How it all started

Alex Rodriguez had never felt this kind of excitement just walking into a building before. He couldn’t believe he was going to be working for SK law, one of the biggest and most reputable law firms in the city. It was a dream come true for him.

The shimmering glass building of SK Law felt like something out of a dream, or a TV show about rich, privileged people who wore thousand dollar suits and didn’t know the price of a gallon of milk. He adjusted his tie and wiped his sweaty palms as he stepped in, trying to fit in as much as he could. He was just a paralegal, but this was a stepping stone towards achieving his dreams of one day becoming a lawyer.

With this job, he would finally be able to pay off his student loans and maybe one day, save enough to be able to afford law school. His plan was simple: put his head down, work hard, pay off debt, study, and crush the LSATS. Nothing was going to distract him from his plan. He would finally become a lawyer like these stuck-up assholes he could see striding through the lobby with their airpods in their ears.

Coming from his background, it was difficult to not feel envious of people who had had it easy all their life. People who didn’t have to work to pay their way through college, who didn’t have to graduate with a shitload of college debt hovering over their head, these private school pricks that think the world revolves around them. Yes, he was envious but he also aspires to be just like them one day.

The moment he stepped in through the immaculate glass doors of SK law, he felt like he had stepped into another world.. He watched men and women with immaculate suits and well-combed hair hurry past him as they went about their daily affairs. There were some really hot guys here too, he noted, one blonde in a blue suit who looked like he belonged on a cologne ad, and another with sleeves rolled up and tattoos peeking out who Alex couldn’t help but give a second glance.

He quickly shook the thought out of his head. He wasn’t here for that. He had no plans of getting into a relationship, not after Gabriel shattered his heart into a million pieces. He needed to focus on what he was here for. It wasn’t like people like this would give an actual damn about him. These people will never know what it feels like to come from a poor village or to worry about where your next meal is going to come from. He had worked hard enough to get himself here, among these people, and one day would become just like them.

At the reception, a woman with sleek red lipstick and an unfriendly expression took his appointment letter and sent him upstairs. That’s where he met Ruby, his supervisor, who wore glasses and a pencil skirt like they were part of a battle uniform. She offered him a handshake, pointed to an open desk, and dropped a thick stack of files in front of him.

“Welcome to the grind” she said before walking off

As he settled into his desk and began to transcribe the files, the low hum of the office buzzed around him, phones ringing, keys tapping, the occasional rustle of someone’s designer suit as they moved past. Then he heard it:

“Did you see that picture of Sebastian King kissing that guy?’

The voice came from the desk beside him. Alex kept typing, pretending not to eavesdrop, but of course, he was already hooked.

The person who just spoke was seated to his right and the lady she was talking to was seated to his left. She had smiled at him when he came in but he didn’t swing that way. He smiled back and wondered if he would have liked her if he wasn’t gay. She was cute, petite with golden brown hair and grey eyes. Too bad he liked men. Specifically, brooding, unattainable men with heartbreak in their eyes.

Like Gabriel

“I haven't seen the picture but the news is all over the place, you think maybe that’s why he hasn't been at work?” the other lady replied, whispering. This one was chubby but elegant in a flowy blouse and matte lipstick.

Office gossip, Alex was down for it. He didn’t think he would have a dose of it on his very first day. He has never met Sebastian King, but he knew he was one of the two senior partners at SK Law. The firm was named after his initials.

“ I heard he is going through a very nasty divorce right now,” golden hair said, tapping aggressively on her laptop. “Hold on. Look Here” she said

Alex instinctively turned and he froze. On the picture appearing on her laptop was a drop dead gorgeous man kissing another obscured one, his hand wrapped around his neck with a grip. He couldn't see the face of the other man as his back was turned but he could see Sebastian King and God, was he handsome.

His dark tousled hair framed his perfect face and although his eyes were closed, his long lashes graced his olive skin. His tall frame and his broad shoulders stood in contrast to the skinny man he was kissing, whose back was to the camera. It was the intensity of the grip around the other guy’s neck, the way his hand cupped it possessively, that made Alex’s throat go dry.

“Wow, so it's true?” the chubby lady exclaimed. “ Can’t believe he’s gay” she said

“No wonder he refused to look in my direction. I thought he was just like..super loyal to his wife. Not like he…you know..”

“Eats ass” the other lady supplied, looking disgusted

Alex swallowed. The harshness of her words made his stomach turn. But he couldn’t take his eyes off the photo. It wasn’t just that he was drop-dead gorgeous. It was the presence in that picture. The way he kissed, not sweet, not shy. Hungry. Commanding. Like he knew exactly what he wanted. Alex knew he was in trouble already. His heart had done a backflip just from seeing the picture of Sebastian and he knew he was going to be masturbating to that face tonight.

He had said he was not going to fall in love with anyone here. No relationships. No workplace crushes. Especially not on a man so far above his pay grade that they might as well live in different galaxies. But what the hell just happened?! Did he just fall head over heels with the picture of a man he hadn’t even seen in real life?

No, he told himself. Don’t be ridiculous.

Still, his hands shook slightly as he turned back to his screen and resumed typing. The image of Sebastian’s face refused to fade. That jawline. Those lashes. That goddamn grip on the other man’s neck.

Alex was in trouble.

Did you hear that Sebastian King is back?” The chubby girl asked the cute golden haired girl sitting to Alex’s right.

