HIS TO HAVE NOT TO OWN

CHAPTER 4

Walking towards the table, Nina’s eyes met an unreadable expression from Ethan’s face and the intensity in his gaze sent shivers down her spine.

“I’m ready to leave,” he said smoothly. “Let’s go.”

She arched a brow, feigning nonchalance. “Oh? And where exactly are we going?”

“Home.”

She let out a breathy laugh, the tension still a sharp edge in her chest. “I have a home, Ethan. I’m not moving into your glass castle just because you say so.”

“You agreed to this marriage,” he said, his voice low enough that only she could hear. “And this marriage includes public appearances—together. It will be easier if we’re under the same roof.”

“You mean easier for you,” she shot back.

His jaw tightened, his blue eyes darkening in that way that both frustrated and fascinated her. “Call it whatever you want. But if we’re doing this, we do it right.”

She wanted to argue, to push back just because she could. But she knew he was right. The scrutiny would be relentless, the whispers merciless. Living separately would only add fuel to the fire.

Still, she wouldn’t make this easy for him.

Nina tilted her head, stepping in close—closer than necessary. She saw the way his shoulders stiffened, the way his breath hitched just slightly before he masked it beneath that infuriating coolness.

“You really think you can handle living with me, Sinclair?” she murmured, her lips barely inches from his.

Ethan’s gaze flickered to her mouth before snapping back to her eyes. He didn’t step back, didn’t waver. “I think the real question is—can you?”

Damn him.

She should have walked away then. Instead, she reached for the champagne glass on the tray of a passing waiter, lifting it with an effortless grace before downing the entire thing in one smooth, defiant gulp. The crisp burn of the drink settled in her chest, but the fire in her eyes didn’t waver.

“Fine,” she said, swiping her thumb across the corner of her mouth as if wiping away any trace of hesitation. “But don’t think for a second this means I’ll make things easy for you.”

Ethan’s lips twitched, amusement ghosting across his otherwise impassive face. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Taking the empty glass from her and setting it back down on the table, Ethan took Nina’s purse from the table, and offered her his arm.

With defiance still lingering in her eyes, Nina hesitated for a second before slipping her hand into the fraction of his arm. It was a foreign gesture she had not intended to come to terms with, especially with the reality this relationship was constructed around. She could feel the eyes of the party guests from all angles; smiles, blank stares and the various emotions draped behind those faces.

She wondered why so many eyes looked that way.

She and Ethan Sinclair were officially a couple. That was why.

Reconsidering the Sinclair family’s status, she realized why anyone would want to get married into the family. She looked up to Ethan’s face, who was now smiling at her and her face brimmed with light. Their bodies felt so close to each other and she could take in Ethan’s scent at a closer range.

He wore an intoxicating scent, she thought to herself, and she found her mind tracing towards second thoughts of her current reality.

Maybe this wasn’t a bad match-up after all. Maybe there was more she could get from this than just funding for her studio.

Just maybe.

But Nina quickly waved those thoughts away. This arrangement was to last only for a year and she didn’t intend to make it last a second longer.

Ethan led her out of the ballroom, his stride confident and unhurried. The crisp night air hit her as soon as they stepped outside, a stark contrast to the stifling warmth of the party. She exhaled, allowing herself a moment of relief from eyes that nearly bore holes in her back.

“You seemed like you’ve done this before,” Ethan said as he walked her out of the ballroom.

Nina threw him a knowing look, wearing a tired smile.

A sleek black Bentley Continental GT glided toward Ethan and Nina with effortless grace, its polished exterior reflecting the soft glow of the city lights. The deep, resonant purr of the twin-turbocharged engine was almost hypnotic. The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of them, its signature crystal-cut LED headlights casting an ambient glow over the pavement.

A valet, dressed in a crisp black uniform, stepped out. He handed the hand-stitched leather key fob to Ethan with a slight bow before retreating into the night.

Ethan strode toward the passenger-side door, his presence as commanding as the luxury car before him. As Nina followed closely behind, he came to a halt, leaning his broad, well-built frame against the cool, polished surface of the door. His tailored suit hugged his form perfectly, exuding an effortless power and command.

Nina stopped as well, her gaze dropping to the pavement, tracing invisible patterns along the dimly lit ground. Ethan, noticing her hesitation, said nothing at first. Instead, he turned smoothly, fingers wrapping around the chrome-trimmed door handle, and pulled it open with a quiet, deliberate motion.

The plush diamond-quilted leather interior invited her in, the soft scent of Italian leather mixed with a lingering trace of his expensive cologne. As she settled into the seat, Ethan leaned down, his lips just inches from her ear.

"You look beautiful today, Nina," he whispered, his voice rich, deep, and smooth like the mahogany-trimmed dashboard.

A delicate shiver ran down her spine, and her lips curled into an unbidden smile—one he caught before pulling back, satisfied. Without another word, he closed the door with a muted click and rounded the car, slipping into the driver’s seat with the ease of a man who had long been accustomed to the finer things in life.

The moment the engine roared to life, a quiet thrill ran through the air - much like the tension between them.