His Obsession

by Maxine Storm

  I stuck my tongue out. Whatever it was, it just tasted bitter to me. I don't have the taste for it.

  "Nope, I need those syrupy drinks with lots of whip cream," I teased.

  Armand rolled his eyes.

  "One day you'll learn, Janet," he said, closing his eyes as he took another sip from his doubtless bitter as acid, darker than night coffee.

  My phone's ringer went off and I took it out of my bag.

  Damn, Alex again.

  What did she want this time?

  I wasn't her slave.

  If she really needed this assignment done on Armand, well, she could do it herself.

  Oh wait, she couldn't.

  That's why she and Maximilian wanted me to do it.

  Like I'd be there good little helper and get it all done for them, and so that they could take the credit.

  Maybe just because I had been with Armand, and he showed me another side of him.

  The hurt side, the side of pain and rejection.

  Seeing that side made me feel closer to him.

  Like he let me into a place he keeps everyone else out.

  Even himself at times.

  When he showed me that side of him, I knew I was someone special to him.

  Being intimate physically is one thing.

  But being intimate emotionally, that's something else entirely.

  Something way more powerful.

  I had to give myself to him outside the restaurant the way we collided in passion.

  I just was compelled to respond in turn, after he bared himself to me emotionally like that, that I could give myself back to him, for him to accept me the way I need him to accept himself.

  Anyway, my mind went off on the tangent and I realized the phone was still buzzing in my hand as I held it out in front of me.

  "Who is it?" Armand asked.

  He clearly saw whoever it was, or whatever it was the phone was communicating, was occupying my mind.

  I declined the call and put the phone on my lap.

  "Some random number," I lied.

  Armand took another sip of his coffee.

  Just as he put it down, a waitress stopped by our table. Tall, long auburn hair, in a short black skirt.

  She looked Armand up and down and then put her hand on his shoulder.

  "Hey," she said, trailing off. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

  Armand looked at her then went back to his coffee.

  "Doubt it," he replied.

  "Could I get you anything else to drink?" she asked, twirling her hair in her finger.

  She was clearly not asking me for something to drink.

  "We don't need anything, thanks," I said curtly.

  The waitress looked at me and gave me a shocked expression, like someone had even dared to call her out.

  She turned around and walked back to the counter.

  "Happens all the time," Armand said, taking another sip.

  I didn't doubt it.

  It seemed like wherever we went, some woman was trying to flirt with Armand.

  But it didn't mean anything to him.

  It's like he could tell who really was interested in him for who he was, rather than just what he looked like, or what he could do for them.

  But I wish he didn't even want talk to them.

  I was right here when it happened.

  I was right there when it happened in the restaurant or the coffee shop before now.

  And it made me feel how he could be so distant, like maybe in the end I was still as distant as I had been before.

  My phone rang again, breaking me out of my train of thought.

  I sighed internally.

  Alex again.

  What did she want?

  I wasn't at her beck and call.

  Armand looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

  I declined the call and put the phone away.

  "Something wrong with your phone?" he asked.

  "No, it's just some random number dialing me," I lied.

  "I'll buy you a new one," he declared, as if his words could override the reality of me being pretty content with my phone.

  "No, it's alright, Armand," I said. "Thank you."

  Armand pulled out his phone and looked at it for a moment.

  "Looks like Frederick is here to pick us up," he said.

  He left a wad of cash on the table as a tip and my eyes widened at the amount.

  He never flashed his wealth around in bad taste, but it was clear he was never stingy.

  I looked at his phone

  "Let's move," Armand said, escorting me out the shop.

  It's like there wasn't one place in this city where women would be trying to steal him out from me.

  But probably like most women here, they didn't really know who Armand was. It was all appearance for them.

  Not that I can blame them.

  He was still looking handsome as hell even after our crazy little romp moments ago.

  It's like he was always 'on'.

  And then I realized that is why he had to have the shields he did.

  He always had to be ready for anything, because people were dying to cross him, to try to take advantage of him if they saw he has his guard down.

  There's no way he ever told anyone what he had told me about his early life.

  That'd be like handing a knife to all the backstabbers waiting for him in the dark.

  The light in the city was beautiful as people enjoyed the warmth and bits of shade along the sidewalk from sprawling trees. I couldn't wait to spend more of this day with Armand.

  But then my phone was buzzing again.

  I took it out.

  Damn, Alex again.

  This time she was sending text after text.

  "Janet," Alex wrote in her most recent one, "we need to talk right now."

  What was her problem?

  I didn't want to flake out on Armand but sending that many texts in a row is never a good sign.

  "Armand," I said, "I have to take this call."

  "Who is it?" he questioned.

  My heart skipped a beat from his unexpected question.

  Who is it? How come he could just ask me that?

  "Huh? Oh, it's a friend from college," I lied. "She's freaking out about something as usual."

  I bristled at the word I used, "friend'. I wouldn't describe Alex as a friend. Not someone like that who I couldn't fully trust.

  But there's no way I could tell him the truth, that it was Alex.