Alex's ear perked up. He had come to know their names as Jenna and Chloe, two of the most talkative women on this floor of SK law. It was a miracle they were able to get any work done.

“Yes!” Jenna's eyes lit up, as she twirled a pen between her fingers. “I rode the elevator with him this morning and he is as hot as ever!” Jenna sang

Alex pretended he wasn’t listening, but the name Sebastian King was all he needed to hear to lose focus on what he was doing. He kept his eyes on his computer screen, scrolling past case notes he wasn’t reading.

It was a week since Alex started working at SK law. If there was anything he knew about Chloe and Jenna, it’s that they had all the office gossip at their fingertips. He was extremely grateful to the universe for putting him right between them. Never a boring day with these two

So Sebastian was back. Alex had not stopped thinking about him since the day he saw that picture of him kissing a man. He had googled him once, and found the picture as well as other impossibly handsome pictures of Sebastian. And now he was back. The office was massive though. With three floors and countless departments, Alex figured that the chances of running into Sebastian were slim to none.

But then the phone on his desk rang. Alex took it.

“Rodriguez” the voice on the other end said, by way of greeting. It was his supervisor, Ruby

“Speaking” Alex said

“You’ve been reassigned” she said “To Sebastian King. You’ll be assisting him on the Cuverland’s case. I’ll send you the files shortly” she said and hung up

Alex stared at the phone in his hand. He was speechless. What were the chances that from everyone in this gigantic office, he would be assigned to Sebastian. Yes, he had been handling the Curverland’s IP fillings but it wasn’t like it was the kind of work any other competent paralegal couldn’t do. It had to be a joke. A mistake. But the records arrived in his inbox three minutes later. His heart thumped loudly and nervously as he thought about the fact that he was going to be in the presence of Sebastian King.

Even though the office was cold, Alex was sweating. He took a napkin from his chest pocket and dabbed his forehead.

Fifteen minutes later, he found himself in front of Sebastian office, heart pounding, palms sweating:

He knocked softly.

“Come in” a deep rich voice came from the other side of the door

Alex took a deep breath and gently opened the door.

The office was clean and modern, with massive glass windows overlooking the city. The view was breathtaking, but not half as much as the man standing before it.

Sebastian was standing facing by the window, his hands clasped behind his back, like a military officer waiting for battle.

“Mr King” Alex said, trying to keep his voice steady

Sebastian turned and for a moment, Alex forgot how to breathe. He looked even more gorgeous in real life. Tall, with dark brown hair, piercing grey eyes, and lips that looked like they were made to ruin a man’s life. He assessed Alex

“Ruby told me you’ve been handling the Cuverland’s IP fillings” No greeting. No pleasantries. Not even a handshake Just straight to the point: “I’ve gone through your work. It’s efficient” Sebastian said

“Thank you sir”

“This is a very discreet case, as you know, they are being sued for copyright infringement, everything single record will need to be filed carefully” he said

Alex was desperately trying to listen but he was lost in the charm of the handsome man in front of him.

“Ye..yes sir”

Sebastian looked down at some paperwork, flipping through pages with clinical precision. But Alex wasn’t seeing the documents. He was trying to not stare. Trying not to think about what it would feel like to be pinned under those hands. To have that sharp voice in his ear. To taste those sultry lips.

Focus, Alex.

Sebastian was still talking “We’re under pressure. Court date is in 4 days. We’ll need to work through the night”

“Yes sir” Alex wished he could say anything other than “yes sir” but his brain wasn’t exactly working at the moment.

Sebastian didn’t seem to be paying him much attention. Beneath his handsome exterior, Alex could detect a tiredness in his voice and he wondered if it had anything to do with the scandal involving him kissing another man. Or was it ‘the nasty divorce?’

“Come see me at seven this evening” I’ll send coordinates”

Coordinates. That sounded… like an apartment. Not the office. Alex’s heart pounded with anticipation and a hint of fear.

“Coordinates. Understood,” he said, nodding firmly.

“ You’re dismissed,” Sebastian said, not even sparing him a glance. Alex hesitated, waiting for a handshake, a nod, something, but Sebastian didn’t look up again.

With a tight jaw, Alex turned and left the office. His chest burned with irritation. it occurred to Alex then that Sebastian was cold and dismissive. The kind of rich bastard that steps all over people.

The man was an asshole. That much was clear.

But God, he was beautiful.

He slowly walked out of the office, his vision blurry.

He couldn’t believe he was going to be meeting Sebastian King alone tonight. He walked back to his desk, barely conscious of his legs moving. The moment he sat down, his phone buzzed.

Unknown Number:

Location: 415 Madison Ave. Penthouse 21. 7 sharp. Don’t be late.

All day, he buried himself in preparations. He cross-referenced Cuverland’s case files, printed outlines, and rechecked every clause in the motion timeline. He even changed shirts and sprayed some cologne in the men’s room before leaving at six thirty sharp.

He stood in front of the elevator a few minutes later, staring at his reflection in the polished steel doors. His golden hair was well brushed smartly to one side of his face and his blue eyes shone through the elevator glass. His tie was straight. His shirt looked crisp. He looked professional. Prepared.

And yet his heart was still beating loudly against his chest and his palms were still sweaty.

What was it about Sebastian King that felt so scary?