Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 48567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Creepy.
Weird.
Gross.
“And!” I just have to keep talking.
“I’ll put on cheap perfume, and dress down. I’ll do whatever it takes and, while this is the weirdest interview or conversation ever, I’ll do anything, seriously anything.” A tear runs down my cheek before I can swipe it away.
“I really need a job.”
“Why?” He yawns like he’s bored.
I swallow my pride.
“I have no parents. I’m in a homeless shelter, my last boss tried to take advantage of me in a very inappropriate way, then I was fired because his sister was head of HR and I just need—” God I would die for a French fry right now.
“I just need…” I can’t stop the tears now. I’m so unprofessional I should just walk away.
So I nod my head again and hold out my hand.
“Nevermind, thank you for your time, sir.”
He pauses.
Hesitates just briefly, then starts to move. I immediately think he’s going to try something, instead he stands and pulls a few bills from his pocket and instead of shaking my hand, puts them in my palm.
“Eat.”
“What?”
“Eat.” His nostrils flair.
“Where do you sleep?”
“What?”
“Sleeping. Humans do it to relax and not die. Where. Do. You. Sleep?”
My lower lip trembles because I’m embarrassed to tell him. I’m embarrassed that I’m standing in a multi-million dollar office getting money from the CEO and basically ready to fall to my knees for a job.
He sighs and comes around the desk, then grabs me by the face.
“Breathe.”
It’s strange. When someone gives you permission to do something that your body should naturally already be doing but suddenly you feel like you can.
You can breathe.
I take a deep breath in as more tears fall and open my eyes.
“Better?” He asks, he’s touching me but I’m not afraid. It’s not aggressive, it’s caring in nature and it makes me want to lean in a little bit more, to a complete stranger, because he gave me permission to be human.
I nod my head and whisper, “Yes.”
“Good girl.” He gently pulls his hands back.
“Take the money, grab some food.” He leans over and presses a button on his phone.
“Gabe, can you please grab the fob key for the apartment on six?”
“Right away,” he answers back.
Within seconds, Gabe, with his short black hair and black-rimmed glasses, walks in. He’s beautiful too, but they don’t look related even though they’re brothers. Gabe looks like he’s from Asian descent and Eli, the CEO, looks more mixed with his strong features, but I can’t quite pinpoint what his background even is.
“Thank you.” Eli grabs the key and presses it into the same palm that has the money.
“Gabe’s going to show you where to bring your things. The apartment building is across the street, all employees get free housing, you start at six.”
“At night?”
He smirks.
“In the morning.”
Gabe cracks a smile.
“Sorry, he just has weird hours.”
“Okay.”
I follow Gabe out of the office, the door closing with a heavy thud behind me. Gabe’s heavy sigh follows.
“Trust me, it gets weirder during full moons.”
“His attitude?”
“Oh no, that’s always terrible… I meant the hours.”
“Why?”
He says nothing.
“You should get some food in you, get a good rest. It’s going to be a long week of training.”
I nod and walk out the door, my thoughts a mess. Did I really just spill my life story to some strangers, embarrass myself crying, and somehow end up with the job? I’m almost to the front door when I realise that I didn’t even thank them for hiring me.
I walk back, wanting to let them know how grateful I am, when I hear voices on the other side of the door.
“What did I tell you?” I hear Gabe say.
“She’s the one, isn’t she?”
“It’s not her.” Eli sounds furious.
“It can’t be.”
“You can’t deny it. Even I could tell there was something different about her.”
“I don’t want to hear it, Gabe. I can’t risk it.”
Risk it? What were they talking about? My heart starts racing as I press my ear to the door, desperate to hear more.
“You can’t keep running from this, Eli. She’s clearly your m—”
“ENOUGH!” Eli’s voice booms so clearly through the door that it makes me jump.
“Drop it. Not another word. It’s bad enough that I agreed to let her be my secretary.”
I step away, even more confused than before. Did they want to hire me or not? I shake my head, the exhaustion catching up to me. I got the job. I have a place to live, and some food to eat. For now, that’s all that matters.
Chapter 3
Horny And Angry
ELI
I stare at the door like a man possessed.
I finally exhale and can’t even sit.
I should sit.
I should probably run.
Every instinct in me is telling me to go after her, pin her against the wall, take a nice little bite out of that pretty little neck and see what happens.
I’ve never found my mate.
Ever.
I’ve been alive longer than I’d care to ever admit out loud and in all those years all I’ve ever managed to accomplish is making money and knowing that at the end of the day, I’m going to die a virgin because, spoiler alert, I’m not totally human, I’m half.