After the presentation, we all decided to head out for celebratory drinks. We were thrilled with the impeccable way we had handled it.
On our way out of the building, we crossed the path of several people who stopped us for some questions regarding the app we'd developed. Many people were very enthusiastic about it, some had mute or deaf people in their entourage, some just appreciated what we were doing for people whom society often brushed under the carpet. While there was a business plan at hand and the app would make a lot of money to Kelex, there was still a real wish to help the disabled community.
It was incredibly rewarding to hear eulogistic comments and praises regarding my hard work. Lex was proud too, and it added to my satisfaction. We eventually made it out of the center and headed to the steakhouse. Lex paid us a round of beers. With a joyful ambiance lingering, we ate, laughed, and chatted. Before long, we were heading back to the convention, hyped about the upcoming robot fight.
The RGF was taking place in a separate hall, smaller than the others. There were a few stands there, with companies that were mostly into high-tech electronics or robotic programming. Although Brian was worried he would be kicked out, nothing happened when we passed the security guards, and Oli and Mace teased him about the botched hair bleaching being utterly worthless. When we entered, there was already a small crowd gathering around the stage. I was amazed to see the installation. There was a small arena in the middle, surrounded by high plexiglass walls as well as a net over the area.
Although it sounded very futuristic and entertaining, the fight would basically be a bunch of robots that looked like Roomba vacuums, bumping into each other until they flipped their opponent on their back. This setup, though, seemed to have been prepared for more of a T-800 type of robot.
We made our way through the people to get a better glimpse at the arena, while Oli explained to me how it would unfold. The robots would fight in rounds of four, as some sort of selection. There would be twelve of those rounds. Then, the twelve winners of those fights would face each other in more rounds of four participants. Then, the three winners would compete for the title in the great finale. The concept was certainly appealing, and I now understood their enthusiasm.
The competing robots were exposed so the public could check them out, and they had a sticker with their numbers in red patched on top. Yeah, these looked like weaponized Roombas, and not futuristic killing machines. Funnily enough, people were examining them and placing bets. There was no money involved, but the organizers of the competition were offering some goodies to the ones who betted on the champion. We had already each won a bag of swag with the trivia, but I wasn't opposed to winning some more free things. Broke girl's habits.
I went over all the robots, trying to gauge which one had the most chances to win. With each fighter, there was a small note explaining who'd built it, as well as technical information. One of them seemed to have more potential than the others, and I returned to it, wondering if it could beat all the others. The company that had built it was known for its quality work, and while it was smaller than the average, it looked resistant and efficient.
I was still debating over voting for number twenty-three or not when I heard Lex's voice right behind me. "Are you sure about this one, Walker?"
My eyes not leaving the machine before me, I smiled, sensing some upcoming teasing. "I can't be certain, but I have a good feeling about it, yes."
Lex came next to me to inspect the robot. "It's quite small compared to the others."
"Because it's tiny doesn't mean it isn't fierce and skilled."
"Don't I know it," he answered with a suggestive voice. Oh, he wasn't talking about number twenty-three anymore. I blushed slightly and turned to him, only to find his smiling profile. "Care to bet on that?" he offered, giving me a playful side glance.
"Oh, I'm betting on this one. We shorties have to support each other."
"I meant another sort of bet, just you and me."
Just like that, with the promise of some sexy bet made my skin warm up, my heart palpitating with excitement. I looked around us, making sure no one was close enough to hear us. "What sort of forfeit do you have in mind?"
"Whatever the winner chooses? Of course, the loser would have to agree on it. And we still have that safe word, just in case."
Hot damn... I already didn't care if I won or if I lost. Whatever his genius mind had in store for this, I was on board. "Who are you voting for?" I asked nonetheless, pretending I was still considering it.
"Forty-two." Seeing I was amused, he felt the need to explain himself. "Well, of course, there's the fact that it's the answer to life, the universe, and everything, but I also know the man who built it, and he is one of the best in the country."
My assurance wavered a little, seeing how certain he seemed, and I looked back at my chosen champion. No, twenty-three was the real deal. Lex's heat teased my skin as he bent slightly toward me. "How do you feel about being tied up while I take advantage of you?" he whispered in my ear.
