by John Corwin
His slumped shoulders straightened. "Really?"
"Yes, really. She's having the time of her life with you, silly." I patted his arm. "I just can't have you knowing all our secrets. After all, sisters before misters."
He snorted. "Your secrets are safe with me, Em." A long sigh escaped him. "Wow, I feel much better now."
"I'm sure you do." I looked toward the table where I'd put the doughnut box. "Unfortunately, you missed out on the doughnuts."
Jack put the back of his hand to his forehead and pretended to swoon. "Tragic!" He looked back toward the programming department. "Well, I'd better get back there before Hinkle starts complaining about me to everyone."
I left him and met with Kevin Shale, the sales team leader so I could catch up on recent events.
"We've made some great inroads with prospective clients, but finalizing deals has been hard." He showed me a spreadsheet of companies and their software needs. "We actually had the CIO of Purple Giraffe ready to sign, but for some reason, he backed out at the last minute. Now he won't even talk to me on the phone or through email."
"That would've been worth over a hundred thousand dollars this year." I ran a finger down the list. "I don't understand why they're balking."
He blew out a breath. "None of us understand. Tony Costanzo told me his sales team went from first place during the bid process, to persona non grata."
I looked away from the computer screen. "There's too much of a pattern here for this to all be coincidence."
Kevin sat back in his chair. "I agree. Someone out there has it in for us, and they're pulling all the right strings."
I picked up the phone and called Jack's extension. "Could you come to Kevin's office, please?"
"Be right there."
The office door opened a split second later, but instead of Jack, it was Tyler. He stormed into the room, face clouded with anger. "Someone is sabotaging my companies."
Jack walked in. The smile on his face faded when he saw Tyler's mood.
"Close the door, please." I told Jack.
He gulped and shut it behind him. "Uhm, did I screw up?"
Tyler shook his head. "Have any of you noticed anything odd going on with OnTech?"
Kevin told him about the stymied sales.
"How's customer satisfaction?" I asked Jack. "Any complaints from current customers?"
He shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Janet sends out surveys to current customers, but they've all come back singing our praises."
"So none of our current customers would warn potential clients to stay away." Tyler leaned against the edge of the desk. "The same thing is happening to several other companies in my portfolio."
Cyrus Rock had given his three children several companies to manage so one could prove they deserved to inherit his riches. The original Tyler Hugo Rock—we called him Hugo—hadn't done so well managing his portfolio.
"Are they all software companies?" I asked.
"No. Vermillion Unicorn and OnTech deal with software, but I also own Alpha Construction, Ironclaw Security, Pulsar Communications, and Treat your Meat."
"Treat your Meat?" Kevin and Jack exchanged a puzzled look.
Tyler snorted. "It's a chain of massage parlors."
"They sound like brothels," I said.
"I have more companies, but I don't remember them all." Tyler's thousand-mile stare bored into the wall. "The massage parlors were doing well until a national news article claimed people had caught the Asian bird flu there. Business plummeted, even though the story was false. I'm trying to get a lawsuit off the ground, but that will take time. The other businesses are having similar issues to what Kevin said is happening to OnTech." He pushed off the desk and rounded on us. "The cyanide icing on the cake is brain drain."
"What's that?" I asked.
"Other companies are trying to lure away our top employees." He smacked a fist into his hand. "We're facing a systematic attempt to destroy the corporations I run."
Jack rubbed his neck. "Yeah, um, I was approached with a pretty sweet offer to go work for another firm just last week. I overheard Nick Reeds and Susan Daniels talking about offers they received."
"From whom?" Tyler asked.
Jack shrugged. "Some company called Trax Worldwide. I did some online research but couldn't find a lot about them. According to their website, they have their fingers in a lot of pies."
"I need to know more about them." Tyler went to the computer and gingerly pecked at the keys with two fingers.
I groaned. "You're hopeless with computers, do you know that?" I tugged him out of the chair. "Let me look them up."
Kevin and Jack pressed their lips together as if trying to suppress laughter.
The Trax Worldwide website was a minimalistic masterpiece with lots of white space and black text. They had a long list of clients, including several Fortune 500 companies. I navigated to their services page and found a laundry list of industries. They did everything from software development to construction.
I clicked on the "About" link and read aloud, "Trax was incorporated five years ago."
Jack peered at the screen "I find it very hard to believe they've grown so large in such a short period of time."
"Acquisitions and takeovers," Tyler said. "Someone with real money put together this company."
"Have the offers to employees at other companies come from Trax as well?" Kevin asked.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Tyler leaned a hand against the wall. "Maybe we could get someone on the inside."
"You mean bribe someone at the company to spy on them?" Kevin didn't seem to like the idea.
"Why bribe someone when they want to hire one of my own people?" A wolfish grin spread across Tyler's face.
Jack held up his hands in front of his chest. "Uh, I'd rather not be a double agent if that's okay with you."
Tyler deflated a bit. "Yeah, I suppose it is a little risky. I'll have to figure out some other way to keep this company from bankrupting us."
