“What made you want to work for Kain Industries?” the female alpha asks. I still don’t know her name, but she looks like a Kathleen or maybe an Elena.
“I’ve always admired how much the company has accomplished. The spread of investments and businesses is impressive. Probably challenging to manage it all, and I always wanted to be a part of something that touched the whole world.”
Tristan sighs and looks down. “Tell us a time where you had a difficult problem you had to solve.” He looks bored as hell. These are probably standard HR questions. He doesn’t even look up at me, instead gazing out of the window.
I can practically see the job opportunity slipping through my fingers, and while I know Pack Lennox put me here for a reason, more than likely to spy, a twisted part of me wants to stay and learn more about the man who shares my blood.
I won’t fool myself into thinking there will ever be a relationship. But after what I read online about the company, the things they’ve done, I have to know if it was my own flesh and blood or if he’s simply a puppet the board of managers uses.
To secure the job, I’ll have to deviate from the plan. He’s already sat through countless interviews. Racking my brain, I shuffle through all the tidbits of information I learned when I researched the company. There was a bunch of ass kissing reporting. There were scathing think pieces that detailed thetwisted insides of the conglomerate, and others were actually fairly insightful, but one thing didn’t make sense to me.
“I recently came across a problem I couldn’t solve,” I begin, tapping my finger on my leg to steady myself. “Why did Kain Industries buy Knotting Aerospace?”
Tristan’s head whips in my direction, eyes alight with interest. “Why do you think we bought it?”
“At first, I thought like everyone did that you were going to try and commercialize space travel.” Chuckling, I shake my head. “But then I remembered the rest of the companies Kain Industries owns. Your strategy isn’t a top dollar designer brand. Your strategy has always been a touch above affordable, family friendly branding. Whether people realize it or not, Kain Industries is in their home.” I tip my head, studying the lines on his face, the strong jaw line. His gaze is penetrating. A little unsettling.
But to an omega like my mom who was desperate for any sort of attention, it was probably enthralling. To be the center of a powerful man’s world if only for a weekend. I wonder if she ever tried to get child support.
Tristan smiles to himself, rubbing his jaw. “So why did I do it?”
Good. I’ve caught his interest. “Mlon is commercializing travel.”
Tristan’s gaze darkens at the mention of the man he hates. I stumbled across some forums that delved into their past. Mlon and Tristan were friends once upon a time, then Mlon took control of a company they shared and cut Tristan out. If you believe the internet, Tristan slept with Mlon’s beta.
“You’re going to topple his empire,” I conclude with a shrug. “That or you’re going to build a space station mansion.” I smile at the last bit, hoping to soften myself enough. Alphaslike Tristan don’t like strong omegas. They want unyielding obedience.
Tristan sits back, narrows his eyes, drums his fingers on the arms of his chair, and studies me.
Blood rushes through my ears. I’m either getting the boot, or he’s considering the best way to dispose of my body. Calm down. He won’t murder you.Yeah, not right now. Later though?
“Ellen.”
Ah, so her name is Ellen. I was close-ish. She rises, gestures for me to do the same, and leads me to the door. Right before we exit, Tristan calls my name.
I glance over my shoulder.
“Looks like you solved that problem of yours,” he says with a smirk that sends a chill down my spine. “The desk in my office,” he tells Ellen.
She nods, flicks her eyes to me, suppresses a look of surprise, quickly stifles it, and guides me to an office across the suite. This one is larger than the one we were just in. A fancy executive desk that’s solid wood and probably heavy as shit. The wall behind the desk is lined with various sizes of picture frames. Logos from the various subsidiaries Kain Industries owns. Trophies?
Across the room is a small desk, still nice, with those fancy, elegant detailed carvings on the legs. A rug covers the marble floor, soft and plush beneath my heels. In front of the floor to ceiling windows is a seating area, a liquor cart, and a cigar box.
I guess when you’re a billionaire who owns the company, you can smoke inside.
“This is your desk. Mr. Kain does not like small talk, so don’t try it. You will do as you’re told, manage his calendar, block meetings that I tell you to block, bring him whatever he wants,wheneverhe wants.” Her gaze floats down my body. Not in a cruel way, more in a recognition of my appearance. “Word of advice? Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can fuck him intoloving you. I don’t need another HR nightmare, and trust me, plenty of admins have tried, and it never works in their favor.”
Oh gross. My nose wrinkles, and I recoil. “I donotwant to fuck him.”
She pauses, eyebrows lifting.
Maybe that was the wrong reaction?
“I mean, Mr. Kain isn’t my type.”
She chuckles to herself. “Rich? Handsome? Powerful? He’s everyone’s type.”
Wrong. He’s my dad, and I’m not into incest. “I take my job seriously,” I say, changing tactics. “I wouldn’t jeopardize this opportunity.”
