A/N: so my beta decided to work double time and I get to post in two stories today. How awesome is that?
A deep voice grants me permission to enter the library and I carefully poke my head inside, eyes immediately finding a pair looking at me. Daniel has the same unimpressed expression with which he greeted me and the others in the morning and I mused that it must be his default state. Sitting in an executive, black leather chair behind a large desk that by the looks of it has already seen its fair share of decades, he motions with his hand for me to take a seat in front of him, while his eyes move lower to a few papers on top of the desk, grumbling something along the lines of "just a minute".
I take that chance to get familiar with my surroundings. The room is naturally dark, the only window, while large, casts little light into it and even if it that wasn't the case, the fact that it's directly behind the desk it gives the idea that the single purpose of the window is to cast an ominous light over the person taking the central stage. This room is not decorated to make its visitors feel welcomed, but rather to intimidate whoever finds themselves in my position. Even the chair that I'm sitting in feels lower than the person in front of me; a predictable cheap shot but not any less effective.
What's left of the room is what is to be expected from every personal library. Stacks filled with books cover every available wall up to the high ceiling, the only personal objects I can see though are a few diplomas hung on each side of the window. Three olive green leather armchairs are strategically spread throughout the room, not exactly meant to be used, but simply to fill a space that otherwise would feel too empty.
A clearing of his throat brings my attention to the son of my new employer, who clearly caught me inspecting the room.
"It's a lovely library," I comment with my best fake smile.
Daniel reclines on his big chair, almost presenting me with a pleased smile while he plays with a golden pen, rolling it between his fingers. "Yes, thank you," he says with a reserved voice.
He raises his hand to his clean shaven face, revealing a large, white gold watch on his left wrist with the hitch of the formal gray shirt, his fingers rubbing it thoughtfully while his thumb supports his weakly chiseled jaw. Daniel's small, dark eyes observe me with a curious gaze, apparently carefully considering his next words. The longer he takes the more restless I get and I start to wonder if this is another intimidating tactic. While I'm used to being close to people with power, it's true that I very rarely deal directly with them. Usually there's some sort of distance: they're always the target, the prey. Very seldom is expected of us to fully interact with them.
"First and foremost there's something I need you to understand before we begin," Daniel starts with a decisive tone, his stare moves to fixate on the bookshelf to his left, but I know that's not where his interest lays. "You will respond directly to me and no one else," he continues as his eyes move to mine, his tone is serene but assertive.
I cross my legs and get more comfortable on the chair, my gaze calmly steady on his. "What you mean is that I'm not to report to your father," I say with a small smirk, trying to convey in him that he has an alley in me.
It's a gamble, I can't be sure that I'm reading him correctly, but I feel like it is a calculated risk worth taking: to gain his trust from the start will be incredibly beneficial. If he believes that my allegiance is with him and not his father, even if that's not entirely what he meant, it'll put me in his good side much faster. And that's our primary focus: gain their trust, S said, although I'm not sure she would agree with my reckless method.
For a few seconds I fear I might have just missed the mark and start to think about ways to get out of the hole I dug for myself. Daniel rises a surprised brow, his hand moves to reach for the pen again with a solemn expression, but soon he has a small smirk of his own, his eyes brightening up just barely. "I'm glad we understand each other," he says in a lighter tone. "I have the feeling we're going to have a very productive partnership."
I fight against the breath of relief threatening to give me away and widen my smile. "I've learned that is important to trust each other in my line of work in order for things to move smoothly," I say, feeling my confidence growing.
"Exactly! Trust!" He says energetically, giving a small slap on top of the table before he gets up and starts to pace with his hands laced behind him. "You see, Ms. Niehaus, my father is a businessman - and a very good one at that - but he lacks the…" he stops, searching for the right word with one of his hands rotating in front of him, "pragmatism that torments the rest of us." He finally decides.
"His concerns fall on how to run a business and make sure it prospers," Daniel resumes his pacing, both his hands joined again, before he brings one to his chest. "My job - and yours by association - is to protect said business and guarantee that… outside forces don't intervene."
This gets my attention. "You're talking about corporate espionage," I assume, my head turning to my right side, looking at him.
"Yes, but not exclusively," he points out, approaching me and one of his legs raises to the top of the desk, half sitting with his gaze on mine. "Success has a way of attracting enemies from all branches of society. My father is a good man, built his empire with great effort…" Daniel stops and tilts his head back, sighing deeply.
