Romance Dead-ends

Max Larson stood in his boss's office of the IT division of the company he worked for. While he made good money doing it, that didn't necessarily mean he liked the company he worked for the past three years after getting out of his tech school that he had to finance himself since his parents refused to pay for it. If he could, he would have already found another IT job, regardless if he made less than what he did. It would've been ten times better than the job he currently had. Max has been scouring the web for IT jobs after a month of working at Werther's Enterprises.

As it was, all the IT jobs in the city had dried up. The company made software, crappy ass software that they monopolized the market with. He didn't write the code; if he did, he surely wouldn't turn in the shit he sees when he has to fix their screw-ups. While he did have some money saved up, just not enough to move to another state to start over. If you don't count the trust fund he has that sits untouched and unused by him for the most part.

Now, if some head hunters had offered to cover the cost of the move and traveling expenses, he would have jumped at the chance to leave Werther's. Max had no love of the company; he figured out he meant little to them, nothing more than a cog. Just another worker drone they would send out to fix the crap they put out on the market. He was surprised the company was still operating, given the very poor product they produced. Nevertheless, they were, and there he stood staring uncaringly at his boss.

"I need you to head over to Goldbloom & Sacks and get their servers up and running again," his boss said with a greedy glint in his eyes.

Max knew he did the work, and the bastard raked in the money for his hard work. Max pressed his lips together, keeping his anger in check. He knew of the company alright. His parents wouldn't shut up about it. Why would they, their golden child was a rising star at the place. Remembering the condescending, wicked, vile smirk on his sister's lips when he came home one day after school (high school) only to find his then-girlfriend in bed with his sister. He could never understand why his sister hated him so much and why his parents obviously ignored every cruel thing she did to him. Since then, he hasn't spoken a word to his sister.

Sure he has seen her only on the times he has to visit his parents' place on Thanksgiving and Christmas; otherwise, he would never hear the end of it. Then again, the thought of being written out of their will was growing very appealing as the days grew long. Then at least Max wouldn't have to hear about every single thing his sister miraculously did. It seemed to him his parents thought she shitted out gold, when in truth, Darcy was just a piss poor excuse for a human being. He knew karma didn't exist; otherwise, his sister would have been struck by lightning a thousand times over. Max could dream, couldn't he?

"Can't you send someone else?" Max asked, trying to keep himself from having to be in the same building as his sister.

"No. You're up to date with the new modules, and the other two that are with you on that level are already handling other jobs. Plus, if you don't get your ass down there, I will fire you," his boss said with venom in his voice. "Regardless if I could, someone at the company asked specifically for you."

"You fire me, then just who are you going to send?" Max retorted, enjoying how red his boss's face was getting. He had a feeling who that was and wondered if he wouldn't be sitting in jail in the next few hours.

"Just go do your damn job?!" the man barked, holding out the work order to him.

Max didn't care if the man scowled at the way he snatched the paper from his hand. He already knew he was in a dead-end job. He figured that out after six months, and when he had to fight for a raise that they were obliged to give him; it stated in their handbook that all new hires got and every one after that. Did he put in the extra effort to make himself stand out in his company? Once upon a time, he did, yet when he learned he and his work ethic meant little to them, he only did the minimum.

"I'm getting paid overtime for this job, right?" Max asked, noting how extensive the work was going to be.

"Not on your..."

"I really think you need to read the employee handbook. Seeing how it states that any and all work that would require more than four hours onsite is to be paid overtime, and given the amount of work I'm going to have to do to fix your program's fuck up, it's looking like a two-day job. So again, I ask, am I getting overtime for this?" Max asked in a very cold tone as he glanced up over the work order. He knew how every higher-up hated the fact he could recite their damn handbook so well. It had not won him any friends at the place hence why he was stuck in his current position. Not that he cared; Max already had his fill of pompous self-centered people - namely his sister.

"Yes," his boss begrudgingly admitted.

