on the face of it, lived within her means.

However, there was something that didn't add up. He was sure that she had access to additional funds, whether it was her Father's, or she had managed to swindle money from DB Myers, her employer, neither he nor the PI's were sure.

It had come as a shock to him that the woman from the balcony had been none other than David Hutton's daughter. This was especially unnerving as he had been wandering around the ballroom hoping to find the mysterious woman who had disappeared as quickly as their shared moment. A woman who had piqued his interest like no other had. Her mirthful expressive eyes had seemed to call out to him from across the room so that no one else in the ballroom existed. He was disappointed when a moment later she had disappeared from the balcony with no indication of the direction she had left.

Reigning in his train of thought, he focused on the lone woman seated a short distance away. He chastised himself for temporarily forgetting who she really was. Before he could stop himself, Ethan was out of his seat, closing the distance between them. "And whose life are you here to destroy this evening?" he asked as he silently came up beside her.

Ethan watched as her body tensed and froze. A small amount of satisfaction at causing her a level of discomfort flashed through his mind.

That's nothing compared to what your family has done.

Ethan sat down on the seat next to her. His expression neutral, devoid of the hostility that was brewing under the surface. "Because, you've got another thing coming if you think I will let you anywhere near my friends."

Recovering from her shock and reflecting his aggressive stance, Sydney turned to him, her voice even and calm as she spoke. "Look Mr. MacMasters. I don't know what you are insinuating, and I don't really care to know." Sydney reached for her bag and made a move to stand back up again. "Now if you will excuse me, I think I will return to the suite. The company there is more to my liking."

Ethan quickly blocked her path before she could exit the row of seats they occupied. "You and I both know your name is not Sydney Regas, Miss Hutton," he said through gritted teeth.

Ethan had to give her credit. She only just came up to his shoulders in height, but the way in which her chin was defiantly held high, and the piercing glare she threw at him, anyone would think they were on equal footing.

He detected a flash of panic in her almond eyes before it was quickly replaced with a veiled look that he was unable to read.

"How I live my life, is my business. No one else's," she hissed.

Ethan raised an eyebrow at her outburst, reflecting his disbelief. "Oh, but it is," he corrected, "especially if you are trying to separate any of my acquaintance's from their money."

"I am not even going to dignify that with an answer," Sydney responded, as she attempted to unsuccessfully move around his large frame.

Again, he detected a hint of pain flash across her face. Ignoring it as a trick of the light he continued, unable to stop himself. "So which is it? Are you trying to find a rich husband to suck dry – like your mother?" he spat out bitterly, "Or are you more like your father, and looking for patsy's to steal from?"

Sydney's breath caught at his words. Anger, indignation, and a myriad of other emotions flashed across her face as her eyes snapped to his. The emotion that had startled him the most was the hurt reflected in her eyes as she met his gaze. This was quickly replaced by anger. Hot, furious and lethal.

Had Ethan not been watching Sydney so carefully, he would not have been able to stop the hand that shot up to slap him. He caught it inches away from his face before it had a chance to make contact.

"Temper, temper," he taunted as he leaned closer to her. "Your pretense at innocence doesn't fool me."

Sydney's attempt to remove herself from his grasp only resulted in her now been pressed flush against his body as he tightened his hold on her.

"I really don't care what you think of me," she breathed out as she continued to struggle against his iron-clad grip.

Much to Ethan's disgust, his body began to react to her closeness. The sweet scent wafting from her hair was assailing his senses. Her form pressed into his, as it valiantly attempted to fight against his dominance, was firing dangerously erotic visions to his brain.

Their eyes locked. He could hear and feel her laboured breathing as she continued to resist his grip.

"Then you won't mind me telling everybody downstairs who you really are?" Ethan's voice was low, edged with loathing. Both at her, and himself for the perilous direction his mind was headed.

The look of pure terror nearly had him sway in his resolve, there was something almost innocent that had him backing off. Remembering whose daughter she was, Ethan held his ground.

"You wouldn't," she said in a panicked voice as her eyes darted around as in search of escape.

"Perhaps if someone had warned everyone what your father was up to, he would not have gotten away with it."

"I was just as much a victim as the rest of you," she said, defiance now back in her tone. "Your firm survived and recovered."

"Tell that to my brother," he snapped.

The both stood, eyes locked in battle. The sound of their breath, the only thing either could hear over the din of the fans and music that blared throughout the building. He watched in fascination as her lips parted and her tongue nervously moistened her lower lip.

Unable to resist the sudden desire that flared within him, Ethan's head lowered towards hers. Their lips almost touched, their breath fanned the other in a gentle warm breeze. Their eyes were still locked as he struggled to make sense of his actions. His whole world now centred on the woman in his arms. A woman whom he detested for the destruction her family had caused.

A siren's blare and an announcement over the arena's speakers distracted Ethan enough to loosen his grip. Sydney took advantage and pulled away and quickly headed downstairs, and out of his reach.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she groaned as Ethan caught up with her. Her face was flushed which gave him the satisfaction that she was just as confused as he.

He berated himself for his moment of weakness and hardened his resolve. The woman and her family had a lot to answer for.

"Making sure you keep your claws off my friends," he said, as his steely grey, icy gaze let her know exactly what he thought of her. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."    

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A/N ... so it would seem there is a person connection for Ethan. 

...I wonder what happened to his brother?

...and it looks like there might be a bit of attraction... what do you think?? ;-)

Next chapter up in two days.  Till then take care.

M.