10. CHAPTER 10
SEBASTIAN - PRESENT
“ M r Knight?”
It felt weird for Aria to call me that. It reminded me of when we were younger, when she’d called my dad by that name. A man I’d rather forget.
“Mr. Langley is here for you.”
“Send him in.”
She nodded and disappeared for a few seconds before showing him in.
“Sebastian, good to see you,” he said.
Scott Langley was the son of Rupert Langley, an old associate of my dad's. They were always together when I was growing up, which was how I met Scott. We ended up at the same private school and university.
However, Scott had actually wanted his family business. I didn’t. A promise to my grandfather was how I ended up in this position at the ripe old age of twenty-six.
I rose from my desk and shook his hand, then we both sat. My eyes flickered to Aria.
She looked good in her pencil skirt, hugging her hips. And those heels …
“I’ll go get some coffee.” She smiled and left.
“New PA?” He arched his eyebrow at me.
“Yeah, the last one wasn’t up to standards.”
“Well, this one's definitely a stunner. Might have to ask her out.”
My jaw tightened, and I shifted in my chair.
“She’s not that type of girl.”
He lightly chuckled. “They’re all that type of girl when you’ve got the money.”
I glared at him, leaning back in my chair, my fists clenching.
“Have you finished making comments about my PA? Can we talk business now, or do I need to show you the door?”
He held his hands up in surrender as Aria reappeared with coffee. My body tensed as Scott’s eyes wandered to her arse, this burning rage filling my stomach, and I cracked my knuckles.
“Aria. Leave,” I ordered her.
She furrowed her brows. “What?”
“I said, leave!” I roared.
She jumped, fear flickering in her eyes, but she stood there frozen, gripping her sleeves. I stormed over to her and gently wrapped my hand around her wrist, guiding her to the door and closing it behind her.
I marched over to Scott, grabbed him up off the chair by his collar, and pinned him against the wall, my chest heaving.
No one looked at her like that and got away with it. I didn’t give a shit that I was in the office, and no one would dare say a thing to me about it. He needed me for business, and I was doing him a favour by calling him in, but after what he just did?
“Sebastian, what the fuck are you doing?”
I pulled my phone from my pocket, finding the number I needed, and dialled, looking him dead in the eyes.
“Ruin the Langleys,” I ordered over the phone before cutting the call and placing it back in my pocket.
“All you did was look at my PA, and I’ve ruined your name. Imagine what I’d do if you ever touched her.”
“Sebastian, please, I'm sorry,” he begged.
“Now”—I loosened my grip, pushing him towards the door—“get the fuck out of my office.”
My eyes burned into him as I watched him hurry to the door, rushing past Aria and into the main office.
Fucking asshole.
I straightened my cuffs and ran my hand through my hair.
My stomach sank. I’d scared Aria, something I’d never wanted to do.
I took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly, making my way out to her.
She didn’t turn or move.
“Aria?” I crouched down beside her.
I pulled the chair for her to face me. Her head was down, eyes fixed on her sleeves.
I placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “Look at me.”
She blinked, and tears fell from her eyes. My heart sank again, and I could feel acid swirling in my stomach. I had made her cry.
“Nyx, I’m sorry,” I whispered, wiping the warm tears from her cheeks.
“It’s fine.” Her voice was flat, the words almost a whisper.
I hesitated a beat. “Nyx … what happened to you?”
“Nothing happened,” she snapped, wiping her face and turning the chair away from me.
“Nyx. Talk to me.” I placed my hand on her shoulder.
She shrugged it off. “Leave me alone.”
I let out a heavy breath and stood. “Fine.”
A few hours had passed, and Aria still wasn’t talking to me. And I understood why. She’d seen something I’d never wanted her to see—a side she had never seen when we lived together.
I guessed I was more like my dad than I thought. He’d constantly argue with whatever number wife he was on. Even my mum. She passed away when I was ten—probably couldn’t take any more abuse from my fucking asshole of a father.
“Sebastian.”
My eyes flickered up to Aria standing in front of my desk. I was so deep in thought that I hadn’t noticed her come in.
“Can we talk?”
I got up, making my way around to her, leaning against my desk and folding my arms.
“Sure.”
She fiddled with her sleeves, so I took hold of her hand to stop her. If she was anxious about something when we were younger, she’d be straight to those damn things, but the minute I took hold of her hand, she’d be back to her sassy self.
Her eyes flickered up to mine, shimmering brightly, spreading that light that she was to me.
“What was that earlier?”
I let out a deep breath. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
She dropped my hand. “Don’t do that. I’m not some girl you can palm off anymore. I’ve grown up. I’ve had to.”
“Look, these wealthy businessmen think they can just take anything they want.”
“Such as?”
“He was looking at you in ways he shouldn’t have been, and I won’t stand for that.”
She bit her lip, a smile unfurling, and took a step closer, resting her hand on my chest, sending my pulse into overdrive.
I swallowed to clear the lump in my throat.
She met my eyes as I looked down at her. “Thank you,” she whispered. “But I can take care of myself now. You don’t need to do your big brother routine anymore.”
Oh, this was far more than a big brother routine.
This was something else.
I wouldn’t allow anyone to look at her.
And if they dared touch her? Well, I’d fucking kill them.