"Good, if it's not on my next paycheck, well, you get the idea," Max said, turning and walking out of his boss's office. Not that he cared if he talked to his supervisor like that; if they wanted him gone, they could easily fire him, and he wouldn't care one bit. Grabbing his gear, the wheels of his case that held the equipment he would need resounding in his ears as he walked towards the parking lot. Signing out one of the company cars, there was no way he was going to ride his Harley to the site.

"Hello?" Max answered his phone as he drove down the city streets. Hoping that the problem didn't take two days. He would gladly give up his overtime if it meant he spent very little time in the same building as his sister.

"Hello, Maxwell." Biting his tongue when his mother used his given name.

"What is it now? Has Darcy shit out a 24-carat gem-encrusted turd that you just have to regale me about?" Max asked in a testy tone.

"Don't take that tone..."

"Then get to the point of this call; I'm working."

"Your sister's anniversary party is in a few days, and your father and I was wondering if you had a chance to look at the list of items someone on your pay scale could afford."

"I don't give a flying fuck about that damn party. She can go sit on a knife and spin for all I care," Max growled.

"Maxwell?!" Rolling his eyes at his mother's gasp. "You do not use that kind of filthy language around me!"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Max rattled off just to irk her some more.

"I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but it better change and quick!" his mother warned.

"Or what? You'll throw me out of the house?" Max retorted as he threw on the turn signal.

"No, we'll just strike you from our will if you don't change this juvenile behavior," his mother warned.

"Go right the fuck ahead; it just means I no longer have to see either one of you or that cunt ever again. So since I'm no longer in the will, I can finally say this. You two are not the holier-than-thou parents you think you are. You raised the most self-centered, maniacal, underhanded, twisted piece of shit that's ever walked this Earth, and that's fucking saying something. Oh, wait, I forgot one, your daughter is a fucking cunt, a stinking, nasty cunt..." Huffing when he looked at his phone as the line went dead. Max didn't understand why she even fucking bothered. The only way Max would ever be willingly in a room with his bitch of a sister was on the stipulation that there was a billion-dollar prize waiting at the end of the tunnel; even that might not be enough to endure his cunt of a sister.

The trunk of the car sounded in a thump as he slammed it shut after retrieving his case from it. Feeling his hand tightening into a fist, the closer he got to the front door. Blowing out a breath, knowing if he didn't calm himself down, he was going to make a mistake, a mistake that would cost him another trip out to the place. Something that he was never going to do again, not if he could help it. Smacking his cheeks lightly to get his mind in the mood he needed when he was dealing with his sister. Max's eyes turned hard as there she stood with that same smirk on her lips.

"Hello, Max," Darcy said with that arrogant attitude of hers. Max remained silent as the noise of the revolving door played behind him. "Mute, I see, typical," she uttered, rolling her eyes. "I steal your girlfriend and marry her. That doesn't even get a rise out of you?" Max knew what she was trying to do. She's done it all her life, at least where it concerned him. He knew it would irk her far more if he said nothing and not play along with her childish taunts. "I see you're still working at that company; I bet you still... no wait, if you're here, that means it's true," Darcy said, trying to get under her brother's skin like old times. Again, Max remained silent as Darcy's cheek began to twitch, which has happened a lot over the past five years. Since he pretty much thought all he was staring at was a human-size pile of shit.

"So, when I write my report that will undoubtedly find its way to your boss and mine, they will see how rude and disrespectful you are to those you call for help; good plan, I bet that will go over so well with them," Max finally spoke. "So if you don't wish to find your skanky ass out of a job, just show me to your fucking server room, so I don't have to see your fucking face ever again." Grinning evilly when Darcy just snapped her mouth shut.

"Fine, this way," Darcy muttered, leading her brother towards the elevator. "So are you coming to the party?" she asked, looking over at her brother as the elevator doors rolled closed, and the only thing that could be heard over it was 'Fuck no cunt.' "Why not?" Max just looked at her like she was fucking stupid.

"Why the fuck would I want to spend any amount of fucking time with you and that slut you call a wife. Did I go to your wedding? No. Did I go to any of those amazing anniversary parties your parents raved on and on about for fucking ever? No. So why the fuck would I go now?"

