"What did you want to say?" Quinn asked.
They had made it to the floor below and into a conference room with a scan of Quinn's badge. Michel would never offer something like that, so it would be on Quinn to answer on a later date why he was in a conference room alone. It was to make sure that nothing untoward happened to others, especially between alphas and omegas, but now Quinn was in here to preserve his and Michel's pride.
Quinn didn't even bother turning on the lights. Michel could turn them on if he wanted, and now that he was away from prying eyes, Quinn's calm expression dropped. He crossed his arms, glaring at Michel with all the venom he'd felt built up inside of him in the time he hadn't seen him.
It was clear from Michel's blank expression that he didn't think Quinn would react this way. It was foolish of him to think so. How else was someone going to respond to having their sex partner break up with them after having their way with them in the cruelest way and then tell them that they wanted to introduce them to their fiancé? Was he a damn moron? Did he even have a brain in between his eyes?
That wasn't very nice of Quinn to think, but damn, what else could he do? The man was…clueless in the worst way if that was something he was thinking.
"Excuse me?" Michel asked, too much attitude in his tone for Quinn's liking.
"What are you upset about? You apparently caused a disturbance in my department yesterday, explicitly against what you told me not to do when we first started our arrangement. Now that it's over you think you can do whatever you want? I have a reputation to uphold, Michel, and even if we had a special relationship before, it's over. We're just former childhood best friends now." Quinn's words were scathing and seemed to take Michel by even more surprise.
"Where do you think you can talk to me like that? You're the one who went back on your promise!" Michel hissed and Quinn raised his eyebrows.
"I went back on my promise? I did? Do you even know why I didn't make it to the end of the year party? Did you ask my manager, Mr. Harrison, why I was unable to do so? I'm sure if you used your connections in the company you would have been able to look up what I was doing during the end of the year party." Quinn's voice was cold, cool, and seemed to be making Michel more confused.
It was clear from his reaction that he had expected Quinn to bow to him like some kind of peasant. Like Quinn didn't have any self worth. He had some, even if it was small. He knew he was capable, knew he was good at his job. It was just like Michel to try and disrupt the one thing he knew he was good at.
Quinn scoffed, turning his head to the side. Why had he even agreed to a yearlong arrangement with this man? What did he think he was going to get out of this? The only thing that Michel had going for him was his dick, and even then he was certain that there were others with better ones out there.
Quinn's face warmed at the unkind thought, but he didn't regret it. He wouldn't take it back, either.
"You said you would come." Quinn sighed.
"I barely said anything after you ended everything. On your own, I might add." Quinn's voice was still cold. Michel flinched. "And RSVPing is the bare minimum I'm supposed to do as an employee, and a team lead. That's why I had to message Mr. Harrison when something came up." Quinn didn't have a lot of hope that Michel would ask what happened, but there was a small kernel that hoped that he would. That he wouldn't show himself as a complete dick.
Quinn wasn't sure if he held that hope for himself, or for Michel. He didn't even know if it would make him feel better to know he slept with a man for a year who had some human decency.
Michel dropped his head, staring at his feet for a long, quiet moment.
"I told my fiancé that I would introduce you to them. You made me look like a fool on the day of my engagement." Quinn wanted to laugh. He made him look like a fool? No one did that but himself.
"Why would you even want to introduce me to your fiancé? I'm a beta." Quinn asked and watched as Michel flinched. It was one thing for Michel to say it, but it was another if Quinn said it, hmm? After all, the few betas that Michel kept around himself were either attractive, smart, or both. Quinn hadn't made the fold when he was a kid, but now suddenly he did? Quinn felt like there was something else to this, and he wasn't sure he was going to like it when he found out.
Quinn let out a deep sigh, tilting his wrist up to check his watch. He'd already lost enough time on this man, and now he'd come huffing and puffing for no good reason and stealing more of his time. Hadn't it been enough?
Michel himself had said that they were over. Why was he continuing to pester him now?
"Michel, I at least deserve an answer to that, don't you think? I've done everything that you wanted of me, went along with all of your whims." Quinn stepped forward, moving closer to Michel and watched as the taller, more dominant man flinched as Quinn approached. "I even let you cum in me without complaint, went along with all of your damn fantasies without complaint, and now after you've ended things you think you still have control over me?" Quinn asked, before he felt his lips curl up into a bitter smile.
