For the Win

by Brenna Aubrey

He followed me out of the office, and I turned and went into mine while he headed to his meeting.

  The minute I rounded the doorway, I stopped in my tracks. Snow White--uh, my new intern--was bent over, her round, delectable ass in the air, dragging a heavy box stuffed with files across the floor.

  After taking a split second to admire the view--complete with yellow thong peeking up over the edge of her skirt--I noticed that her short-cropped sweater had ridden up, revealing the tramp stamp tattoo. I'd traced that tattoo with my tongue. It had tasted delicious, that very distinctive tramp stamp. A very memorable--incriminating--one.

  I slammed the door shut so loud the entire wall shook. The girl almost jumped out of her skin, stumbling on her high-heeled boots and staring at me, her beautiful blue eyes widened in shock.

  "Uh. Oh, I'm sorry, Jordan. I just noticed this file box on the floor over there and it looked really messy, so I figured I'd--Oh, but now I remember that Charles said I probably shouldn't touch your stuff."

  My eyes narrowed. What kind of game was she playing? Was she flashing that tattoo at me on purpose--trying to taunt me with it and the dirt she had on me? A small ball of rage flared up in my chest.

  I spoke between my clenched teeth. "Do you have any idea what's going on in these offices today, Miss Weiss? Why the officers seem in an uproar? Have you picked up on any of that?"

  She frowned, her hands clasping each other nervously. "Um...people have said there's something weird going on, but no one knows what it is."

  "Well, thank God for that. But you know what? I'm going to tell you what it is, and you aren't going to breathe a word to any of your little intern friends, got it? Because there's a viral video out there on the Internet right now featuring people dressed up like characters from Dragon Epoch, and at least one of the participants is an employee of this company."

  She froze, going white as a sheet. Truly living up to her nickname now. To say it didn't feel good to see her terrified half out of her mind would be a lie. As pissed off as I was at this moment, I wanted to scare the shit out of her. She wasn't messing around at the sorority anymore. I could play hardball, and I wouldn't be swayed by a pretty face.

  "You wouldn't...know anything about that, would you, Miss Weiss?"

  She glanced at me and then away, starting to shake and appearing as if she might faint.

  I walked toward her slowly, but she didn't look at me. Her eyes shifted to the floor and her head bent forward, her long, dark hair falling forward to curtain her face. I circled her like a predator. She visibly swallowed, utterly petrified.

  Good.

  "I--" she began shakily.

  "Shh. Say nothing. You are going to do everything I say and you are going to do it yesterday. The first thing to remember is that the dress code in this office is business casual, and it would be in your best interest to make sure that tattoo of yours stays covered up. Got it?"

  She jumped, her head snapping up. "Y-yes. Yes."

  "And the other participant in the video...?" I breathed. I was standing behind her now, speaking over her shoulder. It was as intimidating as hell, I was sure. But I did it mostly so she wouldn't see my face. I had to be certain that she didn't know it was me.

  April was silent for a moment--a tense moment--while I waited behind her, feeling the warmth of her body close to mine, smelling the scent rising off her hair, her pale neck. She smelled sweet, like honey. It drifted to my nose and I remembered--again--burying my face in that soft hair, that neck. Even looking down at it now, I was fascinated by the white skin, the delicate lacing of blue veins underneath, the tiny dark freckle just below the hairline. My entire body was reacting to her. Christ almighty.

  "I--I have no idea. He was...some guy at Comic-Con." Her voice was shaky, nervous.

  The relief that washed over me in that moment almost floored me. Thank God. At least there was that. I still had to mop up this mess, but at least it wasn't my ass on the line.

  "I should fire you right this second," I growled.

  She faced me. "Please. I don't know how it happened. I just--"

  "Shh--" I held up a finger to her mouth. Her lips were dark pink, full, soft. How amazing they had felt wrapped around my--

  Goddamn it. I took a step back. "I want that box of files organized, indexed and out of this office with a full description of every slip of paper in them before you leave today. Got it?"

  She blinked. "Uh, yeah. Yes. Sure."

  "Then do it. Now."