"My parents?!" Darcy was actually taken aback by that. "They're your parents, too."

"Nope, not anymore, got wrote out of the will. So I don't have to see their uptight asses, or your whorish face, ever again, and it's going to be glorious!" Max sighed in bliss. "My life is going to be so much better now. I don't have to deal with shitty ass cunts like you four," he said, stepping out of the elevator.

"Well, when you're done, just head up to the fourth floor, and I'll sign the invoice," Darcy said, noting how her brother wasn't paying attention to her as she spoke. Puffing out her cheeks as he just waved his hand, telling her to get lost.

After hooking up his docking station to the frame of the main server and connecting his laptop to it, running the diagnostic program, allowing it to run as he went about ensuring there had been no physical damage done to the towers. Pulling out the input monitor from the tower at the far end of the row from the main one as he tried to trace the source of the problem. Looking down at his watch, noting how it was four o'clock and he had been trying to solve the problem for the past seven hours. He knew if their asses released a stable program, this wouldn't have been an issue at all. Running the servers on safe mode and setting the whole system to do a hard defrag, hoping that would narrow the search for the needle of the problem. Yet with such a shitty program, Max knew it could be anything. Knowing how advanced the defrag would be, it would take around twelve hours to complete, which meant he would have to return the next day. Praying that was the last day he would have to deal with his sister.

Walking through the fourth floor towards Darcy's office after asking someone where it was. The invoice for his time and the work he did ruffled as he strolled towards it. His ex-girlfriend's smile quickly faded as she noted his sneer as the two peered at one another. Not saying a word to her as he just barged into Darcy's office.

"Sign it so I can get the fuck out of here," Max said coldly as he dropped the paper on her desk before her.

"But our servers are still down?!" Darcy muttered, getting up from her seat after ending the call she was on.

"Yeah, they will be for some time."

"When? I have to tell my bosses," Darcy explained, seeing the uncaring look in her brother's eyes.

"Don't fucking have a clue; hopefully, sometime tomorrow then you and I can go our separate ways. Believing the past twenty-some-odd years was just a dream, and we are not related," Max said clearly and loudly, causing his ex, Darcy's secretary, to turn in her seat with a shocked look on her face.

"Max... listen..." Watching how Max snatched the signed invoice and turned about and left as abruptly as he came.

"Jesus, what?" Max sighed when his father rang. "I thought I was out; I thought I did everything right; you people keep sucking me back in," he bemoaned as he drove back to his work.

"That's not amusing, Maxwell."

"Not for you, maybe, sure as hell was for me. What do you want? Calling to bitch at me too?"

"Boy, watch your tone."

"You called me, not the other way around. So get to the point of this damn call." Smiling wickedly when he heard his father's hard breathing and how his grip was tightening on his phone.

"Maxwell, you're getting on my last nerve."

"Then I'm not trying hard enough," Max retorted.

"You will cease this childish display and join your family in two nights."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I think the word is self-explanatory, don't you? Let's see do I want to spend time with bitchy parents that lavished their cunt of a daughter and believed her shit didn't stink while neglecting their son and demeaning every single fucking thing he has done all his life, or do I want to find some strange woman that night and take her back to my place and fuck her brains out. I think I'll go with my second option; at least then, I know it was me that is fucking me over instead of my so-called family. Have I explained it well enough for your slow brain to comprehend?" Max asked in a snide tone.

"Very well, Maxwell, if that's how you feel, don't bother coming to any other family gatherings."

"Personally, I thought I was already out; I was already planning my vacation to the Virgin Islands. Yet, here you are yammering on about shit you think we have when, in reality, I was just your fucking whipping boy. So, you can take that fancy pen of yours, get out that fancy will, and scratch my name out, because really, why the fuck would I want anything from some blind ass motherfuckers that can't even see the shit that's happening before them? Seeing how we have now established that I meant shit to you two, how about you don't fucking call me ever again, alright? Since I know, sure as hell, I won't be thinking about either of you, not in this lifetime. So are we done with this little heartfelt conversation?" Max asked, listening to the silence on the other end.

