together,” Sebastian ordered. “Your body is shaking.”
Doug slumped. “I don’t want to be fired. I don’t want us going bankrupt. I like this company.” He twisted his bow tie. “This is so bad.”
“Doug.”
Doug puppy-dog stared at him.
Ella frowned suspiciously at Sebastian’s assistant.
And Sebastian tried to figure out if he was staring at an enemy. “Doug, what time did you arrive this morning?”
“Seven a.m.,” Ella piped in. “Just like he always does.” Her hands went to her hips. “You think he’s involved in what’s happening? Want me to interrogate him?”
Doug backed up. “I-I just dropped off mail! I was doing my job!”
Alyssa sidled closer to Sebastian. “Let’s get on your computer. Every moment that passes wastes more time.”
She was right. “Keep Doug in the building,” he ordered Ella.
“What?” Doug paled. “Oh, God. Oh, God.” It almost looked as if he might faint.
“Doug, get some coffee,” Alyssa advised him. “Coffee and deep breaths, and we’ll all talk soon, okay?” Now she wrapped her hand around Sebastian’s. “Right now, I need to be alone with Sebastian, so excuse us.”
“I could use some coffee,” Doug mumbled.
Ella spoke softly to a guard, and then the guard advanced on Doug. “Come with me,” the guard ordered, “and we’ll get that coffee.”
Sebastian knew the guard would also make sure Doug didn’t leave. Do I really suspect my assistant?
No, but Sebastian couldn’t take chances.
Alyssa cleared her throat. “Sebastian, you ready?”
Ready to end this? Hell, yes. But…from the corner of his eye, Sebastian saw Isaac Swain appear in the corridor that led back to Research and Development. He held a brown box in his hands and appeared utterly dejected.
Isaac.
It was startling to see the guy. Mostly because the last time that Sebastian had come face to face with the fellow, Isaac had been on a date with Alyssa.
Now he was…
Isaac was slowly starting to glare at Alyssa and Sebastian. “I knew it!” Isaac crowed. “I knew the two of you were sleeping together!”
Sebastian took a hard, aggressive step toward the crowing dick.
“Nope.” Alyssa tightened her hold on him. “Not worth it. Don’t.”
Isaac stalked toward them, still clutching the box of what appeared to be his possessions. “You came to that theater, jealous as hell, busting up our date—because you’d been sleeping with her the whole time!”
“I wish,” Sebastian fired back.
Isaac frowned. “What?”
“I wish I’d been sleeping with her the whole time.” He hadn’t stuttered or mumbled. Sebastian thought he’d been quite clear.
Isaac squinted at him.
“You were swinging out of your league,” Sebastian told him flatly. “So the hell am I, but for some reason, Alyssa wants me.”
She may even love me. God, I hope she does. We are circling back to that one ASAP. As soon as I can smooth things over and get her to stop glaring at me.
“I’m not staying here.” Isaac straightened his shoulders. “So you don’t have to fire me.”
Sebastian peered down at Alyssa. “Was I firing him? Was that on my to-do list?”
“You’re jealous because Alyssa went out with me!” Isaac accused. “Because she wanted me!”
Alyssa didn’t look over at Isaac. “I don’t think we even talked about him after the theater. We were distracted by other things.”
She wasn’t just talking about sex, obviously. Because, hello, a whole lot had gone down. But her words still made Sebastian smile.
“Though he did call once to check on me,” Alyssa added.
Wait, he had? When?
Isaac cursed, then said, “Excuse me, but I’m on my way out.”
Now Sebastian did look at him. “Yeah…no.” With his free hand, he motioned to Ella and her crew. “Detain the guy. Put a guard on him and make sure he stays in his office until I can have a little one-on-one time with him.”
“Consider it done.” Ella advanced on Isaac. A bulky guard followed her steps.
“What?” Isaac gripped his box even tighter and backed up. “You can’t force me to stay here.”
Sebastian headed toward his office with Alyssa at his side. “Sure, I can. Haven’t you heard? I’m a selfish prick. I do what I want all the time.”
“Oh, God.” Isaac’s voice was horrified. “I knew you heard me say that at the theater! That’s why I was packing up. I know my job is over. I’m sorry! Jeez, I’m sorry!”
Sebastian ignored him because Alyssa was right. They needed to get to work and stop the distractions. He swept into his office and went straight to his computer. Alyssa tried to step away from him, but he pulled her right back to his side. “I work better when you’re near.”
He booted up