Power Play

by Landish, Lauren

  His obscene humor calms me and turns me on, making all this seem less important than the two of us. At least for a moment, which is all I need to get myself in check.

  I start to look around as we walk toward the grand entrance, taking in the scene surrounding me. Everyone looks like somebody, and the fact that Scott is proud to have me on his arm is doing wonders for my self-esteem. He’s showing me off to the cameras and giving waves and nods to some of the other people he knows. And each time, I see . . . do I see approval?

  Oh, my God, I do. It calms my nerves bit by bit, but as we enter the atrium of the Tower, my heart jumps again when Scott’s steps tighten and he leans over. “My family is just ahead. See my father?”

  I’ve never seen Robert Danger in person before, but I’ve studied his photograph over the past week as I’ve tried to prepare for this. I give Scott a nod, but my feet feel like they’re weighed down with concrete.

  He smiles at me, guiding me to his family. He raises his voice, greeting them. “Glad to see everyone. Mother, it’s been too long.” There’s a formality to his voice that I’m not used to, and I realize this is Executive Scott Danger. He sounds detached, professional, and while his baritone is sexy no matter what, I prefer his more casual, teasing tone or his rumbly growls.

  Scott’s mother is easy to pick out of the assembled group, as she’s the only woman old enough to be such. Reading her face, I think she’d rather be anywhere but here, but it’s better than Robert, who gives me an icy look. I do my best to keep my chin up as Scott turns to me. “Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Madison Parker. Maddie, this is my father,” he says, continuing around the circle.

  Everyone except for Olivia is coldly hostile, especially Robert’s date. Or maybe it’s his girlfriend, I’m not sure. Either way, she’s younger than me, and while I hate to be judgmental, she probably doesn’t know a thing about business except how to spend Robert’s money.

  Olivia, though, gives me a polite handshake. “It’s good to finally meet you. I’ve heard you were pretty, but I think the rumors don’t do you justice.”

  Before I can thank her, Chase speaks up. “Yep, seems my little brother did something right . . . for once.”

  For some reason, I feel a need to defend Scott, but before I can, he responds to his brother himself. “Chase, jealousy is not becoming. By the way, where is your date?” Scott says, looking around like Chase’s date might be hiding somewhere in the atrium.

  The sting seems to hit its target as I notice a slight flush to Chase’s neck, but his expression doesn’t change. “My date is here. She simply ran to powder her nose.”

  Robbie approaches, offering a handshake of greeting to each male Danger before thrusting his elbow out to Olivia and they excuse themselves to mingle.

  A redheaded stunner strides toward our group, her tiny frame incongruous with her large presence. Chase watches her approach with a predatory smile, “Oh, here’s my date now.” The pixie smiles coyly and Chase introduces her. “This is Gabrielle Williams. Gabby, this is my mother, Patricia Brookhurst.” He continues around the group, and I catch Gabby’s subtle glance up and down Scott’s body as she shakes his hand. Her handshake with me is limp, so I make sure to squeeze back extra-hard, communicating without words that he’s mine.

  Scott’s mom breaks the small talk suddenly. “Well, enough chitter chatter. Shall we head upstairs and get this show on the road? I’m sure we’d all like to get the presentations over with.”

  I look at Scott. Is his mother always this rude? He’d told me that his parents’ divorce wasn’t exactly amicable, but that his mom made her dutiful appearances at business functions because she retained a voting share in the business as part of the divorce settlement. But for something Scott has told me is a pivotal moment in the company, she seems shockingly blasé about tonight.

  “I agree, Mother. I think Madison and I will head upstairs.” He dips his chin politely and leads me toward the bank of elevators. One dings, and we step inside, blessedly alone for a moment.

  “Brrr . . .” I say with a smile.

  “Oh, come on now. That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Scott asks. “I think Olivia actually likes you.”

  “Are you kidding? She was polite . . . but the rest of your family hates me.”

