The Reconstruction of Cyprian

by Michelle Love

  My job had belonged to my stepfather of five years before he decided to travel with Mom at the ripe old age of fifty-three. Mom was five years younger than he was and they were in great health to go all over the world on their adventures.

  I ran by the statue and towards the other side of town as I thought back to those first days. Some men were capable of taking over the company, men that had a lot of years in as well as the talent. Kenneth saw me for what I was: sharp, intelligent and a mind for business and offered me the position of CEO. Some people resented me there, even hated me. I heard the whispers when I walked around, but I didn’t care. This company improved after I started running things. I had five managers that I got on well with and could share ideas with knowing that it stayed between us.

  Those were the men that were joining me in the panel interview in just a few hours. The interns would be working under them, making their opinion valuable even though I wanted to be involved in any of the final decisions. They understood that, and the process generally went smoothly, giving us a handful of new employees over the years.

  I changed a few things within the company after I took over, considering the internships. However, Kenneth explained the value of the program to me. It made the company look exemplary to the public as well as offering some brilliant students that worked hard at a chance for a good future, if not just experience. I’d agreed and kept it and muddled through the interviews every time they came around. Some of the kids were still dumb as rocks, and I wondered how the fuck they did so well in school.

  After I had graduated from Phillips Academy with honors, I tooled around a little with college. I had a degree in Business as well as a minor in Accounting because it made sense from a business perspective. I didn’t have to struggle with finances or even worry about scholarships, living in one of the nicest apartment complexes in town as I made my way through the three years it took me to get my BA.

  I turned the corner once I hit the main street and headed towards the gym in my building. It suited my needs without all of the bright lights and crowds that some of the other ones offered. I just wanted to do my routine and get upstairs to get myself ready for work.

  I wasn’t oblivious to the looks that I got from women in the building. I was just aware that many of them weren’t what I was looking for. I was darker than most, craving control in the bedroom and some of the younger women these days were far too feisty for my tastes. I looked for submissive women that would give in to my every need, quiet and quick to follow my orders.

  I did abdomen exercises today since it was Wednesday. I made it hurt and stayed stoic through the pain as I listened to my guilty pleasure of old eighties rap. I ran late by five minutes and cursed the elevator as I rushed into my penthouse. I showered, quickly working through my products faster than I preferred before spiking my dark hair to perfection and made certain that I looked like the boss that I was in my crisp Armani suit before leaving the house.

  I met my car on the curb, a brand new Bentley driven by a trusted man, Mark Collins. I’d known him for years, and we had an understanding. He drove while I relaxed and caught up on work business and enjoyed a hot cup of coffee.

  It was my moment of peace in a busy day, and I cherished that drive as well as the one that took me home every time I left the building.

  Elisa

  I stood in the tiny bathroom and stared at my wavy hair with despair in my eyes. I didn’t have time to straighten it and make it to Elkus Manfredi for my interview so I reached for one of my ponytail holders and secured the strawberry blonde locks into a classic low bun instead of leaving it down. I made sure that it was smooth on the sides before I added some black mascara to my bright green eyes and brushed a little powder over my pale skin to even it out and hopefully keep it from looking like an oil slick later in the day. I finished off with some deep plum stain on my lips and then dressed in the black pencil skirt and blazer combo with a white silk shirt underneath that my best friend Lorna had insisted that I bought when she came in from Pennsylvania for a quick visit while traveling for work. It was a button up, short sleeved shirt that didn’t show too much cleavage but it also didn’t make me look like a nun.

  I knew the truth to that, though. I practically was one with all of the focus that I put into my schooling. I worked my ass off for the scholarship that provided me with a free ride to MIT and a little money to afford my living expenses. Mama worked two jobs just to support herself, and I’d never ask her for anything. As it was, I was working so hard on my future to take care of her when I could. She was fifty-five now and should be living somewhere better than in one of the more run-down apartment complexes in Boston, taking it easy. It was my turn to pay her back for doing her best being a single mother when my father left us when I was five. Her mother helped for a time, but she was gone when I was thirteen, making Mom work long hours while she left me at home.

  I was a good girl that didn’t complain, working on my homework and studying endlessly. I didn’t have more than a couple of close friends, but I stayed home when they went out, given the financial situation. I was thrilled when I found a tutoring job that would help to provide money to the household and worked long hours doing that after school. It was busy and chaotic, but it was my life.

  It wasn’t much better at this time, living with five other girls in a four-bedroom apartment. It saved money though so I could eat real food every now and then, and the dorms were too expensive for me. I didn’t love sharing a room, but Melody was quiet like me, and it was bearable.

  I looked at the clock by my bed as I slipped my feet into my black heels and felt the nerves inside of my stomach twist painfully. I knew that I qualified for this internship and with my teacher’s assistance, I’d prove that today. I was good at school, and it felt like that was the only thing that I was good at sometimes. That would get me into this company where I could build a future and try to get hired on. Even if I weren't studying architecture at MIT, I’d know that Elkus had a remarkable reputation in the business world. They were responsible for some of the most beautiful structures in the world and very generous to their employees. I could find myself a clean place to live as well as my mother and even see if she could be added to my benefits. I did my research once it was brought to my attention that I was one of the students recommended to Elkus, quickly realizing that it would be pathetic and stupid not to go to this interview.

