The Billionaire’s Shadow

Chapter4

Chapter Four

Amelia’s POV

They say time slows down when you realize that you are at the end. It describes the way I feel when that word gets tossed in my direction.

Yet, I find it difficult to move. To run away.

Noah’s words from earlier return to me. I’ve got only one chance to rebuild my career. If I let this slip away, it’s all over.

So, I turn around, prepared for the look in his eyes. Still, no amount of preparation can prepare me for the way I feel around him. Even though he is more than a foot away from me, the last time I saw him still finds its way to my mind.

And just like that, I am transported to that room on the second floor, to the darkness swallowing us both.

My hands smooth over my dress as he takes a step forward. His expression gives nothing away, stoic as ever. But for a split second, I could have sworn that I saw a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“It’s you.” His lips barely move. “Whiskey.”

A knot works its way up my throat, and I swallow. “Mr. Voss…”

“So you knew who I was that night.”

“I didn’t.” My voice sounds weak, so I clear my throat and start again. He beats me to it, edging closer.

“I think you are lying, Miss Rhodes,” he murmurs. “And what did I tell you about my relationship with liars?”

My lips part open and press shut in a second. And then, he angles his head, staring at me disapprovingly. He knows who I am. I just don’t know to what extent.

“Use your mouth, Miss Rhodes. What did I tell you?”

I hate being told what to do. It goes to the very nature of my being, like my freedom and control are being taken away from me. Yet, for some odd reason, it feels different with Damian.

And I hate it.

“You hate liars,” I whisper.

“So, let’s start again. You knew who I was the other night, didn’t you?”

The receptionist’s eyes flicker in my direction, and I see the question in her gaze. She is wondering if being nice to me was the right thing to have done.

“Yes,” I breathe. It seems to take an eternity before I speak again. “I was trying to see if I could get a chance to talk to you about the job here. I know how competitive it could get and… and I honestly didn’t think I was qualified enough.”

He nods. “I went through your resume. Part-time high school teacher and a gym instructor.” Damian’s eyes roam over my body like he doesn’t believe it, and a light amusement shimmers in his eyes.

The first time I see anything other than darkness in them.

For a minute, I think he is going to call me out on my carefully forged resume, but he moves past it.

“You’re hired.”

The words push past me in a blur, and it takes time for them to register. “Wait, what?”

“I can take it back if you want me to.”

“No! No!” In my excitement, I close the space between us, my hands reaching out to him. But they never meet his skin, hovering in the air until they land unceremoniously by my side. When he c***s his brows, those damn curls tease his forehead again.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. The feeling is back again, and my chest feels like it is on fire. “That was out of line.”

He doesn’t bat an eyelid. “You are to report to the head of the marketing department.”

“Should I wait for the employment offer before resuming, Mr. Voss?”

He moves then, walking past me towards the glass doors. “If I don’t see you in this building when I return, you can forget your employment.”

***

“I can’t believe he just handed you the job,” Noah mutters for the umpteenth time. We are in his office downtown, sipping on cheap coffee, and watching the surveillance from the other night. It was a hassle getting it out of the mansion after the art exhibition.

But Noah got it done. There was no way I was going in there again.

“You don’t think… No. It’s impossible, right?”

Noah laughs. “Damian is the richest billionaire in the city. You think he will offer a job to the person who wants to bring about his downfall if he knew?”

Noah’s right. It makes no sense. But when Damian looks at me, I feel….I feel like there is something else I haven’t figured out about him.

“So, how was your first day at work?”

“Boring,” I sigh. “I had to report to a grumpy man who would rather not have me in his space. I heard them whispering during lunch. They were wondering how I managed to get in without an interview.”

“Enjoy the attention while it lasts, Amelia,” Noah says, pulling his seat closer to the screen. “You are going to get it in a higher dose once this hits.”

But I am no longer paying attention to him. My eyes are now on the screen of my phone, the red light beeping.

“I have to go,” I say in a hurried breath, jumping to my feet.

Noah wheels his chair around at once, narrowing his eyes. “You don’t have anything planned for the rest of the day, Amelia.”

“Actually, I do.”

He angles his head.

“I searched the marketing department today when they were all out for lunch. There was nothing in there. Everything was totally clean. And then I got thinking. How can there not be one error in a place I know to be the hub of something sinister going on?”

Noah nods.

“So, I asked the receptionist to give me a tour. Guess what I found?”

He inches closer. “His office.”

“Wrong.” I leave a dramatic silence in the middle, moving to the door to grab my jacket.

“Amelia…”

My fingers slip into the side pocket, and Noah’s eyes widen with excitement when I hold out the gold access card in between my fingers.

“A lab with restricted access.”