Beneath The Billionaire

Chapter8

Sebastian adjusted his cufflinks, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. The tailored tux fit him perfectly, as always, but tonight, even his impeccable appearance couldn’t distract him from the gnawing feeling in his chest.

It had been a long week. Meetings, negotiations, reports. The usual chaos of his tightly controlled world. But amidst it all, there was an unsettling silence—the absence of Maya Taylor.

At first, her quitting had irritated him. Who did she think she was, walking away from a professional commitment? It was irresponsible, infuriating, and… disappointing.

Sebastian scowled at the thought. He wasn’t the kind of man to care if someone walked out of his life, especially not a woman like Maya—abrasive, stubborn, and constantly challenging him. And yet, here he was, finding himself glancing at the door to his office throughout the week, half-expecting her to storm in with her usual fire.

But she didn’t.

The office felt quieter without her sharp retorts and pointed questions. And if he was honest with himself, he missed it—the push and pull, the spark of energy she brought wherever she went.

“Ready to go?” Ella’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Sebastian turned to see his sister standing in the doorway, elegant as ever in a deep blue gown.

“Yeah,” he said, straightening his tie.

Ella raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been brooding all evening. Is this about work or something else?”

“Just work,” he replied, too quickly.

Ella gave him a knowing look but didn’t press. “Well, let’s hope this gala gets your mind off whatever’s bothering you.”

Sebastian nodded, though he doubted it.

***

The ballroom was a dazzling display of wealth and influence. Crystal chandeliers bathed the room in golden light, and the soft hum of conversation mixed with the clink of champagne glasses.

Sebastian moved through the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Ella stayed close, her natural charm drawing attention wherever she went.

But even as he engaged in conversation, his mind wandered. He thought of Maya—where she was, what she was doing. Was she writing another scathing article? Or was she sitting at home, celebrating her “victory” in walking away?

He hated how much space she was occupying in his thoughts.

“Sebastian Blake.” A voice from behind made him pause mid-conversation.

He turned, and his breath hitched. There she was.

Maya Taylor stood before him, dressed in a black dress that hugged her figure and highlighted her short, curly hair. She looked different—polished, confident—but the defiance in her eyes was unmistakable.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice low.

Her lips curved into a smirk. “I’m covering the event. Didn’t your assistant tell you?”

“No,” he said tightly, his jaw clenching.

“Well, surprise,” she quipped, brushing past him.

Sebastian watched her walk away, a mix of frustration and something else—something he couldn’t quite name—coiling in his chest.

Ella appeared at his side, following his gaze. “Who’s that?”

“No one,” he said curtly, though his eyes lingered on Maya’s retreating figure.

Excusing himself from the conversation with Ella and ignoring her suspicious glance, he moved through the crowd with practiced ease, his focus locked on the sleek black dress cutting through the sea of people. Maya was halfway across the room, her shoulders squared and her chin lifted, radiating the kind of determination that drove him insane—and, if he were honest, intrigued him.

He caught up with her near the edge of the ballroom, where she had slipped into a less-crowded area by a decorative arch. She was scribbling in her notebook, her pen flying across the page as she muttered something under her breath.

“Writing about me already?” Sebastian asked, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

Maya startled, her pen pausing mid-word. She turned slowly, narrowing her eyes when she saw him. “I could say the same thing. Are you stalking me now?”

“You’re not exactly hard to spot,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “That dress does a lot of the work for you.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Are you seriously trying to compliment me right now?”

“Not at all,” he said, his tone casual. “Just an observation.”

Maya rolled her eyes and turned back to her notebook, but her movements were tense, like she was trying to ignore him and failing.

Sebastian stepped closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “You’re awfully bold showing up here after the week we’ve had.”

“Bold?” she repeated, spinning to face him fully. “This is my job, Blake. I don’t need your permission to do it.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” he said, smirking. “You seemed pretty eager to walk away from it earlier this week.”

Her jaw tightened, and for a moment, Sebastian thought she might throw her notebook at him. Instead, she closed it with a sharp snap and tucked it under her arm.

“You think you’re so untouchable,” she said, her voice low but charged. “But you’re just another arrogant billionaire who thinks the world revolves around him.”

He leaned in, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from him. “And you’re just another writer who thinks you’ve got everyone figured out.”

Their faces were inches apart, and for a moment, the air between them shifted. The fire in her eyes softened ever so slightly, and his gaze flickered down to her lips before snapping back up.

Maya took a step back, breaking the tension. “I don’t have time for this,” she muttered, turning on her heel.

Sebastian watched Maya storm off toward the quieter part of the venue, her shoulders stiff with irritation. He could’ve let her go, could’ve turned around and blended back into the crowd, but something about her pulled at him—something he couldn’t ignore, no matter how much he tried to fight it....

His long strides closed the distance quickly, and before she could slip out of the ballroom entirely, he caught her arm gently but firmly.

“Running away again, Taylor?” he asked, his voice low and challenging.

Maya yanked her arm free, Her eyes blazed as she glared up at him. “What do you want, Sebastian? Haven’t you done enough for one week?”

“I haven’t even started,” he said smoothly, though his voice carried an edge.

Her lips parted in shock, but before she could deliver one of her biting retorts, he stepped closer, his presence towering over her.

“You think you can just walk out of my life and write me off as a villain?” he said, his tone dropping. “I don’t think so.”

“Maybe you should get used to people leaving, Blake,” she snapped, her words sharp and laced with defiance.

His jaw ticked, and before he could think better of it, he reached for her, his hand sliding to the back of her neck as his lips crushed against hers.

Maya froze for half a second, her mind scrambling to catch up with what was happening. The kiss was forceful, full of frustration and heat, his control slipping just enough to betray how deeply she’d gotten under his skin.

Then, her resistance cracked. Her notebook dropped to the floor as her hands gripped his suit jacket, pulling him closer. She kissed him back just as fiercely, matching his intensity and pushing him to the edge of his restraint.

The air between them was electric, the room fading away as they lost themselves in the moment. But just as quickly as it began, Sebastian pulled back, his breathing heavy, his lips still inches from hers.

Maya stared at him, her chest rising and falling as she tried to process what had just happened.

“What the hell was that?” she demanded, her voice shaky but defian''t.

Sebastian’s lips curled into a small, knowing smirk. “That was a reminder.”

“A reminder of what?”

“That I’m not as easily written off as you’d like to believe”

He stepped back, adju/sting his tie as though the kiss hadn’t just shaken them both to their core

“You’ve got guts, Taylor, but you’re in way over your head,” he said, his tone challenging. “Come back and shadow me—if you’re not too scared.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not scared of you.”

“Then prove it,” he said, turning on his heel and leaving her standing there, breathless and rattled.

Maya watched him walk away, her heart pounding in her chest. She hated him. She hated his arrogance, his control, the way he thought he could manipulate her.

But most of all, she hated that she was tempted to take his dare.