Page 62 of Strings

“I have been working my ass off since I started this job and I’m doing very well. Ask anyone. If you remember correctly, we had an arrangement. What happened at my interview was a one-time thing and we agreed we would never discuss it again.”

He walks around my desk and up behind me. I shake my head and try to control the urge to punch him. He places his hands on my chair and spins me to face him.

“See, now that’s the thing with negotiating. Sometimes you think you’re happy with an arrangement and then you realize you’re not getting what you’re due. I put my ass on the line to get you this job. We both know you didn’t deserve it.”

I glare at him and cross my arms. “Spit it out, Derrick. What do you want?”

“You seem really happy here, but the thing is HR and Bordo have been all over my ass about why I hired you without a reference check. The way I see it, if I have to deal with them being all over my ass, I should be able to be in yours as payment.”

He leans down to corner me and I immediately stand and push past him.Think, Talia, think.I glance over to my desk and see the folder about Spain sticking out. Spain reminds me of Sebastian and a light bulb goes off in my head.

“The thing is, Derrick, I’m seeing someone now.”

He huffs. “Corronov? I heard. He’s a moron. Clearly, that relationship won’t last.”

“He is not a moron. He’s charming and smart and extremely talented. And I’m not the kind of girl to cheat on anyone.” I walk over to my door and hold it open for him. “Are we done here? I have a job to do. Thatiswhy I was hired, right, Derrick? To actually work for the Sym?”

He sits down at my desk. “We’re not done here, Natalia.”

“Oh, I think we are.”

“You and Corronov are nothing.”

“Did I hear my name?”

I turn as Sebastian walks through my door. I rush him and throw my arms around his neck. “Please, play along. Please,” I whisper in his ear.

I release him from my grasp and stare at his confused expression. “I thought I wouldn’t see you until tonight?”

He studies me for a moment. He seems different. He’s tanner than before, but he’s also freshly shaved. I’ve never seen him without stubble. “I thought I’d surprise you.” He gazes over my shoulder. “Derrick? Am I interrupting something?”

Sebastian makes his way to my desk and holds out his hand to Mercer. He pushes back from my desk and shakes it. “No. Natalia and I were just catching up. I’ll let you two have a moment. But Natalia? What we discussed? We will be revisiting that subject again very soon.”

“Goodbye, Derrick.”

He stops in front of me as if to sniff the air around me. “Good day.”

I close the door behind him and my shoulders immediately slump. I cover my eyes and moan in frustration.

“What the hell was all that about?”

“I need to ask you something.”

“Okay, I need to ask you something, too. That’s why I came to see you first thing this morning.”

“Can I go first?”

“This seems serious. Do I need to sit down?”

“Maybe.”

Sebastian sits in a chair across from my desk and I move the one next to him a bit closer so I can face him. “Do you remember when you came to my apartment when I first started working here and begged me for more time?”

“More time?”

“To fake our relationship. To continue acting like we were a couple?”

“Yes…”