  Scott laughs lightly, taking my hand. “They hate everyone. I think they even hate themselves sometimes . . . except Chase. He thinks the whole world revolves around him.”

  “Is he always so . . . I don’t know, an ass?”

  Scott laughs again. “No, unfortunately, that’s usually reserved just for me. Keep your eyes open and you’ll see what I mean. For now, it’s time to mingle.”

  Mingling turns out to be a nearly exhausting half hour of Scott and me moving around the room, shaking hands and being introduced to more people than I can remember. Most of them are men, although there are a few women. I don’t include the dates because it seems a lot of them are merely accessories.

  Scott, though, always makes sure I’m introduced, and while I can’t add a lot to the conversations, I do what I can, and Scott never lets me be ignored. Still, by the time we sit down to the dinner portion of the evening, I’m glad to have only one table of people to deal with. We make our introductions, and I make it a point to memorize these people’s names since I’ll be with them for the next couple of hours.

  Scott leans over and whispers in my ear, “You’re doing great, a total natural. You’ve got everyone in the palm of your hand. Me included.” Before I even say thank you, he whispers again, “By the way, if you want to see Chase in action, now’s your chance.”

  Robert gets up first, looking out on the crowd as waiters quickly bring around appetizers. Scott told me tonight’s meal will be served in between each of the presentations, giving people time to discuss each one at length over the next course. “Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests, thank you for coming to Danger Enterprises's gala, A Night for the Future.”

  “What a load,” Scott murmurs as Robert goes on for about ten minutes. I see what he means. According to Robert, everything tonight is about showing Bane what could happen in the next twenty years and getting the city excited . . . oh, and all of it, of course, is due to Danger Enterprises, and more specifically, him.

  “We’re going to build the greatest city of the twenty-first century. The greatest,” Robert continues, smiling broadly. “When our children and grandchildren look back on this evening, they’re going to say that this was the night Bane made the leap from a growing potential to absolute greatness.” He pauses for the expected round of applause, basking in the worship from the audience, but I can see little signs that not everyone is as zealous as Robert would like to think. There are sighs here and subtle eye rolls there. It seems Scott may not be the only one with an issue with Robert Danger.

  “With that, let me introduce my son Chase, a great visionary with a business plan I think you’ll find exciting. He’ll be outlining the first of the potential projects that we could bring to this great, great city’s future.”

  “Thank you, Father,” Chase says, and even I have to do a double-take. Gone is the sniping asshole who sneered at me, and instead, standing up in the spotlight, is a suave, commanding man with an electric presence. “I’d like to talk to you about opportunity this evening, about a future brighter than we’ve ever dreamed possible. But one that we can make a reality by working together, Danger Enterprises and Lightspeed, changing our city, our state, our country . . .”

  Chase’s words are hypnotizing, and even I’m buying into what he’s saying as he uses his video screens to maximum effect. “He’s good,” I tell Scott as Chase continues, “but you’re still going to kick his ass.”

  Scott chuckles, but I can see his fist clench around his napkin as Chase finishes up.

  Robert retakes the podium, clapping his son on the back in a fatherly embrace, the approval apparent to everyone in the room. “An amazing vision for the future,” Robert says as Chase sits down, and I see him
shake hands around his table, celebrating his win already.

  “Folks, while the staff clears the plates and brings out the main course, I’d like to tell you about one of the current projects Danger Enterprises is doing to create the foundation for the future. This great project, with some of the best people in the world, all of whom work for me, of course, is going . . .” The audience laughs at his joke and Robert drones on.

  When he finally sits, our table is abuzz with talk about Chase’s plan. While the general consensus is positive, I look to Scott for the catch. “So, I’m no business genius, but that sounded good. I’m on your side, obviously but . . .”

  Scott smiles at me. “No, you’re right. And honestly, it’s something we should do. But my plan is better, pure and simple.”

  I smile before planting a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Good enough for me, Mr. Danger. You ready?”

