Silas glances at a document in front of him, and I quickly realize that it’s my resume. “Tell me, why do you think you’d be a good fit for Sinclair Security?”
I stare at him in surprise. Is he serious? He can’t seriously be conducting my interview himself, can he? I force myself to get it together and answer the question the way I practiced.
“I… I’ve followed the growth of Sinclair Security for years now. I’m aware you started with private investigations and ended up growing this business to encompass security of all types, including cybersecurity. The research you do and the company’s trajectory are astonishing. I think Sinclair Security will become even more of a powerhouse than it currently is, and I’d love to be part of it.”
It’s true. I truly admire this company and all he’s done with it. It might be near impossible to find information on him online, but I hear the rumors from the industry experts I know. This company is astonishing and barely anyone even knows it even exists.
“You specifically applied to be part of the Ψ division, even though it’s the toughest division to get into. If you did your research at all, you’ll know that we mostly hire internally for this division. Why did you apply here instead of the other departments that are much easier to access?”
I look down at my hands for a moment, startled by the question. “I’m intrigued by the secrecy surrounding this department, and I love a good challenge. The opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the country isn’t one I could let slip by, even if my chances of joining are slim.”
He stares at me as though he knows I’m lying and shakes his head. “Tell me the full truth, Alanna.”
I look into his eyes, finding encouragement in them. “I don’t know,” I whisper truthfully. “I don’t know, Silas. All I know is that I belong here. When I first heard of the Ψ division, I just knew. That makes no sense, and I know that it doesn’t, but it is the truth. I feel like I’ll find the answers I’m seeking here.”
“What answers are you seeking?” he asks, his voice soft.
“I’m looking for someone,” I admit. “Someone I keep dreaming of. I can’t keep this from you because I know you’ll do a full background check before you’ll even consider hiring me, but I suffer from amnesia. Despite that, there’s someone I keep dreaming of. I don’t know who it is, but I feel like someone out there is waiting for me. I have no intention of using corporate resources to find this person. Please don’t misunderstand. I just… I just feel like being here gets me a step closer.”
He stares at me, and for a moment, I’m certain he’ll ask me to leave his office and never return, shredding my resume in the process. Instead, he nods and proceeds to ask me basic interview questions. Much to my relief, the interview proceeds that way, with Silas asking questions I’ve prepared for.
Just when I think I’m in the clear, Silas drops his pen on top of my resume and stares me down. “Have you wanted to work here since before you met Ryan?”
The personal question throws me off. He’s been so professional since I walked in here that he made it easy to forget what he told me. If he doesn’t think I’m good enough to be with his brother, why would he think I’m good enough for his company?
“That’s right,” I tell him, unsure what else to say.
Silas nods. “So you don’t solely want to work here to be with Ryan?”
I grit my teeth in annoyance. I hate this. I hate that so many people assume I’d be nothing without him, that I’ll follow wherever he goes. Ryan is a great guy and I do see a future with him, but that doesn’t mean I’ll forget about my own plans and goals.
“No,” I say, my voice deceptively sweet. Silas Sinclair. I wish I could throw something at him and walk out of his stupid office, but I want this job too badly.
He stares at me, an irritating smile on his face, and it becomes harder to resist temptation. I want to walk away and slam his door as loudly as I can, preferably in his stupid, annoyingly handsome face. Instead, I smile back at him.
He turns his laptop to me, his gaze unreadable once again. “Crack this, and you’re hired. I want the password to this email address within ten minutes. You can use any of the software already installed on my laptop, including the software you’ll need if you know what you’re doing.”
I glance at the piece of paper he hands me and frown. [email protected]? He’s asking me to give him the password to his own email address? I bite down on my lip, unsure if he’s giving me a near impossible task just to keep me from joining his firm. The man is an enigma.