  He'd ask who Alex was and I'd have to get into the whole thing. He'd connect her to the woman he saw calling me at the BDSM club Power the time I got on stage.

  No, there's no way I could bring all that up.

  It'd be way too much.

  He'd feel like I had betrayed his trust already.

  Like I was about to leak out everything he told me.

  Which in fairness, is probably what Alex and Maximilian wanted in the end.

  Doesn't mean I'll give it to them.

  "It won't take long," I told Armand.

  "I'll be in the limo," he said, walking to the shining black car parked steps away. "Five minutes."

  "Thanks Armand," I said.

  I took some steps further away so I wouldn't be in earshot and then dialed Alex.

  "Janet, where are you?" Alex asked.

  "I'm with Armand," I replied.

  "OK," she said. "But you're going to have to stop whatever you're doing."

  "Why?" I said.

  "Maximilian wants you to come to the office to talk. Philip and I will be there, too."

  "What for?" I quizzed.

  "It's important," she said, evasively.

  "What for?" I demanded again. "We're in the middle of something."

  Alex sighed, as if I were forcing her to answer something ridiculous.

  "It's about the Armand assignment," she said.

  "What about it? I told you earlier today that I was on it. I can't just barge into his apartment a
nd put surveillance on everything, can I?"

  "I know, but Maximilian wanted to talk to you now."

  I didn't say anything.

  I didn't want to end my day with Armand.

  I sure as hell didn't want to have to go into stuffy work.

  "Please, Janet," Alex implored. "It's important."

  I put down the phone and looked at Armand's luxurious limo waiting for me, imagining riding with him, drinking wine, enjoying the rest of our time together.

  But I couldn't risk getting fired right now. Not in the middle of this. Before I figured out the way I wanted my life to go. I raised the phone back up to my mouth.

  "OK," I said. "I'll be there in 15 minutes."

  "Thanks, Janet," Alex said.

  I clenched my fist in frustration.

  I couldn't let Armand see that something was wrong.

  What was I going to tell him?

  I don't want him to think I'm lying to him for fun. But he won't want anything to do with me if I told him straight up what was going on.

  I walked toward the limousine window and Armand rolled it down.

  "Get in, babe," he said.

  "Sorry, Armand, I can't today," I said.

  "What's up?"

  "I have to help write something for my friend. She's taking a class and it's due today."

  "Come work on it at my place," Armand said. "Or not," he winked.

  "I'd love to...but I can't," I lied. "I have to meet up with her while we do it and she can be really demanding. I don't want to bother you."

  My hands were trembling as I told falsehood after falsehood.

  Armand looked at me, as if he were reading my hand.

  Maybe he saw right through me. I could feel his sharp mind probing my brain, his gaze piercing me as if he had thought control.

  "OK," he finally said, "but before you go, you need to come over here -" he pulled my hand so I went closer to the window - "and give me a kiss."

  I bent down as his hand grasped the back of my neck and held me as he kissed me slowly, his lips softly rolling over mine, sparks popping along my nerves.

  I wanted to jump into the limousine and let him enjoy me right there and now but I had to go, I had to get to Global Eye. Bummer but there was no other option.

  He broke the kiss and rolled the window half up.

  "OK, talk to you later," he said.

  I waved.

  "Bye Armand, I'll call you after."

  He nodded and rolled the window up all the way, as the limo drove off.

  I didn't want to lie to him like this but I had to get moving to Global Eye right away.

  I sent for a cab using a mobile app on my phone and waited on the corner for it.

  Chapter 30

  The cab reached Global Eye's office right on time and I hurried to the reception to let me up to the top floor where I had met with Maximilian and Philip when they first briefed me on the assignment.

  I was let into the elevator and nervously flinched as it ascended.

  I didn't want to take part of this right now.

  They just interrupted my day. Alex did. For what? So she could put the blame on me? Whatever.

  Finally the elevator reached the floor.

  Alex was standing there with her arms crossed.

  "Thank goodness you came, Janet," she said, giving me a hug.

  I was taken aback by her 'affection'. Who knows what is really real with people like that? Maybe I'm being too cynical but there's so little you can trust of people these days.

  "Sure," I said, not really hugging back. "What did you guys need to see me for?" I asked.

  "It's about the assignment on Armand Silver," she said. "Maximilian is getting impatient."

  "What does he want me to do about it?" I said. "I don't have mind control over Armand."

  "I know, I know. But he pressured me to get you here. So I had to. You understand, right?"

  I rolled my eyes.

  Yeah.

  Sure, I understand.

  I understand you just want to do what the big boss says so you can get ahead.

  I understand that very well.

  "Yeah," I said. "I get it, Alex."

  Alex smiled.

  "Thanks, Janet," she said.

  "So what's going to happen?" I asked.

  "We're going to meet with Maximilian and Philip in the boardroom and Maximilian might just chew you out a bit. Nothing serious. He just wants to make a show about it to scare Philip."

  "OK," I said. "I'm ready."

