2. CHAPTER 2
SEBASTIAN
I sat back in my chair, the black leather creaking, and stared absently into the untouched glass of whisky in my hand. My screen flashed with a meeting reminder, but my thoughts lingered on Aria Summers.
When I’d last seen her, she was an eighteen-year-old.
That girl was a vibrant little soul. She’d notice the beauty in everything, full of empathy and compassion for others.
Her presence had a calming effect on anyone around her.
She was preparing to start uni to study social work, to pursue a dream of wanting to support people through their hardest times.
She still smelled the same, that fresh green apple scent.
Seeing her again stirred something in me. Something I hadn’t felt in years. Something I wasn’t ready to admit to myself.
Alongside that was guilt.
It had been years since the night I’d left her, bright-eyed and full of sass. I was twenty-two, already consumed by a shadowy underground world my family knew nothing about.
I downed the drink, pushing those memories back down as far as they would go, then got up and made my way into the main office, reaching Aria’s desk at the back.
“Let’s get lunch.”
Her eyes darted around at everyone, undoubtedly all looking at us, before they met mine. I couldn’t care less that people were staring. None of them would dare say a word to me.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said quietly.
I held out my hand, and she hesitated for a second but then took it and stood. Her touch was gentle, like it was when we were younger. Placing my hand on the small of her back, I guided her out of the office.
It wasn’t long before we reached the restaurant and the waiter greeted me, taking us to my usual table. I pulled the chair out for Aria, and she sat with her hands in her lap, looking around, before sitting opposite her.
“Usual?” the waiter asked.
“Yes, and a cappuccino.”
He gave us a curt nod and left. I looked over at Aria, who gave me a tight smile.
Before I could speak, Hayden Lyons, my brother in all but name, strolled in, his coiled hair bouncing.
I’d met Hayden ten years ago when I was sixteen, in the dark world of a crowded underground ring, both of us young, ready to take on a world that offered us more than the life above.
He was quick in the ring, but his comebacks were quicker.
He was my first fight, and he quickly became my brother—and when I left that world, he stayed, but so did our friendship.
His eyes widened as he realised who I was sitting with.
“Aria Summers. It’s been too long.” He smiled at her, and she got up, giving him a small hug.
“Hey, Hayden. What are you doing here?”
“Come to see this guy.” He whacked me on the shoulder. “Didn’t realise you were back.”
The waiter came over with our drinks and nodded at Hayden, wandering off again to get him his usual.
“I’ve only been back for a short while,” she said as they both sat down.
“You didn’t tell me.” Hayden looked over at me.
“I didn’t know.”
Confusion ran over his face.
“She started at Luxe Corp today. I had no idea.”
Aria tucked her natural blonde hair behind her ears, then her hands fell to her lap again.
The waiter brought Hayden’s rum, and he took a sip.
“We should go out for a drink tonight. Catch up,” he suggested.
I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, then brought it to my lips, my eyes fixed on Aria.
“Oh, erm, I’ve got plans.”
“C’mon, it’ll be fun.” He flashed his smile at her. “I’ll bring Serfina. You remember her, don’t you?”
Hayden’s girlfriend loved a night out. Any chance she had to get dressed up and parade him around, she took.
She bit her lip, and my eyes dropped to it for a moment.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “You don’t have to, if you’ve already got plans.”
“Erm, sure …”
“Great.” Hayden patted me on the chest. “Sebastian will pick you up.”
A knock at the door sounded, and I looked up to Aria entering my office.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Ah, yes. Sit down.”
She did, and a silence fell over us for a few seconds.
“I’m in the market for a new PA.”
She arched her brow, confusion in her eyes. “Ok …”
“So, go get your things, and bring them to the desk outside my office.”
“What?”
“I’m making you my new PA.”
“Sebastian, I’m not qualified to do that. I’m fine where I am.”
I stood and leaned against the desk next to her.
“Aria, you know me better than anyone. You’ll be fine, and anything you don’t know, I can show you.”
“But isn’t there meant to be some kind of process—”
I cut her off, tilting her chin with a finger for her eyes to meet mine. “All the paperwork is done. You don’t have to worry about anything.”
She chewed the side of her lip, her hands playing with her sleeves. I took hold of them.
“You’ll be fine, I know you will.”
She smiled, and her grey eyes shimmered in the light. “Thank you.” She jumped up, wrapping her arms around my neck to hug me.
I’d missed her and how we used to be. I’d never expected Aria to walk back into my life, but now that she was, I was going to keep her as close to me as possible.
I’d do anything for this girl, and if making her my PA would put a smile on her face, then I’d take that and anything else that came with it.
It wasn’t long before she returned with all her things and sat at her new desk.
I leaned in behind as she logged on. Fuck. That damn apple smell of hers tingled all my senses at once. I placed my hand on top of hers that rested on the mouse. It felt angelic, like it had never been touched before.
My eyes flicked down her body, slowly trailing back up to meet her own for a few seconds, before locking onto the screen. “If you click over here into this program”—my hand moved the mouse, taking hers with me—“you can do it all from there.”
My hand lingered on hers, and I turned to face her. Her cheeks were flushed, and she soon pulled her hand from underneath mine, placing it firmly in her lap.
“Thanks.”
“If you need anything at all, you know where I am.”
With that, I straightened, pulling my cuffs down, and walked back into my office.
Of course, I sat there watching her out of the window. It was a view I was going to enjoy.
I picked up my phone and scrolled through the contacts until I brought up Scott Langley’s number.
“Sebastian Knight, what can I do for you?”
“I’ve got a business opportunity I thought you might be interested in.”
“You know I’d never pass up a chance to work with your name.”
“I thought you’d say that. My PA will set up a meeting next week.”
“Looking forward to it.”
With that, I hung up. The Langleys were a powerful, wealthy family. My father had done business with Scott’s father before I had my dad removed from the company. The Langleys weren’t in our league, but they weren’t far off.
“Aria?” I called out as I opened the office door.
She turned to face me.
“I need you to set up a meeting for me.”
“Ok.” She smiled.
“Do you need me to go through how to do it with you?”
“I’m sure I can work it out,” she replied, then turned to face her screen.
She probably could, but I was still going to watch her.