"This is no longer the land that praises the ideal of the self-made man," he proclaims with a disappointed voice, as if such fact hurt him on a personal level. "Success continues to be envied, but it's no longer celebrated. People tend to focus only on the negative side of things, disregard every good thing that has been achieved."
I wait for him to continue and provide some sort of example for his claims, but Daniel falls into a contemplative silence.
"Is that what happened in New York?" I take another risk, ready to put the breaks the moment I notice I've gone too far. "Did people start to focus more on the negatives?"
It's the way he looks at me that makes me realize my slip up, his eyes narrowing in my direction and his shoulders surge forward. "How do you know about New York?" He asks with a severe voice, standing tall and getting much closer.
Fuck! I start to feel the adrenalin pumping through my veins, urging me to adopt a more defensive stance, but I know that will only rise more questions from an already suspicious Daniel. So, with great difficulty, I remain in a relaxed posture on the chair, not ducking from his glare. "I don't think I would be very good at my job if I didn't make a background check on my prospective employer," I comment boldly. "It was not particularly hard to find out about your father's previous whereabouts."
Daniel remains suspicious, but I can see he's not so defensive. "Although, I gotta say, your father does an exceptional job at keeping away from the limelight." I continue knowing that I need to go further to appease him completely. "It's highly uncommon for someone with his stature to maintain a relatively secluded personal life, away from the public eye."
"My father is a very private person," Daniel agrees, stepping back from me and restarting to walk around the room and I finally take a deep breath when he turns around. "My younger brother, though… he's a completely different story."
The man stops in front of the bookcase, the fingers of one hand brushing along the spine of several books and this time I offer no observation, patiently waiting for his next words.
"Will likes the spectacle, not shy about parading his wealth… the women, the cars… you should see what he drives to the club," Daniel stops to chuckle, but it's a bitter, humorless struggled sound. "He enjoys the flashing lights and I'm afraid he could be blinded by them."
Making him the perfect target to people who have ulterior motives, I think but keep it to myself. Even if I'm yet to meet the younger Webster it's not hard to notice that he's the weakest link in this tightly ruled family. Most of the information we've gathered about them came from the least cautious of the three men. Several clips from online articles with quotes from William provided us with the little information we have from the family, including the early demise of Mrs. Webster. No doubt he seems to be the most sentimental of them. If this family can be broken, it will be through young Willy.
"Don't get me wrong," Daniel's voice brings my mind back to the present, turning around to face me but maintaining his distance, "I love my brother, but he is… different. There are things he wouldn't understand."
"Which is why he should know as little as possible," I complete Daniel's reasoning. It's not a gamble this time, his implications were far too easy to read.
The same smile he had before, reappears on his lips, satisfied with my comprehension of the situation. I'm much more careful with my assessments after the near screw up, but I can see that the tip of trust is there, all I have to do is cement it and don't fuck up anymore!
Having that out of the way, Daniel proceeds to explain to me the details of my work. Monitoring the traffic of the company's network is going to be a tedious and exhausting job, that's probably going to take me at least two hours every morning. The positive aspect of this particular work is that I'll have access to every account on it, which includes email addresses and internet searches. For all it's worth, I'll have unrestricted access to the company's data traffic.
The second part of my job, however, is a totally different situation. Afraid that their private network might be breached by outsiders, Daniel wants me to keep an eye on it and rebuild it's firewall. Not so discreetly he hints that I should keep tabs on his father's personal email account and even traffic - all for his own good, of course. And this would be all fine, in fact I was quite excited about it: being warranted access to the private network would not only open the door to the older Webster's activity but also anyone who'd use it. Which, obviously, included his eldest son, who's becoming a lot more interesting to be focused on. Unfortunately, Daniel doesn't seem to be a software illiterate nor does he trust me nearly as much as I wish. I might have the doors open but I won't be able to cross them without him knowing: the same way I can see what he's doing, he can monitor my entire activity. The software he's proposing works like a window to the superusers, which will be me and him.
"I assume you have a laptop with you," he says, sitting back on his chair and crossing his arms on top of the table.
"I do," I nod, but not pleased with the idea of using my personal computer. There's no way I'll let him have access to it in this lifetime. "But I actually wanted to get a new one for quite some time."
"That can be arranged," Daniel surprises me by saying. "I completely understand your reservations about using your personal computer for work. In fact, I wanted to encourage you to get a new one for this job."
