Chapter 7
S unny ran to the bathroom for an emergency which leaves me wandering around. Tonight has been eventful. I don’t remember the last time I got to experience rooftop parties with shiny lights and a full-blown orchestra.
The right side of my head starts throbbing.
Not a full migraine, yet.
Another hour, and it’ll hit like a truck, train, and an aircraft got into an accident.
If they don’t bring out anything chocolate in the next thirty minutes, I’m leaving.
What kind of event won’t have chocolate?
It’s a must.
Necessity .
If I ever get married, you bet I’ll have three different types of chocolate desserts.
Us chocolate connoisseurs are overlooked.
A blur of blonde hair moves past me.
Bingo .
“Mr. Vuk,” I block his path.
I stare into those cold, lifeless eyes of his.
Compared to his brothers, Callahan Vuk has always made me feel… unwanted.
He has a presence to him that makes me want to bury myself alive.
Or worse ? Stop smiling.
“What is it, Miss Rivera?” He cuts straight to the point.
Looking to the side, I blow air into my cheeks and hum at the same time. “So,” I glance in his direction. “I’m aware that Vuk Securities doesn’t give last minute vacation days to their employees, but well…” He does not look interested one bit.
“I was hoping to get two months off if that would be possible?” Damn it. The goal was to end off strong. Not like I didn’t know if this was what I wanted. “Only if you’re able to,” I stammer quickly. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your schedule or anything.”
Very professional, Nova.
It would be easier if I could speak with Dean Vuk about this but despite being the one in control behind the scenes, Callahan handled all employee-related personnel.
Considering his role as CEO, I wouldn’t have expected him to care.
It’s related to calculating gains and losses. Or at least that’s what Azar told me.
“Your professionalism is admirable, Miss Rivera.” Callahan pulls the wrist of his shirt up and turns it until the watch is facing him. He taps on it once. “It’s ten at night and we’re at a party for this company. Do you truly think this is the right time?”
Saliva burns in my throat and then dries up. I’m dehydrated or thirsty or in a coma .
It has to be one of the three because I feel my cheeks burning up and I’m stuck in one place.
A corner of my smile quivers. I don’t dare look into his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Vuk.” My smile washes away and slithers its way up to my eyeballs where it’s burning to fall out.
There’s nothing kind in the way his stare burns down on me.
Earlier, I ached to dance to the music. Not even a year of physio can help relax my muscles.
I feel humiliated .
“You’re not my employee,” he draws out slowly but nonetheless hard. “I wouldn’t notice your absence.”
Callahan’s disappointment curves into my skin like shackles and I’m completely bound.
“I agree, Mr. Vuk.” Two other employees—Michael and Joshua—appear beside Callahan.
Michael’s overly styled hair brushes back against his scalp and I hope when he wakes up tomorrow he has a receding hairline or a growing bald spot.
“I never understood the appeal of florists,” Michael continues talking.
“They give us flowers only for them to die. A bit of a waste no? It’s kind of like they’re the reason for climate change. ”
Joshua laughs into his glass.
Callahan Vuk remains the same as ever. He doesn’t acknowledge them, but he also doesn’t stop the men from degrading my entire career.
My throat burns.
“ Cal ,” the thick gruffy voice silently warps through us in exaggerated swirls. The deep timbre of his voice penetrates into my skin, and I find myself looking at the origin.
Dean stands with his hands to his side, his face doesn’t hold a slither of expression, but his jaw clenches while he looks at his brother .
“Mr. Vuk,” the two other men rush to extend their hands for the man to shake. But Dean doesn’t look down at it, he merely glances at them with a bored expression before they retreat their greetings.
“Apologize,” he grunts.
I blink rapidly. “Of course, I’m sor?—”
“Not you,” he cuts me off. “ Them .”
Michael and Joshua look at each other, then at Dean with disbelief.
Whatever they see on his face has them saying, “I’m sorry, Nova.”
“Are you friends with her?” He asks them.
They shake their heads.
“Do you know her personally through someone?”
They shake their heads again.
“Then I don’t see any reason for you to be addressing Miss Rivera by her first name.”
My chest oddly constricts.
Michael stampers over his words, “Y-you’re right.” He looks at me and even though the smile doesn’t reach his eyes and it looks like he’d rather pull his eye sockets out, he says, “I’m sorry, Miss Rivera.”