"Maybe you could talk to some of our potential clients and find out why they backed out on us," Kevin said. "They won't give us time of day, but maybe someone with your clout would have better luck."
Tyler touched a hand to his chin and mused about it. "I suppose it's worth a try, but it'll take me months to individually meet with clients at every company I own."
I looked back at the list of clients Trax claimed. "Maybe we should cross reference these companies and see if any of them were potential clients for your other companies."
"Good idea." Tyler borrowed the mouse and clicked on Trax's portfolio. He scanned down the list of corporations they own and stopped at one named The Weekly Journal. "That's the news outlet that published the story about my massage parlors."
Kevin grunted. "I wonder who's at the top of this organization."
"I don't know, but I plan to find out." Tyler touched a finger to his chin. "Kevin, print me out a copy of your client spreadsheet and I'll see what I can find on my end."
"You got it." He sat down at the computer and brought up the document.
"Jack, I know you don't want to be a double agent, but I need some way to keep employees from abandoning ship." Tyler put a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Can you find out what the mood is like in your department and come up with some ideas?"
"I can tell you that everyone I talk to is really happy about the profit sharing arrangement." He rubbed the back of his neck. "The only person I heard complaining is Hinkle."
Kevin looked up from the computer. "Thomas Jones whines a lot too."
"Well, of course they do," I said. "They were department heads before Tyler changed everything."
"They've always been assholes," Jack admitted.
"Well, let me know if anyone seems tempted to leave," Tyler said. "OnTech won't last long without skilled programmers."
"Amen to that," Kevin said. "Without services to sell, we're dead in the water."
"I'll be in my office." T
yler looked at the client list, wrote the first number on a pad, and turned to me. "Please bring me the client printout when it's ready." He opened the door and left.
"I just need to remove the current clients from the list," Kevin said. "I'll have it ready in five minutes."
"I'll scope out the temperature of the programming department." Jack followed Tyler out.
Kevin had the printout ready a few minutes later. I took it to the door at the end of the hallway and opened it. Tyler stood behind a large wooden desk, a phone held to his ear. He motioned me over.
"I understand that he's a busy man, I'm just very surprised he doesn't have time for a quick chat with me." Tyler's fist clenched tight. "Yes, please schedule an appointment. Good day." His voice sounded as tight as his fist. He made as if to slam down the phone and stopped himself at the last minute.
I closed the door and went over to him. "I've got the list."
"I don't like being stonewalled, Emily."
"Is that what happened on your first call?"
He nodded and dropped into his chair. "It's like someone is playing keep-away just long enough to tire me out and make me give up."
"They want to starve your companies to death." I walked behind him and massaged his shoulders.
He groaned with pleasure. "Your hands are like magic, Em. I don't know what I'd do without you."
I leaned over and kissed his ear. "You'd probably grow fat and die."
In one smooth movement, he rotated the chair and swept me into his lap. "Our calisthenics sessions do keep me in shape."
"Precisely."
He nuzzled his nose against mine. "Well, perhaps we should do a little exercise right now." Tyler squeezed my breast while his tongue journeyed up my neck to my earlobe.
I groaned and shivered. "I don't think sex in your office would be appropriate workplace conduct."
His teeth nipped my neck. "It's a good thing I'm the boss." He deftly undid my jeans and slid a hand into my underpants.
My hands clenched his hair as his magical fingers danced across my clit. "Oh, God, Tyler."
There was a knock at the door.
I repressed a shriek and slid off his lap. My jeans promptly slid to my ankles, much to Tyler's amusement. Before I could pull them up, the door handle clicked. I dropped to a crouch behind the huge wooden desk and crawled into the space beneath it.
Sandra spoke. "Mr. Rock—"
"Tyler, if you please. Remember, Sandra, first names, please." His voice sounded very amused.
I couldn't pull up my jeans without bumping around and making noise, but I decided to engage in shenanigans of my own.
"Tyler." Sandra sounded very uncomfortable saying his name.
I ran a hand up Tyler's crotch and unzipped his pants slowly. I felt him stiffen in more ways than one.
"How can I help you?" Tyler's voice rose in pitch as my hand grasped his penis.
"As you know, I've been a receptionist for quite some time."
Tyler cleared his throat. "Five years, correct?"
I tried to reach him with my mouth, but there wasn't enough room beneath the desk.
"Yes. I'd like to see if there's an opportunity to expand my horizons." The sincerity in Sandra's voice made me feel guilty about diverting Tyler's attention from her request, so I released him.
"Is there some other position you'd like to apply for?"
"I'd like to be in sales." Her high heels clicked across the floor to the desk. "As you can see from previous jobs, I have sales experience. I've also been taking night classes in programming so I could better understand the services we offer."
I heard the rustle of paper. "Sandra, I'd be happy to look over your resume. I'll let you know something in a few days, okay?"
"Thank you, Mr. R—Tyler."
"Anytime."
Her heels clicked across the floor. The door clicked shut a moment later.
Tyler slid his chair back from the desk and grinned down at me. "That was fun. Why'd you stop?"
I crawled from under his desk and wriggled back into my jeans. "Because I didn't want to distract you."