There are two possible interpretations to his words: either Daniel is incredibly reasonable or, most likely, he's afraid of what I already have in my system. Daniel seems like a cautious man, he won't risk me using my personal computer for the simple fact that he can't control everything that's already in it.
"You can go to the city tomorrow morning and buy one," he informs casually, a clear indication that he had this already planned. "When you return, let Alfred know and we'll work on it together. And don't worry about the price, you'll be using the company's credit."
"Wow… that's awesome!" I expel before I can catch myself and clear my throat to regain my composure. "I mean… I'm totally gonna use it just for work stuff…"
Daniel chuckles softly and I see he's warming up to me; in no time I'll have him in my grasp. "Yes, I know how your kind gets excited about new toys," he says with humor. "We have a car arriving for you and the others, but unfortunately it won't get here until Friday," he then informs me picking up his smartphone and typing a text, "but I'll arrange a ride for you."
"Yes… about that," I refocus, "we were told we're gonna have a free day a week…"
"Oh, of course," Daniel stops me, setting his phone back on the desk, between his laptop and the keyboard of the desktop. "This weekend the three of you will be released from your duties Saturday afternoon and are due to return either Sunday night or Monday morning, as long as you get here before nine," he explains, then pauses to give permission to whoever's knocking on the door to get in. "We'll work a schedule during this week, but that will always be your free day. The other two can rotate, but given the nature of your responsibilities, I can't release you during week days." He finishes with his eyes already behind me, where the door was closed quietly.
I turn around just in time to see Delphine's surprised expression morph into a tentative smile, her eyes moving between me and Daniel, until they stop steady on her fiancée with a raised brow. Small and determined steps guide her through the hardwood floor, crackling softly under her boots.
"Can you take Ms. Niehaus tomorrow morning to the city?" Daniel's eyes lay adoringly on her, with a completely different smile from the ones I've seen from him so far. "She has some shopping to do and finds herself without a car."
Delphine stares at me with an arched brow and a small smirk. "I would, but I won't be spending the night," she says with a clear voice, her eyes trained on mine while she speaks, perhaps not to let him see the coldness in them as she says the words.
"Oh… but you're staying for dinner, right?" Daniel seems caught off guard with the news and the man that was so sure of himself just moments ago seems to have melted in Delphine's presence.
"I am," the blonde's gaze finally leaves me and her expression softens considerably when she looks down at the man still sitting, "but I have to leave after. Perhaps she can take a cab or go with Joshua," she offers with a big smile that's far too innocent to be real.
"Joshua leaves at seven, you know that's too early," Daniel comments without a hint of suspicion in his voice, if nothing else, it's too sweet, almost condescending. This man is completely oblivious to how ferocious Delphine can apparently be, if what I witnessed outside can be trusted.
"Then cab it is!" Delphine replies cheerfully, with a side glance in my direction.
I swallow dryly and feel the familiar pull at my gut. It's truly amazing what she's accomplishing here; Delphine has managed to blind a man, who by all accounts seems to be a very logical person, with nothing but her charm. It really shouldn't, but the way she can manipulate him has me fully impressed. It was a skill she had in her younger years, I'll even go as far as to admit she was absolutely aware of it, but the way she has developed it is astonishing to the point that I need to fight back a devious smirk. Even is she's now using her undeniable appeal to give me a little jab, I can't help but feel fascinated.
"It's fine, I'll take a cab," I agree, my stare briefly going to Daniel before I return it to the woman, firmly looking up at her and narrowing my eyes slightly. "Thanks anyway, Delphine," I say, mimicking her sweet tone and earning a glare from her.
She nods curtly, before leaning in, her face approaching Daniel's and she brushes her lips against his. And I feel it again, the irrational jealousy, this time pulling harder, causing my hand to reach quickly for the arm of my chair and clutch it tightly, my jaw clenching at the sight of his hand moving to her cheek. But, at least, it doesn't take long before Delphine pushes herself away and starts to walk towards the door without further words, giving me a side glance as she passes next to me. My eyes follow the alluring sway of her hips, unable to deny myself an appreciative gaze, until I catch myself and move my stare back to the man sitting in front of me. If I had any concerns about being caught admiring the view, they evaporated the moment I see him. His eyes still glued to the elegant figure leaving the library, seemly as mesmerized as I was just moments ago. He sighs deeply when she closes the door, completely wrapped around the blonde's finger.