"Yes. For my kind, power is what's going to earn you respect from your pack. Doesn't matter if you’re the smartest person or have multiple talents. Strength is everything to us. Someone could waltz in and challenge the alpha, leading to a duel for that position. If you aren’t able to defend your rank, you lose all respect from your fellow wolf shifters," Brian explained.
Brian nodded at Liam, indicating it was Liam’s turn to speak. "The way a vampire coven works is similar, but they don’t only rely on one attribute to determine your standing. You need to be powerful, knowledgeable, and cunning to climb your way up the ranks, but if you’re not careful and you trust the wrong people, your position could be snatched away in the blink of an eye."
I understood somewhat of how it felt as a vampire hybrid. I might not have been in the community during my childhood and youth, but I’ve dealt with vampires in the business aspect in my adulthood. It has proved to be challenging because our kind normally ensured we had all the facts and would slyly try to find any loophole possible.
With a nod of my head, I relaxed back into the soft sofa and my ears picked up the sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor. "Annie's back." Our discussion was at an end, and I could visibly see the tension leave their bodies as they also loosened up.
I still didn't know enough about Annie to trust her, but if she had worked for Brian for a long period of time I couldn't be too judgemental.
As predicted, she opened the door with a bag of food and a tray of drinks. She was 5'7 with curly orange hair. She had brown eyes, freckles on the bridge of her nose, and normally wore glasses.
Some of the staff called her a nerd as if it were an insult, but she was pretty in my eyes. Though I wasn't open about my little video game addiction phases, that didn’t mean I didn't have a nerdy side myself.
"I'm so sorry. There was a huge accident on 7th Street before this man crashed into me and spilled everything. I had to go back and get another order and it was just horrible. At least the food is still warm!" She walked over to where we sat as she gave us her explanation.
"Thanks, Annie," Brian said softly with a hint of a smile on his lips.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked with a wide smile as she lowered the food and drinks on the table.
Liam separated our orders, organizing my combo first before his and Brian's.
"I'll be fine for today. Don't you have a meeting with your future mate? You should leave early to get ready," Brian suggested. Future mate?
The red tint to Annie’s cheeks made her appear flustered as she smiled shyly. "Ah, yes! I'm meeting his parents, but something came up for him so he's not going to be there tonight."
Brian nodded and gave Annie a stern look. "You should be firmer Annie, and tell him he can't keep skipping out for stupid reasons. I think you'd be the perfect match, so I don't see what the holdup is. Anyway, get going. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Thanks, Boss! I'll see you tomorrow. Bye Anastasia and Liam." Annie beamed happily, bowed her head, and turned around to leave.
I studied the guys once the door closed behind her. Brian appeared guarded and Liam seemed a bit troubled. He was trying to hide it, but I could tell by his grimace that he disliked something about the conversation.
"Liam?" I asked, and he met my gaze. His expression morphed into a joyous one as he stared into my eyes.
"Yes?"
"Hmm. Nothing. You just looked worried about something," I admitted.
"Worried about his food getting cold," Brian mumbled.
Liam kicked him playfully and rolled his eyes. "I like my food warm, just like my coffee."
"You're too picky with the temperature of everything,” Brian teased. “You need to lighten up more."
Liam pouted his lips and shook his head. "Nope. I approve of my picky nature."
I smiled, watching them bicker. Sometimes I wondered what it was like to have a sibling. It was a thought I had occasionally, but in the end I was rather grateful I didn't.
I wouldn't wish a sibling to go through what I had experienced. Though it made me stronger in my mother's eyes, it scarred me for life.
"Sia?"
I blinked, pulled from my thoughts, and noticed they were both looking at me with worried expressions.
"What?" I asked.
"Meow." Pix’s head rose, and he stared at me with curiosity.
"We called your name a few times,” Brian said. “You didn't respond."
"Sorry. I'm just a bit tired," I admitted and reached out for my drink. Brian nodded, seeming unbothered by my response, but I could feel Liam's gaze linger.
