Billionaire Bodyguard

by Jill Snow

  “Mean? This isn’t grade school, Emily. It’s the business world and Conor is at the top of the food chain. I’m sure he’s used to this kind of criticism.”

  Trying to hold her temper, Emily tried again. “Jason, it doesn’t matter what he is, what matters is who I am. I am not that person. I do not behave in an underhanded way.” At the mulish look on his face, she softened her tone. “I appreciate that you were looking out for me and doing what you felt was right, but it was wrong. It upset me, caused an ugly fight with an important member of our gaming community, not to mention the amount of upset people hitting our website.”

  “It’s publicity, Emily. All’s fair in love and war, so they say.”

  “Get out now before I say something I regret. Go.” She raised her voice when he lingered. She was beyond furious. Carrie sat white-faced but didn’t make a move to leave.

  “Do you agree with him?

  “Who, me? With Jason? Heck no, he was out of line. But what I am a little confused about is why you’re taking this so personally? It’s not the first time he screwed up and it won’t be the last.”

  “Carrie, he embarrassed me. Not just in front of everyone who visits our website, but…”

  “But…? Come on, out with it. Tell Auntie Carrie.”

  “Conor took me to coffee on Saturday.”

  Carrie raised an eyebrow but didn’t interrupt.

  “He seems like a nice guy. A genuine guy.”

  “Well, he is cute and loaded, but nice? Really? He doesn’t have that reputation.”

  “What type of reputation does he have?”

  “Well, he shreds companies to bits.”

  “Are you sure that’s not just the gossip pages talking? Because when he explained what he does to me, it sounds like he buys failing companies and turns them around to make a profit. Or he sells them off in bits and pieces to recoup his investment. His investors love him.”

  “I guess that’s true. I only met him briefly at the fundraiser, so I can’t say I know him. I can dig into him, though, if you want me to. I know someone…”

  “Please don’t do anything. It’s enough he thinks Jason is a wild card. He suggested I sack him.”

  “I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

  Shocked, Emily looked at Carrie, who was suddenly finding the tabletop very interesting. “Why would you say that? Jason has been around since the very start.”

  “Yes, I know what he did for you at High School but this is business, Emily. He’s good at what he does but there are better people out there. He just…well, he’s a bit intense.”

  “Moody, I guess you mean. Well, he is, but so are a lot of artistic people. I know he screwed this up. But...”

  “I think you’re blinded by your loyalty to him.” Carrie still didn’t look up from the desk.

  “He was good to me, Carrie. I can’t ignore that.”

  “Okay, let’s drop the Jason subject and talk about something more interesting, like Conor. When are you going to see him again?”

  Emily blushed. “Carrie! Stop that.”

  “Oh, yeah, I forgot you’re aiming to be the next Mother Theresa.”

  Emily didn’t mind Carrie teasing her, not usually, but today she was feeling a bit sensitive.

  “So are you going to see him again?” Carrie asked quietly this time.

  “I don't know.”

  “Do you want to?”

  Emily nodded. Boy, did she want to. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face. Only, she saw the hurt look he had when he had come to confront her about the video. That was the look she couldn’t get out of her mind.

  “What should I do, Carrie?’

  “Don’t ask me. My love life is a mess. I spent all weekend with Jack. You know, that cute guy, looks like a model.”

  Emily didn’t know who Jack was and the description could describe most men Carrie dated.

  “Well, anyway, he dropped me off last night and since then, nothing.”

  Emily couldn’t help but glance at the clock. It was only eleven.

  “Why don’t you call him?” Carrie asked.

  “Jack?”

  “No, silly, Conor. Call him and invite him out for a drink.”

  “I can’t do that. I mean, it’s a bit desperate, isn’t it? And plus, he’d think I was fishing for information about tomorrow.”

  “Oh, true, I forgot about that. Leave it a couple of days and if he hasn’t called you, give him a buzz.”

  Emily wasn’t sure she had the courage to call Sunny Studios again. But maybe he could call her if she waited. Why shouldn’t she call him? She was a believer in women’s rights wasn’t she. Before her nerve failed her she phoned his cell, which diverted to his office.

  “Conor Dunne’s phone.”

  “Oh, hi. I guess he isn’t there.” How silly did she sound? If Conor had been there, Conor would have answered instead of this man.

  “No, he just stepped out for a moment. Can I take a message?”

  Emily wavered. Would she sound stupid making a date over the phone?

  “Could you ask him to meet Emily in the coffee shop about four? I need to speak to him about something.”

  “Sure. Does he know which coffee shop?”

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  “No problem. I will tell him to call you if he can’t make it.”

  “Thanks.”

  Emily hung up and only then realized she hadn’t asked who she was speaking to. Must be someone close to Conor if they picked up his calls.

  “Emily, you ready to get back to work. What are we going to do next? The feedback on Warrior Queen is in from beta testers. Want to work through their issues?”