Fuck... My knees practically bucked, a shiver ran up my spine, and heat spread in my lower stomach. Images of me flashed before my eyes, where I was tied up while Lex finally let free his inner beast and took what he wanted from me, over and over... Shit, it was hot. It might actually be what I would ask if I won.
My lips parted, and I almost let out a pant. Not trusting my voice, I met his eyes boldly and nodded. He understood how much I enjoyed the idea, and his gray gaze became almost black with want. All right. Even if none of us won, we were absolutely trying light bondage. Before he could answer, we were interrupted by Brian.
"What's up, guys? The votes are closing in three minutes. If you haven't done it already, you should go now," he told us while passing to go to Mason and Steven.
My colleague's interruption had diminished some of the heat, but the sexual tension was still lingering in the air. "So, we'll say the winner gets to tie up the loser for what, one hour?" I suggested to Lex.
"One hour isn't enough. Two minimum."
"Two and a half and you have a deal."
"It seems a little greedy for someone who's going to pass out in half an hour," he teased, his eyebrow cocked up.
"It's how long The Shining is."
"You'd tie me up to make me watch a movie?"
"It's not just any movie, so I might."
He let out a bone-melting chuckle, shaking his head. "Let's pray Forty-two wins," he mumbled before heading to the betting stand. I followed him, very entertained by the view of his magnificent ass, sculpted to perfection by his fitting jeans.
We registered our votes and went to join the guys who'd saved us some room next to them. Soon after, the first four robots were installed on the stage, the plexiglass door closed, and four people, three men and a woman, took their position on each side of the fighting ring with their controllers. The referee gave the start, and all hell broke loose.
The four machines frantically went for each other, bumping into opponents, using their weapons, avoiding the traps. The ring had built-in pitfalls, and two spots opened. One of the robots fell into one and stayed there, stuck, having lost this round. Another robot was pushed into the remaining pit, and the last two faced each other until one was flipped on its back.
In all honesty, it wasn't much to look at, but the people surrounding us were so into it that I might as well have been watching the great Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. The referee announced the number of the winner, and the owners came to retrieve their fighters.
All the other rounds unfolded in the same fashion, and apart from a few unexpected features, all the robots were basically identical. Some had hammers attached and could hit their opponents. Some had a mechanism allowing them to flip themselves back into position. One particularly smart design worked on both sides so the robot could never be flipped. It was helpless when it came to pits, though, where it ended.
Twenty-three won easily, and Forty-two got rid of all its adversaries in record time. Lex and I exchanged knowing looks. We both had a chance to win our bet.
The first series of rounds ended, and a half an hour break was announced, to give the participants enough time to make some repairs. I decided to use the time for a quick go to the bathroom. As I came back from the unusually clean restroom, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Congratulations on this morning's presentation," Hugh said, his sneering tone making my skin crawl.
Fighting the displeasure he ignited in me, I turned around and forced a smile on my lips. "Thank you. It was a resounding success."
"Yesterday, Alexander told me the app was mostly your work. Is it true?"
"It is. It was a personal project until Kelex bought it from me. Thanks to the team, we will bring it all the way to the finish line in no time," I humbly explained.
"It is some impressive work. It's a shame you didn't look at your options elsewhere before selling. I'm confident we would have bought it for much more money than Kelex could ever afford."
His remark irritated me irrationally. "Everything isn't about money," I retorted dryly.
"Of course not. But you know Avoss has the means to make such a tool accessible worldwide with a snap of its finger."
"I also know you guys sell private information to Fortune 500 companies, among many other unethical things."
My jab seemed to amuse him rather than anger or embarrass him. "Ah, a shame. I was going to offer to double your salary to get you to work for us," he declared very seriously.
I looked at him with widened eyes. Working for Avoss was an opportunity of a lifetime. People would kill for such an offer. Especially if he doubled my current pay. I was so stunned, I didn't say anything for a moment, unsure what to answer to that.
"Maybe I was misjudging you. Perhaps I have a chance to poach you," he noted, mistaking my silence.
"No. I'm happy where I am," I managed to say.
"Once more, Kelex won't get you very far. Money-wise or career-wise. While sleeping with your boss may help you go up the ladder, it's a very short ladder you're working with."
The air left my lungs as if he'd hit me in the guts. Confused and hurt, I stared at him, wondering what I could answer to that. How did he know? Had he guessed? Was he just throwing this to unsettle me? What had they talked about with Lex yesterday evening, when I'd left his room in a hurry?
