Page 1 of Playing For Keeps
Chapter 1
(Selena)
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“Selena, I need you back in the office, right now,” my boss says to me over the phone.
I force myself not to lose my cool.
“You said I could have the day off,” I remind him.
It’s supposed to be my reward for being the only employee who stayed over the weekend to resolve the oil money case. Safe to say, I had worked hard for two days straight to ensure millions of dollars weren’t lost.
“Oh, I did, didn’t I? Alright fine, I’ll get someone else on it. Have a good day,” he says before promptly hanging up.
I was going to tell him that I would come in anyway. My day has been fairly dull. I’m in my pajamas, in front of the TV in the living room and I’m bored out of my mind. I didn’t realize how much my work had taken over my life.
I get up and begin dressing for work. I don’t like my boss. Actually, I’m pretty sure I despise the bald, middle-aged, chubby man but I have ulterior motives for working with him and trying so hard to please him.
My mom always used to tell me that I tried hard to make the world right on my own. She’s fairly correct. Right now, Jeff Collins, CEO of the JCO bank, has a lot of secrets. Secrets that I plan to uncover. Secrets that could possibly make the world right.
Thirty minutes later, I’m inside the massive four-story building. I walk in and greet a few of my colleagues before entering the elevator and pushing the button for the top floor. That’s where my office is, next to Mr. Collins. Most people find it odd that despite only working in the bank for 6 months, I have managed to wiggle my way into the position of assistant to the CEO. It honestly didn’t take a lot of work. All I had to do was perform my tasks well and diligently, smile and look pretty. Jeff Collins wasn’t an idiot, I had made myself an irreplaceable asset and I think now, he’s beginning to trust me.
When I get to his office, I see that it’s closed and the blinds are drawn. This must mean that he’s having an important, private meeting. I decide to take my seat outside the office instead of heading into my office which isn’t too far away. I’m curious and I want to see who he’s having an important business meeting with.
A few minutes later, two men walk out and my first thought is, just the man I’d been hoping to see.
JCO bank is a bank for the rich and wealthy. A bank where people with money and things to hide go to. My boss is extremely adept at making any problems our clients are having with money go away. Of course, he gets his fair share. The only issue is that the money the clients want to hide away is usually dirty money. Money that they got illegally. Sometimes stolen, often times public funds that would have normally been allocated to poor, needy individuals. It’s infuriating that all these celebrities, businessmen, and especially politicians come in here hoping to make their unclean money untraceable. It’s even more infuriating that I’ve had to actively work in making it so.
I’m doing it all for one reason though. The reason is currently standing in front of me. Evan Ross. Tall, neatly groomed black hair, light blue eyes, and a sharp calculating gaze. Evan Ross has won the heart of thousands of Americans. If only they know what a crook he is. They have no idea that their beloved Senator is a corrupt politician at heart.
“Hello,” he says with a bright megawatt smile. “Jeff, you didn’t tell me you had such a beautiful woman waiting out here for you.”
He gives me a once over. It’s not explicitly inappropriate, but his eyes on me still make my skin crawl. Maybe it’s because I know who he really is. Still, I stand to greet the two men.
“This is Selena Myers. She’s the one I was telling you about,” Jeff mentions to the Senator. I see understanding dawn in his eyes and something else. Something I can’t quite place.
“Oh yes. The woman who can fix almost anything,” Evan says addressing me.
I grin before stretching my hand for a shake.
“Your praise is too much, Mr. Senator. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I tell him.
His large slightly calloused hands clasp my small ones.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
He glances at my boss once more.
“Well, I’ll leave then. I suspect Jeff has some things he wants to discuss with you.”
We bid him goodbye and he walks away. Then I follow my boss into his office.
“Here are some documents. The Senator has some money that needs to be transferred into an offshore account as soon as possible.”
I nod and collect the documents. I even clutch them tightly to my chest. Six months of work just paid off. I finally have what I need to make Evan Ross pay for his crimes. I take my leave and head into my office not too far away from his. I want to freely browse the documents. I want to know just how much I’ve gotten. Five minutes later, I know I’ve hit the jackpot. I’ve been handed enough incriminating evidence that any judge, corrupt or not, won’t be able to ignore. Evan Ross may be good at keeping out of scandals and keeping his name clean but he’s not going to escape this time.
I make an impulsive decision to just leave. It might be a mistake but I’m done staying in this office. I’m done having to pretend to be a good little employee for Jeff as well. I grab my bag and the documents and leave. I don’t even think twice about it.
