“The games are popular.”
“Damian is not,” I say, and the trio nods slowly. “Why not take a stand against that creep? Why are we keeping his legacy?” I’m taking a leap here, and words fall out of my mouth a wee bit faster than I intended. But it can’t all be set in stone, I’m sure. Horace saw my portfolio, and he knows well it’s not the same style.
“That’s Mark’s call to make,” Kaia says, standing up. “Does Horace know you think this?”
“Not explicitly…”
“I’m here for it,” Noor says. “It’s just a prototype. Let’s have some fun with it.” He shrugs, and Kaia bites her bottom lip. “How soon can you get this drawn up with colour?”
“Umm, I’m just learning the tools, but I can get you a first pass next week? You can use my sketches in the meantime?”
They take photos of my sketches with their phones. I’m thrilled and a bit scared. They like my idea, but will they be allowed to use it?
“How are you doing over there in the creative corner?” Tolu asks.
Tolu, Kaia, and Noor are all in the middle area with the development pods. They’ve got the tall floor to ceiling windows and a view of the Thames, but I enjoy the colourful corner I’m in. It’s got art plastered everywhere, and it puts a smile on my face.
“With Mark moving down to sit with Horace and you lot, I’d imagine it’ll change a bit. He’s quite intimidating, isn’t he?” Tolu says, grimacing.
“I don’t know what you mean. I haven’t seen him all week,” I say.
“Seriously? He’s just moved into the office behind your corner.”
“What?”
“Have you not seen the people there all week setting it up? Frosting the windows?”
I take my coffee and rush back to my corner to find out what the hell they’re talking about. Yes, the walls are partly frosted, but standing at my desk I can’t see him. My wall is covered with drawings.
Carefully, I round the corner and stoop to check who and what is in there, and nearly bounce out of my jumpsuit when I see him sitting there behind the glass wall.
Fuck.
I step back, out of sight.
Was it him, though? I only saw the expensive-looking leather shoes and assumed.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I crouch down again.This time I peer up at him past the frosted section, to be certain it’s really him. And sure enough, there he is. In the glass office next to Horace’s. He’s just sitting there, frowning at his phone, unaware of his curious neighbour.
I sneak back to my desk, thinking through the last three days. How did I not notice this change? Did he just move in there this morning?
The dragons on the wall glare down at me; they’re hiding him. Thankfully.
But I need to find out…
Peering through the cracks of the taped-up art, I can’t help but wonder, can he seeme?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
distracted
MARK
“What’s with the long face?” Aiden asks from the rowing machine next to me.
I push off the machine’s footrest with force; my thighs ignite with the effort. It’s been a long week. And more to come.
Being in a glass box among the staff is one thing, but doing it now when I’m already distracted is the worst. I spend too much of my day trying not to think about Alice and pushing down this new frustration that seems to have surfaced in me.
