Page 29 of Claws and Controllers

The words sounded hollow even to her own ears, and judging by the skeptical looks on her friends’ faces, they weren’t buying it either.

“Oh, come on, Ellie,” Frankie said, her tone softening. “It’s okay to take a chance, you know. Not every guy is going to be like Grant.”

The mention of her ex-husband sent a pang through Ellie’s chest. She took a large sip of her wine, buying herself a moment to collect her thoughts.

“It’s not just about Grant,” she said finally. “It’s... complicated. Zy’s company bought the game that Grant stole from me. There’s history there, baggage. And even if therewasn’t, getting involved with a competitor? That’s just asking for trouble.”

Noa reached across the table, squeezing Ellie’s hand. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s exactly what you need. Someone who understands your world, who can challenge you and support you. When was the last time you felt this excited about someone?”

Ellie opened her mouth to protest, but the words died on her tongue. Because the truth was, she couldn’t remember. Not since before her marriage had imploded, certainly. And even then, had she ever felt this... alive. This spark of excitement every time she thought about their next meeting, the way her skin tingled when he smiled at her...

“I don’t know,” she admitted softly. “It’s all so confusing. One minute I’m sure he’s just another corporate shark, and the next...”

“The next, you’re imagining what he looks like without that fancy suit?” Frankie supplied helpfully.

“Frankie!” Ellie exclaimed, but she couldn’t help laughing. “You’re terrible.”

“She’s not wrong though, is she?” Noa pressed, her blue eyes twinkling. “Come on, El. We haven’t seen you this worked up over a guy in years. It’s okay to admit you like him.”

Ellie sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Fine. Yes, I like him. He’s intelligent and funny in this dry, unexpected way. And yes, he’s attractive. But that doesn’t change the fact that getting involved with him would be complicated at best, disastrous at worst.”

“Or,” Frankie countered, “it could be the best thing that’s ever happened to you. Sometimes the most unexpected matches turn out to be the perfect ones.”

As her sister and friend continued to debate the merits and pitfalls of an office romance, Ellie found her thoughts driftingto Zy. The way his golden-flecked eyes crinkled when he smiled, the deep timbre of his laugh, the electricity that seemed to crackle between them whenever they were in the same room...

She shook her head, trying to clear it. This was exactly the kind of thinking she needed to avoid. Whatever she felt for Zy – attraction, admiration, or something deeper – she couldn’t afford to let it cloud her judgment. There was too much at stake.

And yet, as the evening wore on and the conversation flowed as freely as the wine, Ellie couldn’t quite shake the image of Zy’s smile from her mind. Or the traitorous little voice in the back of her head whispering, “What if?”

The next morning dawned bright and clear, the New York skyline etched against a canvas of blue sky. Ellie strode into her office, a nervous energy thrumming through her veins. She’d barely slept, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions after last night’s dinner.

As she settled at her desk, booting up her computer and arranging her notes, a soft knock at the door made her heart skip. She looked up to see Zy standing in the doorway, looking unfairly handsome in a charcoal gray suit that accentuated his broad shoulders.

“Good morning,” he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. “Ready to dive back in?”

Ellie nodded, gesturing for him to come in. “Absolutely. But first, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

She led Zy to a small workspace tucked away in the corner of the office. A young man with unruly dark hair and thick-rimmed glasses sat hunched over a computer, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

“Zy, this is Alex,” Ellie said warmly. “Our resident coding genius. Alex, this is Zyan Ashford from Ashford Entertainment.”

Alex’s head snapped up, his eyes widening behind his glasses. “Oh! Um, hi. It’s, uh, nice to meet you, Mr. Ashford. I’ma big fan of your work on neural network integration in game AI.”

Zy smiled, extending his hand. “Please, call me Zy. And I’d love to hear your thoughts on that. Are you working on something similar for Infinite Odyssey?”

As Alex launched into an enthusiastic, if slightly stammered, explanation of his current project, Ellie watched the interaction with a warm feeling in her chest. This was the side of Zy that had surprised her most – his genuine interest in and respect for others in the field, regardless of their position or company affiliation.

“Alex is one of our newest team members,” Ellie explained as they made their way back to her office. “Brilliant mind, but still working on the whole human interaction thing.”

Zy chuckled. “Reminds me of myself at that age. Well, minus the brilliance part. I was more of a fumbling idiot with delusions of grandeur.”

Ellie raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “Oh? And what changed?”

“Now I’m a fumbling idiot with actual grandeur,” Zy quipped, his golden eyes twinkling with mirth.

Ellie laughed, the sound echoing through the office. It struck her how easy this was, the back-and-forth between them. How natural it felt to have him here in her space.

As they settled in to work, the conversation flowed easily between technical discussions and more personal topics. Ellie found herself opening up about her team and the trust and camaraderie they’d built.

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