Her Carnal Games Series

by Chanel Ivy

  The Walker International building was one of the largest in Philly, and the architecture was striking with harsh, clean lines everywhere. Every surface seemed to glisten or shine beautifully, but my surroundings made me feel a little uneasy. Everything seemed so rigid like even the building was cut-throat. What if I couldn’t cut it with these corporate types? What if I wasn’t shrewd enough to fit in with my co-workers? I was lost in self-contemplation when I realized a security guard from behind the grey slate counter in front of me was trying to get my attention.

  “Excuse me, Miss. Can I help you with something?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry. My name is Tessa Green, and today is my first day here. I’m supposed to be meeting Greg Hunter on the forty-fifth floor. I’m the new Staff Accountant.” I said, smiling at the handsome young man in uniform.

  “I am going to need to see some ID.”

  Well straight to business with this one I guess, no chit chat or niceties. I gave him my driver’s license and he tapped away at his keyboard making a call before even looking at me again.

  “You are going to use the elevators right behind me to get to the forty-fifth floor and when you exit, go left to their front desk and ask for Mr. Hunter. He’s aware of your arrival and will be giving you your security badge. Please make sure you have your badge with you at all times and in plain sight.” He said coldly.

  “Thank you,” I responded, feeling a little out of place.

  Wow. Talk about taking your job seriously. Well, I wanted a corporate job; it looks like I certainly found one.

  Chapter 2

  Mr. Hunter was pretty much the same as the security guard. He was direct and to the point, but he seemed slightly more timid at least. I was given my security badge and shown to an area with cookie-cutter cubicles lining large glass floor to ceiling windows that were filled with people working away at their computers and talking seriously on their phones.

  Mr. Hunter showed me to my desk area and gave me a folder with my username and instructions on how to get signed into the computer system. He also gave me a workbook that apparently went along with a training class I would need to complete before I would be given my first account to work with.

  I was so happy for this day to come, and now I was kind of sad it was here. I was expecting to work side by side with people learning the ropes. I was looking forward to having conversations with my co-workers and getting to know everyone I’d be sharing nine or more hours a day with for God knows how long. But I guess that wouldn’t be the case.

  I sat down at my sparse grey desk and began the provided training. I hoped the course would be quick and easy, but I finished the introduction part that seemed to take forever, and when I looked at my watch, it was only nine forty-five. I got here at nine. How had it only been forty-five minutes? Ugh, this day was going to last forever, and not in a good way.

  Just as I decided I’d get up to stretch and find the restroom before I started on the next boring section of training the doors to the conference room burst open.

  A tall, strikingly beautiful woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties with long flowing black hair and red librarian style glasses yelled out as she plucked away at her phone angrily, “Greg, are you seriously telling me we have no one here that I can take to review the Jackman file? It’s not that hard, all I need is one person to go over the details with me, so I know what I’m talking about before I walk into my meeting Wednesday night with Fuck Head Jack Jackman himself. They don’t even have to know what they are looking at. I just need someone to read it to me because I have too much other shit to do. I can’t sit down and go through his file. Is there no one available to pull from something else?”

  Greg followed quickly behind the beautiful woman who was clearly in charge as he stammered his response, “Well... ugh... we have everyone working on the Clayton Acquisition project. It’s... well... the... ugh...”

  The woman stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to look down at Greg as he almost walked into her, “Damn it, Greg. Can’t you ever just give me a straight fucking answer without stuttering like an idiot? Do we or don’t we have someone I can borrow for the next two or three days?”

  Greg looked around at everyone who had their heads buried in their computers pretending to miss the confrontation in front of us, and his eyes settled on me as he smiled, “Yes! Yes, we do have someone you can take. Take Tessa, Tessa Green. She just started and isn’t committed to any accounts yet. I’ll get her the Jackman files and have her assigned solely to you, Miss. Walker.”

  Did he just say, Miss. Walker? As in Veronica Walker, the CEO of Walker International? Oh shit. This can’t be happening. It’s my first day, and they are giving me to the CEO. I felt nauseous as I looked up from my cubicle to Greg and Miss. Walker, who were both now staring at me.

  Miss. Walker cocked her head to the side, and I thought I saw a small smile pull at the corner of her mouth, but her expression was gone before I could confirm if she was at all happy or not. “She’ll do. Send her to my office right away with the information I need Greg. You can do that for me, right, Greg?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Right away, ma’am.”

  “Damn it, Greg. What did I tell you about calling me ma’am?” Miss. Walker questioned sharply as she stormed through the hall towards the elevators.

  She was already gone before Greg could respond to her. Wow, what a whirlwind of a woman. I knew she had a reputation for being a bit of a hardass, but holy crap she was intense, and stunningly beautiful in person. She was actually one of the main reasons I wanted to work here. Who wouldn’t want to work for a strong woman in today’s corporate environment? Women are gaining power everywhere, and I wanted to be a part of that. What better place to be than a company founded by a single woman who is known in the news and tabloids for her pitbull, no shit taking, business style? I had seen her picture in magazines, online, and the papers, but seeing her in person was so different. She was so much taller than I expected. She exuded so much strength; it was intimidating. I couldn’t believe I didn’t realize it was really her until Greg said her name. I almost wanted to slap myself for not knowing, but I’d have to make time for chastising myself later since Greg was heading straight for me.

