Game Player

12 - Cal

Cal was livid. He had caught the last of the conversation and it was easy enough to deduct what was being discussed and agreed. He'd made Shane understood in no uncertain terms that his balls would be served to him on a platter if what had transpired eventuated.

Shane had not denied it but rather confessed that Alex had surprised him and he had found it hard to resist her offering. Disgusted and conceding to himself that her charms were in abundance, he left and made his way to Alex's office, ready to go to war. She fought a hell of a lot dirtier and on a whole other level than he had anticipated. Alex looked up from her laptop when her PA announced his arrival. Her poker face giving nothing away as she surveyed him.

"Please take a seat." She indicated to the chair on the other side of her desk. He sat down and waited for her PA to close the door.

"What are you playing at Alex? I never contemplated you would stoop that low." He growled, jaw ticking and appearing to be struggling to remain calm.

"I'm not sure what you saw and heard and I can imagine what you think you saw but I can assure you, it isn't what you think." She responded, looking at him calmly.

"Don't play games with me. I don't have time for your bullshit!" Cal slammed his fist on her table. "Isn't your software good enough? Do you have to provide extra personal services to lock in deals?!"

Jumping up out of her seat and leaning over the table, she narrowed her eyes in anger at him. "Don't you dare come in here and accuse me of something so despicable when you have no idea what you're talking about!"

"I know what I heard and saw and Shane didn't deny it!" He shouted, mimicking her actions and leaning over her desk to shout into her face. "If you think I'm going to fucking let you get away with this then you're not as smart as you make out to be! You think you can just offer a piece of hot ass to any man to make him do your bidding?" He glared at her, his face mere inches from hers, his breath fanning her face. "Isn't that naive?" Cal said scathingly.

"Get out of my office!" She hissed. "I don't need to hear any more of your unfounded accusations and stupid assumptions. I can see that no amount of explanation will change your opinion."

"Rest assured, what you arranged will never transpire. Shane knows he will never work again if I get the slightest whiff of him executing your plans." Cal paused, looking at her speculatively, "and you can also forget Marcello and any deceitful plans you had intended there."

"I didn't arrange anything and what are you talking about regarding Marcello?" She frowned.

"Marcello will no longer be available for dates as he values his job too much." He informed her, watching her carefully.

"Marcello has nothing to do with this."

"Oh he does, we use his company for advertising and he's about to become xByte's account manager in Europe. We're his biggest client. Hardly likely that Marcello will want to screw that opportunity up if he has half a brain. He now knows that if he ever wants to work again he needs to stop dallying with our competitors - ones that are willing to sell themselves to get ahead."

Alex rounded her desk, glaring at him. "You have no right to interfere between Marcello and me." She poked him in the chest. "This is a total invasion of my privacy and your accusations are incorrect."

Cal stepped in closer to her, forcing her to lean back against her desk. "You seem to like your privacy invaded when it suits," he said contemptuously. "I know all too well what you offer is temping to most hot-blooded male....but less appealing when it can be so easily bartered for." He lifted his hand to trail down her neck to her chest.

She gasped and smacked his hand from her body and pushed him away. "Get out of my office! Don't you ever imply those things about me again! I'll work with you on this deal but you are not welcome here! Get out!" She shouted into his face.

"Glad to hear that you can still keep some resemblance of professionalism Alex - just understand that I'll be watching your every move." He headed towards the door, eyes assessing her. "You can't just sell that body, luscious as it may be, to get what you want." Throwing in the scathing parting remark, he stormed out of her office.

~~~~~~~~~~

"You're either drowning your sorrows or have developed alcoholism," Geoff said, eyeing Cal's fifth pint.

"Merely letting off some steam," he replied sullenly.

"The Cal I know normally lets off steam in a warm body."

"Who says I won't do that too?"

"Well at the rate you're going, you'll be incapable of doing anything else apart from passing out," Geoff smirked. "A total shame really because the redhead over there has her eyes set on you."

"I'm not in the mood anyway."

"That's almost blasphemous coming from you! What's the world coming to?" Geoff said mockingly.

"Just not in the mood....did you know that Marcello was dating Alex?"

Geoff snapped his head up from his musings. "No...but that's cause for concern," he cautioned.

"I know, I've already put a stop to it by talking to Matt....he's assured me that he will move him off the account unless it stops." He paused and decided to not tell Geoff about the Shane and Alex show as well for now.

"Good, we already know that there's someone leaking information somewhere, we don't need to add any more avenues for our IP to escape."

"Well, we need to be even more vigilant while we're doing this project to ring-fence the tech team. And in the meanwhile, weasel out the fucker who's leaking information."

"It will be harder to control now because we have to share some IP with Serkos and EoN." Geoff said, looking concerned.

"I think we need to keep a close eye on Alex and her team. They're going to be scrupulous in their approach."

"Yes I agree but I haven't noticed anything untoward so far - all seems above board?"

"I don't think Alex is above using her charms to move things her way." Cal gave Geoff a meaningful look.

Geoff guffawed, "I highly doubt that Alex is of the type Cal....the times I've interacted with her, she has always been very professional. I don't see why she would jeopardize her company and a deal like this by doing something like that. She's highly intelligent...and hot as fuck, I must admit." Geoff grinned at him.

Cal growled, "I'm just saying to watch her... do I need to give you the same warning?"

"Oh I've been watching," Geoff quirked his eyebrow. "And I'll happily continue to keep on watching.....that ass of hers could kill a man by merely watching."

He scowled at Geoff who put up his hands in a defensive motion and laughed.

"I mean, you have to admit that she's got a lethal mix of brain and beauty....in a different setting I would have given it a shot. While away the hours after crazy sex with interesting conversation." Geoff mused.

"Shut up Geoff - stop winding me up and you know what I mean."

"Yeah, sure I hear you. I'll be meeting her weekly along with the exec programme manager and a few others. I'll keep a close eye on her perky ass from afar." Geoff grinned, "like every other single, straight male on this project. She's going to cause an epidemic of blue-balls."

"I've had enough of you winding me up for the night. Feel free to take the redhead, relieve your blue-balls now so you don't get the urge with Alex. I mean it Geoff, stay away from her." He emptied the last of his beer and walked out to the sound of Geoff's laughter.

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