“I have an important call to take,” I tell Karen, my secretary, through the intercom, both my eyes focused on my laptop’s screen.

“Do I cancel all meetings?” she asks me, and my reply comes fast.

“Yeah, all meetings. I’m not to be disturbed right now,” I continue, not taking my eyes off of the screen.

“Sure thing,” she chirps happily without bothering to ask me about what is so important that I have to clear my schedule all of a sudden. She has been my secretary for five years now, and she knows better than to start asking questions. I place my elbows on my desk and stare intently at my laptop, a large window taking over the whole screen.

On it, there’s a video playing live: someone is staring out the window of a car as it rolls into a private area of JFK airport. There’s a limo waiting next to a hangar, a woman in a black skirt and button-up blouse waiting next to it.

“Here we go,” I whisper to myself, holding my breath as Daphne’s body takes over the screen.

Yeah, I know, I shouldn’t be doing this. But we’re talking about what might turn out to be the largest acquisition of a company ever, and I know that Ares is employing every dirty trick in the book. I have no proof of it (yet, at least), but I’m certain that he’s spying on me. So, the only logical thing is for me to fight back; I hired a few ex-CIA operatives working in the private sector and set up my own surveillance team.

The moment they got to work I knew I was getting my money’s worth. It took them less than 24 hours to get ahold of Ares’ schedule and, once I found out that he was meeting Daphne at one of Union Airlines’s hangars, supposedly to check on the planes, I gave them the go ahead to start using bugs.

It’s thanks to these guys that I’m watching everything unfold right now: they’ve managed to plant a bug in the lapel of Ares’ jacket. It’s a small cam, and right now it’s feeding everything that’s happening straight into my laptop. The wonders of technology, huh? Corporate espionage has never been this easy.

Maybe you think that I’m an asshole for stooping this low, but let me assure you, this is nothing when it comes to the upper echelons of the business world. Governments have been toppled for much less than one trillion dollars.

“You’re late,” I hear Daphne say as Ares steps out of his car and, even though I can’t see his face, I can already imagine the shit-eating grin he has on his lips.

“Fashionably late,” he corrects her, shaking her hand and then waving at the Boeing 777 parked inside the cavernous hangar. “Is this it?”

“This is it. One of our Boeings,” she explains, leading the way inside the hangar. He trails behind her a few steps, and I’m almost sure that he’s looking at her ass flex as she walks. Well, it’s not like I can blame him; I’m doing the same right now. There’s something about Daphne that just crushes political correctness and makes blood boil.

“It’s big,” Ares comments, still walking behind her. “Do you like big things, Daphne?”

Motherfucker, I can’t believe he’s talking to her like this. But what could I possibly be expecting? This is Ares Strong I’m talking about; it’s not like he’s known for his subtlety. But, still, what the hell is he thinking? Coming on so strong when so much hangs in the balance? Oh, I hope this blows up right in his face, I really do.

“I like big money ... among other things,” is Daphne’s quick response, and then she starts walking up the stairs that lead to the Boeing’s entrance, the one next to the cockpit.

“Do you like skipping out on dinner as well?” he asks her, and I feel my eyes widening in surprise. I knew it; he's been spying on me all along. See what I told you? I’m just fighting back against this asshole.

The moment Ares steps foot inside the Boeing, Daphne turns on her heels to face him and gives him a cold-blooded stare.

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” Her voice is flat and emotionless, but I can feel a hint of anger in it. Daphne isn’t he kind of woman that likes being controlled.

“Just asking. I was at Masa the other day, and the waiter was pretty astonished that a big name apparently decided not to show up after pushing for a same day reservation. Turns out he was talking about Lucas and you.”

“Have you been spying on me?” she throws at him, and now she’s not even trying to hide the anger dripping from her words.

“Spying on you? Ah, please. I keep tabs on Lucas; he’s my competitor. Don’t blame me if you decided to go on a little date with him.” He’s trying to deflect her, but the look on Daphne’s face tells me that she won’t be placated this easily. She closes the distance between him and taps two fingers against his chest, making the cam on his lapel shake slightly.

“You tried to spy on us,” she lowers her voice, a threat hiding behind her words. “What do you think I am? A plaything that you own?”

“Daphne, I --”

“Don’t give me your bullshit excuses, Ares. You think you can own the whole world, but let me tell you this: your cocky attitude isn’t impressing me that much.” There are a few seconds of silence, and I can almost hear the gears turning inside Ares’ mind.

“Oh, and did Lucas impress you? Because he sure as hell has nothing on me, you know?” Here we go; he simply couldn’t resist to throw a punch at me. Even when we’re apart, it seems that I’m on his mind all the time.

“Seems to me you’re all talk, Ares. No substance,” she tells him, taking her fingers off of his chest and grinning. Is she… teasing him? What the fuck?

“All talk? Oh, you have no idea what you’re saying,” he chuckles, taking one step toward her. She looks up into his eyes and, even though there’s a defiant edge to them, I see something else there… Desire?

“Yeah? Why don’t you prove me wrong then?” With that, she runs her fingers up his jacket, pulling him close into her. I almost turn away from the screen; I can’t believe this is happening. Jesus.

“Oh, I’ll prove you wrong alright,” he whispers, his voice heavy, and I can almost see what’s going to happen next. Except, of course, I can’t: Daphne’s fingers run up Ares jacket and over his lapel, and I see the image shaking as she brushes them against the spy-cam. The image trembles some more, and all I see is dark as the cam falls onto the floor. I hear Ares’ voice saying something and then, I can’t tell if by accident or on purpose, one of Daphne’s high heels fills the whole screen and she smashes the camera under her foot.

Fuck!