  For the next few hours, Emily was up to her neck in quirks and foibles the beta testers had found with Warrior Queen. Overall the feedback was good, but some thought the range of the test questions on level five were too difficult. It was very frustrating trying to get through to the next level. She and Carrie played the game on multiplayer. Despite having fun, they decided the betas were right. They had to make that move to the next level a bit easier, but how?

  Emily’s brain was like mush by the time she got to the coffee shop. She and Carrie had gone through every sequence possible for the game. They both liked slightly different paths. It would be nice to get a third person’s opinion but she could hardly ask Conor. She waited and waited, not wanting to go inside the coffee shop until he came. Thirty minutes later, he hadn’t arrived. She checked her cell but there were no messages or missed calls. Was he still annoyed? Playing some game? Did he think it was funny to make her stand like a lemon? She was tempted to call to see if he’d gotten the message but that would make her look stupid. Instead, she got a to-go coffee and walked home. Alone.

  Chapter 21

  Tony, Crystal’s son, seemed glad to provide him the Dummies Guide to Gaming and, by the end of the evening, Conor thought he was a bit better prepared to face his new employees in the morning. He had taken Tony out for a beer afterwards and quizzed him over the various games on the market. What he liked and what he didn’t. His comments were quite interesting. Much to Conor’s surprise, it seemed a lot of young adults enjoyed playing the Sunny Studios catalogue with the filters turned on. So if Tony’s opinions were indicative of the general population, there was the potential to clean up the games without reducing their overall popularity. Conor was excited at the prospect. But despite enjoying his time with Tony, he still didn’t really see how anyone could spend all day long playing a computer game. It just didn’t engage him enough.

  Once he finished up with Tony, he headed home and perused the employment records Crystal had sent over. He thought back to his interviews with Gary Hall and Sarah Grafton. There was a clear motivation problem at the studios, with many of the brighter employees moving on. The level of staff turnover exceeded thirty percent which was very high for such a small company. He had spoken to Sarah about the reasons why. She believed lack of involvement and empowerment were among
the causes. As well as poor management focus and the games themselves. The creative people felt stifled, that much was evident from his conversation with Gary. Conor questioned him about the Ugly Truth blog. Gary had admitted to not only reading it, but agreeing with most of its content.

  Conor sat back on his couch looking out at the skyline. The penthouse was clinical and lacked a homey atmosphere, but the views were incredible. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine being at home. Up here he didn’t hear the traffic but could see the ocean. He moved slightly, sending the paperwork he had taken home flying to the floor. One paper stood out from the rest. It was something to do with Emily’s foundation. Jude wanted him to invest but with the objective being to buy the company when it went on the ropes.

  From his conversations with Emily, there was nothing to suggest she was in serious financial trouble. She seemed to have raised enough money at the fundraiser to secure the near future. But then Jude had rarely, if ever, been wrong about an investment opportunity. He had to speak to him further. He obviously knew something Conor didn’t.

  Closing his laptop, he sat back, his focus now on Emily Williams. He had to admit she intrigued him and not just on a professional level. He hadn’t realized until speaking to Gary and Tony how well known she was in the gaming world. He respected those who were successful in their field, regardless of whether they were male or female. In fact, if he were given a truth serum he would admit to admiring women more. They had a tougher climb to the top, especially in traditionally male-dominated fields, not that he would be quick to admit that out loud. He didn’t believe in favorable discrimination.

  Emily interested him on a more basic level. He was hugely attracted to her and not just physically, but mentally, too. She was intelligent and not afraid to hold her own opinions even when they went against the commonly held view. When she argued about something she believed in, her eyes changed to a deep blue, almost like the ocean off the islands of the Caribbean. He picked up his cell to ring her but then changed his mind. He had no reason to ring her at home. He didn’t want her running for the hills. He’d wait a few days and then when he had some good news about the progress he’d made at Sunny Studios he’d ring her.

  Chapter 22

  Emily rolled out of bed the next morning, her head feeling like she had pressed the scramble button on her brains. She was racking up sleepless nights. All she could think about was the meeting over at Sunny Studios and the implications for her company. Never mind the fact that Conor had stood her up last night. It obviously wasn’t a good sign.

  She knew Jude Ryan, Conor’s attorney, by reputation. Nobody seemed to have a good word to say about the man and not just on a business level. Corporate attorneys had a reputation for being ruthless, but this guy went further than that. Everything she read about him suggested he took pleasure in making the small guy pay. What would he want from her and the foundation? Conor said he wouldn’t sue, but did he mean it? Could he hold back the Rottweiler on his team?

  Emily closed her eyes, remembering how those baby blues had pinned her to her seat on Sunday night. They could have frozen the waters of San Francisco Bay and his glacial tone had her in no doubt he meant business. So far, everything about Conor suggested he was a man of his word, but…

  She nervously bit her lip. She didn’t have the funds to hire an attorney at Jude Ryan’s level.

  She saw Dan the doorman’s look of concern before he returned his face to the pleasant mask he wore to meet and greet the building’s occupants. She declined his offer to call a cab. This morning, she would walk. It would help reduce her stress levels. She hoped so, anyway.

