Page 41 of Sinner

I also thought about my father’s phone call, his insistence the man was the devil. If only I knew what my father was hiding from me. Maybe I should ask Xander. I almost laughed from the ridiculous thought. At least my father’s call reminded me to go into this with both eyes open.

Wide.

“Did you hear about the huge anniversary celebration the company you covet is having at the Waldorf on June fourth?” Ashley was enjoying teasing me way too much.

“Not that I’d ever get invited,” I huffed.

“Okay. Let me get this straight,” Stephanie said the moment her dirty martini was placed on the bar table. “You applied for and are considered one of the top three candidates at one of the most prestigious organizations in the entire city of Chicago to work for, yet you’re pissed.”

“It’s more complicated than just being pissed.” I’d told them little about my main reasoning for wanting to work for the Blackwell Group. They didn’t know that side of me, especially since it had taken years of festering to finally bring it to the forefront. Enough to garner courage to do what I was doing. Or hoping to do.

And I knew about the great gala. Everyone who was anyone was in attendance.

“Explain,” Ashley chided. “Didn’t you tell us your salary is going to be close to two hundred thousand?”

“With profit sharing.” I couldn’t lie, the salary was incredible, but I didn’t care about the money. Not really anyway.

“And you get to game your life away. Oh, just like you’re doing now.” Ashley laughed first after making the comment, Stephanie immediately afterward.

“It’s complicated because I will at least occasionally run into Xander Blackwell.” Although if this all worked out, I’d spend my time in one of the offsite facilities, barely coming into headquarters. I hadn’t expected the reaction I’d had when seeing Xander, but after so many years he hadn’t had a flicker of recognition, not that he would.

I’d changed from the freckle-faced kid who was stick thin to what I was today. Plus, I hadn’t spent any real time around him since he hadn’t come to see me. Plus, I hated adults at that point in my life, so I’d stayed away. I had friends. I had my studies. I had gaming.

“Have you paid attention to what he looks like?” Stephanie asked, obviously in awe. “He’s freaking gorgeous. So are his brothers. Although I heard they are weird.”

“Not just weird. Creepy.”

Ashley thought the guy at the taco stand was creepy. “He’s extremely intelligent and masterful within design.” I couldn’t believe I was complimenting the man. He was also the epitome of male perfection.

“So a game designer?” Ashley teased.

“I honestly have no clue. Nor do I care,” I told them as I sipped my wine, constantly glancing out the window to see if my stalker was following me. I’d felt him over the weekend, but hadn’t experienced any other surreal moments of being certain he was standing over my bed.

That was the creepiest feeling of all.

“So did you say you had to play a game as a test?” Stephanie was genuinely curious.

As if I could provide them with any details. They’d think I was nuts. I could not imagine what the public and critics would do once the game was released, which was this week. They would go mad with how detailed and real it seemed.

I’d studied games for so long, the work and the knowhow to play them was instinctive. Not with Dark Nights. I’d lost all senseof reality. The most brilliant aspect of the game was the ability for the sanest person to lose themselves in their own sadistic, murderous desires. I’d caught a mere glimpse of the capabilities the game offered, options catering to every fantasy.

No matter how twisted.

I would frankly be shocked if once released, Dark Nights didn’t have issues with laws concerning general consumer protection. Even with their protections, the game went so far out into a new realm that I hadn’t lied when I suggested monsters could be born.

His answers had been odd and profound at the same time. But he’d undoubtedly learned from the various criticisms he’d received how to handle the most intense pressure. I certainly wasn’t anywhere close to his caliber of talent.

“Yes, a virtual reality game.”

Ashley and Stephanie looked from one to the other. “And? You’re like some super critic when it comes to games.”

“It was okay.”

Ashley snorted. “I know you. You loved it. Was it sexual?”

I was shocked she asked me that. “What?”

“I heard the rumors. Every male at work is excited like kids at Christmas. And the youngest guy at my job is like twenty-six. What is it with video games?”

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