Don’t Let Me Break by Linda Verji

 

 

CHAPTER 7

 

Is she okay?The question haunted Sebastian all day long. He couldn’t stop thinking about his strange, new subordinate, Marley.

This morning when he’d arrived at work, she was the first person he’d checked on, only to discover that she’d asked for a day off. Immediately, he’d called Nora from HR to find out if Marley was really okay. Nora said Marley was fine and out of the hospital. Still, that wasn’t enough to quiet his worries. Unfortunately, he didn’t have her number and couldn’t just go around asking about her and making their coworkers misunderstand their relationship. So he just stewed in his worry.

“Hey!” A sudden voice cut into his thoughts.

“Yeah?” Sebastian looked up to find Omar watching him from across the table with a half smile.

“This party is supposed to be for you,” Omar yelled, “but you don’t look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

Sebastian yelled back, “No, I’m having a great time.”

Given the happy ruckus that was going on around them courtesy of their coworkers, it was no wonder that they both had to raise their voices just to be heard.

As expected, Omar had put his all into this welcome party. He’d rented a whole restaurant just for it. There was plenty of alcohol, lots of good food, and even a DJ. Some of their coworkers were grouped at different tables chatting happily and laughing. Others were at the makeshift stage upfront dancing to the lively music that was blasting from the speakers that surrounded the large space.

Sebastian’s previous workplace had been a lot more formal than About It. That company was all about procedures and suits. Parties like these were not the norm. People just came to work, did their job, got paid and went home. Sebastian had thrived in that environment because he was all about getting work done.

When Omar had offered him the position at About It, he’d floundered. Though the pay was good and he’d have more responsibility, he’d worried that he wouldn’t fit into the looser work environment. But it now felt like he’d been worried for nothing.

He liked the sense of camaraderie that imbued About It. He liked having a friendly boss who was confident enough in his abilities to let him work the way he wanted, not one who kept looking over his shoulder and interfering. If things stayed this way, he suspected that he’d enjoy his time here.

“Nah!” Omar shook his head as he watched Sebastian. “You don’t look like you’re having a great time. Is it the music?”

“No, the music is fine.” Sebastian forced a smile. Raising his glass that was half-filled with bourbon, he added, “It’s just the alcohol getting to me.”

“Already?” Nora from HR gave him an admiring up and down look. “You look like the type who can hold his drinks… and more.”

Before Sebastian could respond to that, Ben cut in with a snarky, “Looks can be deceiving. I bet he’s a two-minute man.”

Sebastian only responded with an amused snort. Given that Ben had been gunning for the Chief Editor position, it wasn’t strange that he was miffed at Sebastian for stealing it. Ben had seemed cordial before tonight. However, the alcohol seemed to have loosened his tongue and his resentment was out for everyone to see. For the last hour or so, he’d been throwing cheap jibes at Sebastian. Sebastian just ignored him. Fighting with a drunk person was like fighting with a crazy person. There was no way to win without making yourself look stupid too.

In an obvious effort to dilute Ben’s juvenile comment, Omar turned to Nora. “Ooooh, Nora, what’s happening here? Are you trying to shoot your shot?”

Her eyes on Sebastian, Nora smiled seductively. “Can I shoot my shot?”

“Sorry.” Sebastian laughed. “I’m taken.”

Disappointment colored Nora’s tone. “No way!”

“Since when?” Omar asked.

“I bet she’s ugly as hell,” Ben threw in.

Acting like Ben hadn’t even spoken, Omar asked, “Who is this woman?”

“No one you know,” Sebastian said. Actually, he wasn’t taken. However, he’d found that claiming to be in a relationship got rid of most romantic overtures.

Still disappointed, Nora said, “I bet she’s a super-model.”

“Nah.” Omar shook his head. “Pretty boys like him like girls with big brains. Nerdy girls. My money’s on a PHD, a doctor or a librarian.”

Even Ben had something to say. “I’m going with gold-digger.”

