IAN'

as a twisted s

through that door for an interview

Fuckin

clared Alpha who once made it his g

ing, his eyes darting, and he was smiling like an eager lit

ew I remember

is fingers kept twitc

while he laughed. The locker slams. The bruised lungs. The

mber i

d myself: If I ever make it, I

I begin collectin

r, cleaner masks. Dorian might have grown broader shoulders, trimmed that jawline, and traded

h to walk into a L

d the edges. That sweet cinnamon-roll softness that made the girls in high sc

ther died recently. Poor baby. Life

this job lik

job," he said, his voice trembl

id motions. A tell? Anxiety? My therapist once s

kled s

r all, you need to be compet

s seethed with the memory of being seventeen

ou down, Mr. V

y fist beneath the table to keep

my head. "But I must say... you look com

is lips parted. His throat bobbed

. "I know we had a little bit of... differences in

my pockets, and my sm

be a good employee," I

d, still gasping like a beached fish. Without a word, I slid the card between

withdrew i

aled with

ere's been a mis

hollow. Dead

rf

ke?" I

ays I should clean your hotel room, pick up dry clean

Fourteenth floor. 9:

began, blink

luation model for our unreleased AI product by tomorrow. Include three pote

ed hard. I

eck. I want risk modeling, burn rate analysi

were tre

can help you.

t's... usually work for

," I said smoothly, "in which case I wi

was a lifeline. "I will get

d out. There was no way in hell h

't going t

damn day. His ego. His pride. His perfect face. Unti

~

02

om doors cr

e was holdi

and I watched his throat tighten l

fro

a board meeting," m

d. "He's here w

dn't

tiff and his eyes on the floor. He placed the coffee in fro

word. I just le

sit wi

lattes for far longe

~

as craving one last

Mr. Keene

, sir. He hasn't lef

mil

rf

nt back to his office. I open

supposed to have deli

pped.

he desk. He was sleeping

oved closer to his table and the

ance update file was still open on his lapt

caught in my thr

picking up the bottle of

y didn'

hudded onc

't part o

was

... Not

1!" I shouted, m