"Very well, goodbye, Maxwell."

"It's Max, you pompous ass," he stated before his father could hang up.

Max was whistling as he walked into his office, dropping off the keys and signing the car back in. He was finally free from his family, he hoped they listened, yet he was doubtful. They hadn't listened to him in his twenty-four years of life; why would they listen to him now? Tossing his invoice on his boss's desk, who shot Max a look of contempt before heading off to stow his gear. Storing his gear in the cage where they locked up all the expensive equipment. Getting what he would need for tomorrow so he could be in and out of that place as fast as he could. Hearing the cage door banging as it closed as he walked back down the hall to the exit of the parking structure, all the employees were forced to park in when not using a company car. He was normally gone from the place by three, seeing how he would have his eight hours already in.

Swinging his leg over his bike, seeing the electronics lighting up as he switched the key on. The heel of his foot flipped the kick stand back as he started up his bike. Hearing how the rumble of the engine was amplified by the enclosed, dark space as he gave the handlebar a few twists as he pushed his bike backwards out of the spot. Braking hard as some idiot walked out in front of him without looking as he was about to leave the parking structure. Seeing how the woman, he would admit she was hot, he knew who she was, the CEO's daughter, just stood there glaring at him, thinking he should just worship the ground she walked on. Revving his engine when she tried to speak. Seeing how much that infuriated her, even more so when he just waved, telling her to get the hell out of his way. Wondering if he was going to hear about it tomorrow when he showed up for work as he waited to pull out onto the street. What people thought of his actions, he rightly couldn't give a shit about. Feeling the stress leaving him as he opened up his bike. The wind whipped through his hair as he sped down the street towards his apartment.

"Max?! Max?!" Carly cried out as she raced towards him when he shut off his bike once he had reached his home for the past five years.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Max asked, seeing the worry on his downstairs neighbor's face.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you since you just got home and all but David (her son) can't get his computer to connect to the printer so he can print out his report he has to turn in tomorrow. I'm hoping that you could maybe help me?" Carly asked in a sly tone.

While he had no wish to tinker with gizmos on his off hours, he did like Carly; she was a very nice lady. She would always share her leftovers if she had any with him. Wondering if Carly thought of him like another son, given the way she looked after him ever since he had moved in about a month after she did when she and her husband split.

"Sure," Max stated, easing off his bike. Seeing the relief flooding her body as the tension in her shoulders faded.

"Thank you, Max; you don't know how much David needs to pass this class," Carly uttered bashfully as they walked back to her apartment.

"I was a high school student once, too," Max retorted with a smile on his lips to tell her it was only in jest. He could see David's frustration when they walked into Carly's two-bedroom apartment.

"David, honey, Max is here; let him try, alright?" Carly uttered in a sweet tone as she neared her son as he sat at their computer table.

"Hey, Max," David greeted, his annoyance laced his words.

Max nodded his silent greeting to the sixteen-year-old before taking the seat David had vacated. His eyes moved over the screen as he tried to communicate with the printer. Noting how the computer recognized it yet wasn't receiving the data the tower was transferring. It was a strange problem, to say the least.

"Might take a few minutes," Max said, peering over at them as they just stood waiting on him to make it all work again. Seeing David nod and move off to the couch and flip on their TV while Carly ambled to her bedroom before she shut her door.

"So... how have you been? How's that woman I saw you with?" David asked in a friendly tone.

"Oh, I'm good. Got the best news I could ever get," Max answered with a smile on his lips as he checked the software, thinking it was a communication problem with the two different software.

"What did you win the lotto or something?"

"Something like that," Max nodded.

"I'm kind of jealous of you; that chick was hot," David groaned in that horny teenage voice. "Wish I had a girlfriend like that."

"She isn't my girlfriend," Max stated as he rose from the seat. Unhooking the data cable from the back of the printer and the tower. "Oh, I see," he muttered aloud.

"What's wrong?" David asked, getting to his feet.

