BURNED

Chapter 14

"Where the hell is Orion? We have to get prepared for the big conference coming up, the ball, the charity parties, there is so much to do. I come back and he is nowhere to be found."

His long time best friend stands there in a suit, his big brown eyes taking in the room with an empty desk, papers strewn about, and unfinished documents pulled up on the computer. He shakes his head wondering what his friend could have gotten himself into this time. He wasn't on another one of his crises was he?

"He hasn't been himself lately, maybe you can talk some sense into him. Since Yamina left he's been this brooding mess. I've been in charge, but you see how that's going since I'm you know pregnant."

His sister says, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, Yamina London she was his secretary temporarily, but then she left and it was a whole mess. Apparently she will now be working for his competitor Vinn, you can imagine how that feels. I told him to get his shit together when it came to her, but he didn't listen. I actually liked having her around."

"She must really be something to have Orion all worked up. You talk as if they were dating? Doesn't he have little flings like this all of the time? He's never reacted this way before. Her head game must be impressive."

"Ronnie! What the hell? They haven't boned each other. It wasn't like that and why do you just assume a woman has to be sexually capable for a man to care for her?"

"You always were the passionate girl. I should have married you when I had the chance."

"As if, you would have to work a lot harder if you wanted to marry me. Some sly words and flowers won't get you into my good graces."

"Nor mine." A deep voice says.

They turn to look, only to see Orion in a T-shirt and shorts. A strange thing to see since he was almost always in business attire.

"So you rode the elevator up here looking like that?"

Orion just stares at Ronnie nonchalantly and goes to sit down at his desk.

"Oh man, yeah this is bad. So what the hell is wrong bro? Are you in love or something because the last time I've seen you act this way was way back in high school when you were all nerdy and shit."

A hollow sounding laugh fills the air, and even as he says it his eyes flicker dangerously with each word.

"In love with who? Love is a very overused word that is absolutely meaningless. I presume my sister has given you the impression that I had some kind of thing for my past secretary. She was just that nothing more and nothing less."

Ronnie eyes him, his eyes saying he isn't sure that what Orion just said was the truth, but he nods anyways and puts on a huge smile.

"Now let's talk about the upcoming event. Oh, and Ronnie don't ever hit on my sister again if you know what's good for you."

Ronnie laughs wholeheartedly, glancing in her direction.

"She's such a ball of light I'll try not to."

Those words pierced Orion's mind, reminding of something he once said to himself, but he quickly shook it off and focused his mind on the work at hand. After all, he wasn't about to let anything get in the way of his company's success, not himself or anyone else.
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Vinn Kastroff of Kastroff research and development. He was in a different world, he worked with Healthcare technology and so much more. All in all it seemed like his company was doing some good in the world and that I could appreciate. Of course today was the day that I had to meet Vinn in his office and finalize the paperwork that would give me my new job. Hopefully this would be a new beginning for me, Hailey, and my mom. Regardless of all the things that happened things were finally starting to look up.