Two Months Ago

  Asher Jacobson a tall brown headed man with spiky hair. His eyes were a piercing blue. His figure doesn’t look like he missed a day at the gym. He was wearing a tailored blue polo shirt that looked as expensive as it looks. His black slacks was freshly ironed, and he looked as any professional businessman. Zayner Chow was quite the opposite of Asher. Zayner is a much shorter than Asher. He has short jet-black hair. He may not look as muscular as Asher, but he still goes to the gym but not as much. He was wearing a two day old polo shirt that looked like he just picked it up from the floor of his bedroom and slipped it on. His khakis that he wore still had the buffalo stain from lunch yesterday. They exit Asher's car and head towards the building.

  “I'm telling you!”

  “Doesn't mean that I got to agree with you.”

  Asher says to Zayner. Zayner becomes very animated as his arms flail in the air when trying to argue. Zayner argues with Asher over some petty thing that they always argue over, "who was the hotter chick?"

  “Angelina Jolie is a prettier woman than Jessica Alba!”

  Asher shakes his head at Zayner. Asher knew that Zayner was wrong. Who wouldn't want a gorgeous blonde by their side?

  “I don't believe in that horse shit at all.”

  Zayner walks in front of Asher and starts to walk backwards almost tripping over a sewer grate before balancing himself. Zayner always had a hard time trying to multitask.

  “You're just saying that because Jessica Alba is a blonde!”

  “That's irrelevant! You don't even have a shot with Jolie! She had Pitt by her side, and you are no where near as hot as him.”

  Zayner gave Asher a sly smirk. He was going to tell Asher something thinking that this would solidify his win in this argument. She did have Pitt at one time but not anymore. Zayner knew what she wanted and he had what she wanted.

  “She may have had Brad but have you noticed that the kids they adopt are Asian?”

  “And your point is?”

  “She wants an Asian man!”

  Asher groans at Zayner. He should've known that Zayner would make a ridiculous conclusion like that. Asher pinches the bridge of his nose.

  “You're so full of shit!”

  They enter the building together. The lobby of the building was big a spacious. The front was covered in window panes, letting the morning sun illuminate the lobby without using too many lights. It had plenty of postered of the CEO's accomplishments, almost a reminder of the ego the man had about them. Many people were walking around the lobby, either heading deeper into the building to their workstations, or visitors touring the building for future investments. Zayner continues to argue with Asher like no one was around them. Zayner could careless if anyone were to listen in on their spat about who was hotter.

  “You know I’m right, and you are just jealous that you're not Asian and didn't think about it first!”

  “And I still think you’re full of shit.”

  A male coworker walks up to the two of them with a warm smile. He was plain looking and was your typical brown noser.

  “Good morning, Mr. Jacobson and Mr. Chow”

  Asher smiles back at the man and nodded trying to be as polite as possible to the plain looking man.

  “Good morning.”

  “Piss off, Frank!”

  Zayner said with venom in his voice. Zayner did not like this guy, It didn't matter how polite he was to Zayner, Zayner rather let piranhas devour his hands to the bone than be around this guy. Asher could only sigh. Of course Zayner wouldn't hold back against Frank. At least like time he didn't call him a "shit stained hotdog eater" like last time.

  “When will you learn to be nice to people?”

  “Nice to people? Yes, I am nice to people. Frank’s just an ass that wants to kiss everyone’s ass to make himself look good.”

  Zayner turns around to look at Frank with a scowl on his face. Why doesn't Frank take the hint and piss off like he told him to. Frank looks back, and Zayner flips him off. Zayner turns back to Asher, and Asher stares him down. Zayner cocked an eyebrow at Asher like he didn't do anything wrong.

  “What?”

  “You better be glad you don’t work in my department.”

  A female coworker smiles at the two of them and waves. Her voice was thick as honey and almost seductively. She wore a tight dress that hugged her curves just right that would make any guy drool over her.

  “Good morning boys.”

  “Good morning.”

  “Piss off, Heather.”

  Asher looks at Zayner and scolds him. He couldn't believe how hostile Zayner was this morning.

  “ZAYNER!”

  “What!?”