He took a step back, shaking his head as he laughed. At himself? At Michel? He wasn't sure. He just found this all rather humourous. He was putting on a serious, brave front while his damn hands were shaking. His knees were knocking, his spine stiff. If Michel even bothered to look at him he would know that Quinn was shaken, but given how the man was responding right now, he'd never properly seen Quinn at all. Why had Michel even approached him?
"It's over, Michel. You've made that very clear. Let's just pretend none of this ever happened and go one like we're strangers. We are, aren't we? You made that clear too." Quinn sucked in a deep breath, his body trembling. "Don't come storming in like this ever again. I can explain away once or twice, say that you just hadn't heard from me after I suddenly disappeared over the holidays, but that's it. We aren't close enough for you to behave this way." Quinn told him.
Michel looked shocked. Truly shocked that Quinn was speaking to him like this. Quinn had no idea why. Quinn was only passive around him because, well, he'd seen him through rose-coloured glasses. He was the one who ruined it.
How else was a beta going to make it in a department run by alphas? How else would he have been personally selected over alphas as a beta to work for his parent's company? Michel should rub his two brain cells together and realise that Quinn had put up with a lot.
Quinn didn't think that he would, though.
"Are you going to be okay going back to your lunch or whatever? Or do I need to escort you back to your office?" Quinn asked. Michel jerked, pulling his gaze upwards to meet the cold brown gaze of Quinn. He swallowed, scanning Quinn from head to toe as if seeing him for the first time before he shook his head.
"I'm not a damn fool, Quinn. I'm capable of navigating my own family's business!" He snapped. Quinn chuckled.
"Well good. I'm glad that you're able to do that." Michel's face warmed and Quinn wasn't sure what made him upset. Currently, Quinn didn't really care. He just wanted to get out of here before Michel realised that Quinn was more affected by him then he let on.
Quinn hesitated before he moved, brushing past Michel as he headed for the door. Quinn jerked to a halt when Michel reached out and grabbed his arm. Quinn turned, ready to snarl at him when Michel surprised him further.
He pulled him in and kissed him.
Repulsed, Quinn shoved him, pushing against the idiot, breathing heavy and hard as anger filled him. Michel stood there, shocked as Quinn wiped the back of his mouth, stumbling back until he hit the glass wall between the hallway and the conference room.
"Have you lost your damn mind?!" Quinn shouted, not caring who heard them at the moment. "What the hell are you doing?" Quinn's chest was rising and falling, anger filling him. The damn fool had not only suddenly forced himself on him, he'd even tried to pull him closer, kissing him deeper. Quinn swore he felt his tongue brush against his lips.
Michel was flushed, his eyes wild as he stared at Quinn, confused.
"Isn't this what you wanted?" Michel asked and Quinn stared at him, slack-jawed.
"Are you out of your ever-loving mind? Why the hell would I want you to do that?" Quinn demanded and Michel stared at him, seemingly even more confused.
"Everyone does that when they want more attention from me. I didn't think you'd be any different. You're acting up because you're upset with how I ended it, right? That's why you didn't answer my calls or texts after."
Quinn had given him too much credit. He was fucking crazy, that's what he was.
Quinn scoffed, glaring at the damn fool.
"I can't believe I ever let you inside of me." Quinn told him, spinning on his heel and unlocking the door. He flung it open and then slammed it behind him for good measure. He'd already said what he needed to say, and it was up to Michel to figure it the fuck out. If he came back to bother him Quinn was not going to be as nice as he had been before.
He was sure Mr. Harrison would have his back, and worst case? He would reach out to his half sister and tell her what had happened. He wasn't against using his own circumstances against Michel if it got him off of his back. He knew that they didn't have a good relationship and she would be delighted to watch Michel squirm.
If it meant that Quinn had to leave his job? He'd do it. Fuck that man. Like Quinn would ever act out for his attention? Had he'd never noticed how Quinn behaved before now? He'd let Michel go. Twice at this point. Now he was intentionally never getting near the man again.
Quinn shuddered, anger fueling him as he moved towards the stairs. He needed some fresh air, and some exercise. There was no way in hell he was going to stand in that damn elevator waiting for someone to ask him how he was doing right now. He couldn't fake it at the moment.