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My breath caught in my throat. I’d recognize that voice anywhere. Spinning around, I came face to face with Sebastien Quantum.
Good God! What is he doing here?
I cleared my throat, but my voice still cracked a bit as I spoke. “S-Sebastien, what are you doing here?”
Sebastien crossed the room, his hands casually tucked into his pants pockets, his eyes never leaving mine. “Here, I’m known asMr. Quantum,and you will address me as such.” His tone was clipped. “To answer your question.” He raised his hand and gestured around the room before returning it to his pocket. “This is my club. And you’re late for the interview.”
My initial shock at seeing Sebastien quickly shifted to another emotion: rage. Of all the people that my applications could’ve gone to, it was this self-absorbed prick standing in front of me. He hadn’t changed one bit. A thousand years could pass. and it still wouldn’t be enough to erase the things he’d done and said to me, all in the name of teasing his best friend’s little sister. His now-cocky attitude made me feel like the shy, insecure girl he bullied all those years ago. But I refused to let him see the effect he had on me.
Mask on, baby girl.
I smiled and put on my best customer service voice.
“Mr. Quantum.I deeply apologize for being late. There was an accident on the highway, and traffic was backed up for miles.”
Surely, you have a television or a radio in this very sophisticated establishment that keeps you updated on the news?
I bit back the last line, not wanting to jeopardize the interview. Because as much as I hated to be in the same room as him, I needed him to hire me.
Sebastian gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable.
“Follow me to my office.”
He turned, heading to the door marked “Management Only.” I followed, releasing a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. He motioned for me to go ahead of him. As I climbed the stairs, I felt self-conscious as I sensed his eyes boring into me from behind.
Girl, chill, it’s not like he’s watching your ass.
But, still, I hoped I wouldn’t do anything dorky like slip and fall back into him. I can see the front of the newspapers now:Overweight Woman Crushes Interviewer at His Own Establishment.
I sighed with relief as we made it to the top of the stairs without any fatal accidents. Once there, he took the lead. Down the hallway, we passed a few doors before he opened the last one. He stepped inside and waited for me to enter before closing the door behind us.
The walls of the room were painted a soft cream, and at the center of the room stood a luxurious light gay three-piece sofa set consisting of a plush three-seater, a cozy loveseat, and an armchair.
“Have a seat, Ms. Malone.”
I took a seat on the three-seater, placing my handbag and portfolio beside me. I expected him to sit in one of the other chairs, but instead, Sebastien sat next to me. He positioned himself so close that when we turned to face each other, our knees almost touched. As his rich, musky cologne settledbetween us, I noticed the compass tattoo on his left hand. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had any other tattoos hidden under his shirt, which tightened at the biceps when he moved.
Girl! He’s a pig. A bully. Stop checking him out!
Sebastien cleared his throat, and my eyes snapped to his intense green ones. “Ms. Malone. I hope your tardiness today doesn’t reflect the quality of work you provide to high-class clients like myself.”
My jaw tightened and my lips contorted into what I hoped was one of my professional smiles. If Sebastien noticed the flash of anger in my eyes, he didn’t show it.
“I can assure you,Mr. Quantum,that I am very efficient at my job, having successfully completed projects for clients of higher rank than a club owner.” I paused for a bit to let my words sink in. His brow lifted slightly, and I smirked inwardly. Had I ever had any high-end clients? Yes. Did it have anything to do with my event planning business? No. But he didn’t have to know that.
He leaned forward, his eyes pinning me into place.
“Let me make this very clear, I don’tneed your services. Ichoseyou out of the numerousqualifiedapplications that were on my desk. If you can’t give me the results thatIwant, you will be fired on the spot, no questions asked.”
The way he said “chose” made goosebumps appear along my arms. Did Sebastien purposefully choose me to continue with the torture that had stopped when he and Dean left for college? I’d never mentioned to Dean how cruel Sebastien had been when we were kids because I didn’t know if he’d take me seriously, and ruining their friendship wasn’t something I wanted to be responsible for. But Sebastien wouldn’t be that petty, would he?
Petty or not, you need this job.
I forced my voice to remain steady despite the emotional turmoil that rose in my chest. “And what results are you looking for Mr. Quantum?”
Sebastien inched closer, and this time our knees brushed. An unexpected rush of heat shot through me, one I tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress.
Are you reacting to him like this because a man as handsome as Sebastien Quantum has never spoken more than two words to you?