"One of the pins has broken off; it's the reason it's not sending the data to the printer," Max said, seeing David's shoulders slumping, knowing he wouldn't be able to print out his report. "Hold on, I think I might have a cable that will work, be right back," he stated, seeing the hope in David's eyes as he nodded when Max walked towards the door. Pulling out his car keys from his pocket and hit the trunk release button on the key fob as he approached the car he drove to work when it was raining and during the winter months. He kept the used and new data cables in his trunk for such a reason since the office staff of the buildings he went to were a tad rough with them, given how it was company property and not their own. Sorting through the cables that were within a box in his trunk until he came upon one that appeared would fit. "Here, see if this one will work," Max said, holding out the cable to David when he answered the door. Seeing the relief flooding his body when the printer fired off and when he sank back into the chair.

"You got it fixed?!" Carly came out excitedly in a very sexy red dress as she was putting her right earring in.

"Yeah, it was the stupid cable; I promise I'll get a new one and get..."

"It's fine; keep it; it was just sitting in my trunk anyway," Max said, trying not to eye how the dress looked on Carly.

"Thanks, man, you saved my butt," David uttered with a smile on his lips as he and Max fist-bumped.

"No problem, don't give whomever you're seeing a heart attack," Max flirted as he left their apartment, seeing Carly's face growing very red before the door shut behind him.

Max made a quick dinner when he got up to his apartment. Watched a little TV until it was around eight-thirty that night before heading off to shower. Pulling out his leather trench coat, he knew it wasn't the time for it yet; he didn't care. Ever since seeing The Crow: City of Angels, Max has enjoyed the feel of the tails of his coat flapping in the wind as he sped down the streets on his bike. Waving to David as he peeked out of his apartment window as he started up his bike. Pointing it towards the biker bar he visits heading off to see if he couldn't score for the night.

Max awoke a little past five the next morning, seeing his partner for the night silently slipping into her clothes that were lining his floor. Seeing her cheeks heat as she turned when she heard that he was awake. Noting how his eyes were watching her dress before she had to rush home to shower and change for her workday. Max knew this was only a one-night stand. He didn't care. He was getting laid; at that point in his life, that's all he really cared about. His cunt of a sister put him off dating the opposite sex. Going through the motions when she crawled along his bed and kissed him goodbye. Promising to call, he kept his mouth shut when she never gave him her number in the first place neither did he. Walking her out, waving to her, as her cab that she had phoned before he awoke, waited for her in the parking lot and returned to his slumber after locking his door.

"Are you heading back to Goldbloom & Sacks?" his boss asked as Max prepped his gear before heading out for the day as he stood in the cage.

"That was the plan unless you don't want me to?" Max retorted, casting his boss a glance.

"And how much longer do you have?"

"Can't say, this company's program is a clusterfuck, so I can't say if it's the server itself or the shit this company puts out that's the problem," Max stated truthfully; what could his boss say to that? It was the truth. After all, the program was atrocious. The only thing that worked constantly was its GUI. Other than that, the user was always on edge, wondering if it would work or if they would be staring at a massive paperweight. "We'll see when I get there," he muttered as he zipped up his bag when he was sure he had everything he needed.

"If you can swing it, milk another day or two out of the place," his boss said as he walked back to his office, not seeing the disgust on Max's face at the thought.

As Max was signing out another car for the day, he heard the front entrance door behind him open. "That's him, Dad?!" The tone of the woman's voice caused Max to lift his gaze, only to find himself gazing at the CEO and his daughter. "Fuck me?!" Max groaned in his mind.

"That's the guy that nearly ran me over," the woman said, pointing her finger at him. Pondering if the Fates were going to be kind to him and release him from having to step foot into that building as the CEO marched up to the front desk.

"Is this true?" the man nearly growled.

"No, see, not my fault; she just walks haphazardly in front of the exit of the parking structure without looking to see if a car, or in this case my bike, which is loud by the way, was coming or not. Don't believe me? Watch the cam footage; it will back up everything I said. Now, if that's all, sir, I have work to do," Max said, taking the keys for the car he had signed out off the counter. "Unless, of course, I'm fired." Max ignored how the woman was just gawking at him. He assumed, and correctly, too, that she was used to getting what she wanted, in this case, Max's termination, also the fact that he wasn't cowed by her intimidating father, who stood at four inches over his six-foot height.

