Page 165 of Brutal Heir

As expected, everyone was clamoring for the opportunity to work with the House of Diamanti.

The name alone carried weight, power, and prestige.

I was so absorbed in my work that I didn’t hear Sebastian enter.

"Sei davvero bellissima quando ti concentri sul lavoro. È adorabile come la tua linguetta carina spunta tra i denti."

I started at his unexpected presence. “What was that?”

He stepped farther into the room until he stood over me, his fingers sweeping a lock of hair away from my cheek. “I said you look beautiful when you work. I find it particularly adorable how you stick your tongue out from between your teeth when you’re concentrating.”

I covered my mouth. “I don’t do that.”

I totally did that.

It unsettled me how observant this man was.

Nothing got past him—not a glimmer of emotion, a guarded glance, or even a secret thought.

He read me like a rare, uncut diamond, tracing every flaw, every hidden fire beneath the surface.

He pushed my chair out from under my desk. “Come. I want you by my side for this next meeting.”

I dragged my feet on the floor to stop him from rolling my chair farther. “Is this going to piss off half of your executive staff? Because if so, I respectfully decline the invitation.”

The hostile glares I received daily from his employees tired me.

He raised an eyebrow. “You respectfully decline?”

Unease coiled in my stomach. It wasn’t what he'd said, but how he'd said it. That low, clipped tone, signaling displeasure.

I lowered my head and gave him a quick nod.

He chuckled and gave my chair a shove backward. Then, placing his hand on the high back, he leaned over me. “Well, I respectfully decline your declination. Now stand up before you force me to carry you out of here.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

His fingers slid beneath my chin, tilting my face up to his as he loomed over me. “Do you really want to play that game with me?”

A sharp inhale. A single second of hesitation.

I closed my eyes briefly. “No.”

“Good girl. Now come. We’re wasting time.”

With a sigh, I placed my hand on his bent arm and followed him out of the office and down the hall to a conference room guarded by two men in suits.

The moment we reached the double doors, they opened them with seamless precision.

The room was cavernous, with a conference table that seated at least thirty people, carved from what appeared to be black onyx. On the opposite side, rows of high metal tables were arranged with plush velvet-cushioned benches, each station equipped with a flexible diamond-grading light.

But the true masterpiece of the room? The walls.

Spotlit display cases framed the entire perimeter, showcasing some of the most remarkable diamonds I’d ever seen.

Pure crystalline fire, set in velvet darkness, whispering of history, power, and untouchable wealth.

Sebastian pressed a hidden panel. After entering a lengthy code, a click sounded, then a soft whoosh. The display windows slid open in synchronized precision.