  Scott nods and stands as his father finishes a much less glowing introduction of Scott and his proposal. He buttons his jacket, squaring his shoulders, and I see a transformation in him too. Gone is the man who’s let me see inside his life, behind his mask. Now he is Scott Danger, the future of Danger Enterprises . . . and I’m glad to get to see this side of him too.

  “Kick some ass, baby,” I whisper as he walks away.

  By the time he takes the microphone, my heart’s hammering, but it’s all in support of him.

  Chapter 20

  Madison

  Scott looks out at the crowd, and I can feel the tension building in the room. He’s just waiting, standing at the podium, commanding attention by simply being there. It’s like he’s waiting for a specific moment or some kind of sign, but I have no idea what it is, and neither does anyone else, it seems. But every eye is on Scott, unable to tear themselves away from his presence.

  With a sudden bong! that reverberates through the entire room, the display behind Scott flashes to life.

  “Mankind is sustained by the dreamers. Those who, in the midst of mediocrity and comfort, choose a path riddled with scorn and disbelief,” Scott intones, his voice ringing out over the audience.

  The screen behind him flashes through images of great inventors . . . Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Tim Berners-Lee, and Steve Jobs.

  “These greats each had a vision, one they could foresee that no one else believed possible. But you know what?” Scott asks, allowing for a dramatic pause. “The naysayers were wrong. Just because they couldn’t conceive of such a thing, didn’t make it impossible.” Scott nods once, and the screen changes to images of the lightbulb, a tesla coil, flying machines, and a plethora of computer-related images.

  “What we are presented with today is an opportunity . . . a chance to be a believer, not a small-minded naysayer.” Scott smirks, giving a pointed, albeit respectful, look to his father.

  “When you hear the term ‘artificial intelligence’, what do you think of?” The screen flashes a picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator and the crowd laughs. Scott grins along with them, sharing in on the joke. “I know, great movie, but ultimately, fiction. But in the real world, we already have AI. How many of you talk to Siri or Alexa every day? Or have you gotten some rather eerily accurate suggested items on Amazon or Pandora? These are all algorithm-based forms of AI, right here in our daily lives, happening now. There are others you might not know . . .” Scott talks about a bunch of companies I don’t know anything about, but I see several nods in the audience, so the tech folks are still following along with him, thank goodness.

  “What I’m asking is that you suspend your inherent need to say no just because it might be impossible to you or me.” The audience is mostly quiet, but I hear murmurs of agreement. I glance at Robert Danger just in time to see him roll his eyes, obviously annoyed with the dramatics, but Scott has the audience eating out of his hand, me included.

  “Then let me introduce you to someone. Xena, can you say hello to the people?” I see people lean forward, excited to see who Scott is bringing out.

  Instead, a new voice comes over the speakers, obviously artificial but still managing to sound like a friendly female voice. “Hello to the people?” It’s a parroting of Scott’s words and questioning tone.

  Scott grins. “Xena, no offense, but you sound like a robot.” His joke earns a laugh from the crowd.

  “My apologies, Mr. Danger. Hello, my name is Xena. I’m a Gen-one artificial intelligence developed by AlphaSystems. My primary function is to analyze existing networks and webs, design efficiencies, and recommend growth opportunities. My most recent task was to monitor traffic flows within the city limits of Bane. I have a recommendation for changing light patterns at 27 intersections to decrease the average commute time by twelve minutes for the average driver. Also, a stop sign is needed.”

  There’s a moment of hushed amazement, and then murmurs break out all over the room as people talk to the others at their tables. Scott smiles, waiting a moment before clearing his throat to continue. “Now, I’ll admit that I’m not a tech genius. But Kenny Mackleroy of AlphaSystems is, so I’ll let him explain.” The screen flashes to a video of a grey-haired man who talks excitedly about the possibilities. Admittedly, Mackleroy comes across as a bit of a mad scientist, but the video tour of his facility and the things he has actually created and what they can do is quite compelling.

