The Publicist's Plight (Book I in The Harrison Inc. Series) | ✓

Chapter Fifty Four: Conflict of Interest

**
For the record: I hate running. Especially from people who are faster than me. But I guess throwing my shoes at Sebastian's face gave me a bit of a head start.

But not for long.

The minute I run through the kitchen and through the back door, I hear him sprinting through the kitchen behind me. I'm screaming now like this is a horror movie, because this is.

When have I ever asked to be involved in this?

Guest house. Run to the guest house. That was the initial plan, and I follow through with it until I see a tall, bearded man blocking my way.

"That's her, Claude!" Sebastian informs him.

Asshole.

I sprint as fast as I can in the opposite direction, though their strides are nearing at an alarming rate. I spot one of the cooks bringing a half-empty platter of chicken up the hill. I grab it, throw it behind me and keep running. It hit the ground, but luckily Claude slips on it and falls on the grass. Laughs erupt from the Vauns down by the lake; I'm glad this is funny to them, but to me, this is anything but humorous.

"Sebastian!" I scream out of breath. "I demand you stop this!"

I'm now hiding behind a table, hunched over, waiting for him to dodge left or right so I can move the opposite direction. He's on the opposite end of the table, drenched in sweat, staring at me like a predator challenging his prey. The smile on his face is sinister; he's enjoying this very much.

"Just surrender, Leslie," he pants. "You can't run forever."

He lunges right, I run left. The Vaun family moves out of the way, laughing at Sebastian chasing me as I scream like I'm about to be murdered. The elderly women and men sitting at their luxurious table laugh while smoking cigars or eating desserts. I've never been so embarrassed; this is the last way I wanted to be introduced to the family.

Suddenly, I feel my body fling forward as I trip on my own feet, but before I can make direct contact with the ground, Sebastian's arms snake underneath my waist, lift me up and haul me over his shoulder. It's like an intense moment of whiplash before the entire world is upside down, and all I see is the moist earth by the lake.

And Sebastian's butt.

"Sebastian!" I yell, but he pretends like his pretty ears can't hear me. There's a small dock that he's nearing while gradually laughing at my enraged complaining. And to make matters worse, he moves his arm from the small of my back to right on my ass and pats it a few times.

"Hey!" I shout at him. "That is private property, Mister!"

I have to think of something to free myself from him, because I refuse to fall victim to the others who have been thrown into the lake. So, I start hitting his back, throwing a tantrum like an upset child and even making my body go stiff to increase the load, but it does little to help the situation. The water is getting closer, and out of panic, I head to the last resort and do something I didn't expect myself to do.

I grab his briefs and pull as hard as I can.

Which results in both of us falling into the lake.

**

"C'mon, it was funny!"

Sebastian's voice is the last thing I want to hear in my ear as I stomp my way to the main house, soaking wet, irritable, and victim of water in my ears.

Loretta offered to get us towels since all of the ones by the lake were being used, and I offered to follow; anything to get away from Sebastian, because if I were to be even a foot near him, I would want to claw his eyes out.