Page 65 of Damaged

I sip my wine first and lick my lips. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, do you have more ambition than being an assistant?”

“Johannes, why don’t you tell Sophia about how you got your job?” James says.

Johannes quickly purses his lips. “Oh, that’s all very boring, really.”

“Tell her,” James says. His words come out as more of a demand.

Johannes is quiet before he finally speaks. “I was very fortunate to get a position in Creative at one of the largest marketing firms in Europe.”

“And how’d you get it?” James continues his questioning.

“It’s not a secret. I have connections there.”

“As in your dad’s the CEO.”

“Well, yes. But as I’ve said many times, the CEO is not in charge of hiring for the Creative Department.”

“So, your selection was a coincidence?”

“I’m not going to say it was completely unmerited.”

James smirks. He looks off at the sky whimsically. “And what was your class rank at Dartmouth again, Mr. Merited? I happen to remember it being around the last third percentile. You were right next to the magic mushroom kids who got in on legacy.”

Johannes blushes and picks up his napkin. He delicately touches it to each corner of his mouth. “Must we?”

“If you insult my business associate again, I’ll do a lot more than mention what kind of objects you let members of Phi-Kappa-Phi stick up your ass during rush week.”

The table goes silent.

“Aww. So defensive over a little nobody. It looks like someone’s got a crush,” Kate says.

My stomach drops. Is this about to dissolve into a fight?

His face twitches. His eyes are narrowed. “Kate. Get out,” he says quietly.

Kate keeps going. “Wait until everyone gets a load of this. James Callaway. Stud billionaire. Likes his little employee.”

The blush does nothing to stop my cheeks from getting napalmed. My forehead burns. My throat dries.

“If you’re going to act like children, I’m going to treat you like children,” James says coolly. “Now, get on your webbed feet,you inbred trust-fund fucks, and get out. Ashwin. Morrie. You two stay. Everyone, else… out.”

He says this in a voice that makes the others burn with shame. Like a dad to his kids.

“James.” Johannes leans across the table. “You can’t be serious. We don’t have reservations anywhere else.”

“There’s a resort on either side of this place. I’m sure you’ll manage. Go.”

Everyone is silent as they realize they’re not going to change James’s mind.

Johannes pushes back from the table, stands, and starts towards the door that leads into the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” James snaps.

“To get my things.”

“I said leave, not go back into my house.”

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