34. Ever
Chapter 34
Ever
“ M s. Moore?” Jericho’s voice thrums through the phone, and I scramble off of Ledger’s lap. “I know it’s short notice, but I have an investor coming in that’s quite insistent about an in-person meeting. Is there any chance you’d be willing to swing by our office, say, three o’ clock?”
Holy shit. This is really happening. “Yes, of course! I’ll be there. See you soon.” We hang up, and I stare at my phone in shock for a solid minute before I whirl around with a massive grin, nerv-excited.
Thanks to his abilities, Ledger heard it all and is already setting his bookwork aside. “I know last time you went with Arson as backup, but after Bellamy’s speech-”
I’m already taking the stairs two at a time, calling over my shoulder, “Yeah, sure, I don’t care about you guys being there for this part. Fine print stresses me the hell out, but especially after the bullshit Adam tried to pull, I’d actually appreciate you guys reading it over before I sign anything. And Myles can help me pitch the ‘nanotech’ idea we’ll be springing on them, too.”
I crash into Bellamy at the top of the stairs, and it’s only thanks to his quick reflexes we don’t tumble to our deaths. “Now where’s the Nevermore that doesn’t show her enemies an ounce of fear?”
“He’s not an enemy, he’s a potential business partner. Totally different.”
Arson’s voice echoes up the stairwell. “Bullshit. That’s all the more reason not to let him see that he gets under your skin. Remember, angel, he’s here to impress you . Not the other way around.”
Under Bell’s firm grip, I slow down long enough to take a deep breath, centering myself before I panic-spiral. They have a point. I need a level head going into this meeting or they’ll eat me alive.
“Thanks, guys.” Bell gives me a quick kiss on my forehead before I squirm my way free. “Now hurry up and get ready or I’m leaving you behind.”
Ledger opens the door to the lawyer’s office and I nearly stumble over the threshold into a faceplant. Seated behind the table in the lawyer’s office is a man I’ve only seen in passing, his name whispered in hushed reverence in halls I was too busy mopping to acknowledge previously.
Dane Nocturne. CEO of Phantom Advocate.
And Adam’s boss.
Dark brown hair and piercing green eyes, the full weight of his attention has my chest tightening and the desire to flee sending my nerve endings haywire. The flash of a tattoo on his left wrist helps ease my concerns though, the flaming compass cementing that he’s either a center, or already claimed. Not a threat.
He catches the sight of the hard glint in my eyes and slowly rises out of his chair like he’s afraid he’ll send me running for the hills, extending his hand across the table. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Miss Moore.”
“Yeah, well, that’s my fault for not asking my agent what company insisted on a meeting, or I could have saved you the trip.”
Dropping his hand, he ignores the subtle slight. “I don’t blame you for your hesitance after your unacceptable treatment, but please.” He gestures to the chairs across from him. “You came all this way, at least hear my offer out before you turn it down. And at the very least, allow me to personally apologize on behalf of my former employee.”
Well shit. That piques my curiosity. “Former?
With one harsh nod, he eliminates any doubt on the subject. “Absolutely. Adam Carrington’s behavior was a disgrace to my company, and I assure you, he was severely punished before his termination. I’d personally like to make things right. My mate always talks about her time in Mercy Ridge fondly, and I can see why; it’s a close knit community of extraordinary people.”
Slowly, I drop into my chair to hear him out and offer a tentative olive branch. “You can call me Ever.”
“Then call me Dane.” A small smile flashes across his stern face. “This is truly an inspired project, and I’d be a fool to let one incompetent fox chase you into the arms of our competitors. I’m sure I come off as a money-grubbing asshole, but I got into this industry because I respect what people like you are able to do; create an escape from this shitty world, and make it accessible to the people that need it the most.”
Dane turns to the assistant that’s been creepily silent by his side this entire time. “Marco, if you’ll present Miss Ever with our gift.”
The emotionally constipated assistant sets a metal briefcase on the table and opens it without so much as a twitch of emotion, pivoting it around to face us.
I’m pretty sure I forget how to breathe.
Nestled inside are three games that have yet to hit the market I’ve been dying to get my hands on. One of which I’ve had on preorder for six months, and it’s not even set to release until Christmas.
“A show of good faith,” Dane says, attention rapt on my face. “Now you have something that if you were to sell to our competitors would cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. A fitting apology for the ill-treatment my employee put you through, wouldn’t you say?”
My lawyer whistles. “Sure as hell beats a fruit basket.”