  Asher pushes the button to call the elevator. Asher and Zayner enter the elevator without a word. They stood in silence as the elevator dings and opened on Zayner's floor. He leaves the elevator without saying a word. Asher watches him leave out of sight as he wonders if he was being a little too harsh on Zayner. The elevator starts back up. It finally reaches Asher's floor as it slowly ipened up. He leaves the elevator and made sure that he greeted his team and took a donut stick. He finishes the donut stick before he walks into his office and sits at his desk. Magan Jones walks into his office while knocking on his door. She ever was the one who would wait to be invited in.

  “Mr. Jacobson?”

  Asher turns his chair around and looks at Magan. Magan was a short woman, roughly around 5 foot tall, with long black hair. Her figure was very blessed by a goddess of beauty. She was wearing a business suit skirt that hugged everything perfectly. She was the ideal model to show off around the office. She was already unbuttoning two of her shirt buttons to give Asher a peek of her nude colored bra that could barely hold her breasts in place. It took everything in his soul to not let his eyes drift to the cleavage she was trying to show off to him. She always did this behind closed doors of his office. Asher would never openly complain about it to her, but that doesn't stop him from inwardly curse about it. Asher could only sigh, trying to release the tension that was building between the two of them. He knows that there was history between them, especially that one night...

  “How many times do I have to tell you, Magan? Don't call me ‘Mr. Jacobson’ just because I just got promoted doesn't mean I'm still not your friend. Hell, we've worked together for years before I got this position!”

  Magan gives Asher a flirty smile. She struts her way towards him. She made sure that her ass looked good as she strutted towards him. She made made sure that she wore a thong so when he eventually looked at her ass, he wouldn't see the outline of her panties. She knows that would drive him wild.

  “Yeah, I know, but you know I am professional. So, you are out of luck until we exit this facility before I call you Asher again, Mr. Jacobson.”

  “Fine, have it your way then. I guess no more office-“

  Magan covers his mouth as she could feel a blush forming on her cheeks. She quickly closes the blinds of the office windows. Before she could close the door, she notices some female workers giggling at Magan. Magan glares at the giggling woman as she mouths, "shut the fuck up". Magan shuts the door and turns towards Asher. Magan blushes harder as she turns her attention back to Asher. She couldn't believe that he almost hung his laundry out for everyone to know what they do sometimes. Well, at least once or twice a week.

  “Don't you speak of that while we are here!”

  “Why? You didn't enjoy it?”

  Magan blushes reaches to the tip of her ears as she tries to keep her composure. She stuck her nose high in the air as she answers him.

  “Of course I did but it's unprofessional!”

  “So is office sex, but you did it anyways.”

  Asher gave Magan a cheeky smile as Magan's jaw dropped as she realized was Asher said was true. Asher mentally pats himself on the back because he had won the "battle". He knew that he could always win this battle so he needed to win sometimes to knock Magan off her pedestal every now and then, Magan’s gaze falls to the floor.

  “I'm unprofessional...”

  Asher shook his head. He chuckled knowing that she might be just overexaggerating a little. She always seemed to like to be a little dramatic at times.

  “I was messing with you, Magan. Don't kill yourself over it. Now, what did you want to ask of me?”

  Magan snaps out of it. She almost completely forgot why she came into his office. She had a folder under her arm and hands Asher the folder. Asher takes the papers and cocks an eyebrow at Magan. He is suspicious about the folders that Magan brought.

  “What's this?”

  “A new project that needs to be looked over and needs your approval before it is sent upstairs.”

  Asher nods at Magan. He looks back at the folder. The paper that it was made of felt different, like it was made of some exotic material. It was off putting feeling it in his hands. He snapped out of it before he answered Magan.

  “Ah, one of those projects.”

  Magan turns around and struts her tight ass to the exit of his office, trying to get him to stare at her ass. She open the door and tries to leave but Asher hold up one of his hands to stop her. He wasn't going to let her off that easily. He asked her a question.

  “What do you think of it?”

  Magan turns around to look at Asher. She bats her eyes all innocently trying to hide the fact that she already looked at the contents of the folder. She looks at him through her lashes.

  “What do you mean by that, Mr. Jacobson?”

  “I know that you have read this project.”

  Magan puffs out her cheeks in a fake pout try and deceive Asher by denying it even though she was smirking a little.

  “No, I haven't...”

