Chapter 27

T he most anticipated event of this convention is the robot battle, wh ich happens the afternoon that follows our presentation. It's the perfect opportunity to celebrate our hard work and have fun one last time before heading home later tonight.

It takes place in a separate hall, smaller than the others. There are a few stands there, with companies that are primarily into high-tech electronics or robotic programming. In the middle, there's an arena the size of a boxing ring, surrounded by high plexiglass walls and a net over top.

A stand offers visitors a chance to bet on their champion, and while money isn't involved, we can win some cool merch if we get it right. All the fighting robots—essentially weaponized Roombas with armor—are displayed so we can choose. I go over them individually, examining their shapes and gauging their potential.

I'm debating whether to vote for number twenty-three when Lex's voice says from behind me, "Are you sure about that one, Walker?"

I smile, sensing some teasing coming. "I can't be certain, but I have a good feeling about it."

"It's quite small compared to the others."

"Just because it's tiny doesn't mean it isn't fierce and skilled."

"A fact I'm well aware of," he answers suggestively. He definitely isn't talking about number twenty-three. He gives me a playful side glance. "Do you want to place a bet?"

"Oh, I'm betting on this one. We shorties have to support each other."

"I meant another sort of bet, just you and me."

The promise of some sexy bet makes my skin warm up and my heart flutter. "What do you have in mind?"

"How do yo u feel about being tied up while I take advantage of you?" he whispers in my ear.

Fuck… My knees turn to mush, a shiver runs up my spine, and heat spreads in my lower stomach. Images of being tied up while Lex finally lets his inner beast free flash before my eyes. He understands how much I enjoy the idea, his gorgeous face veiled with want. Alright. Even if neither of us wins, we're absolutely trying light bondage.

Before he can answer, we're interrupted by Brian. "Guys, the votes are closing in three minutes," he reminds us on his way to Mason and Steven.

"For an hour?" I ask Lex once we're safe again.

"Not enough. Two minimum."

"Two and a half, and you have a deal."

"A little greedy for someone who'll tap out in twenty minutes," he teases, his eyebrow cocked up.

"It's how long The Shining is."

"You'd tie me up to make me watch a movie?"

"I would for The Shining , Lex."

We place our bets and find the others around the arena, ready to enjoy the carnage. The ambiance is like the Super Bowl but for nerds, and it's surprisingly fun to watch robots demolish each other to death.

After the first series of rounds, while there's a break for the winning robots to get some maintenance, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. As I come back, a masculine voice stops me in my tracks.

"Congratulations on this morning's presentation," Hugh says, his sneering tone making my skin crawl.

Fighting the displeasure he ignites in me, I face him and force a smile on my lips. "Thank you. It was a resounding success."

"Alexander said the app was mostly your work. Is that true?"

"Yes, it was a personal project until Kelex bought it from me."

"It's impressive. A shame you didn't look at your options before selling. We would have bought it for much more than Kelex could ever afford."

His remark irritates me irrationally. "Not everything is about money," I dryly retort.

"Of course not. But Avoss has the means to make such a tool accessible worldwide with a snap of its finger."

"Well, Avoss also sells private data and supposedly secure information to Fortune 500 companies, among many other unethical things."

My jab amuses him. "Ah, you don't like us very much, do you? A shame… I wanted to offer you to work for us for double your salary."

Given his tone, I have no doubt that he's dead serious, so I look at him with widened eyes. Working for Avoss is the opportunity of a lifetime. People would kill for such an offer— especially for double my current pay.

"Maybe I misjudged you. Perhaps I can convince you," he notes, mistaking my silence for hesitation.

"No. I'm happy where I am."

"Once more, Kelex won't get you very far. Money-wise or career-wise. Sleeping with your boss may help you climb the ladder, but it's a very short ladder you're working with."

Air leaves my lungs as if he hit me in the guts. How does he know? Did he guess? Did they discuss this yesterday after I left Lex's room in a hurry?

"I'm—I don't know what you—"

"Save your breath. I'm not an idiot. You do whatever you want, but if you'd rather get a job that values you for your actual work rather than your bedroom skills, give me a call," he coldly says, handing me his card.

I glare at it like it's venomous and then at him. Who the fuck is he to say those things to me? When Hugh understands I won't take his card, he slides it back into his chest pocket. "Whenever you aspire to be more than someone who sleeps around to succeed, you know where to find me," he concludes, leaving me alone.

He has no idea what he's talking about. I'm not sleeping with Lex to succeed, and he isn't using his position to take advantage of me. We're doing it because we can't help it, because we need each other.

Someone bumps into me, taking me out of my thoughts. With a groan, I shake my irritation away. Hugh is a prick, and what he thinks doesn't matter. But deep down, I know he won't be the only one thinking I'm doing it to get somewhere professionally. For God's sake, Kelex just bought my app for a lot of money.

What about my colleagues? They're reasonable people, but I'm already leading a massive project shortly after getting the job. Shit, they'll imagine things started before the sale or that Lex had me upstairs with him for that . My professional image could be ruined by all this.

