Chapter 22: Closer Every Day

SEBASTIAN.

After Teresa left, my cousin Liam did a little research further with this stuff, the serum we were developing. She might be so pissed off at me she might not be returning for a couple of minutes, maybe an hour. The coffee was just a pretext to keep her a little away from me. Sometimes I didn’t know for how long I could stand around her, without wrapping my arms around her, devouring her inviting lips, to feel her being and her inner turmoil, to know that she feels the same way.

Every day I would have this hope that she would come to me. But until then, she left me with my emotions and my longing for her. I was feeling empty for a while when Bella died, but now I was whole again. I took a break from love, but now it needed to flourish, to sparkle.

There was a silence in my soul, but now I was hearing it howl again.

“So, Liam Killian is going to send the pure iron the day after tomorrow at the latest. You were not in the lab, but Luana Antonov is doing an outstanding job. "

“Shall I be jealous? What do we know about her apart from the fact that she comes from a small pack from Romania? It feels kind of shady to me,”

Liam’s distrust sometimes was making me also think twice. So far, he was always right. He was never wrong in any aspect. But we were so behind with the research that I was willing to listen to any option. That didn’t mean I wasn’t vigilant.

“Look, I know that there are only a few things about her, but for now I am going to use her services only professionally. Keep your eyes peeled on her every move. "

“That is exactly what I have been doing since the day of the conference. So, what is this thing with the iron in the pure state?”

“Luana made a very bold demonstration with Amelia’s blood, and before you say something, she agreed to help us.”

Liam’s grimace turned worried, but he contained himself. Maybe he was still upset that he had learned from me and not from his partner. “You don’t have to question her. There was no time to tell, but I am doing it right now. Anyway, Luana concluded that Luna’s blood alone would not do the trick, and we needed something extra, as an aid, so that the blood could heal faster. Something that helps healthy cells divide faster and the healing process would start immediately, as time is our enemy in these cases.”

“So, this iron might work?”

“Humans take it all the time for blood improvements, but it is diluted, is not pure. We need it pure, so the process would be at full speed.”

I just hoped that my explanation pleased Liam. He was a very important person in this whole thing. So, his opinion mattered.

“Ok, it sounds doable. Either way, I am keeping Dr. Antonov under surveillance!”

“Fair enough…”

And I could swear that this question followed “Returning to Teresa, you said she was the one. Where is she?”

Now how was I going to tell Liam I put her making me coffee, and an hour passes as I expected and there was no sign of either Teresa or my coffee.

“I asked her to make me an espresso, like... an hour ago”

I knew Liam would criticize me, but that’s what I felt at that moment.

“You WHAT? Bash, are you serious?”

Well, I didn’t expect him to raise his voice so loud. “The last thing I know is that you were going to give her the management chair of the Marketing department. You know, your assistant has these duties right, not Teresa”

Well, I knew that. But how was I going to tell him it was just a rebellion for my craving for her? Lately, my loneliness was so loud that it kind of left me deaf. I long for love, desire, and, why not, lust? Before she left home and became the one she was now, fearless, Vicky used to tell me always that to love was to have an emotional vulnerability.

And this thing remained so imprinted in my mind that I ended up thinking not twice but three times if I would give my heart to anyone and just after what happened to Bella and my son, even more so. But time healed the wounds, and I was ready to try again. I was not willing to give loneliness any extra chance.

“Yeah, I know. I think this was just an uprising of my inner wolf.”

But just then the door opened, slamming the wall behind it, revealing a nervous and intrigued Teresa. She fired flames from her eyes and rightly so, she was.

“Your coffee is ready, BOSS!” ouch, that hurt my pride. I could only mutter a shy thank you, and Liam motioned he would leave. Great! Now I was alone with her. Stay steady, my wolf! “Do you need me for something else, or shall I begin the actual job?”

“Please, Teresa, have a seat!”

And she did exactly so. I think the boss-employee link would be more of a facade. Clearly, I would not treat her as a mere subordinate. Teresa was more than that, and that by chance came into my life, I would make her stay as pleasant as possible. But if for reasons related only to her, she would reject me, then I would not be responsible for my actions. She had to be mine! “I think we started with the left foot here, but you’re right even if you didn’t tell me out loud. Your duties are completely different. I will not apologize, however, for asking you. This coffee tastes fantastic”

Her face lit up for a moment, and her eyes softened. The green in them became so intense that it would sparkle into my deep darkness.

“Ok then, I am glad that you eventually figured that out. So, here we go again. I am Teresa Bradley and it is a pleasure to meet you!” she reached out her hand and by the time I touched it, electric waves went through all my neurons. Her warmth was nestling in me again and as much as I wanted to keep my desire hidden, it was impossible and that was a damn good reason to avoid touching her... for now.

“The pleasure is all mine. I am Sebastian Gallagher, the CEO of the company. Welcome to Genetix Miss Bradley!”

Maybe these formalities came in handy, especially for putting some distance between my wolf on fire and the perfect creature in front of me. I was happy to have met her, but I got scared. Scared that my beast could not cope; scared that I would not want to suffer again.

There was the joy and there was the pain. I just had to figure out which one weighed the most. Love would keep a warm home for my heart and pain would dissolve it; love would make you breathe happiness; the pain would sacrifice it. Until now, since Bella’s death, I didn’t want any kind of eternity.

I never saw the point in that; where could it be that point in leaving alone? But now, my eternity became a must. My heart was so angry before I met her. And now that anger turned into something beautiful and kind, named love. Falling for her was the simple part. Keeping her was the challenge.

My universe began and ended up with her. I could run and search forever, but by the end of it, I would always come back to her. She was my choice, and I swore I would be hers too.

“It would be an honor to work for you and to be honest, I would like you to tell me precisely which is the purpose of this company? As I would run the Marketing Department, I would like to know what I will deal with.”

Her tone seemed confident, and the tension kind of disappeared. The business has taken the place of awkward, so the atmosphere eased up.

“Things will get easy for you and I promise you will soon understand all that is around here. And for that, you will have to arrange and deal with business meals, trips and so many other events that would involve GenetiX”

“Ok, that seems quite accurate. When is the next meeting, then?”

“Tonight, eight o’clock at the Major Events Hall, is going to be a formal party, something for consolidating some businesses. Heavy names will be there, so I have to be present too.”

“Ok, I shall arrange your agenda at your upcoming event. "

“Oh, actually, you are going to accompany me, Teresa!”