"Maxwell Larson is it," Max looked down as the man pulled on the name tag that he was forced to wear, "I will check the footage; if what you said is what really happened, then no, pray that you haven't lied to me."

"Like her?" Max asked, pointing at his daughter, whose mouth just inched lower at Max's retort. "What will happen to her if she lied, hmm? I'm the one being slandered here; will I be able to determine her fate like you're doing with mine at the moment?" he inquired, standing up for himself, knowing full well it could easily lead him to being fired. Which as you can imagine, Max didn't care one wit at that moment. Noting how the man's jaw muscles clenched and unclenched as both men just stared at one another. "So... is that all I have work to do?"

"Work order," the CEO ordered as he held out his hand to Max. Max just stood there aloofly as the man looked over the paper as the theme song for Flash Gordon played in his head. Don't ask him why it did; it just did. "For now, return to your work, but I will be keeping an eye on you." Max fought from rolling his eyes at the veiled threat. He's dealt with people like him for the past twenty-four years. So he knew the man would never get a rise out of him like he most likely was used to. Max didn't give the man's daughter a second look as he walked past her and out the door.

Groaning aloud as once again his sister was standing there waiting for him. He knew the way; he just didn't comprehend why she needed to be there. Their security guard could have shown him the way if he couldn't walk through their building unescorted.

"Hello, Max, still mute, I see," Darcy greeted, feeling the coldness coming off her brother, remembering what MJ had told her of the look he shot her yesterday.

"Why do you feel the need for dialogue? As far as I'm concerned, our familial ties were burnt and pissed on by you so many fucking years ago. Just show me to the server room and get out of my hair," Max stated, the flash of memory of the first rotten thing she ever did to him flared in his mind.

"Because it irks you, of course," Darcy responded with that same condescending smirk of hers he knew all too well. "You know we have a position opening up soon; we could use a nice janitor," she said in a demeaning tone as she led her brother towards the elevators. "I'm sure if you ask real nicely, I might be willing to put in a good word for you. And while you're here during the nights scrubbing the women's toilets and scrubbing my gem encrust shit off the bowl, I'll be stealing another one of your girlfriends," Darcy taunted from over her shoulder, referencing the conversation he had with their mother.

"Is that the best you can come up with? That's weak even for you; seems that degree you just had to have is going to waste on you," Max retorted, noting how the guard was just looking at him in amazement as he passed. "Why don't you just shove that hand of yours up your ass and really pull a gem out of it this time. Although I wonder if you would even feel it with the amount of time you spend out in the stable with the horses," he spoke, allowing his innuendo to hang in the air. Smiling wickedly at his sister's back, noting the signs of Darcy's frustration at his rather quaint put-down.

"God, I wish Mom would have had that abortion," Darcy seethed as her hand slammed against the call-down button.

"You and me both, at least then I wouldn't have had to put up with a skanky ass bitch of a sister and bitchy ass parents," Max muttered, loving the look on her face as they just stood there. "I just hope and pray you and the cunt never adopt. No one should be subjected to the crap that comes out of your mouth." Max was wearing a smile as they rode in silence down to the server room, which he knew irked the piss out of his sister. Hence his smile just kept getting wider as the seconds passed. "Aw, no kiss, no hug?" he taunted at her back as she walked off once Darcy had let him into the server room.

Pulling out the case that held his Bluetooth earbuds, since he was going to be there for a while he figured some good tunes were in order. Setting out to check how the defrag went after booting up the servers in their safe mode. Walking around, making sure each tower was communicating correctly with the main one as he set out about his task. Rubbing the back of his neck as his feet grew sore due to the hours standing trying to suss out the problem.

"So you got it working," Darcy stated, standing in the doorway, noting the twinkling lights as the servers hummed along.

"Nope."

"But they're on; surely you must have."

