Page 43 of When The Night Falls

‘Well, then, Cara,’ William said, emphasising my real name, and walked back to take a seat on his black desk. He folded his hands above the crotch of his light-grey trousers and studied me with the same crooked smile I had tried so hard to forget.

‘Have we met?’ he asked, and it knocked the air out of my lungs. The bastard was using my own words against me. How dare he toss that line at me right now?

‘I’m quite sure we have,’ he said, his eyes narrowing. ‘I could have sworn I’ve seen you before. Have you been on telly? In newspapers?’ Not a hint of sympathy was present in features. Choking with emotion, I couldn’t dodge even an ounce of his wrath. All I could do was stare at him.

He looked briefly away, nodding. ‘Right, it’s coming back to me now. I know where I’ve seen you. It was in my bed, wasn’t it? While I fucked you senseless? Yes, I believe so. Now that I think about it, how could I forget? Must be your lies that have got me all confused.’

I took a sharp breath and averted my gaze. Stringing together a single coherent thought proved impossible. I had never been so shocked.

‘Please, have a seat.’ He gestured to one of the two black chairs in front of his desk. As I fixed my gaze on them, I noticed that his office was rather big. Against the wall on my right stood a white leather sofa, along with a coffee table made of transparent glass.

Incapable of ministering any muscle of my body, I remained in the same place. Seemingly impatient, William leaned back and fetched a document from his desk.

‘I gather you’re here to sign this contract.’

My gaze dashed to his and I swallowed a huge lump in my throat. It might well have been my heart. Though, since it was currently thundering like a furious storm within my chest, perhaps not.

‘I...’ Averting my eyes, I adjusted my purse on my shoulder.

‘You?’

‘This is . . . I’m sorry, I’m just . . .’

‘Shocked?’

I still couldn’t bring myself to look at him, so I only nodded. The mere sight of him was unbearable.

‘Cara, take a seat,’ he ordered, reminding me of his domineering attitude.

Obeying, because I didn’t know what else to do, I approached the chair that stood furthest away from him. As I went, I sensed him observing me with interest.

I was about to sit when he slid off his desk and descended into the chair beside mine. Freezing, I met his eyes and watched him recline. He smirked up at me and gestured to my chair again, triggering me to mentally curse his confidence.

After I had slowly found my seat, he turned his chair toward me and asked bitterly, ‘Is it Cara? Or do you prefer going by Sandra?’

I pursed my lips. ‘I didn’t think I’d see you again.’

‘I realise that, and yet here we are.’

Grimacing, I inwardly begged my heart to calm down. From the speed of its beats, I had to be shortening my lifespan.

‘I don’t quite think that this is a good idea,’ I said.

He was quiet for a second. ‘What? The placement?’

I nodded.

He scoffed. ‘Don’t be silly. This isn’t an opportunity you should cast aside merely because you’ve coincidentally fucked your boss, and it’s far too late to apply for a spot somewhere else. I can guarantee you won’t get it. The competition is intense.’

My breath rasped in my throat at his blunt phrasing and I blushed blood red. I had almost forgotten about his vulgar tongue.

He leaned forward, toward me, and it perturbed me. The tension between us was thick and dense in the air, and it made me feel like I was suffocating. Having him so close wreaked havoc on my emotions. Suddenly I made no sense to myself. All I knew was that I wished he would back away so that I might be able to think clearly.

His eyes focused on my blank facial expression. ‘I seem to remember you having a dreadfully sharp tongue. Have you lost your bravado?’

‘Are you at all able to be quiet for longer than a second? I need to think!’ I snapped, growing increasingly annoyed with his scrutiny. I was trapped in a clusterfuck of a situation, and he wasn’t allowing me any mental room to sort it out.

‘I honestly can’t believe you’re Jason’s flatmate. All along, you’ve been within my reach. I’m furious,’ he said.

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