May
Istepped out of the elevator, tapped Oran’s name on my phone, and held the speaker to my ear. The line rang as I made my way out of the lobby, following the throng of people on a mass exodus to lunch. Today had been calm, if I didn’t count that HR meeting, and I actually felt pretty good.
“Hello?” Oran sounded annoyed, but before I could open my mouth, he was talking again. “Are you going to ask me to lunch, May? Unfortunately, I have a meeting.”
“Uh, okay. I wasn’t going to, but now I’m kinda pissed you can’t.” For a moment, there was nothing on the line but muffled talking, and I wandered listlessly down the sidewalk. People crowded everywhere and I had to walk their pace, which was pretty slow, but I couldn’t complain when the speaker crackled loudly for my attention. “Oran? You there?”
“I am. My brother is insisting on meeting you.” I could tell in his tone he wanted me to say ‘no’ and I gnawed on my lower lip absently. “If you’re not busy, we’ll have you back at work on time.”
“Oh, I’m actually—” But even then, I couldn’t get much out when a large, black car pulled up to the sidewalk, and I paused when Oran sighed sharply. The door popped open and a man I didn’t recognize stepped out as I slowly lowered my phone.How does Oran’s brother know what I look like?Kinda creepy.
“May, right? I’m glad we bumped into each other. I’m Carlyle.” People streamed around us, determined to make the most of a thirty-minute lunch break, and I frowned as I hung up the call. “Would you like to go to lunch with us? On me, of course.”
I couldn’t say ‘no’. The realization hit me hard and I nodded mutely as sparkling, sharp, brown eyes cut into me. Carlyle gestured me into the back seat of the car and I slid my phone into my purse to oblige. Smoothing my dress, I paused when I saw Oran sitting against the front passenger seat. This was like a compact limo or something— instead of just one three-person seat, there were two, facing opposite each other, and I sat across from him behind the driver.
This was awkward, there was no denying it, and I held my purse in my lap as my abdomen tingled wildly.
“So, I understand from Oran that you’re going through a rough time at work and home. I’ve been wanting to meet you, but I live in New York, and I’m not very well-traveled.” My mouth dried as I turned to Carlyle and I scanned him closely as the car pulled off the sidewalk. They were very clearly brothers, and very clearly Carlyle was older, but there was something he was also obviously missing.
Carlyle was cold, and Oran’s mention of his father being a sociopath floated through my mind.That’s what’s missing— empathy.
“Why did you insist on me coming with you?” The question just slipped out, and I pursed my lips thinly as my anxiety increased. “I only have a thirty-minute lunch, and I’m not exactly on the best standing that being late will slide.”
“I’m aware. Don’t worry about being late. They’re going to force you out, anyway, so what’s the point in wasting energy on it?” Opening my mouth, nothing came rolling off my tongue, and Carlyle arched his brows at me suggestively. “My little brother tells me you’re quite the spitfire, May. You know, brilliance breeds contempt, and I am very interested in having a long discussion about your future as a nautical designer.”
“Right.” Sluggishly replying, I tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. The silence was deafening as I frantically tried to think of something to say. “Um, you know, Mr. Santino, I don’t know what’s going on right now, or what you think is going to happen, but I’m not going to let Oran swoop in and take control of my life. And I won’t let you do that, either. You may be rich and whatever, but I’m not.”
Carlyle seemed really amused by my little speech, and my frown deepened as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Slowly, he turned to Oran to smirk, propping his elbow on the window to hum softly. The way Carlyle looked at everyone, like he could just do anything, and no one would oppose him . . .
How terrifying it was to be on the wrong side of that gaze.
“You haven’t told her yet.” His wasn’t a question, but Carlyle sparked curiosity in me as Oran shook his head. Carlyle chuckled, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when he turned back to me. “I like you, May. You’ve got guts.”
“You make me nervous.” Truth rang in my voice, and he actually smiled at me, like helikedhearing that. “You don’t want to just talk about my career, do you?”
“Well, we can’t talk about much else yet. I thought it’d be a good ice breaker rather than asking about your autistic sister or your parents who are laundering money and kicked her out because she found out.” My brows nearly flew off my face as I choked on my own spit, and Carlyle nodded with a low grumble reverberating through the whole damn car. “I take it you never knew about it.”
“How the fuck?” He gave me a half shrug as my voice failed, and I sucked in a sharp breath as my narrowed gaze shot to Oran. “Did you know about this when we went to my house?”
“No, this is the first I’m hearing of it.” Scrunching up my nose, I glared hard at him as he shook his head curtly. The spark in his eye was bright enough that he was surprised, and I clenched my jaw hard against the disgust that crawled up my throat. “It’s a better explanation than them kicking her out for no reason, or because of her condition.”
“I realize that, damnit! What the hell is going on here?” Turning back to Carlyle, I scowled darkly at his cool demeanor, and his own eyes narrowed into slits. “If you’re just going to reveal shit that I don’t need to know right now and make my life harder—”
“May, hasn’t it tortured you to not know why? Well, now you know. I bring it up because we’re going to talk about your job and I’d rather you didn’t consider your sister as a factor. I want you to consider yourself and only yourself.” My eyelid twitched, and I inhaled deeply and held it as flames engulfed my lungs. This was ridiculous. I couldn’t let this happen.
Talk about your job, your future as a nautical designer— what the fuck does that even mean? I don’t need anyone to hand me anything, damnit!The car rolled to a stop at a light and I turned to open the back door and climb out of the car. Wide, surprised eyes met mine, and I exhaled slowly, steadily, before opening my mouth.
“I’ll text you when I feel like it.” I shut the door and icy prickles swept up my torso in powerful waves as I walked around the car and toward the sidewalk. Thankfully, they were taking a right turn, without me. Holding my purse as tightly as I could, my eyes stung as I walked around the corner of a building and out of view of the car. Leaning heavily against the building, my heart hurt as it throbbed wildly in my chest and I closed my eyes to suck in a strangled breath.
I wasn’t sure if I was glad or not that Oran didn’t come after me because I just wanted to smack him. Cracking open my eyes, I carefully blotted my damp eyelashes and rubbed my nose to ease the clog before glancing up.
“May, I promise you, I was totally against this.” Thepromisewas empty, and I gulped down the dense lump blocking my throat. Oran’s wild gaze was locked on mine, tearing violently, searching for forgiveness . . . but he wouldn’t find it.
“Why’d you let that happen, then?” Betrayal thickened my tone and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth as Oran’s gaze flashed in alarm. “I’m not doing this. I have to eat and go back to work while I still can, okay. Bye, Oran.”
Crossing my arms over my purse, I turned on my heel and walked away, the huge manila folder in my bag like a concrete brick.
