Chapter 12- Temptation
1270 Words
Sebastian
I knew she would say yes.
I had no doubts.
Not because Ashley was money hungry. If she were, she would have taken the cash without hesitation and thanked me for it.
Ashley was different.
She was curious.
Ambitious.
Desperate to build something of her own.
I had seen it in her eyes the first night at Velvet Noir. The way she looked at that five hundred dollars told me everything I needed to know. The money wasn’t the goal.
Freedom was.
And I had just offered her a way to get it.
When my phone lit up with her message, I already knew what it would say.
I accept.
Two words.
Simple.
But they changed everything.
I stared at the screen for several seconds before placing the phone on my desk.
Ashley Simmons was coming into my world.
And this time, she wouldn’t be able to simply walk away when the night ended.
I was ready for her.
But first, I had to deal with Dorian.
I found him exactly where I’d left him earlier, sitting in one of the private rooms in my office.
He had made himself comfortable.
That was another thing about Dorian.
He always behaved as though everything belonged to him.
I walked inside and closed the door behind me.
“You said you had a problem.”
Dorian looked up.
“One of the ports.”
I took the seat opposite him.
“Which one?”
“New York.”
My expression hardened.
“What happened?”
“There was an informant.”
I said nothing.
Dorian continued.
“He was seen speaking with the police.”
My fingers tapped once against the armrest.
“Seen by whom?”
“My men.”
“And where is the informant now?”
Dorian hesitated.
That hesitation told me more than his answer would.
“He disappeared.”
“Convenient.”
“He was going to compromise the operation.”
“And you stopped him?”
Dorian nodded.
“I intercepted the situation before it became a problem.”
I leaned back.
“And you’re not asking for compensation?”
He smiled.
“You know me better than that.”
“I do.”
That was precisely why I didn’t trust him.
Dorian Crowe never did anything without expecting something in return.
He had helped my father.
He had helped me.
He had made himself useful over the years.
But usefulness didn’t equal loyalty.
Especially when the man standing in front of me had been present on the last day of my father’s life.
The day my father died, he and Dorian had gone to a meeting together.
A meeting with the Mexican crime family.
The deal had gone bad.
My father never came home.
Dorian did.
That fact had haunted me for years.
I had been told there had been an ambush.
A negotiation gone wrong.
A betrayal.
A misunderstanding.
Everyone had their own version of the story.
But one fact never changed.
My father was dead.
Dorian was alive.
And somehow, there had been no consequences for him.
None.
Not from the family.
Not from the men who worked for my father.
Not from anyone.
That never sat right with me.
I had spent years quietly pulling at loose threads, searching for something that would explain what really happened that night.
I had found fragments.
Names.
Financial records.
Old phone numbers.
People who suddenly disappeared.
People who suddenly became very wealthy.
But never enough.
Not yet.
I looked at Dorian across the room.
“Tell me exactly what happened at the port.”
His expression remained calm.
“I already told you.”
“No.”
I leaned forward.
“You told me your version.”
He stared at me.
I held his gaze.
“I want the truth.”
His jaw tightened.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he smiled.
“You’re beginning to sound like your father.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Why?”
“Because my father trusted you.”
The smile disappeared.
Good.
I stood.
“I’ll investigate what happened at the port myself.”
Dorian rose slowly.
“You don’t trust me.”
“I don’t trust anyone.”
He gave me a knowing look.
“Not even the people closest to you?”
“Especially them.”
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he turned.
“Be careful, Sebastian.”
I smiled.
“That’s my favorite advice from people who have something to hide.”
He left without another word.
I remained standing in the room.
Dorian was hiding something.
I knew it.
The only question was how deep it went.
And how much blood would be on my hands when I finally uncovered it.
I pushed the thought aside.
There were more immediate matters.
Ashley.
I walked into my private elevator and pressed the button for the penthouse.
By the time I reached the top floor, everything was already being prepared.
I had given my staff instructions earlier that afternoon.
A room had been made up for her.
Not a guest room.
Hers.
At least, that was how I wanted it to feel.
The bedroom sat at the far end of the penthouse, overlooking the city. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave her a view of California that most people would spend their entire lives trying to afford.
The room was elegant without being excessive.
A large bed.
A private bathroom.
A desk.
A sitting area.
Everything she could possibly need.
I walked into the closet.
It was already filled.
Dresses.
Blouses.
Pants.
Shoes.
Coats.
Handbags.
Everything carefully selected in her size.
I ran my fingers along one of the hangers.
I could already picture her standing in the middle of the room, looking at everything I’d prepared.
She would probably be annoyed.
She’d ask how I knew her sizes.
She’d tell me I was controlling.
She’d probably call me arrogant again.
I smiled.
I was looking forward to it.
She would stay here on weekends.
I wanted her close.
Needed her close.
There were too many moving pieces in my world, and I had no intention of allowing Ashley to wander through it without understanding what she was stepping into.
A knock sounded behind me.
“Come in.”
My assistant entered carrying a folder.
“The contract is being drafted now, Mr. Voss.”
“Good.”
“The employment terms will be ready tonight.”
I nodded.
“Make sure everything is clear.”
“Yes, sir.”
He placed the folder on the desk and left.
I walked over and opened it.
Her name was already printed across the first page.
ASHLEY SIMMONS.
I stared at it.
There was something satisfying about seeing it there.
She had spent years trying to build a life independent of everyone else.
Now she was stepping into mine.
She didn’t know everything yet.
She didn’t know what existed behind Voss Corporation.
She didn’t know about the ports.
The people.
The deals.
The blood.
The secrets.
She knew only Sebastian Voss, the businessman.
The man who wore expensive suits and sat at the head of boardrooms.
But she would learn.
Eventually.
And perhaps that was what made this so dangerous.
I didn’t simply want Ashley near me.
I wanted her to see me.
All of me.
The darkness included.
I closed the folder.
Ashley Simmons was about to become a part of my life.
And I intended to give her a proper welcome.
My phone vibrated.
I looked down.
Another message from my assistant.
She’ll be here Monday morning.
I smiled.
Monday couldn’t come soon enough.
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