AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s evident to me that you care a great deal for your people, Mack, and that’s an admirable trait. So is trying to protect people from what your technology could bring in the future. The way I see it is, you have two options here.”
Just two?
“Continuing as you are isn’t viable; it’s already dawned on you that at some point, someone is going to take what they want by force, either by law or otherwise. Option one is, you give your people the chance to buy the company, the projects, the whole damn lot. Let them take it over and continue the work as they see fit.” Evander paused, letting it sink in. “The other option is maintaining your staff, dispensing with your current development line, and pursuing a different avenue likegaming. Hire artists, designers, straight out of college and build a different legacy.”
Christ, how would Tim and the others deal with that?
Sorry, guys, the important, lifechanging work we’ve been doing for the past decade is getting too risky, so we’re going to be creating video games from now on.
They’d either call the nearest mental hospital or hang him from his office ceiling fan. Would they be able to fathom such a monumental change?
The thing was, now the seed was planted in his head, it feltright. Protecting his people from harm was at the top of the goddamn list and he’dfailed.One enemy was about to be down and out, thanks to Tabitha, but more would come. More would go to greater, deadly lengths, and while he loved the job and the good it created, he couldn’t justify his staff being terrorized or raped or murdered.
“How about this?” Evander added after a long minute. “Take a few days to think about it. What you’re looking at is a complete overhaul of everything you’ve built. That’s a big shock. Come over for dinner, the girls can have a playdate, and we can sit down and throw some more ideas around. Elias is a goddamn genius, and I bet Liam has some valuable thoughts to contribute. Use us, Mack; we’re here.”
“Yeah.” Mack heaved a sigh of relief, feeling some weight lift off his shoulders. No doubt it would return in short measure, but the prospect of others helping him bear it while he made some drastic alterations to everything he knew was a strange and comforting novelty. “Thanks, Evander.”
“No prob—”
“Daaaaaddyyyy!”The warbling battle cry gave the Dom half a second’s warning before a naked missile dove onto his lap. There were some nasty scars etched into skin still flushed from sleep;old scars but they must have been painful at the point of origin. “Where did you go?”
“Right here, Callie.” Evander sighed in exasperation even as he nuzzled his face into her neck. “You were supposed to be napping with Eli.”
She giggled, thankfully keeping her back to the camera. “I got frisky.”
Levi snorted. “Surprise, surprise.”
“Master Levi!” Callie tried to spin around as she squealed in delight, but Evander pinned her flat against his chest with a well-placed hand between her shoulder blades. “Aw, Daddy, I wanna say hello.”
“I’m sure you do. Your tits, however, do not.”
Another giggle, sly this time. “My breasts are exhibits.”
“Exhibitionists,” he corrected. “Now is not the time. Go back to bed.”
“But it’s daytime,” she whined.
“It is, and I want to get frisky with my wife until our husband decides to join in.” Giving her a solid smack on the ass, he spun his chair to the side and bumped her off his lap. “Go. Bed. Stay very, very naked.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Blowing the camera a kiss, Callie skipped off.
Evander’s gaze followed her before he turned back to the screen. “Good meeting, guys. Mack, Eli will be in touch to organize dinner.”
Levi just laughed and ended the call. “Jesus, hard to believe I used to be just as infatuated with that thing I called a girlfriend. Only difference is, Callie’s equally as in love with them as they are with her.”
“It’ll catch up with you again one day,” Mack said quietly, thinking of the woman upstairs. “When you least expect it,bang, there she is. Everything you crave, everything you never knew you needed. Game over in a heartbeat.”
“There is something in the water here that turns all the Doms into mush. Sorry to disappoint you, Mack, but my time has been and gone, the bridge to my heart nothing more than ash and charred ruins.” Levi sounded remarkably cheerful about it. “I’m learning to move on, get my rocks off wherever I want without any sticky attachments, and put any lingering frustration into my art.”
“That’s a lonely existence, Levi.”
“Yes and no. I can live without having my heart smashed into pieces again, and images like this,” he said, gesturing to the photo of Sierra on screen, “are next level compared to what I used to produce. I’d rather make someone like her happy and comfortable in her own skin than let another woman under mine.”
There’d be a woman, one day, who wormed her way so deep under his stubborn skin, she’d lodge herself where his heart used to be and make him forget this bitterness.
Mack was excited to watch it happen.
Before the conversation became too embroiled in past misdeeds by previous lovers, he picked up the neglected pen and dutifully wrote down the image number. He imagined by the time he was through with the whole selection, he’d have enough erotic photos of Sierra to start his own art gallery.
