Page 4
“Really?”
“Yeah.” I don’t elaborate. Elaborating scares people away; I’ve learned that the hard way over the years.
She sighs uncomfortably, sliding into her heels before standing and brushing crumbs off her clothes. “Let’s get you settled in, shall we?”
For the next hour, Aria shows me our floor, how to use the computer system, gives me my computer access codes, and invites me out for drinks, which I decline.
Papers pile up on my desk, and I get to work quickly after Aria heads back to her office.
Before I know it, it’s time for lunch.
I pull out my good pal Google and find there’s a small sandwich shop right outside the building.
To be kind, I confirm that Aria doesn’t want anything, and then grab my bag and head downstairs.
Aria said they deliver, but it being my first real day in town, I feel like I want to explore.
Maybe exploring will help my stomach settle and stop twisting into foreboding knots.
The elevator dings when I get to the ground floor, and I rush out of it without thinking, slamming into the hard body of a man straight off the cover of a magazine.
His smooth voice curls through my ears. “I’m so sorry, Miss. I didn’t see you there.”
My bag’s lying on the ground, contents displayed for everyone to see, and I quickly crouch awkwardly and begin stuffing things inside. “No, it’s my fault. It’s my first day, and it doesn’t help that I’m already a clutz, and then you add nerves on top of that and…” I look up to find him crouching too, his hand on my tampons that are splayed against the marble floor. He has a faded cut that blends into a thick swathe of curls, a mix of almond and chestnut. His eyes are a bright, shining cobalt, and I get caught in them for a moment as we stare at one another, suspended in the moment I created with my clumsiness. He’s glaring at me as if I have four heads. “I’m sorry. I’m rambling.”
A broad, blinding smile lights his perfect face, coloring his blue eyes a darker shade of ocean. “No worries at all. First days can be tough. I hope you’re settling in alright.”
“For the most part.” I motion to my open bag, urging him to give me back the tampons he’s still gripping.
“Oh, sorry. Here you go.” He drops them inside, then stands and offers me a hand to steady me as I rise back onto my heels.
“Thank you,” I whisper meekly.
I press my thighs together when another smile graces his face.
Clearing his throat, he sidesteps me. “Have a great day. It was lovely to meet you…”
“Seraphine,” I say breathlessly, turning to watch him step into the elevator in a massive stride, his suit hugging every curve of his body perfectly.
“Seraphine.” He nods.
It’s not until the doors shut that I realize I hadn’t gotten his name.
It’s probably for the best.
I break everything I touch.
2
BROTHER ON FIRE
KYRIN
She doesn’t seem to realize that I’m watching her. She’s sitting on a bench outside the building, devouring her sandwich from Frank’s shop across the street, and reading a book on her lap.
She’s spent most of her time fighting the wind to keep the pages flat.
“A looker, isn’t she?” Wallace asks me.