  With a jump, she turned back to the box, about to bend over again.

  "Get a damn cart to wheel it out of here. Christ."

  She walked out of the office on shaky legs without even looking at me.

  I rubbed the back of my neck, determined to be gone when she got back. She was too quick for me though and re-entered a minute later, pushing the cart dejectedly across the office to the box.

  I growled again. "You need to meet me in Research and Development at four. Other than that, you are working on this until it's done and you don't go home until then."

  Without missing a beat, she nodded. "Yes. Yes, sir. I'm--"

  "Save it. Just get it done." I turned and stormed out, heading for the cafeteria to grab some shitty food to eat while she cleared out of my office.

  Chapter 3

  April

  Oh shit. Shit. Goddamn. Fuck. I was screwed, so very screwed. More screwed than I was that hot night at Comic-Con. Shit. Goddamn. Fuck. The sex had been the best I'd ever had, but it had not been worth this.

  The best sex in the world was not worth it if it ended up ruining your life. Now Jordan knew I was the one in that video and he could reveal that at any time. And who knew? He might do it if I screwed up badly or if he decided it was in his best interest to do so.

  How had this workday degraded so quickly? This morning I'd been so eager to put the viral video craziness behind me and start my new job. I was excited and raring to go, eager to please my new boss--my very hot, young, new boss.

  I'd had to remind myself several times not to stare at him when I'd first brought him his coffee. It would not do to develop a crush. In fact, it could be downright detrimental.

  He'd looked up at me, kind of bleary-eyed from an obvious hangover. But he was so gorgeous even with glassy eyes and a slightly greenish complexion. With his light brown hair and hazel eyes that sometimes looked green, sometimes brown, sometimes gray. I wondered if they changed color based on his mood or the clothes he wore. I spent at least an hour contemplating his eyes after I'd left him alone.

  That was before all Hell had broken loose. Then he'd spoken to me like he wanted me gone yesterday.

  Hours later, when I was elbow-deep in the files, I determined that I should resign on the spot while I still had my dignity. There was nothing they could do to me after the fact...right? I'd be safe if I resigned.

  But if I quit this internship early, my counselor at the university wouldn't be able to find me a new placement because I'd already graduated. I'd been placed here before finishing my studies and stayed on for the opportunity to get the coveted recommendation.

  So I couldn't quit and kiss that goodbye.

  My hands trembled and I'd all but given up before I murmured my old adage to myself. WWSD? What would Scarlett O'Hara do? She'd never give up. She'd fight with her last breath. She had. Over and over.

  But I wasn't like Scarlett. I didn't have courage. I gave in repeatedly. Because it was easier. I blinked back tears of frustration and kept at my work until Charles called over to me from his desk. "Hey, April. You're wanted in R&D."

  Oh, shit. I glanced up at the clock. It was quarter after four. Damn it! Jordan had said to be there at four o'clock and now I was late. He'd surely fire me now. He already hated my ass. Why, really, was I even still here?

  I contemplated that as I walked the route from my desk to Research and Development, which was on the other side of the complex. Somewhere along the line, Cari and Ingrid, another intern, fell into step alongside me.
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  "Hey, superstar," Cari said with an obnoxious wink. "How's your first day in the big leagues going?"

  I shrugged. "Okay." I stepped up my pace, glancing at my watch. Damn. I was so late.

  "Where're you off to in such a hurry?" Cari asked, speeding to keep up.

  "I'm supposed to be at R&D right now. Jordan is meeting with other officers about some new equipment that just arrived--"

  "Other officers?" Cari perked up. "You mean like Adam? Is Adam going to be there?"

  I suppressed a sigh. While I agreed with her that the company's CEO was ridiculously good-looking, I was starting to get weirded out by her constant fixation on him. It used to be all in fun. We'd make comments about what clothes he was wearing or how great his ass looked in jeans on casual Friday, but it started feeling wrong when I found out he had a girlfriend--and that that girlfriend was someone we had all worked with for months, Mia Strong.