  I left the apartment with my thrift store purse and tossed my keys inside as I looked for the Uber car I’d asked for a few minutes ago. It was too far to walk even if I wasn’t in heels and I’d have to cut back on something to afford rides if I got this job, at least when I wasn’t in school. I could walk from there.

  I saw a little yellow Focus sitting at the curb with a pretty redheaded girl looking around. “Elisa?” She asked through her passenger window, and I nodded as I slid into the back. “Where are you going?” She glanced at a screen and then gave me another look before pulling away from the curb. “Job interview?”

  “It’s for an internship. I’m not graduating for another year.,” I responded with a soft smile as she merged into traffic with a sharp twist of the wheel. I swallowed and held onto the back door as I prayed for a safe trip, knowing my dislike of cabs and other public transportation. It was a jerky ride as the girl sang along to the radio and took the turns seemingly without using brakes as my eyes remained wide and my stomach shifted uncomfortably.

  “Good luck!” She told me as she stopped in front of the massive building and grinned at me. I thanked her and got out, regretting the five-dollar tip that I’d given her on the app. That was insane. I looked up at the glass that seemed to reflect all of the light back out into the street for all to see, all the while looking flawless. I walked forward and looked into a panel near the door to make sure that I still looked presentable as I pressed my full lips together.

  Entering the massive lobby, I looked for the desk to let them know that I’d arrived. The cold blonde woman that look
ed almost fake directed me to the bank of elevators and instructed me to take them to the tenth floor. From there, the receptionist would direct me where to go. I thanked her and felt her eyes looking me up and down as I walked away, aware that it wasn’t in a good way. I shook it off and pressed the button and waited with a group of similarly dressed people that split up as the three doors opened simultaneously.

  I ended up with two guys and two girls that nervously discussed the interview. I remained quiet as I glanced at them and tried to decide if they were dressed better than I was and if they went to a better school. We all appeared to be the same age, and I looked away as one of the guys moved his eyes towards me. “Are you here for it as well?”

  “The interview? Yes, I am.” I smiled as I responded and he nodded as he looked me over. It was uncomfortable, and I was relieved when the elevator stopped on the fifth floor and opened to reveal a gorgeous man that walked in and stood by me as we waited to go. The guy ogling me turned forward as I shuddered and wrapped my arms in front of my chest. I knew that I had a decent figure I should be proud of, but I didn’t want others doing so. I glanced at the man beside me to see that he had a scowl on his face, and I wondered if he’d done something to the student looking at me.

  The door opened a few floors up, and I let everyone else get off before I stepped forward. I felt shaky, and I tried to take a deep breath as the last arrival slid his hand in front of the sliding doors for me. I looked at him and murmured thanks as I looked to the left and right to see the other group going towards the middle of the floor.

  It was stunning here. I wouldn’t even begin to guess what the square footage was in this building, and everything inside was clean and in some cases, sparkling. I looked outside and realized that the glass offered some sense of a tint so not to blind you in the building. The floors were some sort of a gray marble, and I didn’t see a speck of dirt on them. There were couches scattered about with tables and not the kind just for looks. These could be used for the nap that I felt like I needed right now.

  I approached the desk as the others left and glanced behind me to see the man from the elevator looking at me before he disappeared down a hallway. He was intense, though I couldn’t pinpoint what it was about him. “Good morning. I’m here for an interview,” I told the brunette with the resting bitch face as she asked me my name in a monotone voice. “I’m Elisa Moore.”

  “They’ll be calling you in order as the interviews move along. Have a seat anywhere in this lobby.” This girl made me miss the driver’s bright smile and enthusiasm.

  “Thank you,” I told her with a bright smile, wanting to make a good impression every step of the way. I’d blown it with the guy on the elevator but what were the chances of him being involved in the interview? This was a huge company and even if I got the position, I might never see him again.

  He was handsome. It was a shame that I didn’t have the confidence for a man like that.

  I went to sit and wait off by the window, not looking for conversation today. I checked a few apps on my phone to kill some time as I only proceeded to become more and more anxious as the minutes ticked by.

  Damon

  I knew that I had to get back to the sixth floor for the interviews, and I pressed the button and waited. As the doors slid open, I saw a group of what I recognized as potential interviewees as I moved past them and stood beside another young woman. When I glanced over, I saw one of the men looking at the quiet girl wolfishly and shot him a dark look with my icy blue eyes. I knew what they were capable of. I didn’t even look at women that way, and I was a dominant, at least not at first. There was something called tact that I appreciated as a man past my early twenties.