  Conor walked in through the back door of the conference room. The nervous energy was palpable as he made his way through the crowd of employees, hearing bits and pieces of their conversations before they realized he was there. Silence fell as people gazed at him, their expressions a mixture of fear and anger.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. My previous meeting ran over. I hate being late, so please accept my apologies. I suppose you are all wondering why I called you here this morning.”

  Nobody moved a muscle. Conor looked around the room. The only people meeting his gaze were Crystal, Gary and Sarah. The others seemed to think he would remove their heads from their necks should they look on his person. He frowned. He didn’t like that type of autocratic company environment. Sure, he was the boss, but the company was only as good as the best of its employees. Jude totally disagreed. If Jude had his way, every member of staff would have to re-interview for their own job. Jude seemed to enjoy intimidating his employees.

  “As you all know, I have recently taken over Sunny Studios and while there are a lot of positive things about this company, there are quite a few things I have to change. First and foremost, as many of you will be aware, we are no longer marketing our latest game. We have suspended that product and all plans for any future releases. All customers will be refunded for their purchases. As of last night, that game is no longer available on the market.”

  The whispers grew louder before he went on. “I have serious concerns about the level of violence associated with the games produced by this company. Going forward, that type of game is not something I want associated with Sunny Studios. Before I continue with my plans for the company, I want to offer every employee the chance to resign with three months salary as severance if you wish to work elsewhere.”

  Conor caught Jude’s eye above the crowd. His lawyer’s face still looked like a corpse. The man nearly had a heart attack when Conor had outlined his plans earlier. But he wanted a clean slate and the only way to achieve that was by getting rid of any troublesome elements in the quickest, cleanest fashion.

  “In addition to the severance, you will receive a reference. This reference will not refer to your outstanding performance or anything else as I do not know if that information is correct. What it will say is that your position was part of a company-wide layoff during restructure following the takeover.” He remained quiet until the noise around the room died down. “Crystal Kelley, my executive assistant, will compile a list of those who wish to take the severance. If you need time to think about your decision, the offer is open until the end of the week. If you have already made your mind up and wish to take the package, you are free to leave this meeting now.”

  He surveyed the room, his gaze landing on those he wished would leave. He already knew who he didn’t want on his team going forward. The personnel files had been fairly useless in his decision making but the conversations with Sarah, Gary and Crystal had been illuminating. Again, he found himself wondering why people would speak negatively about the boss in front of Crystal. Was it not obvious she was one of his most trusted personnel? Or did people assume because she worked in a secretarial capacity, her opinion was therefore irrelevant?

  He hid a smile as a few of the people on his “gone” list stood up and left. A couple he wanted to leave had an uncertain look on their face. They would probably make a decision over the next few days. And then there were the diehards. The trouble makers he wanted to leave who would stay to the bitter end. Maybe they believed he would offer them more money to leave or they could be under the unfortunate impression their skills were key to the success of Sunny Studios.

  The lead designer on Get The Girl game almost certainly fell into this category. Well, Mr. Dander was about to get a horrible surprise. As a condition of their employment, all employees had agreed to regular screening of their company equipment. Conor’s security team had already gone through every piece of company hardware and software and their findings made for some interesting reading. Some of the staff spent more time on Facebook than anything else. But it was those who used the company resources for other, less sociable reasons he was most keen on speaking to.

  A number of people had left the room by the time Conor stopped scrutinizing the workforce. He felt horrible for those who came in and gave the company their all during their working hours. Why w
as it the innocent always looked the most guilty at these type of company gatherings?

  “Most of you have nothing to worry about. In fact, I am pleased by the number of committed employees I have gained by taking over this company. I hope you will not only stay with me on our journey, but you will find your role in our company’s success more enjoyable as well as financially rewarding. I plan on making this company the most successful gaming production company in the world. Yes, my plans are ambitious but if we reach for the moon and fall on the stars, I don’t think anyone will complain.”

  He waited until the applause died down.

  “The first change I wish to introduce will be a complete overhaul of the company branding. I do not wish to be associated with the name Sunny Studios for various reasons. So the name of the company will change. Everyone will have a say in that, so please forward any suggestions or ideas you may have to Ms. Sarah Grafton. She will pick out those she considers have merit and pass them on to the marketing team. The games we produce will be the most sophisticated on the market. I look forward to gathering you all here a year from now to celebrate our top ten successes.” Again, he had to wait for the applause to die down.

  “I know there are gamers and designers among you who have amazing ideas. You will have a greater voice going forward. I will reveal our plans in more detail at the next meeting. For now, please be assured that those of you who wish to remain working positively in this company will be fine. Our ethos is changing, and our success will come, but the next few months may be the most difficult as we transition into something better. So be prepared to put in the hours. I am changing the remuneration structure as well. All staff will now get bonuses based on company profits, not just those on the sales team.”

  Conor looked at his audience, pleased to see more than a spark of excitement.

  “I am sure you guys have questions for me. I commit to meeting each of you individually, but this will take time. Crystal will organize my schedule. Please take advantage of this opportunity. I look forward to getting to know all of you.”