  Cari had refused to accept this because she'd always felt entitled to him in some bizarre way. I'd thought it was an innocent crush at first, but after his relationship with Mia had been revealed, she'd become enraged that Mia had swooped in and "stolen him right out from under" her.

  I doubt it had actually happened that way, but Cari had become progressively unstable in the last year since I'd met her. I assumed this was due to the loss of her brother mere months before she'd started her internship, but it was hard to say because I didn't know her that well to begin with. Either way, her fixation on Adam was growing into a determined hatred of Mia.

  While we'd worked with her, Mia always kept to herself, but I never disliked her. Then she got sick--really sick--and I opened my big mouth at a party and said some stupid stuff. Cari had been nitpicking Mia's appearance and I'd agreed with her. Mia had heard what I said and I felt mortified, but she handled it with grace and strength. When that happened, I'd wanted the ground to open up and swallow me on the spot. Not unlike the events of today, to be honest.

  In answer to Cari's question, I shrugged. "I don't know. I don't even know if Adam's in today."

  Her head jerked toward me in obvious shock. "You mean you work right in front of his office and you haven't seen him? I'd be stalking his ass constantly if I worked up there."

  I wasn't surprised by that admission.

  "Nope. I've had too much to do. I'm there to work, not scope out the men." Besides, personally I found Jordan hotter than Adam. There was something about his smolder, the gleam in those hazel eyes. The man oozed sex appeal. When he stood close to me today, though I'd been terrified, naturally, of the information he'd been conveying, I was also incredibly aware of him on every level. The smell of his subtle cologne. The feel of his hot breath on the back of my neck. His imposing height and solid build towering over me. I'd almost dropped to my knees to beg for mercy for reasons other than my job. I swallowed, wondering what was going on with me. My libido was in overdrive, and I had no one to thank for it but the hot mystery man of Comic-Con.

  Alas, I personally hoped that wouldn't be the best sex I'd ever have in my life or I'd have to box up all my sexy lingerie. Maybe I'd have to resort to running through the convention next year with a Falco helmet, trying it on every guy like Prince Charming had done for Cinderella with her glass slipper.

  "I'm coming with you," Cari squeaked.

  "Me too!" Ingrid echoed, clapping her hands together.

  "I'm not sure this is something you guys are allowed to come to."

  Cari shot me an unreadable look and then shrugged. "They can throw me out then. Better to ask forgiveness than permission!"

  We walked through the double doors into R&D, which was set up like a giant warehouse with various terminals and stations. This area was used for testing new software and hardware. Since there had been talk of prototype equipment, I guessed in this case it was hardware.

  A group of people huddled at the other side of the warehouse, and I spotted Jordan's tall form among them. I rushed along while at the same time trying to walk so that my heeled boots wouldn't echo loudly across the floor. When I'd almost reached the group, he turned, speared a look at me and glanced pointedly at his watch, scowling, before turning his attention back to the demonstration in front of us.

  Adam Drake was standing in front of a giant screen in what was called command central--a huge video monitor that allowed a number of people to watch what was going on. The video game displayed was, of course, Dragon Epoch.

  Near Adam, two play testers were perched atop circular platforms, wired into some strange-looking equipment with harnesses around their waists. Each woman wore goggles and matching tennis shoes with, as Adam pointed out, special sensors on them to track their every movement in the virtual world. I recognized one of the play testers as Adam's fiancee, Mia. The other one was shorter, with a red braid dangling down her back.

  Behind them, their characters were displayed on the screen. As the women walked, ran, or gestured on their platforms, their characters mirrored them in real-time. When Mia would swing her arm in a giant arc to the right, her character, Eloisa--so the name said above her head--would do the same thing on the screen before us with an almost undetectable delay.

  Adam explained to the small crowd. "These sensors allow the game to interpret signals from the player's body language to give commands to the character in the game, so that instead of using a keyboard or game controller, the player can use this equipment and their own gestures. What the players see on their goggle display is a three-dimensional depiction of the game environment. In this particular scenario, Mia is a spell caster and Katya plays a healer so their spells are different." He turned to Mia. "Cast a fire blaze," he said.