"Afraid not, worried that you can't get your giant dildo fetish in for the day?" Max asked, not bothering to look at his sister. Reaching down into his bag and pulling out a disk that he had created to fix the holes in the program the programmers had purposely left in per management's orders. Reaching up and pressing the button to eject the tray, placing the disc in it before pushing it closed. Praying that this would fix it, at least until the program decided to turn to shit once again. Hopefully, by that time, he wouldn't be the one having to do this. Hitting the upload button, knowing it was going to take at least an hour for the program to load. Max decided it was a perfect time for lunch.

"Where are you going?! You're not even done!" Darcy called out to him.

"Lunch or you could take that skinny, bony ass of yours and do it yourself," Max retorted as he climbed into the elevator.

Tossing his drink away before entering the building to finish what he hoped would be the last remaining moments he had to spend in what he's come to call affectionally the seventh circle of Hell. Sighing in relief when his sister wasn't there to greet him as he pushed the revolving door as he entered the building. Walking up to the front desk, politely asking the guards to escort him down to the server room and let him in so he could hopefully finish for the day. Once he was in, seeing the window waiting on him to execute the program. Blowing out a breath, hoping it worked as he clicked on the yes button. Hearing the server shut down ten seconds later, only to reboot in its normal operating mode. Throwing up his arms when it was running smoothly. Ejecting the disk, placing it back into his bag, he then proceeded to pack away the rest of his gear after he had printed out the invoice for his work.

Hearing the elation in the air as he walked along the fourth floor. Hearing telephones ringing off the hook as people hustled to make up for the nearly two days of downtime. His lips got thin as he pressed them closed as MJ got to her feet to bar his path.

"I'm sorry, Max, you can't go in right now," MJ said, seeing that same look in his eyes she had seen five years ago. "She's in a meeting at the moment," she supplied when Max had yet to say a word to her.

"Then tell me who can sign for this so I can get out of this shit hole," Max said, holding up the invoice.

"Only Darcy can; I promise she won't be too much longer. Why don't you wait in the break area," gesturing in its direction, "I'll be sure to send her there once she's done." Looking sadly at Max's back as he headed off in its direction without a goodbye to her. Recounting the conversations with Darcy's parents last night when they had dinner with them. Telling them of the conversations they had with Max yesterday, she did feel sorry for him at how it appeared they wouldn't lose any sleep over cutting ties with their son. Although, given what they repeated of what Max had said to them, she was sure it went both ways.

Max would have thought he was bored out of his mind waiting for his sister to finally show up. Nonetheless, during the wait, he did get two rather attractive women's numbers before his sister decided to finally show up.

"Sign, so I don't have to see your piggish face again," Max stated, pushing the invoice and a pen across the table as he stood.

"Never thought you be so stupid to give up all those millions of dollars," Darcy chuckled, thinking Max cared about that. "Well, don't come crying to me for a hand out when you're broke and destitute."

"How do Dad's hemorrhoids taste with the amount of ass-kissing you do? They have to be mighty tasty," Max countered. "And trust me, I'd rather put a bullet in my brain pan than ask anything from you, so you don't need to worry; your inheritance is safe," he said, folding the invoice and placing it in the front pocket of his bag. "When you're old and grey, and that whore of a wife you have has left your cranky ass, and your lying in your bed all alone. You will hear the sound of my laughter knowing you're going to die alone and your cats are going to eat you since no one, and I mean no one, is going to give a shit about you until they haven't seen you for a month." With that, he left his visibly shocked sister behind and headed back to his office.

Humming to himself as he walked into his office. Signing the car back in and handing the man the keys before heading off to his department. Wondering how soon he would be getting a call from his parents and how much they were going to bitch at him for what he said to his sister. Not that he cared, they made their bed long ago. He knew well enough who they would be siding with. His sister thought he cared about money; he wouldn't be working the dead-end job he's currently was in if he did. No.