  Alex led the way to the boardroom.

  The whole time I was thinking about how I was basically just being there so that Alex could have someone to blame. Presumably she was in charge of some special big assignment about Armand of which I was one piece. Since I didn't have my part done in the totally unrealistic time frame, someone had to answer for it.

  I guess that was me.

  People always look for someone to blame, especially if you're lower on the totem pole.

  That's why I admired Armand.

  He took action.

  He was decisive.

  He didn't spend time after time circling around someone just to give them a hard time.

  Either you were with his reality, or you weren't. And he moved on.

  Sigh.

  So now I had to deal with this silliness from Alex.

  Better put on my good corporate face for them now.

  I took out my mental makeup and cooked up the right smile the one that say, "yup, it's all my fault, thank you for telling me, I'll do whatever I can to help."

  Yup, that's me!

  Alex opened the door to the boardroom and gestured for me to enter.

  Inside was Maximilian sitting in an navy blue suit and a crisp aqua green pocket square. I couldn't tell his exact age. His hair and facial hair was gray but he had a well built rugged figure and a lean and tanned face.

  And there was Philip, looking grumpy as usual. He was fidgeting with some pens and had a wrinkled dress shirt on.

  "Janet, Alex," said Maximilian, "please have a seat."

  I sat down as Philip glared at me. Maybe Maximilian was chewing him out for not having me finish the assignment as quickly as possible.

  I just ignored him and turned to Maximilian with my full attention.

  "How is the Armand Silver assignment going, Janet?" Maximilian asked, as if he already knew the answer.

  "It's going well," I said. "We're getting much closer and he's starting to open up to me."

  Maximilian nodded his head.

  "That's good, Janet," he said. "Has he suspected anything of you yet? He can be very distrustful of people trying to get to know him."

  "No," I said. "We get along well. He has no reason to suspect me of anything," I said.

  Truthfully, Armand had an idea that something wasn't entirely right. But I wasn't going to give that away right now. Not in a meeting like this Philip and Alex just waiting for me to screw up in front of the freaking CEO.

  Maximilian grinned ever so slightly.

  It was like something he was planning was coming to fruition.

  "But she hasn't gotten anything actually done!" Philip butted in.

  "What do you mean?" Maximilian asked.

  "She hasn't submitted any reports, any information, nothing," Philip whined. I could tell he was staring at me again but I ignored him.

  Maximilian looked at Philip and then at me.

  "That's true, Janet," Maximilian said. "You haven't."

  I could feel everyone looking at me. Philip was staring at me as if he were waiting for me to blow it.

  "I'm building comfort with Armand. No one has gotten this close to him as I have. No one. Do you think you would be doing a better job in my shoes, Philip?" I asked.

  Philip widened his eyes as I went against the hierarchy by questioning him directly.

  Alex almost raised her hand to cover her mouth in surprise.

  Maximilian merely grinned his slight grin.


  "This is unacceptable insubordination!" Philip shouted. "Take Janet off this assignment right now! She can't be trusted to continue it!"

  Maximilian pounded his fist on the table.

  "Enough, Philip!" he shouted.

  Philip lowered his head.

  "Janet, I am disappointed at the lack of concrete progress," Maximilian said. "Your assignment is important for our larger project to take down Armand Silver. We know he is a corporate criminal at heart."

  "Yes," I said, nodding. I didn't want to show them I agreed, but I had to in this case. I didn't want to hear them badmouth Armand but I had to, I just had to.

  "This is why you are to complete your assignment within three days," Maximilian stated.

  "Yes, Janet," Alex said. "If we wait any longer, Armand might get wind of what's going on."

  I shifted in my seat.

  I should have seen Alex trying to throw me under the bus.

  She was all smiles and concern about me before.

  Now - now the true colors came out.

  It was only a glimpse of them.

  But I saw them, nonetheless.

  "I'll do my best," I assured them. "I'll be meeting with Armand soon. And then I'll be able to get it done."

  Maximilian crossed his arms.

  "Three days, Janet. Take the surveillance device and put it on his electronics. That's all," Maximilian said.

  "But what if Armand finds out?" I blurted out.

  I shouldn't have said that. It was more my way of trying to find an out from this whole thing.

  "How would he find out?" Alex said suggestively.

  I didn't say anything at first out of fear of giving away my affection for Armand.

  "Maybe his computer could tell or something like that. Like it could detect it."

  Maximilian laughed.

  "This is state of the art surveillance technology, Janet," he said. "There's no chance Armand is going to be able to track what's going on if you do it out of his sight."

  I bit my lip.

  It wasn't so much Armand finding out that disturbed me, but them wanting me to enable their spy device on his stuff in the first place.

  Alex sensed my nervousness, but luckily seemed to miss that my hesitation was about betraying Armand rather than the practicality of their assignment.

  "Janet, trust us," she said. "This equipment has all been tested. It'll transmit everything important almost instantly. It'll be able to secretly track his information so we can finally catch Armand and show the terrible things he's been up to this whole time."