  Asher groans a little. It was too early for her games. He haven't had his coffee yet. He looked over at the coffee pot that he uses in the mornings. He was wasn't really surprised that there was already coffee brewed. Magan must've made him coffee before he came into his office. Asher shows where some of the pages were creased and there was a certain stain on one page. He taps on it with his index finger.

  “Only one person in the department eats a peach jelly biscuit to work.”

  Magan concedes and admits to her wrongdoing. She knew she shouldn't have had that biscuit. She was on a diet after all but they were too damn good to not eat them every morning.

  “Okay! I read the project!”

  Asher smirks a little about his small victory once again. Two in one day, just one more and he would break his record of victories against Magan. He shouldn't press his luck or Magan would make him pay later.

  “Well? What do you think?”

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  He asked Magan wondering what her input is on the project. Magan just shook her head at Asher.

  “I don't think that it'll work.”

  “How so?”

  Asher asks Magan curious about her input. She would have some good comments on why she didn't think that the project would work out.

  “I'm not going to give in that easily! Just read it and we'll talk it over at dinner at the usual place.”

  Asher looks at Magan with a deadpan look. He knows better than to assume which “usual place” she is talking about. There were many places that she called “usual place” and she knew it. Asher was not going to fall for that trap again, not after last time when it took him ten minutes to pick the right "usual place". Not today, Satan.

  “What?”

  “You have a lot of ‘the usual places’.”

  Magan shook her head in denial. She didn't want to concede so soon. She wanted to mess with Asher some more.

  “No, I don't.”

  Asher starts to count the places with his fingers one at a time while looking dead at Magan, proving his point and foiling her plans to make him sweat again like last time.

  “You have Luigi's, Burger Palace, La Cabana, Sweet Tooth, and Mama Mia!”

  Magan taps her index finger on her bottom lip. Was that all the "usual places"? Or was there one more? She gave up trying to think of that one other place and pretended that she forgot about the other "usual places".

  “Oh yeah, I forgot about the others. I meant Luigi's.”

  Asher nods. He was going to say that anyways before getting Magan to agree that she had more than one "usual places". He says to her.

  “Okay, I'll meet you there at 8:00pm.”

  Magan frowns at Asher and gives him a certain look like he better think of a better answer than what he just told her. She asked him like he was almost in trouble and walking on thin ice.

  “8:00pm?”

  Asher thought back at what he said. He realizes that he told her a later time than he meant as she quickly changed his mind, telling her.

  “I meant 7:00pm.”

  Magan smiles with satisfaction at Asher. She liked this time much more than what was originally said. She had something to do at 8:30pm. Her favorite show was going to start at that time and she did NOT want to miss it. Yes, she could just watch it later on a streaming service, but then she would be out of the loop with the other girls around the office. She was not going to be that girl that waited to watch it later and getting spoiled about the show from the other girls talking about it.

  “That's much better. See you then, Cowboy!”

  Magan exits the office. Asher quickly gets out of his chair and storms to the door of his office. Asher sticks his head out of the door. His face was red with embarrassment.

  “Don't call me, Cowboy!”

  He always hated that stupid nickname. All the workers look at Asher. Asher looks back at them. The females giggle and gossip to each other as Magan hushes them playfully. Asher barks at the other workers, trying to save face.

  “What the hell you looking at!? Get back to work!”

  All the workers get back to work, and Asher shuts his door hard. The door slams shut as he walks back to his desk and sits down. He was already paying from winning his "battles" with Magan. How can she so easily make him blush? Does she like him? No, that ship already sailed. Especially after what she did to him. He shook his head as he picked up the exotic folder and opened it up. He starts looking through the project.

  “’Project REAPER’, huh? Why would it be called that? Is it some kind of new weapon we‘re developing?”

  Asher gets a sinking feeling in his stomach about this project. It’s almost as if his gut is warning him about something but he couldn't put his finger on it. It could be that he haven't had his coffee yet and that is why he had that feeling in his stomach.

  “Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be bad?”

  He spots many errors in the project but nothing that he thinks Magan would notice as a problem until he spots it. It was the formula. It was all messed up and none of it made any sense.

  “Ah, there it is! That is a major formula error. I'm surprised that the engineer didn't catch this in the blue print!”

