Page 3 of Crazy in Love

We continue our evening talking about the party tomorrow and which group she will be talking to more, and about this app they are working on.

I told her about my plans to add a few more classes in during the week, but I’m still seeing if it’s a good idea since living with my sister is a first for me.

Chapter Two

Aiden

“Aiden, have you got the papers?” David walks into my home office all hot and bothered about the news I’m currently reading. I’m not sure when he forgot how I started this business, how I spent every second of my day reading the papers.

“Yes, I’m reading them now.” I look up at him as he throws another paper on the desk.

“What’s this?” I ask, leaning forward to grab it, since we must be reading two different things.

“The reason you pay me so well.” He can be a right dick sometimes. “Frankie Fair said he has the next big app that will give you a run for your money.” David looks at me as he sits on the chair. “So the fucker is trying to get one over on you.”

“Isn’t he always? He's always trying, but it never happens.” I start reading through the article and burst out laughing. “He’s calling me an old timer, saying that I’ve lost my touch with what works in the world for apps.” Putting the paper on the table. “When the fuck did thirty-five become old?”

“When some twenty-one-year-old got lucky with an app and beat you last year.” David starts laughing, then stops when I look at him. “Oh, come on, you’re working on an app that ninety percent of the women in the world will love.”

Now that is why I pay him so well, to let me know if I have a fucked-up idea or not, and I’ve had a few of them.

“What time does the party start?” I hate these events and have no idea what the point of them is. David likes to throw one for the company, three times a year, to show everyone this is a fun place to work. And because I’m the boss, I have to go. Or more like, David makes me go.

“Six, so you better be there for six.” He gives me a pointed look as I glance at my watch. Great, I have three hours to go through this paperwork. Even though he knows I will be late and will be leaving early, he still has to say it to me.

“Do we have a team for the app yet?” I’ve had an idea for a fitness app for so long now, but I need to do something different from all the other apps out there. So now I’m putting a team together to see what we can come up with. David will be in charge as always and then he will bring things to me when they have something noteworthy.

I made my first app when I was nineteen in my bedroom, just a simple stack the pile type game. Uploaded it to sell, and it unexpectedly sold millions. I got rich fast, too fast to know what to do. I did the only thing I could think to keep my head on straight, which was to keep working on my ideas. Then one day, I worked on a chat app and things got so out of hand for me that I couldn’t do it alone anymore. I needed help, so I put a team together and David was the first person I asked. I met him at a conference; he had the same drive as me, he knew what he wanted in life, and having him as my right-hand man is the best decision I’ve made.

Now I have a team bigger than I could’ve ever imagined, and I’m thankful for everything I have. I’m not letting Frankie Fucking Fair take anything from me.

“We’re looking.” David stares at me with an expression I know too well.

“Spit it out.”

“You know everyone loves to work at the company, but we all know you can be an ass when you have a new app in the works.” David is the only one that isn’t scared of me; he will tell me to fuck off and not flinch when he says it either, and that’s a good thing. I need someone to tell me to fuck off.

“Well, the ones that are scared shouldn’t be on the team.” Pushing my chair away from the desk, I walk over to the window. The weather is changing, the trees getting some colour to them again. I’m not a fan of the cold and the dark sky that seems to be out all day. Give me the light, the warmth from the sun.

“At the moment, I’m looking for the ones that aren’t scared of you, then we will see which ones to use.” David stands next to me, giving my shoulder a slap. “Don’t be fucking late.” I nod at that, and he leaves my office. I just stand there looking out the window for a moment longer. Time to clear my head, before I spend the next few hours staring at papers.

I wake up every day living my dream. I worked hard to be able to live this dream, and I will continue to do just that, no matter what competition tries to get in my way.

* * *

“I’m getting out of the fucking car.” I shout down the phone at David, who’s been calling me repeatedly for the last two hours. Now I have to hear him bitch about me being late all night. I have no idea why he thought I was going to be on time. I’ve never been on time to any event, never mind my own.

Heading inside, there the fucker is, waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

“You can be a dick all you want until we open those doors, I told you not to be late.” David hands me a whiskey as we walk up the stairs, and I do my best to ignore him. “The party is going well. Everyone has come. I’ve spoken to a few new businesses that have opened up to see if they would like to invest with us, as well as some of the staff that I’ve been looking into for the app.” David turns to me. “So for the last hour of the party, don’t be a dick.”

Stopping at the doors to the event space, I take a look around at everyone laughing, chatting and dancing, then turn to face him. “Tell me again why I have to be here?” This is why I like to be the man behind the scenes, so I don’t have to be at these things.

“Because you’re a self-made millionaire that respects your employees, and you don’t think you’re better than them.” David looks over at me with a stupid smile.

“I’ve never thought I’m better than them, you know that.” I drink my whiskey. Even though I’m in this position as their superior, I try my best to treat all my staff the same.

“I know that, but they don’t.” He points to all the employees that work for me. “They think you’re the big bad wolf, hungry for more, and willing to bite into anything to get what you want.”

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