Chapter11
1305 Words
The party was in full swing, the air buzzing with chatter and the clink of glasses. Maya leaned against the edge of the bar, nursing a glass of champagne and doing her best to avoid catching anyone’s eye. Her mind was still spinning with fury over the email from Sebastian’s lawyer—the audacity of that man to sue her over something so absurd. She didn’t even want to come to this work party, but Carmen insisted. “Don’t let him make you invisible,” her editor had said.
Still, she hadn’t expected to see him.
“Maya,” Sebastian’s voice came from behind her, low and smooth. Her stomach tightened instinctively.
She turned slowly, her jaw tightening when she saw him standing there, his tailored suit somehow making him look even more infuriatingly smug. His sharp grey eyes assessed her like she was an opponent across a chessboard. “You’re avoiding me,” he said with a faint smile, as if her doing so was impossible.
“Not avoiding, just prioritizing,” she said sharply, raising her champagne flute. “And you’re not a priority, Blake.”
His smile didn’t falter, but there was a flicker of something sharper in his expression. “Ouch. And here I thought we were starting to get along.”
“You thought wrong.”
There was a moment of silence between them, crackling with tension, before Sebastian leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice just enough that it forced her to lean in, too. “We should talk.”
She stepped back, glaring at him. “We’re talking right now. And if it’s about that ridiculous lawsuit, save your breath. You’re not getting a cent from me.”
Sebastian chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You’re feisty tonight. But I didn’t bring up the lawsuit to argue. In fact, I’m willing to let it all go.”
Maya’s eyes narrowed. “What’s the catch?”
He smirked, the kind of smirk that made her want to throw her drink at him. “There’s no catch. I realized it’s not worth the hassle. All you have to do is sign a release agreement, and it’s over. No lawsuit, no obligations. We both move on.”
“And where’s this magical piece of paper?” she asked, crossing her arms.
He gestured vaguely toward the door. “At my place. I didn’t think carrying sensitive documents to a party full of journalists was the smartest idea.”
She laughed humorlessly. “Right. And you just expect me to follow you there like an i***t?”
Sebastian tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “If you don’t want to, don’t. But this is a one-time offer. You walk away tonight, and I’ll let the courts handle the rest.”
Maya hated how calm he sounded, like he already knew what she’d decide. She hated how the lawsuit hung over her head like a guillotine, and most of all, she hated that he was so damn composed about all of it. “I don’t trust you,” she said finally.
He leaned in closer, his grey eyes gleaming. “Good. That’s what makes this fun.”
Her pulse quickened, and she cursed herself for even considering it. “Fine,” she snapped. “But if this is a game, Sebastian, I swear—”
“No games,” he interrupted smoothly, placing a hand over his chest as if to feign sincerity. “Just business.”
***
Maya stepped into Sebastian’s penthouse, the cool, sleek air of luxury wrapping around her like a trap she had willingly walked into. It was a ridiculous place—stark white walls, glass everywhere, and furniture so modern it looked like it belonged in an art museum.
“Nice place,” she said dryly, her heels clicking against the marble floor.
Sebastian gave her a crooked grin as he closed the door behind them. “You’re impressed.”
She scoffed, turning to face him. “Let’s just get this over with. Where’s the contract?”
He shrugged out of his tailored jacket, tossing it onto a nearby chair. “I’ll grab it in a minute. You want something to drink while you wait?”
“No.”
“Suit yourself.” He moved toward the kitchen, the sound of a bottle being opened punctuating the silence. He poured himself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid catching the dim light. “I mean, it’s not every day you’re in the home of the man you despise. You might as well relax for a minute.”
Maya crossed her arms, staying rooted near the entrance. “I don’t plan on being here long enough to relax.”
Sebastian sighed, as if her impatience was exhausting. “You’re so intense, Maya. I’m trying to be civil here. Can’t you meet me halfway?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Civil? You filed a lawsuit against me.”
“And I’m offering you a way out,” he said smoothly, taking a sip of his drink. “If you’d just drop your guard for five seconds, you’d see that I’m trying to help you.”
She stared at him, her instincts screaming that this was a bad idea. “Help me? By dragging me into a legal battle?”
“By resolving it,” he countered, setting his glass down. “The contract is upstairs.”
He started toward the staircase, and for a moment, Maya considered leaving. But then she thought about the lawsuit, the headlines that would follow, the damage to her reputation. She needed that contract, and she needed it tonight.
Sebastian paused halfway up the stairs, glancing over his shoulder. “You coming?”
Maya’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“I’m not leaving you alone in my house,” he said with a smirk. “For all I know, you’ll snoop through my things. Come on, it’ll only take a minute.”
She hesitated, her suspicion flaring again. But she followed him up the stairs, telling herself she’d be out of here as soon as she had the contract in hand.
When they reached the second floor, Sebastian led her into a spacious home office. He opened a drawer, rummaging through it as she stood near the doorway, her arms still crossed.
“Found it,” he said, holding up a folder.
Maya reached for it, but he pulled it back, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Have a drink with me.”
Her jaw tightened. “I said no.”
“And I’m insisting,” he said lightly, walking past her and back downstairs.
She followed him reluctantly, her frustration growing by the second. In the kitchen, he poured her a glass of red wine and set it on the counter.
“One drink,” he said, sliding it toward her. “It’s not poisoned, I promise.”
Maya glared at him but grabbed the glass, taking a sip just to shut him up. The wine was smooth, expensive, but she didn’t savor it. She set the glass down after emptying it.
“There. Happy?”
Sebastian smiled. “Ecstatic.”
The room tilted slightly, and Maya frowned, her hand gripping the edge of the counter for balance.
“You okay?” he asked, his tone casual but with a hint of something darker.
“I’m fine,” she said, shaking her head to clear the sudden fog. “Just tired, I guess.”
“You’ve had a long day,” he said softly. “Why don’t you sit down?”
Her vision blurred for a moment, and her legs felt heavy. She stumbled toward the couch, sinking into the soft leather as the world around her started to fade.The last thing she saw was Sebastian watching her with a satisfied smirk before everything went dark.
- Writer
