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“Miss Harden, please excuse my son. Sometimes he is under the impression that the whole world is out to get him. Let’s just forget your… incident this morning and proceed.” Son? Did he just say son?
Liam was right, just my fucking luck!
“First of all, thank you for coming. As I was saying, I’m Adrian Dornier, this is my assistant, Alex Durst, and this is AD’s Human Resources manager, Tracy Parker. This here is my son Liam Dornier.” He continued calmly as if he hadn’t just detonated my whole future. There was absolutely no way I would ever get this job now!
“I’m sure you are aware the available position is for our creative department, under Liam’s supervision. We are in the running to win an important project for a green energy company, so we will be looking to blend aesthetics with high-tech sustainability,” Mr. Dornier explained, and although I was doing my best to focus, I couldn’t help but keep Liam in my peripheral vision. “That’s where your portfolio stands out. You seem to incorporate quite a few self-sufficient and green ideas in your projects in a pragmatic yet aesthetically pleasant way.”
There was something magnetizing about Liam. I was drawn to his every move like a moth to a flame. Only I knew for certain I was getting burnt.
He had unfastened his suit jacket when he sat down, displaying a fitted black waistcoat that snuggled around what I could clearly see was a toned torso. Tight and stretched, just like a tailored second skin.
Status, wealth, and a fine ass had him sitting on a damn high horse, looking down on the rest of us mere peasants. Since the first moment we met, he had treated me like annoying gum stuck on his shiny designer shoe. He could be my boss, or he could be God for all I cared; I was done being treated like shit.
I was lost in thoughts on how I could ever have a professional relationship with a narcissistic asshole while my eyes had wandered to the wonder that was him. Fuck, how could the package advertise such a lie?
He was too easy on the eyes. Too. Damn. Easy.
I swallowed dryly, watching his biceps strain under the white shirt as he shifted in his seat. I was drifting between him and his father, trying not to be too obvious, yet he hadn’t strayed for a second. I could feel the heat of his eyes set on me. My face, my fidgeting fingers, my chest.
“So, Miss Harden,” Mr. Dornier snapped me out of my thoughts, “You have an extremely interesting portfolio. Quite innovative and disruptive design ideas. Yet you seem to be lacking field experience.” A victorious, crooked smirk spread on Liam’s lips, sure this was the end of my chance.
I needed this too damn much to leave it at that. Again, he was quicker and spoke first.
“Well, I guess we’re done here then. Field experience is a must and I have no time to be schooling inexperienced little girls,” Liam chimed, still holding that smug smile.
“Yes, that is a fact. I’m sure that’s not a decisive trait or I wouldn’t be here today. What I lack in field experience, I make up with a photographic memory. I learn fast, and I'm not afraid of a new challenge. I can adapt to new situations without a struggle,” I managed to say without so much as a stutter. Yet I wasn’t finished, and the last part of my reply was directed to the entitled asshole in the room. “Besides, the job description said internship. I’m sure I’d be learning a lot more than that if my direct supervisor was willing to share knowledge.”
“I’m sure you’re extremely flexible,” Liam quickly said in a mocking, derogatory tone. “Yet we are looking for someone who can pull their own weight. This isn’t charity, Smallville. It’s long hours and hard work that I’m not sure your manicure can handle. Besides, that little stunt you pulled this morning won’t help your case. Stalking me to seduce your way into the company isn’t the way we do business here. We don’t gratify that kind of conduct. So, if we could stop wasting time, that would be perfect.”
Did he just call me a slut?
My blood had passed boiling point by now, heating an unsettling fire under my ass and a fresh blow of wit and conviction into my veins.
That was the last straw for me. There surely was no way we could have a civil, professional relationship after that. I came here to stay away from that kind of toxicity.
I didn’t know Liam. I could never guess how far he would go. Even though this was my last opportunity, it was a hard pass as of now. I was thinking as straight as I could, trying not to focus on the consequences of what I was about to do.
Slowly, I stood up, collecting my notepad from the table and shoving it into my handbag. I could see him trying to act calm and collected, relaxed into the back of his chair, an ankle resting on his knee. But I could also see the tight grip he held on the edge of his armrest. He wasn’t as calm as he made out to be.
“Mr. Dornier, I’m sorry to have wasted your time. I’m a die-hard fan of your work, and it was a dream come true to work and learn with you, but I don’t want this job. I didn’t realize I would be supervised by a self-centered, egotistical, rude prick, no offense to you, of course. I truly am underqualified for that.” I turned to Liam before continuing, “And by the way, I can’t think of a single person who would like to bump into you by mistake, never mind going out of their way by orchestrating such a far-fetched plan of doing so intentionally. There is no earthly good enough reason to ever want to be in that position. I’m just a naturally unfortunate person.”
Liam moved forward, ready to unleash hell, but I wasn’t finished yet, and I’d be damned if I let him rattle my sudden burst of confidence. I held a finger up in his direction, showing him I wasn’t done.
“If you didn’t bribe your way through college, you must have heard the expression ‘less is more.’ You should probably take that life lesson to heart. Your ego desperately needs to slide into minimalism. I don’t see it deserving more than a pale palette since it has close to nothing to go on.” It was an obvious lie, and he knew it based on the way his brow arched, but still maintained the rest of his face unreadable. “Going by your blank expression, I might need to make my point a little easier to follow for the sake of your simple mind. Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Dornier. I’ve seen better.” I threw his words right back at him, straining to hold back a little victory smirk. “Mr. Dornier, Mr. Durst, Mrs. Parker, thank you so much for considering my application. I am truly sorry to have wasted your time.” I grabbed my stuff, ready to leave the room with my dignity intact. I might not have gotten the job, but it felt damn good standing up for myself for the first time since maybe… ever.
Chapter 4
Liam
I hated superficial women. Bimbos who preyed on daddy’s money and depended on a precious trust fund for the rest of their meaningless lives, measuring their value with the amount of Louis Vuittons they owned.
Hard pass.
That was how Jamie had come across when I bumped into her this morning, despite her look not matching the description. Throwing a fit over a stain on her precious clothes came across that way. That image was far from the confident woman I was now watching, completely stunned as she handed my ass over to me in front of an audience. Simple mind, ah!
Women never spoke to me that way. No one ever spoke to me that way!
But fuck me, do I find her sexy as hell doing it.