  Asher goes through the project again and spots multiple formula problems, and he writes notes on a separate piece of paper. He frowns at the papers in front of him as he continues to look over them. He came to the conclusion that this project as all bad news.

  “This project would destroy the reputation of the company if this was to be accepted.”

  Zayner bursts through the door, scaring Asher in the process. Zayner was always the loud one. Always wanting to be the center of attention. He was smiling brightly like nothing happened this morning.

  “Ashy-boy! I’m starving! Let’s eat!”

  Asher looks at the clock to see what time it was. He was so caught up looking over the project that It was already lunch time. Asher frowns at Zayner almost forgetting about him barging into his office without knocking.

  “Haven't you heard of knocking?”

  Zayner exits the office and shuts the door without missing a beat. Asher was confused at Zayner’s actions and asks.

  “What the hell are you do-“

  Zayner knocks then opens the door almost respectfully. He sheepishly asks.

  “Mr. Jacobson? May we go to lunch together? I’m famished and would like to eat.”

  Zayner gives Asher his puppy eyes. Asher throws a pen at Zayner. Asher says in a stern voice. That annoyed the hell out of Asher and almost made him cringe at what Zayner did.

  “Don‘t. Do. That. Again.”

  Asher emphasized each word, one at a time to prove his point. Zayner chuckled as Asher gathers his things. They took the elevator to the floor where the break room was Asher heats up his food, it was left over pizza he had last night. It was his guilty pleasure. He knew it was greasy and full of carbs but he didn't care at the moment. Zayner gets something from the cafeteria and joins Asher at their usual table.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Don‘t act like you don’t know me.”

  Asher shook his head at Zayner remembering how rude he was to Frank and Heather this morning.

  “After that little stunt you pulled earlier, I want to forget you.”

  Zayner mocks being hurt by his best friend’s words plaving his left hand over his aching heart.

  “Hey now! If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten your promotion."

  Asher doesn’t believe the words that his friend was saying. He doubts that Zayner had anything to do with his promotion. There was no way he had a say whether he was promoted or not. Was it?

  “Yeah, I find that hard to believe.”

  Zayner gave his best impression of Naruto. Zayner was always a simp to anime, especially when the anime girls wore some... questionable outfits.

  “You better believe it! Anyways, I need to know what you think about the new project? It’s waiting to be approved.”

  Asher cocks an eyebrow at Zayner. How did Zayner knew about the project? There was no way that Magan told him about it. She would make sure that she stayed away from him. He irritated her to no end. He asked him.

  “What project will that be?”

  Zayner gives Asher a cheeky smile. It was time to drop the bombshell at Asher, something that he would never believe. He was proud to say.

  “The project that I will be working on!”

  “That doesn't answer my question. What project you are going to be working on?”

  Zayner realized that he didn’t tell Asher the project that he would be a part of. He quickly answers him.

  “Oh! It's the "REAPER" project.”

  “Ah, that project.”

  Zayner’s eyes almost sparkled knowing that his friend heard about the project. Of course he did, why wouldn't he?

  “So, you have heard about it!”

  Asher nodded at Zayner. Asher didn't know why he was in charge of approving a project that wasn't part of his team but it was.

  “Yeah, I have. I was put in charge of approving it or not.”

  Zayner starts to get more and more excited. He was almost vibrating. There was some hope that his best bud would be greenlighting a project that he would be part of.

  “Well, what do you think!?”

  Asher just shook his head. He hated that he would give him the bad news about what he saw in the project but of course he couldn't tell him what he thought about the project because of the rules that are set in place.

  “You know I can't talk to you about it.”

  Zayner pouts a little. He tries to probe his friend. Maybe if he pushed him a little, he would crack and tell him anyways.

  “Come on, man! Just a nibble.”

  Asher gave Zayner a deadpan look. He knew better than to give in to what Zayner wanted. If he did, Zayner would tell the whole office about it. Zayner was terrible at keeping things to himself.

  “If I gave you a nibble of what I think, you would just want more. You always love to pick my brain of things like this.”

  Zayner switched tactics and tried to praise Asher. He wanted to know what Asher thought so badly. Maybe buttering him up would loosen those lips of his.

