Chapter Eleven

Scarlett's POV

I clutch my chest, basically running down the empty corridors.

I tap the elevator buttons, swearing as the damned doors refused to open.

Breathe, Scarlett. It's not like your brother's best friend's fiance just caught you two pre smooch fest.

I glanced backwards, praying to whatever supreme power existed that they wouldn't come out together, all power coupled up.

Or worse, just Bianca would come out. In all her socialite glory.

I shuddered, exhaling shakily.

What the actual fuck was that?

My hands subconsciously went up to my ear, I rubbed the part his hot breath had tickled moments before absentmindedly.

I groaned loudly, resting my head against the cool steel doors.

I lost my balance as the elevator dinged, the steel doors sliding open.

I staggered, blushing a violent red as the employees inside shot me worried looks, mumbling something about absentminded interns as they walked away.

I sighed, getting in as I tapped the button.

I twiddled with my fingers, not even knowing when another person joined me in the enclosure.

I looked up, platinum blond reflecting the light in the elevator, my breath caught in my throat, her white claws moving swiftly as she deftly tapped her phone screen.

“Um, what you saw in there wasn't er…we weren't,” I stammered, trying to get her attention.

She didn't even budge, her eyes stayed glued to her phone, notifications buzzing in every few seconds.

“Were you talking to me?” She finally asked, perfectly glossed lips parted slightly as though she couldn't fathom anyone beside Ares talking to her within the confines of this building.

I deflated, “Y–yeah,” I cringed, internally scolding myself for how shaky my voice sounded.

“Oh you're the new intern?” She asked, trying to mask her lack of interest.

“Yeah?”

“Try not to be so clumsy next time,” she deadpanned, clicking away at her phone.

“Excuse me?” I said, confused as to what she was talking about.

She sighed dramatically, as if talking to me was draining her very life force.

“The spilled coffee, as you were dropping off his morning coffee?” She said, exasperation seeping into her tone.

“Mr Blackwood?” I asked ,trying to mask my confusion.

My eyes widened in realization, “Oh,” I started, mentally smacking my head for not realising sooner.

“Yeah, it was so embarrassing, I'm just glad none of the coffee got on his clothes or couch,” I rambled.

She had already turned away bored out of her mind.

I burned red, cheeks feeling hot as we settled back into the awkward silence.

The elevator dinged, I hurriedly got off, not sparing a glance back as I rushed to my office, collapsing on my chair.

••••

“Scarlett,” the intercom buzzed, breaking me out of my spell.

The pencil I had tried to balance on my nose fell off as I straightened up, lowering my head to the intercom.

“Can you stop by my office real quick?”

“Uh sure,” I muttered, stifling a yawn.

“Good, it's on the same corridor as Mr Blackwood's. First door to your left,” then the intercom buzzed, silence swallowing the room again.

I slowly got up, stretching as I grabbed my tube of lipgloss, slathering on a layer as I headed to the elevator, praying I wouldn't see him.

The elevator dinged, beams of sunlight further illuminating the top floor. The midday sun shone brightly, the dingy clouds from earlier having disappeared.

Straightening my blouse, I swallowed thickly, peeping out to see if Ares was in the corridor.

The coast is clear.

The cleaners glanced at me weirdly, I sighed, knocking on Byron's door.

I pushed the door open slightly, shutting it behind me as he shuffled round the spacious room.

“Sit, sit,” he started, shoving files into cabinets, “Just give me a few minutes,” he trailed off, glancing through a file.

I took in his appearance, he was lean, shoulders just the right amount of wide. His ebony skin shone under the light, his messy locs held together in a messy bun.

“Okay, and done!” He said, chuckling as he settled into his seat, I noticed he had a nose piercing.

“What, ain't never seen a nigga with a nose piercing before?” He asked.

I froze, arching my brows at him, “Hey, I'm black, I get a pass,” he answered, chuckling as he took a sip from his water.

“You called?” I started, wanting nothing more than to get off this floor as soon as possible.

“Uh, yeah,” he started, rummaging around his desk for something, “Uh, Mr Blackwood told me you had…gimme a sec,” he said, crouching as he popped open his drawer.

“Son of a gun!” He swore, startling me.

“Are you okay?” I asked, getting up and peering over his desk.

“Yeah, yeah, fine,” he said, straightening up as he rubbed his nose, swearing under his breath.

“Aha, Mr Blackwood told me you had a rollout plan, he updated me on yesterday's meeting.

I blushed, remembering our moment earlier.

“Can I see it?” He asked, shoving a few more files into his drawer.

“Uh it's on my system right now, I can go back and get it…” I said, gesturing towards the door.

“No, no,” there won't be a need for that, everything is uploaded to the company cloud, you remember your login?” He asked, swiftly tapping away on his keyboard.

“Yeah.”

“Then pull up a chair sista, let's get to work,” he whispered, leaning pulling a swivelling chair from the corner of the room.

I smiled, sinking in the chair as we accessed the plan going over it.

“You…you came up with all this? Like on your own? Damn girl,” he said incredulously, pride swelling in me.

“Oh, you don't believe a woman could come up with something like this?” I joked, rolling my eyes as I took a bite out of one of the donuts he had ordered for lunch.

“Girl!” He started, placing his arm to his chest like a boy scout, “I am a proud feminist ally, who runs the world?” He asked, grinning from ear to ear, his smiley piercing peeking out.

“Girls!” I answered, snorting.

We settled into silence, the occasional slurp of soda breaking the silence.

“So…” he started, looking up from the computer.

I hummed absentmindedly, looking at his data sheet.

“You and Mr Blackwood?” He asked.

I choked on my cola, freezing as I slowly looked up.

“Come again?”