The sound of a phone ringing broke the silence, and I realized by the unfamiliar tone it was Brian's. He frowned, pulled out his phone, and groaned.
"Guess someone found out I came back earlier than expected."
"Lesley?" I asked.
"Bingo," Liam confirmed, and Brian shook his head.
"Guess it was rather obvious. It's about time I spoke with her anyway. I'll be back." Brian got up and moved to the door, picking up the phone on its fifth ring.
"Brian Smith speaking," he began. We didn't get to hear the rest thanks to him walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.
"Sia. Are you feeling okay?" Liam inquired.
Pix rose, hopped off my lap, and began to run around the office. I wondered if he had waited to do it until Brian was out of the room.
"I'm fine. Really."
"You know I'm here if you need to talk about something."
I gave him a sweet smile as my expression softened.
"It's just nice to see the closeness you two share. I can only imagine what it was like growing up, but I'm glad you two stayed together, regardless of your differences," I whispered.
Liam stood up and walked over to where I sat. Once he sat down, he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me to rest against him.
I laid my head on his shoulder, and he played with my short locks. "It was hard at times, but Brian and I promised to never be pulled apart by our differences. Our parents didn't mean for us to be such opposites, but they did their best, so we got both their love. It's a little harder now that we're older, but they still try. That's what I love about my family. Everyone tries to support one another."
"I wish I had that," I confessed, speaking softly. Liam peered down at me, and I lifted my gaze to meet his troubled expression.
"Is that why you were quiet just now? When you said you were tired?" Liam murmured. I swallowed around the lump in my throat and nodded slowly.
"My...family isn't the best. I don't really like talking about it...but my mom cared more about power than anything. My dad was a vampire, a really powerful one. My mother hid me from him with the excuse he'd want to use me for his own plans," I explained.
"Succubus vampire hybrid is a dangerous combo, especially when you're young and can't control your abilities," Liam mused.
"Exactly...but..." I trailed off, uncertain of my readiness to open up more to him. Revealing my troubled past would take our relationship to the next level, and I wasn't sure I was ready.
"You don't need to tell me if you're not at that point yet. I can tell from what I've gathered that your life wasn't butterflies and rainbows. With how you've grown your own business based on commitment, there must have been people in your life who failed to achieve those standards." Liam cupped my face with his hand and caressed my cheek gently with his thumb.
I stared into his hazelnut eyes and he gave me a small smile. He moved his hand from my face and laced his fingers with mine. "I'm here to stay, Anastasia. Look at how you reacted when you found out about my brother. You didn't get upset or ask me twenty questions. You knew I had a reason for keeping him a secret and even accepted my apology while others might have just walked out. It showed me that you're committed to our relationship, and that means the world to me."
"Liam..." I breathed.
"When you're ready to tell me your past, I'll be here to list
en, from beginning to end. Don't feel pressured to tell me. No matter if it’s good or bad, I want you to share it because you want to, not because you think you have to. Understand?"
"Understood." I grinned. He returned my smile as we gazed into each other's eyes.
The door opened, and Brian returned, appearing as calm as ever. He walked back to where he sat previously, not even caring that Liam was snuggled up next to me. Pix ran back to me with my fuzzy keychain in his mouth.
I smirked and patted my lap. He jumped up and landed on my legs, offering me the fuzzy chain.
"Is this your way of cheering me up?" I giggled at Pix who looked happy that I figured it out.
"Meow meow!" He sat down and stared at the fuzzy ball that I lowered to Liam's lap. It took him five seconds before he pounced on it and was rolling around and playing with it, making Liam and I laugh.
"Cats are so easily amused," Brian commented.
"Just admit he's cute." I grinned.
"Apparently wolves don't like cats," Liam informed me in a low tone.
"Says who?" I gasped.
"I think it's a cat and dog thing," Liam replied.
"We're not dogs," Brian sniffed.
"Ya, ya. Don't want to hear your lecture today." Liam groaned, already knowing Brian was going to go on a tangent of explanations. "What did Lesley want?"
