Chapter Two
Rex
CyberCo Tech Enterprises...
Rex’s eyes darkened to pure black as he watched Xia Foster’s retreating form when she walked toward the elevator.His body hummed with an awareness he hadn’t felt in years.It was a struggle to tear his gaze away from her confident stride.
“Max DuPont is on the line for you,” Vee said with a knowing smile.He suppressed the snort forming in his chest.She had been his executive assistant for over a decade and knew him way too well.“Do you want to return his call later, or—”
“You can put him through, thanks, Vee.”Rex turned back to his office, slightly annoyed that his mind was still fixated on the woman who had just left.
She was unlike any of the candidates he had interviewed for the club positions.For one, she was completely too beautiful and seductively curvy for her own good.
“Audrey Hepburn...that’s the classic kind of beauty she has.”
His mind filled with a vision of dark chestnut-colored hair falling in elegant waves to her shoulders, catching hints of light that revealed subtle caramel highlights.Xia’s presence had filled his office with an energy he couldn’t ignore.Those remarkable topaz eyes had met his with unwavering directness, reflecting intelligence and a challenge.
Rex yanked off his tie as his body continued to respond to the memory of her.At chin-height to his six-foot-two frame, she had shown no trace of intimidation.Instead, she had matched him word for word during the interview in a self-assured manner that only added to her appeal.
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.His physical reaction to her caught him off guard.It was something that hadn’t happened since his early thirties.Her full breasts and curvy hips had him salivating the moment she got up from the chair.
“I’m too old for this kind of shit,” he muttered when another surge of desire flashed through him as he glanced at her application.She might have been a good bartender during her college years but wasn’t the best qualified for the position at Club Decadent Skies.It was perhaps a good thing, since his strict policy against personal involvement with employees meant he would have to reject her application.
“Fuck, Rex...do you hear yourself?”he growled as he acknowledged the implication of his thoughts.She ticked all the boxes of what appealed to him in a woman—beauty, brains, confidence, sex appeal, and a load of sensuality that oozed from her body as she moved.
He had every intention of fucking Xia Forster...
It’s only a matter of time.
With the decision made, Rex reached for his phone.
“Hey, Max.Why was I expecting you to call today?”he joked as he answered the call.
“You know me too well,” Max’s deep chuckle resonated through the line.
Rex was filled with a familiar warmth of appreciation for his friend.Max had been their group’s moral compass and voice of reason for decades.As the owner of CyberCo Enterprises and the mastermind behind Club Decadent Skies, his vision for the luxury airline clubs had transformed their lives.What started as a single Airbus club operating from Miami had evolved into a network spanning the cities where they all resided.Max had invited each of them—Rex, Jax, Dexter, and soon Axel—to open their own GoldenEye Airbus clubs, trusting them with his revolutionary concept.
“Since I know your work ethic, I’m confident you’ve got everything under control, but I’m here if you need anything.”
“Thanks, my friend.”Rex leaned back, gazing over the New Orleans skyline.“I completed all the interviews for the inflight positions.We’re going to have an amazing staff complement.”
“I’m sure you made the right choices.You’ve been part of the club’s development since day one.You know how important it is to have the right inflight staff.The island venues require personnel who can handle intense emotional situations with discretion and insight.One wrong move could compromise a member’s trust or safety.”
“Not to worry, Max.Everyone I’m appointing is mature, highly intelligent, and has been in the lifestyle for years.”
“Good.”The sound of Max’s fingers tapping on a desk carried through the line.“On a different topic, have you received any further threats?”
Rex’s credentials were noteworthy.Dual PhDs in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from MIT, with specialized research in cryptography and quantum computing.His exceptional pattern recognition and eidetic memory had revolutionized the tech industry.
His company, CyberCo Tech Solutions, an affiliate of Max’s CyberCo Enterprises, stood as a testament to his brilliance.Over a decade ago, Rex developed QuantumSecure, a banking software that used quantum encryption protocols to create impenetrable financial networks.It had been a feat that had catapulted him into the realm of instant billionaires.
The program had transformed global banking security, but it also made him a prime target for criminal organizations seeking to exploit the system.
Rex had been receiving veiled threats over the past three months from a syndicate that had expert IT specialists and hackers on its books.They wanted a shortcut into the software.One he’d be damned to supply.
“I’ve implemented a sophisticated neural network algorithm across our communication infrastructure,” Rex explained.“It uses quantum cryptography and NLP pattern recognition to identify and redirect suspicious incoming traffic.All potentially compromised calls and emails are automatically routed through a quantum-encrypted server with military-grade security protocols.The system creates a false digital trail, fooling the criminals into believing their attempts at contact have failed.Meanwhile, I’m gathering intelligence on their methods and origins.”