“He’s too smart to be taken by a gold-digger,” Nora refuted. Turning to Omar, she added, “And pretty boys are shallow. They like pretty girls. I’m still going with one of Victoria’s girls. If it’s not one of them, then it’s an actress.”

The three were so busy debating Sebastian’s dating preferences that they barely noticed that he wasn’t listening to them anymore. His thoughts were back on Marley. Was she really fine? For his own peace of mind, he just needed to hear her voice. Unfortunately, he didn’t have her number. Frowning, he debated asking Nora to get her number for him then realized that the request would just raise questions that he wasn’t prepared to answer.

A second later, it hit him. Marley had used his phone to call her sister while they were in hospital. All he had to do was call Kennedy and she could redirect him to Marley. Immediately, he reached for his phone. As expected, Kennedy’s number was on his call log. Instinctively, he stood up.

Omar immediately noticed. “Where are you going?”

Sebastian waved his phone. “I need to make a call.”

Before the crew could throw more questions at him, he left their table and headed out of the restaurant.

Despite it being almost nine p.m., the street was alive and teeming with life as if it was still daytime. The craft’s shop on the left side of the restaurant had set up tables outside with souvenirs, and a crowd had gathered there. The electronics’ shop to the right had a number of customers still browsing inside it. Across the restaurant, several people were lined up waiting to get into Megathrash, one of the most popular nightclubs in the city.

Settling on the short stone wall that surrounded the restaurant, Sebastian turned his attention back to his phone. He dialed Kennedy’s number. One ring, two rings, three rings… no one picked up the phone. Frowning, he called again. One ring, two rings, three rings…. Again no one picked up.

Why wasn’t Kennedy picking up? He tried again, and again, and again.

As he waited for someone to pick up the ringing phone, his gaze wandered to Megathrash. Phone to his ear, he watched the line of patrons that was slowly crawling its way into the club. He was on his fifth call to Kennedy when a woman at the very front of the line caught his attention.

Like most of the ladies waiting to get into the club, she was dressed scantily; black tight dress that clung to every curve of her body and red stilettos. However, something about the woman’s braided hair, dark skin and figure seemed familiar.

Is that…? Squinting, he arched forward so he could see better. Is that Marley?

Though he was a distance away, the lighting in front of Megathrash was bright enough that he could clearly see her face. It was definitely Marley. Wasn’t she supposed to be resting at home?

Even before he made the decision, his body was up and his feet were already moving. As he walked towards the nightclub, he ended the call to Kennedy and thrust his phone into his jacket pocket. There was no need to call Kennedy when the horse had brought itself to his barn.

By the time he got to the club’s entrance, Marley was already inside. Unfortunately, there was no way to skip the line and go after her. Frustration dancing on his nerves, Sebastian went to the back of the line and waited his turn. Fifteen minutes later, he was allowed into the club.

Megathrash was the same as most popular clubs; noisy and packed. The latest pop music boomed from the speakers above so loudly that it made him deaf. But the loudness didn’t seem to bother the patrons. If anything, they thrived on it. Young and old thrashed around to its beat, their bodies moving like uncoiled ropes, their eyes wild and on fire.

Though Sebastian wasn’t really a nightclub person, he could feel their hyperactive energy seeping into him. His heart rate exponentially increased and he could feel the music beat in his throat. Alcohol, perfume, sweat and other substances stabbed at his nose as he wound his way through the writhing masses, but it really didn’t bother him because he had a goal. He needed to find Marley.

It took a while but finally, he found her. She was at the bar. Actually, she was practically hanging over the bar while trying to flirt with the black bartender there. Sebastian had no idea where it came from, but suddenly, his whole body felt hotter and irritation seared through him. He shoved his way past several people to make it to her.

He came up behind her just as she was saying to the bartender. “So when do you get off work, Jerry?”

Obviously Jerry was used to this kind of flirting because he didn’t even bat an eye as he set a bottle of water in front of her. “Not until dawn.”

