Page 21 of Strange Seduction (Strange #2)

“That might be the smartest thing you’ve ever said to me,” I said quietly.

“I’m full of surprises,” Vince smirked. “Also, I’m mildly terrified, so if I go missing tomorrow, please check Theo’s trunk.”

I chuckled, finally. “Noted.”

Back at the office, Vince’s door clicked shut behind us with a soft thud, muffling the rest of the buzzing building.

His office was smaller than Theo’s—less intimidating, more lived-in.

Papers were stacked in semi-neat piles, a record player sat in the corner under a window cracked just enough to let in a breeze, and the worn leather couch against the wall had definitely seen better days.

“Want something to drink?” he asked, heading toward the mini fridge.

“Okay,” I said, still buzzing from the confrontation, my hands folded tight across my chest. But the tension was already draining, inch by inch.

It was calmer here.

Easier to breathe.

He gave me a long look, then opened the mini fridge tucked under his desk. “Want a soda or something stronger?”

“Water’s fine.”

He handed me a bottle and leaned against the desk. “I’m curious, Carmen. Do you always pull stunts like that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Showing up to job sites in six-inch heels? You had every guy out there looking like they forgot how to hold a fucking wrench.”

I raised a brow. “Why are you always so curious about me?”

He shrugged, unapologetic. “You’re an interesting woman. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t notice.”

I didn’t answer right away.

“You’re lucky Theo’s not here,” I stated.

Vince smirked. “Pretty sure I’m still pushing my luck.”

I tilted my head, meeting his gaze. “You trying to get fired or something?”

“Maybe. But then again, maybe I’m just trying to make today a little more interesting.”

“In what way?”

His eyes dropped to my lips before quickly meeting my gaze again. “You ever get bored, Carmen?”

“Bored?” I scoffed. “Again. In what way?”

“With life. Work. Your friends.” He paused, wondering if he should push further with this line of questioning. “Your relationship.”

“You’re asking me if I’m bored with Theo?”

He nodded once.

Doubt: Get out of this office.

“No. I’m never bored.”

“Not even a little?”

I narrowed my eyes. “What are you really asking me?”

He smirked. “Curiosity, Carmen.”

The very thing that killed the cat.

Doubt: Something tells me that he has another cat in mind that he wants to kill.

“I promise you all this curiosity is wasted,” I sighed. “I’m not as interesting as you think, especially in that way.”

“In what way, Ms. Reyes?”

Only then did I notice that he was the only one in Theo’s office who called me Ms. Reyes, not Mrs. Clayton.

It was small, but I appreciated the respect for my autonomy.

That has been seriously lacking since I landed in Italy.

Maybe that’s why I liked talking to him; he tried to get to know me outside of just being Theo’s girlfriend, and I appreciated that.

“Why don’t you think you’re interesting enough, Carmen?

“I—” My mouth opened, but the words were lost. “I—I, I don’t know.”

He stared at me. “Hm.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Just—”

“Curious.” We said together. That made him smile.

Doubt: Get out, Carmen. This is dangerous.

Calm down. It’s just a conversation.

“I am curious too, I think.”

His gaze softened. “Really? About what?”

You and what you saw in me that was so interesting. But mostly. You.

But I couldn’t say that, so instead, I said;

“What’s in that mini fridge that you said is stronger.” I waved the bottle of water for reference. “‘Cause this ain’t enough.”

He chuckled. “Well, I got a few bottles of champagne in there. I usually open them when I celebrate with clients, but I don’t think Theo will mind you sampling the product. I, however, have some conditions.”

“Like what?”

He walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle. “You have to tell me about Law school.”

My face screwed up. “What? Why?”

“Because Ms. Reyes,” he popped the cork and grabbed two flutes from the cupboard. “In another life, I would’ve been a lawyer.”

“Really?”

“Really. So I plan to get every juicy detail I’ve been missing,” he explained as he dropped onto the couch and patted next to him. “Come, come, Ms. Reyes. Lots to discuss.”

Doubt: Are you sure drinking with his man is a good idea, Carmen?