He would have gone to a fancy school like his sister did and got some corporate job just like his parents wanted. A sinister smile formed on his lips at the outraged look on his father's face when he told them he wasn't going to go to one. All his life, he's made it his mission; well, once he was old enough to know he didn't mean a damn thing to them, to be a constant embarrassment to his family. Max had to say he was having a blast with it, no matter the shitty job he had; that was just the preverbal salt in his parent's eyes. Wondering if it was time to pick up stakes and move since they had finally cut ties with him.

"Get in here!" his boss barked as Max passed his door. "I take it the job is finished?"

"Yep," Max said in a monotone voice as he dropped the invoice on his boss's desk.

"Good. At least you finished it before you got your ass fired," his boss grinned wickedly.

"That so?"

"Yep, and the CEO wants to see you; I can only imagine, hopefully, you'll be getting the boot. How I wish I could be there. So go on, I'll inform him you're on your way up," his boss uttered in glee.

"Or maybe he's giving me your job since all you do around here is bark like a dog and sit on your ass. Now, if you learn how to lick your own junk, I'm so going to sell tickets for it!" Max said as he walked out of the room, not seeing how red and anger-filled his boss's face was.

Max pondered who created elevator music and if they were dead or not. If they were alive he was wondering if he could ask Congress to put the person before a firing squad. Looking up when the elevator stopped on the ground floor; lowering his head as the doors rolled open. Arching an eyebrow when the spitting image of the CEO's daughter stepped in wearing a white lab coat, a red, loose skirt that ended about a few inches below her coat, and a cream-tone blouse. Her red, bordering on the shade of a carrot, hair was held high, yet in an elegant fashion. Her glasses sat alluringly on her nose. Her soft grey eyes held a warm light in them as she smiled warmly at him as she stepped into the cab.

"Can you... never mind," she muttered, seeing the top floor had been selected.

"So, who died?" Max asked, breaking the ice.

"Excuse me?" she stammered.

"Didn't know doctors still made house calls in this day in age," Max said, slyly gesturing at her coat. His eyebrows rose at how sweet her soft chuckle sounded.

"Oh, I'm not a doctor; I'm a dentist," she said with a sweet, alluring smile on her lips.

"Hmm... wonder why my dentist never makes house calls. I feel so ripped off," Max mused, casting her a flirty smile when she chuckled.

"Do you not know who I am?"

"Should I?" Max retorted.

"Do you not go to the company's Christmas parties?" she asked with a curious look in her eyes.

"What and force myself to interact with arrogant, pompous asses on my off hours, not on your life," Max said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Terry Archer, as in daughter of Greg Archer, the CEO," she stated, introducing herself as she held out her hand. Using her maiden name, given if what she thought was going on with her husband then, she would be using it once again very soon.

"Maxwell Larson, you must get your looks from your mother; she has to be one of the prettiest women on the planet to give birth to a gorgeous woman like you," he said, laying on the charm as he shook her hand. Not because she was the big boss's daughter, he didn't care about that; no, it was the simple fact she was indeed a beautiful woman.

"Why, thank you, I'll make sure to tell her that," Terry spoke in a shy tone. Trying to remember if she's ever seen him at the Christmas parties, yet she was drawing a blank. Feeling her heart racing, pleased that someone found her attractive given the state of her marriage. For the past year, she's been feeling less than desired by her husband. She's almost forgotten what sex felt like, given how long Orin hasn't touched her.

"You should; you tell her if she's making any more like you, I want first dibs. Wouldn't mind having such a stunning woman in my life; it might make my days rather interesting," Max stated, seeing Terry's cheeks rapidly heating. He had noticed her wedding ring, and while he wouldn't make a move on her, nonetheless, it didn't hurt to flirt. Now, if it went any further than that, that would constitute cheating in his mind. However, it wasn't every day he talked to a vivacious woman like Terry.

"Stop, you shouldn't say things like that," Terry uttered in a cute tone as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Why? It is true. What's wrong with speaking the truth?" Max asked, noting he only had five more floors to go. Knowing when they stepped off the elevator, he would never see her again.

"You think so?"

"Mmmhmm, wouldn't have said it if it wasn't," Max nodded.

"Or because I'm the boss's daughter," Terry spoke, shooting Max a look. Arching an eyebrow at his snort.​