I should deny it. Yes, I should do that. For both my sake and Lex's.
"I'm— I don't know what you—"
"Save your breath. I'm not an idiot. You do whatever you want, but if you want to get a job that values you for your work rather than your bedroom skills, give me a call," he coldly said, handing me his card.
I looked at the rectangle of paper in his hand as if it was venomous, and then gave him a glare filled with hatred. Who the fuck was he to say those things? Because I was sleeping with Lex didn't mean my work wasn't valued at Kelex. And it didn't mean I was some tenacious opportunist, willing to sleep with my boss to get somewhere.
Hugh understood I wouldn't take his card and slid it back into his chest pocket. "If you ever aspire to more than to be the one who slept around to succeed, you know where to find me," he concluded, leaving me alone.
For several minutes, I stayed where I was standing, people passing by me, oblivious to my turmoil. A mix of anger, shame, and resentment flooded my mind. I was almost trembling with the need to hit something. That fucking jerk had no right to say those things to me. He didn't know the truth. He had no idea what the whole story was. I wasn't sleeping with Lex to succeed, and he wasn't using his position to take advantage of me. We were doing it because we couldn't help it, because we needed each other. Things would be so much easier if we weren't working together, if he weren't my boss, if I weren't his subordinate.
Someone bumped into me, taking me out of my thoughts, and I quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed my moment of panic. No, I was alone in this sea of people.
With a groan, I shook my irritation away. Hugh was a prick, and what he thought didn't matter. But the more I thought about it, the more I understood where it was coming from. He certainly wouldn't be the only one thinking I'd slept with Lex to get somewhere professionally. For God's sake, his company had just bought my app for a quarter of a million. Surely more people would think it was because I was having sex with him, rather than for the merit of my work.
What about my colleagues? They were all reasonable people, but it ought to be suspicious that I was already leading a massive project, so shortly after getting the job. Shit, they would imagine so many things had happened when I was working with Lex upstairs, which barely ever did. My professional image would be ruined by this. I would be labeled as the opportunistic money-grabber by some people, no matter what.
Someone announced that the second series of rounds would start soon. I wasn't in the mood for this anymore. I was feeling dirty, and I didn't want to face Lex right now. It was unfair. Why couldn't people mind their own business and leave others be?
I wasn't in this for the money. Riches had never mattered to me. All I wanted was to make enough of it to live a comfortably modest life. I was having an adventure with Lex because he was the most enticing man I'd ever met. Because I was obsessed with him. Because I loved the way I was and felt when I was around him. I wanted Lex for him, and not for whatever material things he could bring to me.
The man on the microphone insisted it was about to start again, and I hesitated. I couldn't just leave or they would worry. Reluctantly, I headed back to the guys.
When I returned to my seat next to Lex, our gaze caught, and I understood I was terrible at hiding my feelings when I saw him worry slightly. As I sat down, someone introduced the next four contestants on the mic, and it gave Lex the opportunity to talk to me without being heard.
"Are you okay?" he whispered.
"I'm just feeling tired," I lied. I saw in his eyes he wasn't buying it.
He didn't insist, though, and he nonchalantly shifted in his seat, spreading his knees until one was touching me. It was meant to bring me some support, a faint contact to help me feel better, but now wasn't the time. The idea that one of the guys could catch it and draw evident conclusions from it was making me paranoid.
Staring upfront, I moved away from him discreetly. His entire frame tensed next to me, and when I looked at him, I could guess the confusion in his closed face. Shit, I didn't want to hurt him. It wasn't about him. He hadn't done anything wrong. It was about the others. They couldn't know about us. Not so early, when we weren't even sure where it was going.
I looked away from him to take out my phone and opened my messages to him. "I'm sorry. We need to talk, but it's nothing bad. Can you take me home from the airport tonight?"
His phone buzzed next to me, and he took it out of his vest. I peered at him anxiously while he read my message until he looked down at me and nodded. Seeing he still wasn't reassured, I offered him a genuine smile. "I swear we're okay."
"All right, we'll talk tonight," he answered with a murmur. I nudged him reassuringly, bumping my knee into his before returning to my safe position.
The robot fights resumed, but it was clear we were both preoccupied.
I was turning out to be great at ruining moods.