Buying Beth

Reality crashes back in and with it my best friend panic. I don’t know what’s about to happen. I don’t know why we’re really here, only that Johnathan’s boss wants to ask me some questions.

Johnathan pulls open the door and motions for Charlie and I to enter ahead of him. Lifting my chin into the air, I steel myself and brace myself for whatever is coming next.

Charlie and I step into a brightly lit, wide open reception area. The walls are a crisp, pristine white, but the long reception desk and the plush waiting chairs are all done in silver.

Above us, recessed lighting beams down on us from a white ceiling, and I have this wild thought that if heaven had a waiting room it would look just like this.

“This way,” Johnathan says and motions to the left.

There’s no receptionist behind the desk and no company logo displayed on the wall. I have no clue where we are, though I am somewhat familiar with the building. We’re in one of the many sky rises that houses a dozen or so of Garden City’s top financial companies. This office could very well be one of them.

The place is eerily silent, the only sounds the echoes of my heels tapping against the white marble floor and Johnathan stomping beside me.

Charlie squeezes my hand and I glance down at him. He’s looking around with wide, curious eyes.

“You’re doing so well,” I say softly, and feel like that’s an understatement. He’s been perfectly behaved this entire time. So behaved, I almost forgot he was with us.

He offers me a tentative smile and my chest tightens.

This kid, he’s going to have me wrapped around his little finger if I’m not careful.

We reach the end of the hall, and without a word, Johnathan pulls the last door open.

I shoot him an anxious look before stepping into a private office. Unlike the rest of the building, this room is done in darker, richer tones. The walls are a cool taupe, but all the furniture is made up of dark, expensive wood.

James and his companion stand off to the side, talking quietly among themselves, and standing in front of the desk is a man I don’t know. His suit is perfectly tailored to his tall frame, his hair is slicked back out of his face with not a strand out of place, and poised on the bridge of his nose is a pair of black designer glasses.

With a scowl, he checks the gold watch wrapped around his wrist.

“You’re late,” he says sharply.

Johnathan just shrugs his shoulders as if he doesn’t give a fuck. “We hit some traffic.”

Behind Johnathan, the door closes and the air thickens. I suddenly feel like I’m trapped in a room full of well-dressed giants.

Well, mostly well-dressed…

The scowling man’s face tightens and his lips pinch together in irritation. I get the impression he’s about to reprimand Johnathan, but then he shakes his head and sighs, probably thinking better of it.

Reaching up, he slides his glasses down and rubs the bridge of his nose for a moment. Pushing his glasses back into place, his sharp gaze slides to me.

He seems to stare right through me before nodding and saying politely, “Miss Norton.”

Normally, at this time, I’d expect him to step forward, hold out his hand and introduce himself, but he does neither of these things. A little caught off by the lack of proper etiquette, I choose to just nod my head back at him.

His eyes flick briefly towards Charlie and then right back to me, as if he’s dismissing him.

And that dismissal instantly pisses me off. Already, I don’t like this guy.

“You can call me Simon,” he says, finally offering his name.

Oh, can I? I think as press my teeth together and smile back at him.

“Are we ready to get this shit show started?” Johnathan asks, stomping forward.

“We’re just waiting on Andrew and Lucifer,” Simon says, and then the door to the office opens.

“Speak of the devil,” Johnathan mutters.

Everyone turns to face the newcomers.

“Gentlemen,” the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on grins as he steps into the room. “I’m sorry if we kept you waiting.”

I don’t mean to stare, I really don’t, but right now my eyes seem to have a will of their own. I just can’t bring myself to turn away. From his chiseled cheeks, to his piercing light-blue eyes, every feature demands to be noticed and admired for its beauty.

I’ve heard rumors of him, of a rich and powerful man so handsome he makes the very angels weep, but seeing is truly believing.

“Ah.” His eyes alight with… something. Something close to amusement or pleasure as they fall upon me. “This must be Miss Elizabeth Norton”

Johnathan clears his throat loudly and the sound breaks the spell I’m under. My cheeks burn with heat as I pick my jaw up from the floor and nod my head.