I feel like an empty shell of myself as I return to my chair before the second round starts. I should have thought about all this before we started having sex. I should have focused on the big picture rather than giving in because the dick was too good.

"Are you okay?" Lex whispers, sensing something's off.

"Yeah, uh… We need to talk." My seriousness apparently translates well because worry flickers in his eyes. "Can you drive me home tonight?" I ask.

He nods, still tense, and I offer a small smile to reassure him.

"Are we fine?" he whispers.

Still looking up at him, I give his thigh a small, discreet squeeze. "Yes."

I don't want to break things off, but we must establish some ground rules. He'll have an HR document to protect him from some potential scandal. But what will I have? What will protect me from the gossip, assumptions, and judging side-eyes?

I can't stop thinking about my brief talk with Hugh. It was like a harsh slap back to reality, and now I have to rethink everything.

Thankfully, I'm seated next to a sweet old lady who's knitting a scarf on the flight home, and while I'm not sure about the color combination, I can't help but appreciate the quality of her work. Watching the repeated motions and hearing the rhythmic sound of her needles is strangely relaxing. This quiet moment gives me the time I need to think about what I'll tell Lex. My affair with him jeopardizes many things, and the more I think about it, the longer the list gets.

It's dark, cold, and rainy when we exit the airport in Seattle, and I already miss San José. Brian doesn't waste time wishing us a good Sunday and hops into a cab. Mace orders an Uber, and Steven tags along with him, since they live in the same area. Joseph's mom is already waiting for him, so he quickly leaves, too.

"Since we're going in the same direction, do you want to share a cab?" Oliver suggests. I glance at our boss, who's checking something on his phone, and then back to Oli.

"Thanks, but I'm good. Someone's picking me up."

"At this hour? That's one devoted friend."

I wince, giving him a contrite smile. "Yes, he is quite devoted."

Oliver's amusement fades, and he frowns. "Oh… That's him , right? The guy you're seeing?"

I can sense Lex's presence behind me, and I have no doubt he's listening. Fighting the urge to comfort Oli, I nod. The hurt in his eye is evident, but I need him to understand I won't be with him. We're friends, and as much as I may have wanted us to work something out, I don't want that anymore.

"Alright, then. Enjoy your Sunday. I'll see you on Monday," he concludes, waving awkwardly before heading to the line of cabs. I watch him get into one and wait for the car to disappear after a turn.

"So, I'm devoted, eh?"

I'm not in the mood for Lex's taunting. "Don't. It's hard enough that I keep hurting his feelings like this. I don't need you to add to it."

Lex recoils, confused. "So I guess everything isn't fine between us." He passes an irritated hand through his hair, his whole body tense.

"Oli is a friend, and I don't like hurting him, that's all."

He raises a skeptical eyebrow at me, but doesn't comment. "Let's get you home."

His Mercedes is in the parking lot, so we head there. He hauls our luggage in the trunk, and we're on our way. After a few minutes of tense silence, I sigh heavily.

"So, about that talk… Hugh came to me this afternoon. He told me he knew about us and basically called me an opportunistic slut."

As I wait for his answer, I hear the raspy sound of his hands fisting the leather of the wheel with a death grip. "I will punch that cunt the next time I see him. I should have been more careful when I talked to him yesterday."

"Why? What did you two talk about?"

"He made some snarky remarks about poaching you, and I told him to stay the fuck away."

A mix of pride and joy overwhelms me. Possessiveness isn't a trait I should appreciate—it's a Neanderthal thing—but it's different with Lex. "He offered to double my salary if I go work for Avoss," I reveal.

"He did? What did you tell him?"

"I accepted, of course. It's double my pay."

I'm obviously joking, but Lex doesn't get it, frowning and grasping the steering wheel even harder.

"I told him I was happy where I am," I quickly explain, sorry to have distressed him over a stupid joke. "Anyhow, Hugh's an asshole, but other people will think the same and draw those conclusions. Although they probably won't voice it so rudely."

As someone who is always a few steps ahead, he probably thought of that already.

"I didn't really care about it before, because it was supposed to be just a one-time thing. But it looks like we'll be doing this for a while—at least if I have a say in it," I continue, biting my lip anxiously.

"Yeah, I'm… hoping the same."

His confirmation has my chest tightening with glee. "Great. This means we have to be discreet. I don't want people to know about us. It would hurt me if the guys thought all I've accomplished is because we were having sex and not because I'm worthy."

"I imagine you'll want to work back downstairs from now on?"

"It would be wiser, yes."

"I' ll have Aditya move your computer. When will we see each other?"

I think about it for a moment. "Maybe keeping it to the weekends is more prudent."

Lex reluctantly mumbles. "I'm all for planning things, but five days is a long wait. I will only agree to this if you stay from Friday evening to the end of Sunday without disappearing in the middle of the night," he negotiates, clearly disliking my nocturnal escapes.