Her tone seductive, Marley said, “Well, Jerry, I guess that means I’m partying until da-”

Her words cut off when Sebastian patted her shoulder. She immediately turned on the barstool. The moment she saw Sebastian her eyes lit up and her lips stretched into a smile. “Well, well, well. Look who we have here. Sebastian Levy. Mr. Boss himself. I didn’t know you come to places like these.”

“I don’t.” Sebastian shot the bartender a sharp glance before turning his attention on Marley. “What are you doing here? I thought you were sick.”

“Me? Sick?” Grinning, she gestured towards her body. “Do I look sick?”

Sebastian’s gaze lowered to follow her hand. His gaze lingered on the top of her breasts exposed by her low neckline, her flat tummy, and her voluptuous thighs exposed by the short dress. Well, damn! Who would’ve thought that timid Marley with the jeans and t-shirt had such deliciously sexy curves on her? As soon as the thought snuck in, he gave himself a mental slap. He wasn’t here to admire her.

But Marley had noticed his lingering looks. The wicked twinkle in her eyes and her knowing smile made it clear that that was her intention.

Now irritated, Sebastian demanded, “Then why did you take a day off if you’re not sick?”

“Because I was traumatized,” she returned, while not looking in the least traumatized.

“Traumatized people don’t go to nightclubs.”

“Not the ones you know.” Clearly, she wasn’t intimidated by his being her boss. A smile still playing on her lips, she asked, “So Sebastian, what are you doing here?”

Sebastian took the seat next to her. “I was with everyone else at Callery’s when I saw you coming in here.”

Marley frowned. “Everyone else?”

“The rest of the company.” He reminded her, “We were having the welcome party today, remember?”

For a second she looked confused. Then with an odd and somewhat nervous grin, she said, “Oh, oh! I remember. The welcome party.”

Her odd reaction was enough to remind Sebastian that last night she’d had problems recalling the preceding events. Was she still having memory problems? If so, she definitely shouldn’t be partying. But he needed to confirm it first.

Watching her keenly, he tested her. “Do you even know who the party is for?”

“Of course I know.” She made a face. “What do you take me for? Why wouldn’t I know who it was for?”

If it were any other woman, he would’ve assumed that she was offended and immediately apologized. But Marley’s case was different. He prodded, “Who is it for?”

“Why are you asking me all these questions?” Marley immediately deflected. She suddenly hopped off her stool. “I’m going to dance.”

Sebastian grabbed her wrist to stop her. “It’s for me. The party is for me.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know that,” she immediately latched onto his answer. Shaking her arm to dislodge his grip, she added, “That’s what I was going to say.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Not letting her go, he worriedly asked, “Did you get checked up yesterday? What did the hospital say?”

“They said I was fine.” She grabbed his fingers and took them off her wrist one-by-one. She took her tote-bag and the bottle of water then shoved them at Sebastian’s chest. “Watch this for me. I’m going to dance.”

Stunned, Sebastian watched her walk away then blend into the dancing crowd. Instinct guiding him, he shot to his feet and followed her in.

Obviously, he wasn’t the only one who noticed Marley’s charms because as soon as she started to dance, two men shuffled over to her. By the time Sebastian got to her, one of those men was already giving her a creepy smile and gyrating closer to her.

Sebastian grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. Surprise flashed in her face, but when she recognized him, it was replaced by a smile. Realizing that she was claimed, the two men evaporated like steam.

Marley shouted above the loud music. “I didn’t know you wanted to dance too.”

No, Sebastian didn’t want to dance. He leaned closer to her and yelled, “You should go home. You’re still not well.”

Her response was a laugh, a shake of her head then her dancing became more vigorous. The Marley that Sebastian had met at the office had rhythm. She could dance. This Marley was like an uncoordinated, tone-deaf colt that was having an epileptic attack. She jumped around and shook clumsily, bopping to some beat that definitely wasn’t the one they were listening to.

Her weird dancing drew several amused looks. But Marley didn’t give a damn. Even the fact that Sebastian was just standing there, scowling at her while holding onto her purse like a disapproving boyfriend wasn’t enough to stop her. She was having fun.