When he burst out of the building, the limo was at the curb. The driver jumped to attention. “You’re…done early?”
“Get me to the Langley Theater.”
The guy rushed to open the door for Sebastian.
“I’ve got it.” Sebastian yanked open the door himself. “If you can get me there in ten minutes, there’ll be a big bonus waiting for you.”
Moments later, the limo screeched away from the curb. Sebastian pulled out his phone. Stared at the text one more time.
Cover blown.
Oh, shit. This was bad. Very, very bad. He fired a quick text back to Antony. Are you safe?
He waited for a response. Waited…
But during the ten minutes it took to cut across Asheville, North Carolina, no response came.
Dammit. But at least he’d deliberately used some of Antony’s own words from the text in the announcement to the press. Even if Antony had needed to ditch his phone and go dark, Sebastian’s announcement would be broadcast everywhere. Antony would see it and pick up on the deliberate language. He’d know that Sebastian had received his message.
He would also know…
Don’t worry about Alyssa. I’ve got her.
***
The date had been a serious mistake. Oh, so bad. Dinner at the restaurant had been a long, painful affair. Turned out, Isaac Swain was way more interested in Alyssa’s brother than he was in her. Because during the whole long, boring dinner? The dinner that never seemed to end? The guy had been spouting question after question about Antony.
It was downright insulting.
Alyssa’s shoulders hunched as they sat in the company’s theater box. At least the show would start soon. Then Isaac could stop talking her ear off about—
“Your brother is a genius.”
“Um.” She forced a smile. Like she hadn’t heard that line about a time or twenty from people who were awed by what her brother had accomplished. She was awed, too. Alyssa thought her brother was awesome, but she didn’t want to talk about him on her date.
“I mean, the way he developed the company from the ground up. Turned into a major player in the industry…”
She tuned him out. Why, oh, why had she thought going on a date with one of the Shark Gaming and Design employees was a good idea? Sure, okay, yes, Isaac was attractive. A transfer from California, he had the whole blond-hair, beach-boy thing going on. Bright blue eyes. Perfectly straight and white teeth. And his body screamed, I like to work out! So, yes, okay, fine, maybe she’d agreed to go out with him because he was attractive. Sue her. She’d met him in her brother’s office last week when she’d dropped by and—
“He did it all single-handedly, and that is something that most people can’t—”
She stiffened, and her attention flew back to Isaac. “That’s not correct.”
He blinked. His brows—perfectly shaped—Did he pluck them? Wax them?—lifted. “I think I know what I’m talking about.”
Now she straightened in the chair. Her voice flattened as Alyssa responded, “I think I know my brother’s business.”
“Yes, well, you don’t actually work there, though.” He waved one hand vaguely toward her. “You play with your jewelry design.”
Oh, the hell, no. He’d just said she played? Her back teeth clenched. “My brother didn’t create his company alone,” Alyssa gritted out. “He has a partner, one you know very well about.”
Isaac laughed. She didn’t like his laugh. It was high pitched and nasally, and it totally ruined the whole beach boy look. “Please.” Isaac shook his head. “You’re talking about Sebastian.”
“I’m obviously talking about Sebastian Ridgeway. As an employee of the company, you should know who you work for.”
He blinked. “The so-called ‘bad boy of tech’ didn’t build the company. He’s just the flash. Everyone knows your brother is the real talent.”
She could feel her cheeks burning. “Sebastian hates that nickname. If he hears you calling him that, he’ll fire you on the spot.”
Isaac licked his lips. “Well, good thing he’s not here, huh?”
She almost wished he was.
Wait. Do I think that being with Sebastian is better than being with Isaac?
“Where is your brother now, Alyssa? I bet he’s off researching a new design. I wish I could see how he comes up with his ideas. I would love to know—”
“You should date him.”
Isaac blinked.
Whoops. Had she said that last part out loud?
Isaac’s perplexed expression told her that, yep, she had.
“Excuse me?” He laughed again.
“You know, Isaac, I think I’m getting a headache.” Alyssa glanced around, looking for an escape. She needed one desperately because the idea of spending more time trapped with Isaac was enough to make her shudder. She causally slid the small strap of her purse onto her shoulder. The better to make a fast getaway.
“Did I tell you that I moved from California just because I wanted to work for Shark Gaming and Design? I wanted to be just like—”
“Antony?” she finished.
He nodded eagerly and his hand reached for hers. He had a very sweaty hand. “Exactly. I wanted—”
Please, someone save me.
But, of course, no one was there. They were alone in the company’s theater box. She’d foolishly offered up the box when he’d asked what she’d like to do on their date. Oh, if only she could go back in time and—
The curtains behind Isaac’s head flew open.
“I wanted to be like Antony, not like Sebastian. Because come on, who wants to be like that selfish prick?” Isaac laughed his nasally laugh again. “Guy is some kind of Bruce Wayne wanna-be. Trolling around town in his limo. Freaking playboy. What do you think? Does he have a bat cave hidden somewhere?”
OhmyGod.
Sebastian was there. He’d just shoved open the curtains. She blinked, wanting to make sure she wasn’t imagining things, but no…still there.
Sebastian had obviously caught Isaac’s comments because one eyebrow lifted up. And he smiled.
It was a killer smile. The kind of smile that a great white shark probably would give to his prey right before his teeth opened up, and he took a big, juicy bite.
“The selfish prick is right behind you,” Alyssa whispered.
Isaac seemed to choke. His hold tightened on her hand.
“I’m going to need you to let go of me,” Alyssa told him.
He didn’t. His fingers did move to curl around her wrist.
But his head swung around toward Sebastian and he sputtered, “I-I—”
Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest. “I know you.”
“I—yes.”
“You work for me.”
Isaac still had his fingers wrapped around her wrist. Was she gonna have to pry them off? Sighing, Alyssa stood up.
Isaac rose, too, but didn’t let go of her. “I…do,” he agreed. “That is, I work for you and Antony. I’m in Research and Development—”
Sebastian stalked forward. “Alyssa, we’re leaving.”
Any other day—literally, any other day—she would have told Sebastian to go screw himself. She never took orders from him. Not from him, not from any man. But today—this poor, unfortunate day—she almost jumped for joy. “Right. I’m ready.” She almost added…Why the hell are you late? But she managed to hold that part back because he’d have zero clue what she meant.