  “So, Tessa, you are going to be working directly with Miss. Walker for the next few days. If you could come with me to my office, I’ll get the Jackman files for you,” he said as he started walking, “All you have to do is read the reports to her. It’ll be easy. All you have to do is read them out loud to her.”

  I quickly got up from my desk to follow him, “Ugh... okay.”

  “All you have to do it read the reports to her, that’s it.”

  “Okay, I get it. Read her the reports.”

  “All you have to do is read her the reports.”

  “Greg, is there a reason why you keep repeating yourself?”

  He stopped and turned to me, “You have to... ugh... be careful around Miss. Walker. She’s very... ugh... particular. She goes through assistants like most people go through pens, but please don’t tell her I said that. She’d have my head on a platter.” Greg looked directly into my eyes, flashed a quick smile, and turned to continue toward his office, “She fired her last assistant after three weeks. Fred was a good kid, but he couldn’t keep up with her. She made him cry the first day, and it was all downhill from there.” Greg said, smirking.

  “But I’m not her assistant, I’m a Staff Accountant,” I said slightly confused that he would compare me to her last assistant.

  He opened the door to his office and motioned for me to enter, “Right, but if I know Miss. Walker, and I’m pretty sure after five years here I think I do, even though you are supposed to be helping her read up on the Jackman account, she is going to treat you like you are her assistant. If you want to last longer than just today, you’d be wise to do everything she says, how and when she says it.” He responded as he handed me a thick blue binder with Jackman written on the spine. “I’ll take you up to her of
fice now. You might want to grab your purse, I don’t think she’ll be coming back down here any time soon, and I doubt she’s going to let you leave her side until she’s ready to leave for the night.”

  I let out a slight sigh as I followed Greg back out to my desk. Today was turning out to be one hell of a first day.

  Chapter 3

  Greg had to stop at the front desk to have security update my badge giving me access to the eighty-second floor. Only certain members of staff were allowed up there since the whole level belonged to Veronica Walker. The button on the elevator for the eighty-second floor even had a placard with her name in gold lettering.

  When Greg pushed the button for Miss. Walker’s floor the screen next to the buttons lit up, asking for a badge to be swiped, allowing the elevator to accept the floor request. Greg looked over at me and pulled my ID from the retractable clip on my waist and swiped it over the screen, which blinked back green as the doors closed.

  I was so intimidated by everything going on around me I didn’t even flinch when Greg took it upon himself to grab my badge as it was attached to my clothing, but when he let it go, and it snapped back into place just over my right hip, my brain bounced back into reality. I stepped back from Greg slightly. I was a little unnerved that he didn’t think twice about invading my personal space.

  Greg looked at me with his hands up as if he were surrendering, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I don’t have access to Miss. Walker’s floor and an alarm sounds if you don’t swipe an authorized badge right away. I think you have five seconds before the alarms sound and the cavalry comes running.”

  “Wow. Why all the security? Does she have like crazy expensive art up in her office or something?” I asked, highly intrigued as to what she could be protecting.

  “She does have expensive art, but the extra security is directly for her. She has had what you would say were a few close calls with some not so friendly corporate rivals in the past,” Greg said, refusing to look at me.

  “Really? I wouldn’t expect that at all. I guess I never really thought of International Finance as much of a cloak and dagger, corporate espionage type of business.”

  “Well, with Miss. Walker, people tend to be very trusting and vulnerable before she makes her move to get them to do what she wants. It benefits the business, but those she wins out over don’t see it as business. They take it very personally, and when these people who are used to getting whatever they want all the time lose money or business to her, especially the way she likes to win, they tend to be very, ugh, angry. We’re talking the need for revenge type anger.”

  “Wait. How does she ‘win’ that makes people so mad?”

  Greg finally looked up at me with anxiety in his eyes, “She has a way of making people feel very comfortable around her. People tend to trust her inexplicably like she was family, or a better way of explaining it is... ugh... well like a very close lover I guess.” Greg swallowed hard and looked away from me again. Apparently, the floor was more comfortable to look at than me at the moment. “I don’t think she’s actually done anything that anyone would consider unethical or immoral, but I do know there have been quite a few business owners who didn’t answer to anyone who now answer to Miss. Walker, because of her particular negotiating techniques. Agh, we’re here. Thank God.”

  “Wait, what else should I know?” I asked as I stepped over the threshold into a beautiful glass enclosed hallway.

  Greg ushered me entirely out of the elevator without touching me, “Just read her the reports and do exactly what she says. You’ll be fine. This is as far as I go. Ask Jamie over there at the receptionist desk where Miss. Walker would like you, and she’ll help you from here. Jamie is Miss. Walkers personal secretary. I truly hope to see you in a few days, Tessa. It was a pleasure meeting you. You seem like a nice person.” Greg said as he slipped back into the elevator and pushed the button for it to close before he was even all the way inside.