  The video ends, and Scott continues. “As I said, I’m not a tech guy, but I am a business man. I see what other companies are investing in, what their growth projections are.” Scott looks at Chase and Olivia. “And while that’s fine, safe, and even smart, we have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something Earth-changing here. To bring this to Bane as an extension of Danger Enterprises.

  “This partnership brings with it a five-million-dollar trust at the local university for STEM student scholarships from a grant already in place, thousands of jobs for residents, and tens of thousands of new people in Bane over the next decade. This is the future . . . of Danger Enterprises, of Bane, of our world. If you find the courage to be open to the possibilities. Do not be a naysayer simply because it is beyond your capabilities. Let the dreamers dream and take the rest of us along for the ride.”

  It’s powerful, it’s bombastic, and it casts him as some sort of leader of more than a company but of an entire city . . . and I’m on my feet along with everyone else as Scott leaves the stage, the light following him as he approaches me.

  “You were wonderful!” I exclaim as Scott approaches, his cocky grin softening into the smile I’ve come to see more often.

  “Was I?” he asks, stepping closer. “I kept looking for you, but the light was too bright.”

  “Well, I could see just fine. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

  Scott nods and pulls me tight, kissing me even with the spotlight still on us. I’m taken aback, thrilled. A full-blown kiss, right here in front of everyone, during one of the most important moments of his life. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks of me or of our relationship. He cares about me, and he’ll let the whole damn world know it. It makes me feel heady and important.

  After we settle back in, there are still ten minutes before dishes are cleared and the dinner course is over. But Scott doesn’t even get a chance to eat because people keep coming over to shake his hand and congratulate him for a job well done. Noticeably absent from the appreciation is Scott’s entire family. Although I hadn’t expected his dad or brother to say anything, I’d hoped that maybe his mom or sister would see reason and at least tell him ‘good job’.

  Olivia presented her plan after Scott, and while it was presented well, it didn’t have the same ‘oomph’ behind it. I almost feel bad for her because I would’ve hated going after Scott. Nothing would’ve stood up against what he laid out.

  Once all the presentations are made, the lights change, and Scott reaches over, taking my hand. “Shall we dance?”

  I nod, taking his hand and heading out to the dance floor. A band has taken t
he stage where the presentations were given, and a singer takes the microphone.

  The saxophone and guitar start up, and Scott takes me in his arms. “I don’t know this one.”

  Scott smiles, turning with me. “Expose. Just listen. I heard this a lot growing up. My mom liked this group.”

  Seasons change . . . people change . . .

  I’ve heard this part, and as the singer adds her sultry voice to the sensuous instrumentals, I lean my head on Scott’s chest. It feels good, but at the same time, I feel sad. The lyrics hit me deep. People change, and too often, we’re sacrificing tomorrow to hang onto today’s pleasures.

  “It’s so horrible.”

  “What is?” Scott asks, looking down at me.

  “The way your family is,” I reply sadly. “It’s like you hate each other. Especially you and Chase.”

  Scott nods, glancing over to where Chase is dancing with his date. “I don’t hate him. But it’s all we’ve ever known.”

  “That’s horrible,” I murmur absently. “It’s hard to fathom how it could get this way. I don’t have a lot of family, but what I do have, we’re very close.”

  Scott hums, but my mind goes back to what he said on stage. “They’re all your naysayers and you’re the dreamer.”

  He smirks. “Not sure about the dreamer part, but they definitely underestimate me.”

  “You are a dreamer, maybe not in a wild way like those inventors. You’re more of a bespoke suit type, filled with power and ambition, but you see possibilities where others don’t or are unwilling to. You see a possibility in me . . . broken, moody, aimless. You make me dream too.”

  Scott stops dancing, looking down at me. “What do you dream? Tell me, Madison, and I’ll fucking make it happen. Anything.”