  “Cuz your brain is a masterpiece! The way you process things is amazing! I'm surprised you're not VP of the company yet!”

  Asher’s eye twitched a little. He knew where this was going and he didn't like it. Zayner always does this when he wants something more out of him. He wasn't having it.

  “There you go again with that VP bullshit”

  “Well, if I was to see Dr. Hart, I would tell him myself!”

  Asher looked over the shoulder of Zayner and smirked. Speaking of the devil...

  “Well, here's your chance to tell him.”

  Zayner’s eyes widened a little when Asher said that. Asher couldn't be serious, was he?

  “Wait, what?”

  Zayner looks just outside the break room to see Calypso Hart walking down the hallway with his top men surrounding him. Calypso was an older man in his mid-forties. He wasn’t as tall as Asher, but his confidence almost makes him taller. He was wearing a suit that would make the Godfather's look cheaply made. His rich, black hair was slicked back with a little too much gel. It was peppered with some gray on the sides of his head, kind of like Reed Richards from Fantastic Four. He was the owner of the company and looked like it as well. He had cold as steel-colored eyes that almost seemed like he’s hiding something sinister behind those eyes. Sometimes, Zayner swore he could see a faint purple hue in those eyes of his. Zayner just watches them walk by. He turns back to Asher waving him off like it was no big deal.

  “I'll tell him another day.”

  Asher scolds Zayner yet again. Asher knew when Zayner was full of shit.

  “That's what you said yesterday!”

  Zayner shrugs at Asher in his carefree way, not caring about the situation. Yes, he always said that but one day he would cash in what he says and prove Asher that he means what he says. Even though it takes him a long time to do what he says but that's irrelevant today.

  “And I'm saying it again today. Dr. Hart has this vibe to him. Like there’s something dark in him.”

  Asher looks at him in disbelief. He thinks that Zayner is just trying to make up some excuse to not talk to Calypso and weasel himself out of the situation.

  “Uh-huh. You’d make up any excuse not to talk to Dr. Hart.”

  Zayner looks at his watch and taps on it. Zayner would do anything he can to get out of this conversation.

  “Uh-oh! Time to get back to work!”

  Asher took Zayner bait and looked at his watch not believing it was already time to get back to work. There was no way that lunch was already over. His pizza had barely any time to cool off from nuking it.

  “We still got ten...”

  When Asher looked back up, he did not see Zayner anywhere. Asher does a facepalm and groans. He couldn’t believe he fell for that trick again. Zayner does this every time, and Asher gives in.

  “Every damn time!”

  Asher finishes eating his pizza and grabs his stuff. He heads back into his office. He shuts the door to his office and notices another project on his desk. He picks it up. It had the some exotic feel to the other project he looked at before lunch. Was this part of the same project as before? He reads the title with some curiosity.

  “’BLACK ROSE’? What are we making here? Our very own superhero team or some messed up Power Rangers?”

  Asher reads the project carefully like he did with 'REAPER' and notices the same formula error and new errors as well. Asher lets out a long sigh. Is this some kind of joke? Was it April Fool's today? He looks at the calendar. Nope, it's September.

  “Again with this stuff? Why would you call your next weapon 'BLACK ROSE'? Sounds like something that Magan would’ve named it.”

  He thinks for a moment about what Magan would have named the project. He shakes his head. He thinks that Magan would call it something worse than that. She was always terrible at naming things. She tends to make things sound too cute or something like that. Hell, she named her previous cat, "Puffy". There was nothing "puffy" about that cat. It was a sphinx cat. Not a fur on that cat.

  “No, she would’ve called it 'TWILIGHT SPARKLE' or something cutesy like that.”

  He writes down his own notes and puts the project to the side. He looked at his watch to see that it was time to clock out and go home. He lets out a long sigh. He knows what is about to happen. He starts to count down.

  “5… 4… 3… 2… 1…”

  Zayner bursts through the door like he did earlier in the day not missing a beat.

  “Hey Ashy-boy! Time to go ho-“

  Zayner gets hit in the head with a balled-up piece of paper. Asher yells at Zayner.

  “What did I say about that!?”

  Zayner laughes from being hit in the head with a balled-up piece of paper. Asher grumbles as he gathers his things and his project notes. Zayner just stood there, waiting patiently with a goofy grin on his face. They exit his office. Asher locks his office door. Magan walks past him, strutting herself past the two of them. She says in a seductive voice.