Nope. But I don’t care. I really wanna sip champagne and complain.

˙???˙

“So then,” I laughed. “The defendant was like, ‘How did you know I said that?’ and I was like, ‘the witness has gone on record saying you said that after you shot the victim’ and he was like, ‘Bullshit! I said it before!”

Vince and I doubled over in laughter, both obviously finding the joke funnier than it was. We had the three bottles of champagne we flew through to thank for this newfound bliss.

“Fucking idiot,” he shook his head. “What did the judge do?”

“The only thing he could do, and that was call for a recess.”

“Wow,” he topped up our glasses. “I bet your boss was happy.”

“Oh, Marcus was laughing about it for days after. He was so proud that the law student he gave a shot to was turning out to be such a talented lawyer.”

The grin on my face faded with nostalgia.

“I was so happy. It was only my second year in, and I was feeling like I wasn’t doing enough to earn Marcus’s respect yet.

He did so much for me by giving me that scholarship, and all I did on my internship was file cases.

Thankfully, we’ve grown so much since then, and I’ve come to really appreciate his influence in my life.

But I wanted him to respect me so badly back then. ”

“Why?” Vince questioned.

“Cause I wanted to feel like I made the right decision. I mean, I chose my career over my relationship with Theo after all. I chose my career over a lot of things, actually.”

Vince pouted. “Don’t say it like that.”

“How else can I say it?” The drinks were getting to my head, and the words came out like vomit.

“We wouldn’t be separated like this if I had just come with him to Italy.

Fuck, if I didn’t go to law school, I wouldn’t be making a fool out of myself at that construction site cause Theo wouldn’t need to block Marcus in the first place. ”

The reality of that statement hit me hard, because it was something I had felt deep down but never dared to say out loud. “All of this is my fault.”

Vince visibly cringed. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”

My eyes drew up in surprise. “I’m not.”

“You are!” He exclaimed. “You accomplished what you accomplished, and still have your relationship. It’s a little fucked up now but that’s not entirely your fault, Carmen.

Besides, Theodore Clayton definitely has the means to live with you in New York if he wants.

Why should you give up being a lawyer to live here? ”

I looked at my glass on the table. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he said gently. “You’re so amazing, Carmen. Seriously. I rarely meet people as complex as you. I wish you’d let yourself stand alone more instead of clinging to your boyfriend’s side like a tick. You’re far too interesting for that.”

His words washed over me and brought the smile back to my face. “You mean it?”

“Oh, I do. No wonder I’m so curious.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Here we go with the curiosity again.”

“How could I not be?”

I looked at him. “Hm.”

Doubt: What an odd man.

Extremely.

But what he said was true. The current state of my and Theo’s relationship falls to both of us. Beating myself up for how things played out after Eden wasn’t gonna change what’s happening between us.

As odd as Vince was, he wasn’t a dummy. Whatever interest he had in Theo and my relationship was for a reason or part of a plot.

Maybe he wanted to take over? Or he just liked fucking with Theo.

Still, no matter what state my relationship with Theo was in, or how mad I was, I was loyal to him.

That meant Vince’s motives interested me as much as I interested him.

I picked up my champagne and sipped. “I think you make me curious, too, Vince.”

He cocked his eyebrow in response. “Curious about what?”

“About what you’ll do next,” I smirked into my glass as a million thoughts ran through his head and were all displayed on his face.

“Ms. Reyes,” he sounded choked up as his gaze fell to my lips. “You have no idea what I want to do next.”

I tilted my head, “Okay, why don’t you come out and say it?”

“Because,” he smiled warmly at me. “If I say what I want, I’ll need a new job.”

My face screwed up in confusion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He looked like he was about to respond when a knock suddenly came at the door.

Theo’s voice came through with an unmistakable annoyance.

“Carmen? You in there?”

Vince’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t move. I stood and opened the door, stepping back to reveal Theo with a raised brow as his gaze switched between us.

When his eyes landed on me, the annoyance quickly turned to anger.

“Let’s go. Now.”