I glance at Bellamy and Myles, knowing they’ll understand the magnitude of this gift better than anyone, and see equal shock etched into their faces.
“I get to keep these? Seriously? Even if I don’t accept your offer?”
Dane nods, folding his hands in front of him. “Of course. For years, I’ve been searching for something special, and you, Ever, are extraordinary. ”
Deep breaths, Ever. Don’t blow everything by acting like an easily impressed rube.
“Okay. But before you pitch your offer, I need to show you the updated controller, because I think that’ll change things.”
With a raised eyebrow, he gestures for me to continue. “Please do.”
Myles and Bell help me hastily connect my console to the tv on the lawyer’s wall, getting everything set up. Heart in my throat while everyone watches my every move, I breathe a sigh of relief as it loads up without an issue, the controller responding seamlessly. “Make sure to glance between the controller and the screen, okay?”
Once I have the perfect game loaded, I hold Mr. Nocturne’s eye as I pass the controller to Arson and he gets a front row seat to watching it morph into his preferred form. After he’s shown his character responding to commands, he tags in Ledger, the controller morphing once again.
Interest lights up Dane’s eyes and he leans closer on the table. “How are you going to pass off a magical controller to humans?”
“Nanotech.”
He whistles low, sitting back in his chair. “Would you consider a job offer in our tech department? Hell, you can run the tech department with this kind of work.”
I squirm uncomfortably in my chair. “My mate helped me with that part, if I’m being honest.”
He turns his interested gaze to Myles, singling him out by default and appreciating his genius in a way I think few people ever have. “My offer stands. If you or your mate want a job at Phantom Advocate, we’d be lucky to have you.”
Myles offers him a weak smile. “I appreciate the offer, but this is Ever’s project. I’m more than willing to help with the controllers, but I’d like to do so from a warehouse or in the shadows so it can be kept out of the limelight.”
To the man’s credit, he doesn’t insist or throw a fit, but instead sets me at ease by gushing, “Well I’d love to have first dibs on any new inventions the two of you create because this is absolutely inspired. The three of us? We could make millions. Do you have any idea what we could do with that kind of money?” He locks eyes with Myles. “Our mates would never want for anything again. We could give them the world.”
My stomach clenches as I say, “I don’t want the world. I just want to feel safe in it.”
Dane locks eyes with me and I swear, stares directly into my soul. Slowly, he dips his head in acknowledgment. “That’s what I want for my Sophia. A world where she’s healthy and happy, and I don’t need to be terrified that someone's going to try to take her away from me every time she steps foot outside of the safety of our home.”
He rubs his thumb over the mark on his wrist. “She’s been sick for far too long, and every doctor we’ve seen has left me more frustrated than before. What good is my fortune if it can’t buy a cure for the only person that I’ve ever loved?”
“What’s wrong with her?” Ledger asks softly, but it’s met with a vicious glare from Mr. Nocturne.
“Nothing is wrong with my mate, she just… she’s fragile. She wasn’t as lucky as some mysts to be born with strong abilities; hers work against her. Her parents were selfish assholes that didn’t consider the fact an ice and fire elemental might create a baby constantly at war with herself.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, trying to imagine what that would be like. To be your own worst enemy without an ounce of reprieve, your own system sabotaging you every waking moment simply for existing.
Ledger sits up straighter in his chair. “So what are you thinking? Because as you’ve acknowledged, our mate could waltz up to any of your competitors and receive an offer. So why should she sign with you?”
The corner of Mr. Nocturne’s eye twitches, the tiny flash of irritation there and gone in a flash. “How about this?” Grabbing a notepad, he scribbles down an offer while saying, “You retain the rights to the ‘nanotech’ and get the final approval of the finished product before it’s released to the public. This will be your advance with the agreement that my company gets to bid first on anything gaming related you create before you approach a competitor, and one more chance to outbid them if you don’t accept the initial offer. After the advance is earned back, you’ll receive 30% royalties.”
My eyes bug out of my head, but when I see all the zeros? I stop breathing.
It might take a lifetime to earn back the advance before I see any royalties, but with this kind of money up front, especially if I invest a chunk of it…
I’ll never have to work again.
I suck in a shaky breath. “We’ll need to see the final contract to ensure nothing is slipped into the fine print, but,” I trail off, looking between my guys, lawyer, and agent, seeing all the encouraging looks staring back and strengthening my resolve.
“We have a deal.”