"I wasn't all that distracted."
I crossed my arms. "Oh?"
He took my hand and tugged me upright. "Okay, maybe a little."
"I think it's great that employees can just come talk to you like that." I pressed my lips to his. "You're probably the most open and honest boss these people have ever had."
"It's because I'm a demon." He stood and stretched. "We're known for our honesty."
I stuck out my tongue. "Oh, yes, the very soul of honesty." But something about his comment sparked an idea. "I think I know who's behind this."
Chapter 7
Tyler raised an eyebrow. "You've had an epiphany?"
"The timing of these corporate problems is recent, correct?"
He frowned. "From what I can tell, everything started about a month ago when we were still out of town."
I nodded. "Who else has probably been around for a month? Who else would love to torture you by making you fail?"
His eyes lit. "Barboar and the other demons."
"Precisely." I put a finger to my lips. "It would seem our supernatural lives are now interfering with our normal existence."
"If you're right, then solving the demon dilemma should make these problems go away." He stood up and looked at the busy street below. "Em, we need to track them down and discover their true names. Even if I can't banish them to the Abyss, I'll be able to keep them away." He turned to me. "What I don't understand is why you can't sense my name."
"Is Barboar a weaker demon than you?"
He thought about it for a moment. "That's hard to quantify. Here in Eden we're physically about the same."
"And the others?" I asked.
"Very similar to Barboar."
"We should track down another and see if I can determine his name."
Tyler dropped back into his chair. "Eyja might be the easiest to start with."
I sat on the edge of his desk. "Why is that?"
"They all love alcohol, drugs, and partying, but Eyja is addicted to sex clubs."
"I hardly find that surprising." I gave Tyler a playful tap on the nose with my finger. "He is a demon after all."
"She is a demon." He snapped his teeth at my finger. "We'll need to do a little detective work."
"Do you plan to comb every sex club in the city?"
"If that's what it takes." Tyler took my hand and kissed it. "I'll do anything to stop them."
"There's one more problem."
"And that is?"
"Eyja is undoubtedly in a new body from the last time you saw her." I quirked my lips. "How will you know who she is even if we're at the right sex club?"
He chuckled. "Because I'll have you with me to find her."
I blinked at him a couple of time. "Oh yes, I'd forgotten about my ability again."
Tyler stood and ran kisses along my cheeks. "You're so cute when you're flustered."
"I'll show you flustered." My hand slid across his crotch.
He trembled. "You certainly know how to make me lose control."
"Do we start our search tonight?"
"Yes. I'll interweb search the sex clubs in the area."
I sniffed. "I think you should leave the internet searches to me, or we'll never get anywhere."
"Fine." Tyler looked all too happy to relinquish that responsibility. "I'm sure it'll be considered a proper use of office internet."
By the end of the workday, I had a list of five such clubs and showed each of them to Tyler.
He eliminated two of them right away. "Those establishments are too tame. She likes her sex a bit more on the adventurous side."
I felt a flush go up my neck. "I rather thought they were all adventurous." I caught a look from him and quickly added, "And much too risqué for me, thank you very much."
Tyler seemed to take great pleasure in my discomfort. "I'm going to enjoy this."
"Hmm, yes, I
suppose you will." I did my best to conceal the smile tickling my lips.
"Well, we should go buy some clothes for tonight."
"Tonight?" I checked my phone to be sure of the day. "But it's a Monday."
"She'll still be out getting her fix."
"Why do we need to buy clothes? I have plenty of clubbing attire thanks to you."
He grinned from ear to ear. "These are sex clubs, not night clubs." Tyler raked his eyes over my body. "Yum."
My knees went weak. "Oh, dear."
He put an arm around my shoulders. "I intersearched and found some places for the proper outfits."
I kissed him on the cheek. "You mean you ran an internet search, silly."
"Sure, whatever."
Joe was waiting by the car when we exited the building. We climbed into the backseat and Tyler gave him an address on Cheshire Bridge Road. "Yes, sir." He pulled into traffic.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. "I can't believe we're doing this."
Tyler cupped my chin. "You want to find them, don't you?"
I nodded. "We have to find them. It's this sex club business that has me nervous."
His amused grin returned. "Out of everything we have to worry about, that's the one thing you're most worried about."
I looked down. "It just sounds so perverse."
"I suppose to some people it might be."
I immediately flicked my gaze up to his. "To some? I believe you greatly underestimate that number, sir."
"You're cute when you're indignant." Tyler pecked a kiss on my nose.
I wiped my nose with the back of my hand. "I'm dangerous when I look cute."
We soon reached a street with a string of dubious-looking establishments and an array of sex shops. Joe didn't bat an eyelash as he pulled in front of a black brick building with blacked out windows and no placard to announce its name. The parking lot was small and quite full, so Joe stopped in front of the building.
"We're here, sir." He got out and opened Tyler's door so the two of us could slide out of the back seat.
"We might be an hour or so," Tyler told Joe.
"I'll be waiting." Joe gave each of us a straight-faced nod, got back into the SUV, and drove away.