  Greg’s parting words did not fill me with confidence, but I’ve got this. She’s an amazing businesswoman, and I’m going to view this as a learning opportunity. Who else is going to get this kind of opportunity to work directly with business royalty right out of college? No one, but me, that’s who.

  I straightened my skirt, puffed up my chest, and approached Jamie.

  Jamie barely looked up from what she was typing as she addressed me, “Good morning Miss. Green, Miss. Walker is ready for you. You can go right in.”

  I glanced to the left, and there was an empty conference room enclosed in glass with a frosted border at eye level. I looked to the right and was greeted by a massive dark mahogany wall. Centered on the wall were large double doors with huge golden bars acting as door handles. Across the top of the doors in what seemed to be her signature gold-leafed script font read, Veronica Walker, Founding President & CEO - Walker International. I’m not going to lie; it’s a grand first impression.

  I remember my manners as I knock on the door politely, but with enough force to be heard and not come across as mousy. From behind the massive dark doors, I heard a faint, ‘come in.’

  I pushed the door forward silently and stepped into the bright room with confidence taking in the elegant white marble flooring, the extravagant modern furniture surrounding me, and then I locked eyes with the most impressively striking woman I have ever seen. She was coming around the corner of her large desk that matched the color and materials of the entryway in a dark mahogany, and as she walked, it was like everything on her moved in slow motion. Her hair was long and dark but with loose beachy waves that bounced ever so softly with each step she took. She reached up to her face with her slender fingers pulling her red glasses from her strikingly blue eyes that were veiled in a dark pink eye shadow that matched her blouse perfectly. She also wore a pencil skirt that stopped just above her knee perfectly accentuating her long, tone, and tan legs. At that moment, I wanted to touch her. I wanted to see how soft her smooth skin would feel under my fingertips.

  I never really thought of women in that light before, I mean sure ladies are definitely the fairer sex, but this woman was drop-dead gorgeous, and it took me by surprise that merely watching her move from behind her desk created a warm fluttering sensation deep within my core. I always had boyfriends in high school, nothing serious, but I had never even dabbled in same-sex relationships, or even thought of it for that matter. Greg did warn me about her, I guess. What the hell does this woman have over people that makes them feel this way? This woman was not only my boss, but she’s the founder and CEO of the company I just started working for. I can’t think of her like this at all. My career depends on it.

  Greg was worried I wouldn’t last the next few days with her, and now I can see why. I thought he was concerned she’d order and bitch me out of my job, not seduce me out of it. She has to know she has this power over people, and I can’t let her know that it works on me. I need to do everything in my power to not show her how attractive I think she is.

  I shook the lustful thoughts from my head, smiled, and reached out my hand to shake hers and introduce myself, “Miss. Walker, it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, I’m Tessa Green.”

  She looked me over slowly, and the warm fluttering immediately returned. I consciously made an extra effort to swallow my desire to be with her and straightened my spine as she took my hand in hers firmly.

  She took in a quick breath, and I watched her shocking bright red lips part as she spoke, “The pleasure is all mine, Tessa. I’m looking forward to having you with me. Working I mean. I assume you have the Jackman file to review?”

  Straight to work, thank God!

  “Yes, I have the file right here,” I replied, holding out the dark blue binder. “Where should I put my purse down Miss. Walker?”

  She turned away from me and delicately tossed her hair as she did, “Call me, Veronica, please. You can put your stuff in my closet if you like. It’ll be secure in there. No one comes in my office without my knowledge anyway, so w
herever you feel comfortable.”

  “Your closet?”

  She snickered at my seemingly silly question, “Yes, I have a closet. I have an entire apartment on this floor. With a bedroom and everything,” she smiled seductively at me as she sat back at her desk, caressing the smooth wood. “If I need to pull an all-nighter, I can just stay here and work. It makes everything so much easier. Here, let me show you.”

  She got up from her desk and sauntered past me, grabbing my hand softly in the process. She led me to a wall panel and put her hand against a black computer screen I wouldn’t have seen unless she showed it to me. It appeared to scan her hand, and the wall panel clicked opening to a bright white and cream foyer with elegant tapestries on the walls. She led me by the hand down a hallway to another door that opened to a regal looking bedroom. The walls were a light lilac color, and the heavy curtains were a dark cream. The four-post canopy-covered bed was absolutely the centerpiece in the room, well other than Veronica that is. Seeing the soft, plush bed made me want to lay on it with her, but no. I can’t think about things like that right now. I can’t let my guard down around this woman in the slightest. I need to keep my head straight and not let her know how attractive I find her.

  “Is there anyone other than you and Jamie on this floor then?”

  “I have my security team scattered in random places. Why do you ask?”

  “I was just curious. It’s beautiful, but it seems like it would get very lonely up here.” Why did I just say that? I’m coming on to her without even thinking about it. Shit.

  “Well now, aren’t you full of surprises? I was expecting you to be a demure little brown noser and here you are, being all forward,” she laughed.

  “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. Here, let me just put my bag down, and we can get started.” I fumbled through my words as I put my purse down next to an elaborately carved wardrobe and opened the Jackman binder. “Which sections are you most concerned with reviewing first?”