"I don't think I can survive forty-eight hours with you. And I have plans most weekends."

"Fair enough. Then we let it happen as it comes."

I give the idea some consideration. Tamika knows I'm seeing someone, so I can go to his place now and then without raising her suspicions. And barely anyone at work knows anything about Lex's personal life, so I would be safe from that.

"As long as we make sure no one knows, I'm good with that," I agree.

We talk a little longer about logistics, and then I brag about winning our bet. Both our robots failed to be crowned champion, but mine lasted a little longer than his, meaning I'll get to tie him up. He doesn't look too pleased with that, especially since he thought his robot was a sure thing—he personally knows the guy who built it but claims that wasn't cheating.

"I wish you could come up for a quickie," I say with a pout once he's parked in front of my building.

He chuckles and shakes his head. "You live with Tamika, right?"

"Yes, and seeing you sneak into my room would blow our cover."

"We probably wouldn't be quick anyway," he says with one of his wickedly sexy half-smiles.

"Stop tempting me, Coleman."

Despite the coziness of the moment, I force myself to exit his car, and he opens the trunk to take my suitcase out of it. The rain momentarily stopped, which allows us to linger a little. "I'll see you on Monday," I tell him, raising myself on my toes for a kiss. As always with this man, I rapidly crave more, and what's supposed to be a quick peck on the lips turns into a thorough make-out session.

I'm trying to press myself harder on him, our tongues lasciviously grazing each other's, my fingers curled into his jacket, when he pushes me away with a groan. "You should go before I forget about Tamika and drag you to your room."

"Yes, uh… Enjoy your Sunday. "

"Enjoy your Sunday, Andrea," he says inches from me, his nose softly brushing mine.

"You too."

His chuckle fans across my face. "You already said that."

"Oh, right… Did we already kiss goodbye, too? I don't think we did."

That's all he needs to kiss me again, and we keep things more reasonable this time. After one last longing peck, I push myself off him and grab my suitcase.

"I want my underwear back, by the way," I demand as I walk away.

"I'm keeping it as payment."

I stop and spin to face him. "For what?!"

"For leaving me high and dry in that bathroom."

I giggle, shaking my head incredulously. As I walk to my entrance, I glance back at him every few steps. He waits, nonchalantly leaning on the side of his car until I disappear into my building.

Damn, I'm one lucky girl.

Tamika is watching a movie in the living room when I come in, and after a friendly welcome-back hug, I head to my room. A while later, ready for sleep, I send a message to Kate, asking if she's still up.

I don't even have to explain myself. She calls on her own less than a minute later. "Hi, babe," I greet her, excited to hear her voice.

"Hey, Deedee. So, how was the convention?"

"It was great. Hello World is seriously awesome. I saw robots fight to the death today. But I know you're not into that nerdy stuff, and it's not why I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? What is it then?" she asks, curious. She sounds a bit off, almost detached, which I'm not used to, coming from her.

"Are you okay, babe?"

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"I don't know. You sound off."

"No, I just sound tired. And now, impatient! What did you want to talk to me about?"

Her explanation isn't enough to dismiss my concerns, but I decide to give her the time she needs. Whatever's going on, she'll tell me when she's ready. After all, we tell each other everything, which is why I continue with, "I've been having sex with Lex all week."

"Oh my God, yes! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist."

My face is burning with excitement and embarrassment, so I bury it in the pillow. "Yes, you were right. The man is just so… everything . I swear, I feel like I'll never get my fill of h im. For God's sake, I let him finger me in a crowded bar with my colleagues right next to us."

"Holy shit, that sounds so hot."

"It was. Everything he does makes me want him even more. He's stupid smart, and attractive, and sexy, and handsome… I don't get it, babe. I'm just… me, and he is a human version of some perfect Greek god."

"Stop saying that, dude," she scolds. "You're the fucking bomb. You're pretty as hell, you're smart, you're witty, you have character, you're talented, and so many other things."

"I'm shorter than the average thirteen-year-old, I have a gigantic ass, I have no boobs, my humor is weird, I can't learn fashion to save my—"

"You're literally the average height for Mexican American women, Dee. And who gives a shit about any of that anyway? Did Lex make a demeaning comment about your butt? I will unalive his ass if—"

"He likes it," I cut her off. Heat flashes in my cheeks as I recall his enraptured words from yesterday. Words can't express how much I adore your ass, Andrea…

"There you go. Stop worrying about what society wants. All that matters is what he wants. Which, quite obviously, is you," Kate scolds. "I'm sure your Lex has many flaws, too. He can't be all that perfect."

"He isn't my Lex," I respond defensively, knowing she is right about my inability to love myself.

We spend over an hour talking. I tell her everything I can think of, sparing her the steamiest details. I feel like an infatuated teenager confessing her stories about a boy. By the time we hang up, I'm much more confident about myself, and the future seems to hold great promise.

I fall asleep a few minutes later, a dreamy smile on my face, imagining what's to come with my Lex.