Harlow

Nikolai takes a step forward, and Ara and Lee move a bit to the side. I'm interested in hearing what he has to say.

"Welcome to you all, as you already know we at Kanese Group strive for excellence while harnessing your greatest talents. We are a big company and have funders from all over the world just waiting for us to show a hint of weakness. Your internship would be divided into three phases. The first would be logic, the second productiveness, and your third mastery. By the end of your internship, you would individually be tested and the one who surpasses the rest will be granted a job here at Kanese Group." His hands move fluidly holding us captive but his eyes are what make him so ethereal to my senses. I try to think where I've seen him, but I can't place him.

"By the evening you will be divided into 3 groups, each group will be assigned to either Ara, Lee or me."

"Let the games begin," Ara says and everyone including myself claps. This wasn't a normal internship it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I wanted to be on the top. But most of all I wanted to be picked by Nikolai, was it crazy?

"You may all head to the 11th floor where you will be served lunch and then you guys may mingle and ask us all your questions," Xi says and we all get up.

"Fuck, he is so hot," Celeste says as she fans herself when Nikolai walks past us.

"Maybe he is," I wink at her and she locks our arms together as we follow the rest of the group to the elevator.

"Miss Malcolm, a word please." That deep antiquated voice stops us and Celeste gives me a wide-eyed 'go get'em' look. I pinch her arm as she untangles us. We both turn to face Nikolai.

Celeste stands next to me, with a slight smirk on her pouty lips. She is stunningly attractive and I don't blame Nikolai if he decided he liked her. But he merely looks at her.

"Alone. Miss Sterling, you may join the others, I promise your friend will be in safe hands."

She gives me a puzzled grimace and I don't give anything away as I smile at her. My curiosity has always been a silent battle with my consciousness. And maybe since I was dealing with a man who had the bluest eyes I have seen that could possibly be part of a prophecy my grandma told me, I was thinking my consciousness should win the battle. But it doesn't and I don't bat an eyelash when Celeste leaves.

"She is quite a character, unlike her father who I find most repulsive."

"You know Celeste's dad? I thought you guys were flying under the radar. Mr. Sterling is one of the most sociable 60-year-old men on the planet. I have personally experienced his socialism first-hand last fall."

Nikolai smiles, and I resist the urge to bite my bottom lip, as a smile peeks through the cracks.

"I remember, you were the one who played the piano at the end of the Berndetta Orchestra, it was marvelous." Wow that was in 2025, 4 years ago.

"I knew I saw you from somewhere," I tell him in all honesty. I can finally place his face, he was amongst the crowd that night. It was the second time I've ever performed a solo for a large crowd. I wasn't the musical ear in my family, that was my mother, but I could give a good show for a redheaded Colorado girl.

He is thoughtful and AS I stand a meter away from him, I wonder what's he thinking about. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it, and his gaze goes behind me for a split second before he focuses on me again.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" My eyes must bug out of my head as I stare gobsmacked. He opens his mouth but closes it and waits.

"I can but I'm afraid it will have to be with my brother, Eddy, I promised him we'd go grab a bite." I inwardly groan, how lame can I be? My brother, dinner.

He laughs a bit, "Well an extra is always beneficial, is there any place you have in mind?"

Where will this man go to eat? I stop and think and a small smile plays on my lips.

"Of course I do. Send me your number and I'll send you the address?" It comes out more as a question than a statement but I don't take it.

"I'll give it to you in the elevator, shall we?" He lifts his hand to lead the way and after the elevator pings, we enter. I didn't notice that we were completely alone.

"Give me your phone."

I hand it to him after opening the lock, and he punctures his number and calls his phone. It must be on silent as I don't hear the sound.

"Ah, now I have yours. Are you nervous for today Miss Malcolm?"

"Call me Harlow." I lift my head to see him already watching me. I flush, in all awareness that it's just the two of us.

"Harlow, you have an incredibly alluring name. I knew a Harlow once, she was a warrior, fierce and noble, undefeated." His words seem to grow distant and I don't drop my head, I continue watching his blue gaze. How could I not look at him?

"Was she in the army?"

He smiles, "You could say that she was an army of her own accord."

"What happened to her?"

"She fell in love with a dark soul and he tried to keep her but she was meant for another, a prince. So eventually she had to leave. The dark soul told her he'd find her, but before he could she tried to kill the prince so she fled, and decided to take another path."

"And the dark soul? the prince?"

"The dark soul never gave up hope, and the prince agreed to help the dark soul find her, and severe their bond forever."

"You talk weird, it is almost like a bedtime story."

He laughs, "Aren't those the best stories? Don't women of today crave princes, heroes and mythical creatures?" His query takes me back a year when my brother said something similar to me.

"Why would the prince give her up? Did he not have any feelings for her?"

"No, the prince was in love with another mythical being, a goddess. He thought Harlow was weak and repulsive, hence why he agreed to help the dark soul. But the prince didn't know that Harlow was not just a warrior, but something greater, something whispered only in the heavens."

"So where is she now? Did they find her?" I ASK, trying to make sense of what he is telling me. Maybe it was a biker story, or a mafia's story in reality. I never heard of this on the news, surely I would be able to figure it out.

"They did, but it is a complicated mess, so they begin again."

I frown as he touches my nose, but it feels as he's done it a million times.

The elevator stops and I am greeted by the sight of Ara and Lee standing extremely close, intimately so, with his breath touching hers. The scene is intimate. Too intimate that it seems forbidden.

The two of them make a fantastic couple, though if I were honest she is way too good for him. I would have pictured her with Nikolai but as his hand touches the small of my back I am glad it isn't him she's chosen.

If Lee sees us as we walk past them, he doesn't show it, but she does, and a small smile, one of pure innocence shines through her.

"Sometimes the innocence of a face hides a lot more than its evil intent," Nikolia whispers in my ear and my body erupts in goosebumps as a shiver rushes down my neckline.

"Kole." The word stops Nikolai and me from entering the room where the smell of food comes from. He groans and I stifle my giggle.

"I'm busy," He answers but still turns around.

I come face to face with Ara and Lee. My face heats up as Ara takes a step closer to me. Not certain why Nikolai does it, but he places his arm around my waist and I feel his fingers flex.

Lee looks at me, and I am certain it isn't the first time he has seen me, but it's as though it is. Because he really stares, and his face almost resembles a tiger who is dying as he swallows and the column of his neck goes taut.

"Go inside, join the others." Lee's words are curt and leave no room for argument. I make a move to do that but Nikolai holds me in place. My head lifts up and I see his hard vision staring at Lee.

"She will do no such thing, I happen to like her right here, by my side." I am not certain what the hell that means but I like it.

"Harlow, NOW." Lee's words have me jumping and this time I can honestly say I am a bit scared of him.

"Nikolai, you are scaring the intern. I'll take Harlow in and you can tell me all about that valedictorian speech you gave at your old high school," Ara says and I frown thinking how such a powerful woman would know something so inconsequential but say another as she leads the way and I follow her.