"Ma'am!" The staff panicked as Diana strode past. "Ma'am, you can't see Mr. Basti now. He's not in a good—"
The elevator doors shut close, taking Diana Sorin up to the second floor. She'd been in this company before, so she knew where the office of the man she was looking for was.
She stepped out as soon as the doors chimed open and proceeded off. Arriving at the office with a white wooden door, she stopped and knocked.
There was no response.
"Mr. Basti, I know you're in there," she said, voice low but firm. "If you don't permit me in, I'm going to kick your door down."
A pause.
"Go ahead." The voice was calm, yet deep with a rough edge.
With a breath, Diana stepped back and slammed her foot into the door with an almost non-human force. The hinges broke with a tortured groan, and the door crashed to the floor.
She smoothed her navy-blue suit, cleared her throat, and stepped into the office.
"Mr. Basti—"
Music started.
She blinked.
There he was, Ian Basti, the man she was looking for—dancing with his back turned on her. Head bobbing, shoulders moving in rhythm.
Her jaw slowly fell open.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Fifty seconds.
He turned mid-move and smiled.
"Oh, hello, princess." His rapid breathing mixed with the roughness of his voice "I didn't see you there."
Diana's jaw slackened. Huh…?
This…this man was supposed to be the multi-billionaire that had the business world at his feet?
"What are you doing here?" Ian Basti asked, not even winded.
Her expression snapped into a scowl. One blink and she was in front of him, hand grasping him by his tie and yanking him down to her level. Their faces were just an inch apart.
"Are you doing this on purpose?
Ian's violet eyes glinted with humor. "I don't know what you mean, Diana."
"It's Sorin to you. We. Are. Not. Friends," she warned.
He grinned. "What do you want, Diana?"
"You know what!" Her fingers clenched his tie. "I offered that deal to Varez first. Why am I suddenly hearing you offered a deal a day after I did? Are you stalking me, Basti?"
"Stalking?"
A smile tugged at his lips. "Don't flatter yourself, baby doll. That's how the business world works. Varez wanted partnership offers, what kind of idiot wouldn't take up the opportunity?"
His hand shot out, grasping around the back of her neck and he leaned in. The heat of his breath brushed her face. "I just did what I had to do. I'm unsure what you're pissed about."
Diana's eyes widened and a mixture of emotions rushed to her features. Confusion, anger, panic and she shoved him, taking quick steps away from him.
Her chest rose and fell in a quick rhythm.
Ian stared at her, tall and large, hands shoved into the pocket of his slacks. His face was all angles. High cheekbones, a rigid jawline, but the part of him that stood out the most was his hair. It was white.
His was the whitest she'd ever seen on a person, and obviously, it didn't come from old age. Ian Basti didn't look anything over thirty. He looked almost not human with eyes that bright violet.
"You have to take back your offer." Her words were careful and tense.
His brow lifted. "And why would I do that?"
"Mr. Basti, you know how things work," Diana grounded out. "Varez already made it clear that he would be choosing you merely because I'm a woman. That doesn't sound so fair to me. It is not as if my company lacks the capabilities."
"And?" Ian took a slow step toward her. "You want to take the easy way out? Make me draw back my offer?"
Diana stepped further back.
He moved after her.
Then another step until her back hit the wall.
Too close, he was too close, crowding her space with his body hunched and head leaned to the side with curiosity evident on his face.
"Do you seriously want to partner with a man who looks down on your capabilities just because you're a woman? I mean, aren't you aware that a man like him is a moron? A real businessman doesn't care whether you're a man or a woman, his interest should be if you're beneficial enough. Forget the offer, he's a waste and you're going to regret working with him."
"I don't need you to tell me what to do," she sneered.
"Well, the offer stands." His voice dripped, rough and slow. "You want that deal regardless? Fight for it, Diana. I don't exactly hate that pissed look on your face, or your stubbornness for that matter."
Diana's pupils widened just the slightest. He could see the rage burning hot behind her chocolate eyes and a long tortured exhale followed right after.
"Have more to say?" A hum fell from somewhere in his throat and his lips stretched into a smile exposing his teeth.
Or…
She scrunched her brows.
Two of his teeth were sharper, longer, almost like an animal canines, but a single blink was all she took, and his smile was gone.
"Open your mouth!" She snatched his collar before he could pull away from her.
"What now, Diana?" he asked with an edge of amusement.
"Open your mouth, Ian Basti. I want to see something."
Ian laughed, but he opened his mouth wide for her.
Diana's face fell.
That couldn't be possible. She was sure of what she saw.
"Did you see what you're looking for?"
Was this some kind of joke—a prank?
"Go to hell!" She shoved him away and stormed out, stomping right across the broken door.
A man walked in right after—short, slender with blue eyes, and swathed in a black suit. He bowed. "Sir, are you just going to keep allowing her to do this? This is the third one this month. Every time she comes here, she breaks a door, I don't understand."
Ian dropped into his chair with lips angled into a smirk.
"Leave her alone, Killian."
"Why? At least she could stop breaking the doors. I'm the one that has to fix it all the—" Killian paused and furrowed his brows at him. "Wait a second. Aren't you…a bit awfully interested in her? Is there something with that woman…?"
"Yes." Ian's smirk spread slowly. "That human…"
He dragged the lengthened claw of his index finger across the desk.
"…Is my mate."
"Huh…?" Killian's jaw dropped. "But…she's married, sir…"
"And?"
Ian's smile vanished.
"She's MINE." His voice deepened, nearly a growl. "My. Mate."