  He turned and faced the doors again, and I smirked in response. I watched her out of the corner of my eye and the woman shivered as she crossed her arms over what even I could admit was a generous chest. With a slightly closer look, I realized that she might be here for an interview. She was young and dressed in what once would term a ‘power suit,' something that was common in the business world. She looked beautiful, and I turned my head as I saw her start to look at me.

  Beautiful and far too pure for my kind, particularly if she was here to interview to become an intern. That was against my own rules despite the numerous women that had attempted to seduce me here. I didn’t mix business with pleasure, and I had an entirely separate place for the latter, somewhere I doubted that any of these people would be found.

  We came to the floor that I suspected everyone needed, and the group that was talking in their young voices and immature sense strolled out first. I sensed the other woman holding back, and I stepped to the side and gestured to keep the door open so she could exit.

  Based on what I’d seen, she had more of a chance of getting any kind of position here over the others even if she was nervous. She walked out and looked at me with bright wide eyes that were green with a touch of shimmer and highly unusual. Her pale cheeks were spotted with pink and she blushed further as she thanked me and gave the lobby a long lost look.

  Interview. Fantastic. I could not be attracted to anyone that I worked with, and a part of me hoped that she’d blow the interview. I was drawn to this girl, something that was a typical for me at work and it was best nipped in the bud. My imagination was already going to dangerous places with her staying in it. I wasn’t known for avoiding something that I wanted if there was a strong enough need.

  I joined my managers in the large conference room as we sat in our places at one end of the table with our coffee and notebooks. I always jotted down bits and pieces of what made one person stand out as did the others so as to compare notes later. We were interviewing seventy-five students total, thirty of which were today. I knew from experience that half would be weeded out with whatever their resume told us, most of which was provided by the school as these kids hadn’t worked yet. I dug deep into their school career, though, dating back to middle school and what they were involved in. This wasn’t an intelligence contest; it was a look into who you were as a person.

  Though we could all lie, couldn’t we? I didn’t let on too many about my extracurricular activities after hours, being the private man that I was.

  We started bringing them in, one by one. A lot of the applicants were young and immature, despite their recommendation and accompanying paperwork. They weren’t ready for this step, and I dismissed them in my head as they each left. When the douche bag from the elevator walked in and sat down, I made a point of staring him down as his face paled. He was gone before he even had a chance.

  I listened through the following three and found them to be boring as I knew that my tolerance was getting low as I glanced at my Rolex. I needed to go to lunch or at least my office and decompress from this nonsense.

  I glanced down at my list to see that a woman named Elisa Moore was up next and sipped my lukewarm coffee as the door opened and she stepped inside. I sat up instantly, taking in the soft pale skin and those unforgettable eyes. Elisa smiled, but I could tell that she was still scared as she sat at the table while one of us went to get her resume.

  I stared at her as she handed it over and flicked her eyes over me as dread filled her face for a fleeting second. She knew who I was just as much I did her, and it turned me on to see her cheeks turn pink as I licked my lips. “Miss Moore,” Brent started as I forced my eyes to her paperwork.

  Elisa was exactly what we were looking for, and I fucking hated that. She had previous job experience, and it was complimentary to boot. She’d been involved in all of the right things through middle school as well as high school, still with time to hold the highest grades that Elisa could with each year. She was top of her class at MIT, which was a feat in itself.

  She’d be a valuable asset to this company if only my cock weren't throbbing underneath this table. I imagined her tied to my bed and spread out for me, with her pink pussy exposed and ready for me.

  I sensed that she wasn’t entirely confident with the questio
ns, but someone had schooled her well. She answered with the right amount of enthusiasm and what I took for a facade of confidence. That was all we needed, and I glanced around at the other guys and saw the grins on their faces. Shit, I needed to stop this before it even began and I felt a drop of sweat slide down my face as Jacob thanked her for coming, warmly unlike many of the others. He assured her that she’d hear from us soon and she thanked us and took the time to make eye contact with each one of us, just a flash shorter with me than the others.

  Elisa stood, and I watched her hips sway as she walked out of the room, feeling a strong need to push her down and bare that ass. It was tight and juicy, and I pictured her skin with marks from my hands staining it…and more. The door closed as I blinked and Ryan set his pen down. “One more like that one and we’re set. Is anyone else sick of talking and hungry like I am?”

  “I’ll have Brynn order in sushi, and we can speak in the small room, though I think we all agree on Elisa,” Brent said as he pulled out his sleek phone and sent a text before he stretched.

  No, we didn’t. Maybe they didn’t want her, but I did. I wanted her with every inch of my soul, to be the one to make her scream my name.

  “I let Rachel know that we’re breaking for lunch as well. We’ll start back in a couple of hours,” Ryan told us as he stood and the others followed. I was the last to stand and leave the room, swearing that I could still smell her cherry blossom scent. Fucking hell. We went to the smaller room located in the corner where we wouldn’t be disturbed. I made some coffee and sat down as I pinched the bridge of my nose to tame the headache that was forming as the others talked about the interviews.

  “Elisa is in. She’s a natural for this place,” Brent said as he took a long drink from his Coke and paced the room. “Pete seemed good as well.”