CHAPTER FOUR
Nick
It’s another day at Luxor Corp. Or, to be more precise, another busy, jam-packed day managing my real estate empire. I’m a mogul on par with none other in New York City, at the helm of a company that has controlling stakes in the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, and countless office buildings all over Manhattan. Construction and development, not to mention building management, is my forte and at the grand old age of forty-five I’m literally worth billions, my portfolio is enough to make a lesser man gasp and go green with envy.
But it’s not like the money makes itself. I’m still up at 6 a.m. every morning working like a madman, whether going over spreadsheets, reviewing proposals, or touring the buildings themselves.
That’s right, even though I’ve got thousands of people working for me, there’s nothing like walking the site itself, evaluating the construction, the maintenance, making sure the crews are using the right screws, the right type of window frames, keeping everything gleaming and in tip-top shape. Because when they know the boss is going to do a random drop-in, they’re on their toes and do a better job. I’m not just an invisible figure at the top, I’m the man himself come to life, with encyclopedic knowledge of this industry and a sharp eye that can pick up the smallest details, nothing gets by me.
So this morning I headed over to 666 Madison Ave., a new office tower that I’d acquired a couple months ago. Seeing that it was 6:30 a.m., no one in my entourage was with me, I’d be walking the halls alone. Pulling the Maserati into the garage, I slid slowly, smoothly into my appointed parking space. Even in crowded Manhattan, there was always a spot for the boss, just one of the perks of being me.
I clicked my badge at the back entrance and made my way into the sub-basement. This is how I like to do it sometimes. If you give them notice that you’re coming, they prep everything in advance, scrubbing and buffing, making sure everything gleams. But if you do a surprise visit, then you see how things really are, what the average person sees.
So I let myself into the back and proceeded down a deserted hallway. Okay, it wasn’t exactly fancy down here but that’s not the point. The basement is a place where supplies are kept, equipment stored, that kind of thing. Maintenance comes by once in a while to make sure everything’s in working order but for the most part, no one’s down here.
And everything looked kosher. The hallways were narrow, lit with fluorescent lights, the floors a shiny vinyl. I could hear the hum of the boiler, the bellows of the heating/cooling system, and the crank of the elevator as it was called up to a floor above.
But I was surprised to find a door open with a lamp on inside, casting a wedge of light onto the polished walkway. What the hell? Who was here this early?
With a nudge, I opened the door and peered in. There wasn’t much, just a desk, a chair, and a file cabinet, a couple papers strewn here and there, a stapler and paper weight lying carelessly on the desk. The computer was on though, humming away and I took a look at the monitor. Hmm, the screen was locked. That was in accordance with company policy, we tell employees not to leave their work stations unattended because you never know who’s going to come by and see privileged materials. Even if in this case, it was me.
I retreated, continuing with long strides down the hallway. I’d have to get Jones to look into who was in the solitary office but it was probably just the super running some figures, calculating the cost of cleaning supplies or rejiggering the maintenance schedule. No worries.
But then I heard it. A low hum, and then a sigh. What the heck? I glanced at my watch. Yep, 6:45 a.m., far before most people got into work. I strained my ears and the noises came again. This time there was a breathy gasp and then a slight whine, ending in another deep sigh. These were definitely not the sounds of a workplace environment. In fact, I’d have to say that someone was getting it on down here, before the day got started, before anyone would notice.
And so following the sounds, I came to a halt before the women’s restroom. Pushing the swinging door open gently, I glanced inside. Was there a couple making out in one of the stalls? Maybe getting down right against the wall?
But instead, the most beautiful girl came into view. Curvy, luscious, with brown hair hanging down her back, she had her skirt hiked up and panties pulled down and was touching herself, moaning and gasping with pleasure.