Page 44 of Sinner

“Partially. Just a joint venture with a buddy of mine. Does that bother you?”

“Should it?”

He opened the car door and removed his sunglasses. That’s when I really captured a good look at the intensity of his deep green eyes. They reminded me of a dense forest or lush foliage. They were rimmed in gold, which offered an ethereal appearance.

I had to work to keep up with him given his long strides. Now I regretted wearing my heels. They were low, but I wasn’t very good at walking in them. He’d already opened the door by the time I caught up with him. I’d be damned if he didn’t look annoyed that I’d taken so long.

Once inside, I was impressed yet daunted by the interior design. It appeared as if out of some gothic horror movie, only devoid of blood and body parts. The walls were red, the floor black tile, and the bar deep mahogany.

He led me through the small room toward another one where only a few tables were placed. He took up residence in one and within seconds, a waiter appeared.

“Red wine for the lady and I’ll have my usual.”

“You’re ordering for me?” I asked, my tone as defiant as it had been in his office.

“It was the choice of beverages you would have chosen for yourself. Is it not?”

So very formal and so very oppressive. “Maybe. But I do prefer making my own choices.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Ms. Turner.” He sat back, very comfortable in his skin and his surroundings.

The way he was staring at me was an attempt to make me nervous. I didn’t take the bait, leaning forward. “When did you and your brothers start the company?”

“Is that what you really want to know?”

“Oh, I have several questions, but we’ll start there.”

He seemed amused, also leaning forward. I was able to catch a whiff of his aftershave. It was unlike any other fragrance. Strong and masculine with earthy tones while being subtle. The choice suited him, much like his vehicle.

“We started it fifteen years ago after competing with each other in a tournament. We were the top three in the United States. Our scores were higher than even the manufacturer of the game had anticipated.”

“Who won?”

His eyes lit up and I was immediately pulled into the fire spinning around his irises. I only noticed the slight stubble covering his chiseled jaw when he smiled. There was something almost malevolent about the gesture, although I had no reason to believe that. “It depends on who you ask.”

“Highly competitive.”

“Very. We never lose and even if we do, we find a way to win.” The drinks were presented and he didn’t so much as acknowledge the person bringing them. He simply didn’t need to. He was king of the hill and the bar was one of his thrones. Somehow, I had a feeling he had many.

“That was the beginning of your kingdom.”

His laugh was deep, sending a wave of vibrations shooting through me. “No one has ever coined a phrase quite like that. Yes, it was. We had drinks to celebrate and an idea was born on a cocktail napkin. Within two years, we’d developed four games and amassed enough money to start a small company. Just the three of us. Sales that year hit forty million and it only improved from there.”

“A Cinderella story.”

“Hardly, Ms. Turner. We worked night and day. Eating. Sleeping. Dreaming. Building. Planning. It was all about the game.”

“You can call me Sophie if you’d prefer. Ms. Turner sounds so formal.”

“Would you rather I call you Desdemona?”

A slight chill trickled down my spine and I started to grill him on how he knew my gaming name. It was a ‘duh’ moment since I’d just competed in their world using that name. “Either one is fine.”

“I prefer Desdemona. It suits you. A little wild although attempting to hide your true self. Isn’t that correct?”

Every word dripped with sexual innuendos, or at least so it seemed. Maybe I was making too much out of the conversation, but it appeared as if he was flirting with me. The man was even more impressive up close, both as a specimen of manhood and a powerhouse of industry. I found that hugely attractive.

“We all hide behind a persona we hope will bring us joy, happiness, and fruitfulness in every aspect of our lives.”

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