  She made a wide-circled gesture with her right arm and then flicked her wrist. On the large screen in front of them, the character did the same thing and a giant ball of fire appeared between her hands. She hurled it, like a beach ball, out in front of her.

  "Katya, as a healer, will use that same gesture to get a different effect." Katya was the girl with the braid who kind of reminded me of a red-haired version of Katniss from The Hunger Games. She made the exact same gesture as Mia, and her character's hands started to glow with pure green energy (I presumed meant to heal). Mia's character became bathed in that energy. A sentence appeared in the dialogue box at the bottom of the screen: Eloisa has been completely healed!

  The group murmured, summarily impressed. Even I was impressed and I wasn't a gamer. To imagine people being able to communicate their intentions through movement in an online gaming forum was amazing. It held stunning implications for the future of gaming.

  Adam held up a set of goggles much like the ones the women were wearing. "While we are watching the action on a two-dimensional surface, eventually, once the prototype equipment is universally implemented, players will see the in-game environment around them as three-dimensional. Players of melee classes--like warriors and mercenaries--will have representations of their weapons to carry and wield as they fight. As with spell casting, certain moves and gestures will equate to special fighting moves for those characters."

  We continued to watch as Eloisa and Persephone--Katya's character--proceeded to duel each other. Adam explained that these two had been gaming together for over two years, since they'd met in the beta version of the original game. It had never occurred to me that Mia was a gamer.

  I watched her as the demo played out. She seemed healthy and happy, swinging her hands and gesticulating while she kicked the crap--virtually--out of her friend. In the end, she ended up winning the duel.

  The group clapped. Mia and Katya pulled off their goggles, appearing as if they'd gotten a bit of a workout. The crowd started to either disperse or talk among themselves, but I was too interested in what was happening in front of that video screen. Mia was grinning up at Adam and he smiled back, watching her with a look I could not describe as anything other than sheer adoration. There was this gleam in his dark eyes and he never took them off of her. She said something, cocking an eyebrow and t
ilting her head cheekily, and he laughed, curling an arm around her waist and whispering in her ear. Whatever his reply had been, it had made her both laugh and blush furiously.

  This was like the last time I'd watched them together--at that same party where I'd made the awful remarks. The way they looked at each other was as if no one else in the world existed but the two of them. Like the entire world could pass them by, and as long as they had each other, they would be fine. They would be happy.

  My heart pinched in my chest. Someday, I wanted a man to look at me like that. And when I looked at him back, I'd have those same feelings in my heart. My throat tightened.

  Cari leaned in conspiratorially and muttered, "Ugh, she makes me sick."

  I straightened, leaning away from her. I knew exactly who she was talking about. On a regular basis, she picked apart Mia's clothes and looks, though it was ridiculous because it was obvious that Mia was a beautiful woman, even while she'd been ill.

  Cari's mockery had grown since they got engaged. She'd spent hours raging to me about the size of Mia's engagement ring. "It's at least three carats; it has to be. Shit, why do the brown-haired mousy girls get all the luck? I want a gazillionaire. I want that gazillionaire," she'd ranted.

  "She looks happy. Healthy," I replied neutrally, reminding her that, up until a few months ago, Mia had been sick with a life-threatening illness. But she'd pulled through and Adam had stood by her through it all. He appeared to be a top-notch guy and it seemed like she deserved him. Apparently, others didn't see it that way.

  Ingrid was agreeing with every word out of Cari's mouth, just like the rest of the herd did. Just like I'd often feigned to do. I wondered how many of them really agreed with her or how many of them, like me, were too chicken to speak up and disagree, lest she turn her wrath on one of us.

  "What's so special about her, though? Why would he pick her?" Cari whined.

  I fought rolling my eyes and Ingrid leaned in. "She's not so great. She's tall and thin and pretty, I guess, but she's so flat-chested."

  My mouth dropped and I felt ill. The poor woman had survived breast cancer. Who knew what surgeries she'd had to endure, and they were taking pot shots at her figure? Women were so cruel to each other sometimes, and these two were gross. And I was gross for having gone along with them as long as I had.