Brian shrugged. "Giving me the 101 ways to apologize for her family emergency and not telling me directly."
"Wait, she didn't tell you?" I asked in shock. "She paid me 50 million to sub for her for three months."
Both the guys stared at me. "50 million?" Liam repeated, and he threw a broad grin at Brian. "Hey Bro. You're such a hard-ass boss, shifters will pay 50 million to run away."
"Fuck you," Brian muttered, pouting his lips in annoyance.
I giggled, loving how cute he looked when he was upset. "I bet when you were a child, you pouted a lot."
"He did. All the time," Liam snorted.
Brian narrowed his eyes at his brother. "I'll start telling your new girlfriend about all the shit you pulled when we were younger, like the time you-"
"Alright. You were an amazing child. Go back to the topic of Lesley calling you," Liam countered, and I laughed. Boys will be boys.
"Anyway, she's sure having a nice family emergency at the newest resort in Bora Bora and sipping on a cocktail," Brian revealed.
Liam and I both gawked at him. "She's on vacation?!" we exclaimed in unison.
"I got Liam's secretary to look into it since I was pretending to be him to get my wallet I left in his office the day before," Brian explained.
"I love how you just waltz into my office all the time." Liam sighed but didn't seem bothered by it. "Anyways, what did Jaiyana say?"
"She’s friends with Lesley on Facebook, and lo and behold, Lesley posted a picture of herself in a flamingo float relaxing on the clear waters of Bora Bora."
"She didn't remember she has coworkers on her Facebook?" I asked. "Totally dumb move in my opinion."
"I agree," Liam added.
"She typed in 'hashtag throwback Thursday' in the caption," Brian noted.
"Let me guess. She had her location on, and it said the resort she was in," I commented.
"Yup. Caught red-handed. She must have noticed and fixed it, but screenshots were already taken and sent to my inbox by a few of her 'friendly' coworkers," Brian disclosed.
"I guess not everyone is happy with her being your secretary." Liam began to pet Pix who was laying on his side and cuddled up with the fuzzy keychain.
"One rule to always remember at the workplace: Your friends can also be your foes. Don't trust them." I reached out and snagged my drink, and took another sip of my soda.
That was a lesson I knew firsthand from the many jobs I'd taken. Being a secretary replacement so often proved to me that the same people who praised you when you were present at work were the ones who would laugh and talk horribly about you when your back was turned. Or in their case, away for a few days.
"Well, they can all rejoice since I just fired her," Brian announced. I almost choked on the fizzy drink as I stared at him in shock.
"You fired her?! Who's going to replace her?" I asked.
"Yes, and I don't know. If she wanted a vacation, all she had to do was ask. I don't get why everyone is so scared of admitting they need a break. Either way, I wasn't impressed with Lesley to begin with, and I paid her triple the income any secretary in New York received," Brian pointed out.
Liam cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow at his brother who rolled his eyes. "You don't count since we think the same. Anyway, she got caught lying and wasn't meeting the demands of the job. Not to mention Lilith was making her into a cocky bitch."
"Did I mention I don't like Lilith?" I declared. Liam snickered.
"Why not?" Brian asked.
"She's rude.” I started to tick things off on my fingers. “She gave a bad first impression, purposely sent me the wrong way instead of giving me a chance to introduce myself which, thankfully, I didn't fall for.” I took a breath and finished. “And if it wasn't against work policy, I would have shoved a cactus up her ass long ago."
Brian sat there speechless while Liam began to laugh. "Fuck. This is gold. Finally, someone bold enough to tell you like it is, Bro. She's a bitch!"
"You didn't tell me!" Brian countered.
"I told you loud and clear when we were drinking, and you thought I was drunk. You're only helping her out because she's in your pack."
"Ugh. You suck." Brian sighed and ruffled his short hair. "Guess you're super honest when you’re drunk. Wait, does that mean you hate my hairstyle?"
