01

RAYMOND'S POV

I adjusted my tie for the hundredth time today while looking over my reflection in the glass doors of the elevator.

This was it—my big break.

It didn’t matter if I had ten rejections before this because I still had my hopes up.

Today was the day I would finally land a job.

And it just happened to be one of the biggest companies in the country.

I literally ran out of my part-time job as a cafe waiter immediately after I had gotten the email, and now I was headed to the CEO’s office for an interview.

Was I nervous? Hell yes, I was!

There were rumors that the CEO doesn’t personally interview new employees.

And in the cases that he did, no one had ever gotten accepted.

I flinched as I heard the indicating ding of the elevator, my heart thumping hard against my chest.

The doors slid open silently, ushering me into the pristine halls that led me to the CEO’s office.

His secretary, a tall, slim woman with a default smile on her face, welcomed me at the reception.

"I am here for the interview," I told her the moment I came in.

“Piece of advice, don’t look him in the eyes.” She tells me, and I swallow softly.

Don’t look into his eyes—got it.

I stood in front of the door with my gaze skimming over the gold-plated sign that read CEO in bold capital letters.

I took a deep breath and hit the intercom a little too hard.

A few seconds, which felt like hours to me, passed by before the door finally slid open.

I stepped into the sophisticated office while keeping my posture straight and my smile easy.

The CEO was seated with his back turned to me, facing the grand screen window that displayed the stunning city of Los Angeles.

He was on a phone call, and I hated to be the person on the other side of the line.

“You fucking idiot! I never said to post that video. I hate interviews, and you know that! Make sure it’s taken down before the end of the day, or else I’ll run you over with my car you dimwit! ”

What a great first impression.

If I was scared before, I am absolutely terrified now.

The call ended, and his chair swiveled around to face me.

I felt my heart skip a beat, my eyes widening in awe.

This man was stunning.

His raven dark hair was pulled into a neat, low bun, leaving a few strands to frame the lines of his smooth face.

His jawline was well-defined, with no hint of a beard in sight.

The soft rays of the sun did well on his tanned skin, and his prim suit looked tailor-made just for him.

A thin, jagged scar ran from his left brow, barely missing his eye and disappearing under his eyelid.

I couldn’t tell the color of his eyes out of fear of the warning that the secretary had kindly given me.

So instead, I kept my gaze trained on his lips, hearing him but not listening.

“Hey!” He snapped his fingers to get my attention with his brows that were slightly furrowed in annoyance.

Oh boy!

“Don’t waste my time.”

His words held a silent warning, and I couldn’t believe I was already fucking all of this up.

Taking a deep breath, I regained my composure and introduced myself.

“Good morning sir, my name is Raymond White. I’m here for the interview about the job offer.”

The CEO looked unimpressed, and I shifted uncomfortably in my spot as his eyes scanned me from head to toe.

Don’t look into his eyes. I remind myself. Don’t look into his eyes.

Shit.

Our eyes met, and my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

He had heterochromia.

His left eye was a deep green while his right was a bright shade of brown.

The CEO stood, his expression unreadable.

I stayed rooted in my spot as he approached me with slow yet deliberate steps, wondering what I could’ve possibly done wrong.

As he stood before me, my face flushed red in embarrassment.

And it felt hot all of a sudden.

The CEO tilted his head to the side in another round of silent observation, his hands tucked in his pockets.

Our height difference made his tall frame cast a shadow over my body.

I felt small in his presence, suffocated by the powerful aura he exuded.

Unable to take it any longer, I took a step back. But then he followed.

“Sir?” I continued to move away until my back pressed against the wall, leaving nowhere to run.

He pressed his hand beside the wall, caging me, while his other hand moved to grasp my chin.

What was happening?

I trembled, my teeth sinking into my bottom lip.

His gaze lowered to them, and an unknown emotion flickered in his mismatched eyes.

But it was gone before I could tell exactly what it was.

His grip on my chin tightened as he tilted my head to the side.

The air between us was getting thinner with each passing second.

My mind screamed at me to run, to push him away and get the hell out of this office.

But I couldn’t lift a finger.

I was paralyzed by the fear of losing the biggest opportunity in my life.

The CEO lowered his head, his breath tickling my throat.

I still as I felt his lips brush against my skin.

Then, without warning, his teeth sank into my neck.

A sharp sting struck me like lightning, and a strangled gasp escaped my lips.

It was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

A hot burning sensation that spread through my veins like wildfire.

My mind went blank, my eyes rolling to the back of my head as a surge of pleasure mixed with the pain.

The CEO pulled back with a smirk, his lips stained with a drop of red.

My face paled as I realized what it was.

Blood.

My blood.

He licked it away slowly, almost as if he was savoring the taste.

“Interesting.” He muttered, his mismatched eyes glinting with excitement.

My hands flew to my neck, chest heaving.

“W-what the hell was that?!”

“You’ll see.” He chuckled lightly, and just like that, he turned away, returning to his desk like nothing had happened. “You’re hired.”

I blinked once, then twice, struggling to process what he just said.

On cue, the door slid open, and I took it as an indication that the interview was over.

The CEO propped his elbow against his desk, his chin resting on his palm.

His smile came slowly, taunting.

“See you tomorrow, Raymond.”