Page 12 of One Love
“I wouldn’t do it.” I move in, placing a lingering kiss on the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. “I won’t let you go, Devin. Even if you leave me, I can’t leave you.”
Her voice is hoarse and no more than a whisper. “I’m scared, Sebastian. I don’t want this to ruin my career. I’ve worked so hard for it. It’s all I really have. I’ve worked all my life to get here, and I don’t want it to be ruined because of an office affair.”
The pain in my chest switches gears from feeling Devin’s to feeling my own.
“Is that what you think we are, princess?”
Devin pulls back, staring up at me. “What do you mean?”
My tone becomes hard as her insult further infiltrates my being. “Is that what you think we are? You think we’re just an affair?”
She stares at me with wide eyes and the confusion on her face has me raging inside.
Anger claws at me, fighting to get out, because right now, I feel hurt. Am I more invested in this than she? Has it all just been a way to pass the time? I’ve fallen for her. Head over heels. I’ve done nothing but try to protect her—try to do everything for her—and now she has the nerve to say I’m nothing but an office affair.
“That came out wrong.” She reacts quickly, taking a step away. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
How could she say that about us—me?
I stare at her, blindsided and really fucking mad.
I’m just an affair?
“Sebastian...” Her voice trails off, leaving me wondering what’s about to come from her mouth next. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
My tone is a little harder than I’d like it to be. “We both have something to lose here, Devin. It may not seem like it, but my reputation matters to me too. Yet, here I am trying to take as much of this as I can onto me to save you and I’m only a fling? I mean nothing?”
I watch her expression morph from lamenting to pissed.
“What do you have to lose, Sebastian?” She throws her hands in the air, waving them around the office. “This isyourcompany. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you own a company. I, however, do not.”
I growl, staring into her eyes to see if I can touch her soul. “So that means what? You’re the only one who matters? It only matters how you come out of this? Are you just trying to push me away right now? Is that what’s happening? You’re afraid so let’s say a bunch of fucked up shit to piss Sebastian off and then go hide and hope this all goes away? Go hide in your little corner, afraid of the world?”
“Afraid? What am I afraid of?”
I close the distance between us, pulling her flush to my chest before I speak. “You’re afraid of caring about anything other than this perfect picture you’ve created for yourself in your head. You’re afraid of anything being more important than your career. That’s a lonely life Devin. But, if all you care about is your image, then maybe that’s all I should care about. I shouldn’t care because you’re pushing me away, and right now, it’s working, Devin.”
Her voice goes soft and she takes a step back, breaking the contact between us. “I’m not sure if you’re right or wrong, but I can’t take back what I said, even if I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”
I spin around, moving toward my desk, and take a seat behind it.
Picking up the phone, I dial Marla. “Hi, please redirect all of Ms. Miller’s calls and appointments to me for the rest of the day. She isn’t feeling well and will be leaving shortly.”
Devin’s mouth hangs open as I stare at her, trying to get a read on her feelings.
“Are you firing me?” she asks with a squeak in her voice.
I hang up the phone and fold my hands on my desk, staring intently at her. “No, Ms. Miller, you’re not being fired, but I am sending you home for the day before we say anything else we don’t mean to each other.”
“I can work, though.”
“Well, how did you put it a minute ago? I own this company; you, however, do not.” I pause, my heart aching despite my anger. “Go home, Devin.”
With my final words, I watch as the woman who means the world to me turns and walks out of my office without a second thought.
