Two

Orion Sharpe. He was known to many as a cold, ruthless man with no love for anything but business. No one wanted to cross him and though his reputation for being a bastard child of the Chase family was known, he was a dark horse, and his skills just as impressive as his looks.

But to Samantha, Orion was more enigmatic than anything else she had ever met. She had barely crossed paths with him before and she couldn’t remember speaking one word to him. Jonathan hated him and in the past that meant she hated him as well.

Then, why had Orion Sharpe, CEO and billionaire, been the one to invite her specifically for a job interview?

Entering the lobby of the large office building, Samantha tried to shake the nerves that she felt but it was difficult.

She inspected her dress again from her reflection on the elevator. It was okay, right? She was second-guessing herself here.

Mostly because she hadn’t even been the one to apply for this job. She had applied for almost every suitable position everywhere but in the Sharpe Group Chase Enterprises and her family’s company as well.

She didn’t want to involve herself with them at all…

Ding!

The elevator doors opened and the redhead shook away any leftover anxiety and stepped forward, walking down the hallway that was in front of her and looking for the door she had been directed to for the interview.

“Miss,” she heard a voice and turned to see a woman dressed in red and glancing at her from head to toe. “What are you here for?”

Samantha opened her mouth to speak.

But before she could even get any words out, a deep baritone that sent shivers down her back replied behind her.

“She’s here for an interview… with me.”

She turned around, her blue eyes widening as she saw him for the first time in a long time, face to face, and without any intrusions.

Orion Sharpe.

There was no denying he was a well-built man, and taller than Jonathan by a couple of inches, too. Even though he had darker hair and differently colored eyes to his half-brother, there was no denying they were related. She could see the hints of resemblance to the Chase family on him.

“Sir,” the lady from before bowed to Orion who nodded, dismissing the woman without so much as a glance towards Samantha.

Only after the clicking sound of the woman’s heels fade off into the distance, did the CEO of Sharpe Group take a proper look at her.

He tried to contain himself, although he internally did a double take.

She was beautiful.

He had only seen her in passing, and had barely given her a glance. Any woman who thought to marry into the Chase family couldn’t be very bright, he had thought.

But then the news of the divorce spread and he was intrigued, to the point that he had his men keep an eye on her all these two weeks.

Finding out that Samantha Jones had graduated with honors in an advanced business degree, and had been at the top of her class throughout high school and college, along with winning other awards during that time, made him wonder what the hell she had seen in Jonathan. He had heard rumors that his half-brother made her stay at home without looking for a job like some trophy.

Samantha noticed Orion’s gaze was intense on her and she tried not to show her nerves as she took a step towards him and reached her hand out for a handshake.

“Hello, Mr Sharpe. I’m Samantha Ch-“

She stopped herself; it was hard to remove bad habits, such as calling yourself by your ex husband’s surname. Especially NOW.

Feeling embarrassed she was about to drop her hand back when he took it.

“Pleasure,” his voice was just as deep and she was in a daze when he released her hand and silently gestured to the door of the room where the interview was meant to take place.

The first thought that came to her mind was, ‘His hand was so warm.’, and her face heated up as she mulled over that thought and her obvious attraction to him.

Come off it, Samantha, she thought tersely to herself.

You just got divorced, don’t jump into anything!

Only once they had both sat down in the mostly bare office, did she finally address the elephant in the room.

“So,” she began after clearing her throat. “This is an unusual situation, Mr Sharpe. I never applied for an interview at any of your companies. I want to know why I was called in.”

“Straight to the point. I like it.”

His praise caused a warm feeling in her gut but she tried to ignore it, and stayed stoically looking at him and waiting for his full response.

“The truth is, I was interested in knowing you, Samantha,” Orion’s voice was tinged in an obvious British accent - she heard he had been brought up in the UK all his childhood and that seemed to be true. “I wanted to know the kind of woman that would divorce my brother at the first sign of trouble.”

“Don’t make me laugh,” she replied with, tense at the mention of Jonathan even in passing. “You don’t like the Chase family. I know Jonathan hates you and as far as I know, the feeling is mutual. What makes you so interested in me?”

Orion looked to her like a predator looks at prey and she cast her gaze to the desk that separated them. Samantha wasn’t sure why she had even deigned to respond to the email but she wasn’t willing to leave here until she got some answers.

He responded after a couple of moments passed. “Fine. You want to know the truth? I’m interested in your anger. You and Jonathan Chase didn’t get divorced for nothing. He cheated on you. With your so called friend no less. It must fucking hurt, no matter how you try to lie and deny it. You feel betrayed, like the rug has been pulled from under you.”

Her eyes fluttered shut as though his words were blows to her gut. She was losing her control and he knew it. With a sharp intake of breath and slow exhale, Samantha opened her eyes to see him gazing interestedly at her openly.

It would have made her flustered if he didn’t just flat her openly with his words. Samantha had always felt this was no ordinary man and now, sitting in front of him, she was sure. He was so damn dangerous.

She wanted to know him.

“And?” Her voice trembled but she managed to appear unruffled.

His lips twitched in a smirk.

Good, he thought. She was proving her strength to him.

What a woman she was.

‘Jonathan fucked up when he lost you,’ Orion thought. ‘But I will be the one to benefit from this.’

In the same tone as before he continued, “And, I’m willing to help you take out your anger in them. In other words, I want you to join my side, and make them pay. I have always kept my eye on Chase Enterprises. It’s been a target of mine now but I can’t take it down on my own.”

His offer was so tempting, like a poisoned apple in a garden she shouldn’t enter.

Still, was it right to do this? Samantha wasn’t a believer in letting karma do it’s job but she didn’t want to lose any more in this.

“So you want to use me. That figures. But how do you want to play this? What’s the game? What can you do with me to hurt the Chase family?” She questioned him.

“Marry you.”

…