Page 9 of Destined
Whatever she was thinking, feeling, she hid it well behind a composed demeanour.
Awkwardly, she put her hand out for a handshake. That was the only indication she gave that she wasn’t as unaffected as she wished to appear.
Giving her a tight smile and a nod, he leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek. He was at a loss as to how to ease things between them.
Wordlessly, he opened the door to let her out. Brooding, he watched her walk away without looking back.
12
Serena
Reachingthe car in the unground garage, Ari held the back door open for Serena. Once she was seated, he closed the door before going around to the driver’s side. As he started the vehicle, he asked her, “Where to, miss?”
At a loss as to what to do, she automatically replied, “The office, please.”
Nodding, he pulled out of the parking space. They drove in silence.
The knot in her stomach rivalled the one that had formed in her throat. But sitting in the back of Sebastian’s luxury town car, she refused to give in to the tears that bubbled just beneath the surface calm, certain in the knowledge that it would find its way back to him. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his cold dismissal had hurt, what it had cost her to walk away with her head held high.
She was not the kind of woman who normally indulged in afternoon trysts, but there was just something about this man that made her forget herself. It wasn’t that she’d expected a declaration of undying love or any kind of commitment, but she also hadn’t expected to be dismissed as nothing more than a convenient means to scratch an itch. Without a word, he’d made her, and their afternoon together, feel cheap.
She might not know him very well, but he certainly hadn’t seemed the type to do that. Apparently, she’d been wrong. Now she’d seen his true colours, she wouldn’t make the same mistake again. She also couldn’t see how she’d be able to work with someone so uncaring of another’s feelings.
How stupid she’d been. She’d thrown away the business opportunity of a lifetime for an afternoon of sex. Granted, it had been mind-blowing, life-altering sex, but still nothing more than sex, nonetheless.
As the sleek sedan pulled into a parking bay outside her office building, she caught Ari’s eyes on her in the rearview mirror. She couldn’t read the look in them.Just like his boss,she snorted to herself. Giving him a small smile, she reached for the handle to let herself out.
“Just a moment, miss. I’ll open for you.”
He climbed out and opened the back door for her. Offering his hand, Ari assisted her from the vehicle and guided her gently up onto the curb. He released her hand, but instead of returning to the car, he gave her a thorough, inscrutable study. She was sure he could see all the way into her confused mind. Or maybe she wasn’t as good at a poker face as she thought she might be.
Almost as if he could hear her thoughts, Ari seemed to come to some conclusion only he was privy to.
“He has a heavy burden to bear, miss. Please don’t give up on him.” And with that bizarre comment, he tipped his head to her, returned to the vehicle, and left without another word.
Somewhat unsettled by the strange interaction, she turned towards her building with a heavy heart. She needed to find the words to let Sebastian know she wouldn’t be submitting a proposal after all. It wasn’t the most professional way to handle their situation, but she couldn’t work with him now.
The best she could hope for was that he would forgive her and not ruin the reputation she’d been building for herself in this very cutthroat business.
Ginny greeted her with a smile and told her she’d left her messages on her desk.
Giving her a strained smile, Serena replied, “Thanks, Ginny. Something’s come up that I need to sort out this afternoon. Please hold my calls. Take messages, and I’ll get back to everyone tomorrow.”
Ginny gave her a curious look, but all she said was, “Will do, Serena.”
Taking a seat at her desk, Serena opened her email account to begin composing an email to Sebastian when she noticed one from him in her inbox. She stared at his name for a long moment before curiosity got the better of her and she opened it.
From:Sebastian Marino [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent:04 October 2019 15:53
To:Serena Callum
Subject:Poor Behaviour
Importance:High
Serena,