"I do. It looks better on this side," Liam noted, pointing to his hair.
Brian groaned. "That's being biased."
"Maybe." Liam shrugged.
I shook my head but smiled. "Anyway, what's the plan? I'm your secretary for one more month before my contract ends."
Brian was quiet for a moment before he glanced at Liam. "Can I kidnap her?"
"Hold up, kidnap as in REAL kidnapping or..." I trailed off, uncertain as to what he meant.
"He meant ‘can you stay on as his secretary until he finds a replacement’ but he's asking me because he probably realized I’d called dibs," Liam translated.
"Oh," I replied. "Hmm..."
"You don't need to give me an answer right away," Brian suggested.
I took a moment to think about it. It's not like I need the money, but it would be an easier job than taking something else right now. I'm already familiar with everything and have a good reputation here. My schedule isn't too bad either. I could do this for a little while.
"How will I split myself between you two though? I mean, if I take your offer, Brian, what about Liam?" I asked.
Liam relaxed back into the sofa and shrugged. "I'm not picky. Sia is amazing at multitasking, and I think she'd be just fine dealing with your cranky ass."
"I'm not cranky," Brian retorted.
"Without coffee you are," Liam countered.
"That's because I hate getting up, okay?" Brian muttered.
"Act more like a vampire than a wolf," Liam teased.
Brian pointed a finger at Liam. "This from the person who always sleeps in?"
"I'm a CEO. Why do I have to wake up early?" Liam whined.
"Because YOU'RE the CEO!" Brian huffed and threw his hands up.
"Hmph. That's stupid," Liam mumbled.
Pix and I watched them go back and forth, and Pix turned his head to give me a cute look. "Meow?"
"Ya. I think it's going to be a challenge dealing with these two in the same room," I replied.
Both guys stopped midway in their argument of early morning struggles and turned toward me. "Does that mean you're not taking the offer?" Brian asked.
"Regardless of the fact he's an ass when he doesn't have coffee and during work hours, he's not bad. Just think of me," Liam teased with a wink.
"No, don't think of him
and his stupid hairstyle." Brain teased back, purposely switching the tables on Liam’s usual joke regarding his brother’s similar hairstyle.
"We have the same style. The only difference is yours is on the left!" Liam huffed, falling into his brother’s joke.
I giggled, making both of them stop again. Brian sighed. "This is why we try to stay away from one another in public."
"Because of your playful banter." I continued to giggle.
"Yes. At least you think it's playful. Everyone else thinks we're fighting. The typical vampire and werewolf drama." Liam shook his head.
I nodded in understanding and stood straight to look at Brian. "I accept your offer. However, you two have to be fine with sharing a secretary and be considerate of both schedules. If either of you has an important event or meeting that I need to attend, you have to make me aware ahead of time, so I don't double book myself."
"That's fine with me," Liam declared.
"I'm in agreement," Brian confirmed. "However, you realize I'm not as nice when I'm actually working?"
"If you're like your brother when he's replacing you, then I understand and am prepared for it," I replied.
Liam leaned in to whisper in my ear. "He's ten times worse, Sia. You'd want to shove three cacti up his ass."
"I think I can handle it."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Brian sighed, looking tired. "Anything else, Anastasia?"
"You can call me Sia unless we're at meetings. And one more thing." I pointed to my cacti on his desk. "Leave Rin and Saturn alone. They're my pets."
Brian gave me a confused look. "Pets?"
Liam snickered and shook his head. "Sia wanted a magic cactus as a pet so I got her one."
"That's why Nick went to Dubai. For a cactus?" Brian asked.
I gawked at Liam who shrugged. "Ya."
"You sent Nick to DUBAI?! I thought you said Nick was driving over to my place to bring me Rin?" I questioned.
"Yes. He brought it over after he landed back in New York from picking Rin up in Dubai," Liam elaborated.
"My brother has officially fallen madly in love. Wait till Mama hears about this," Brian hummed.
SEDUCE MY HEART (Bloody Desires Book 2) Page 3