Dean turns his head to look at me and I’m trapped once again in those green eyes.
Viridescent darkness remains, but there’s more to them now.
It’s glinting and speaking to me. There’s a telepathic connection, or maybe I’m overthinking it.
But it’s like he’s asking me if I accept their apology and if I don’t, then he’ll solve the matter himself.
A part of me wonders what that would look like but I’m Nova and this girl accepts apologies like they’re nothing. “It’s okay,” I reply with a smile.
The two men take that as their way out and disappear.
I’m surprised to see that no one is looking at us. Everyone is still enjoying their time, despite the heavy atmosphere swarming around me right now.
Dean turns to look at Callahan.
The tension between them expands in size by the second.
Pursing my lips, “I should go,” I say while turning around.
“Wait.” A large hand wraps around my forearm and gently guides me back around.
I look down at Dean’s hold on me. His whole hand engulfs the arm.
My body warms even though this is definitely not the right time for it to be warming up like this.
I’ve only watched this happen in shows, because that’s usually when the male lead grabs the female lead’s arm and pulls her back into him.
“You deserve an apology from Callahan too,” Dean grumbled.
Callahan narrows his eyes, looks at where his brother holds me. “Tell me, Miss Rivera.” Slowly, almost frighteningly, he bares his teeth in a smile. “What are your thoughts on felons?”
Someone get me a knife. The tension between them is thick.
“Well, I?—”
“Don’t answer the question,” Dean interrupts sternly.
“Please do,” Callahan sounds interested in my answer and because he’s technically more of my boss than Dean is…
“I don’t think about them,” even though Tatay–dad—was one . “As long as they don’t come near me, I don’t really care.”
Dean removes his hand from my arm. His jaw tightens and a darkness flashes through his eyes before walking away without another word.
Soon to follow is awkwardness between me and Callahan Vuk who looks like he wants to shove me aside. “I?—”
He walks away.
What just happened?
I turn around to find Dean, but he’s gone like he was never here to begin with. I should thank him for defending me.
Sunny’s talking to Azar’s mom who happens to be entranced by whatever storytelling skills my best friend is coming up with.
Dean is still nowhere to be found.
I turn a corner to head inside the building when a body blocks my way.
A pretty, familiar body.
“Irene,” a genuine smile forms. “Hi! I didn’t know you’d be here.”
Her response is warm. “I didn’t know either. But I’m glad to hear that you’ve accepted my proposal.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” I look past her shoulder. Where did he go?
“Am I interrupting something?”
“Kind of?” Then my eyes widen. “No, sorry. Of course not, I’m just… Actually, I need to go to the bathroom.” Making some weird hand movements, trying to explain to her that my body needs to do bodily things.
She laughs then shifts to the side, “I’ll see you in Switzerland, Nova.”
“Yes, you will!” I yell over my shoulder.
Passing by waiters going in and out of kitchen doors, I follow the bathroom sign.
“Nova shouldn’t have been here.”
I halt.
Peeking at the opening leading into the next hallway, I see Azar’s face peeking over Dean’s broad shoulder. I’ve never seen him serious unless he was working and right now, he looks too serious for the Azar I know.
It’s wrong, I know it is, but I lean against the wall hiding me from their view and listen .
“What did she do?” Azar doesn’t sound amused by Dean’s proclamation.
Dean doesn’t reply.
“She’s my friend, Dean. I don’t know what your problem is, but she’s here because I wanted her to be here.”
“But I didn’t want her here.”
“Dean, that doesn’t make sense. You’re the one who hired her.”
“It was a fucking mistake.”
“She’s always nice to you, Dean.”
“Miss Rivera fucks everything up. She’s a hazard to the employees, to this work, and to me.”
“Seriously, man?” I can hear Azar shaking his head. “First you act like a nonverbal, grumpy asshole and then you start insulting people, can you make up your mind and pick one persona because it’s getting annoying.”
Dean’s words echo in my mind over and over again.
His earlier kindness warmed me all over, but his cold demeanor is pulling me apart and leaving an empty gaping hole in my chest.
In other words, my heart fell to my stomach.
All along, I thought Dean wanted me here. He’s the one who invited me here. Not Azar.
Was it all fake?
Here I was thinking that maybe Dean and I could be friends or that I was breaking through his grumpy exterior.
I don’t wait to hear what he says next because it doesn’t matter.
Dean Vuk is an asshole.