  “Don't forget about Luigi's, Cowboy!”

  “Don't call me Cowboy!”

  Magan giggles and winks as she runs away. Asher just sighs and pinching the bridge of his nose. Zayner stares at Asher blinking slowly at him. Asher returns the stare with some annoyance.

  “What?”

  “When are the two of you ever going to just fuck and get it over with?

  Asher just gives him a shit eating grin. It was time to drop his own bombshell at Zayner.

  “Who says we haven’t?”

  Zayner’s jaw dropped as Asher walked past him. Asher gets into the elevator. Asher pushes the button for the lobby. He wasn't going to wait for Zayner to snap out of his shock.

  “You better hurry up. I’m not going to stop the elevator for you. “

  Zayner snaps back into reality. He was not going to take the stairs or wait for another elevator.

  “Shit!”

  Zayner runs to the elevator and barely makes it. Zayner tries to catch his breath as they ride the elevator. He knew he needed to do more cardio but he hates doing cardio.

  “You know…you can be a real dick sometimes…”

  Asher gives him a smirk, acknowledging what was told to him. Time to give Zayner a piece of his own medicine.

  “Can be yes… but only to you.”

  “Thats not cool man!”

  The elevator's doors shut as the elevator gives them a ride to the lobby. They exit the elevator. The lobby was almost empty. Not many visitors were around and the other workers were exiting. They go passed the same male coworker from earlier, Frank. Zayner scowls at Frank as he speaks. Zayner can't stand Frank's voice. It was like nails on a chalkboard to him.

  “Have a good day Mr. Jacobson and Mr. Chow!”

  Asher smiles at Frank warmly trying to be as polite as he could be with him.

  “You too, Mr. Ray.”

  Zayner did not give Frank the same hospitality as Asher. He wanted Frank as far away from him as possible.

  “Eat a dick, Frank.”

  Asher quickly looks at Zayner. He couldn't believe what he hard. It was way too harsh than this morning.

  “ZAYNER!”

  “What!?”

  They exit the building seeking the freedom they deserve for the day. Asher and Zayner start to walk towards Asher’s car. Asher looked over Zayner’s way.

  “Don’t think I’ve forgotten our conversation from earlier.”

  Zayner just smiles at Asher acting coyly. He did not want to have THAT conversation again.

  “What conversation?”

  Asher gives Zayner a deadpan look as they get into his car. Zayner holds up his hands at Asher.

  “What? I don't know what you’re talking about!”

  “Well, allow me to jog your memory. You’re too much of a chicken to even say “hi” to Mr. Hart!”

  Oh, THAT conversation. Zayner thought is was about that asshole Frank. Zayner was almost offended by his friend’s words. He exclaims trying to defend himself and his actions.

  “I am not!”

  Asher challenges Zayner. He knew Zayner was trying to get out of it once again. Asher was not having it now.

  “Then prove it!”

  Asher starts the car and drives off. Asher gives Zayner the side eye, waiting for Zayner's answer.

  “I will! Tomorrow, I’ll speak to him on your behalf! Better believe it!”

  Asher groans. Why did he have to make that anime quote again? Asher does not believe a single word his friend had to say. He was just stalling as usual.

  “I’ll believe it when I see it!”

  Asher drives up to Zayner's apartment and drops him off. Zayner turns around and yells at Asher.

  “I EXPECT YOU TO BE HERE BY 6:00AM!”

  Asher almost was shocked by Zayner's demand. Asher then remembers something about Zayner. He yells back at his friend knowing that Zayner would never get up that early or would even be ready by that time.

  “You don’t even get up that early!”

  “You do though!”

  Zayner enters his apartment complex confidently, knowing that he was right and shuts the door. Asher says under his breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “Asshole…”

  Asher drives to his house. He parks his car in his driveway. He turns off his car and lets out a sigh of relief. He was finally home. He was glad after a long day of work. He needed to rest after the headache he got from reading those projects, and Zayner. He gets out of his car and locks it. He brings his projects notes with him. Maybe he'll look them over once he gets settled in, maybe. He unlocks his door and enters his house.