Wreck Me (Savage Bosses)

Chapter Two

Tahani

The New Boss

My fingers move faster, keeping pace with the racing thoughts in my head. Code isn’t just my language; it’s the air I breathe. I don’t need to look around to know that people are moving, talking, working silently in their cubicles or offices. Outside of this building many are living their lives to the fullest, chasing dreams. But right now, I’m not part of that world.

My world is here, in these cascading lines of algorithms. I push a lock of hair away from my face, frustrated that it dares to interrupt. Every second matters. Every keystroke has meaning. Every line has a purpose. I’ve worked too hard, poured too much of myself into Zeenith, for distractions now.

As a software engineer, I find elegance in efficiency and beauty in logic. Like a sculptor chipping away at a block of marble, I refine and optimize with each iteration, cutting away the unnecessary until only brilliance remains. My mind hums with new pathways, new solutions, each one sharper, cleaner, more refined than the last. This work demands laser focus and technical precision.

The tightness in my shoulders is a dull hum, a whisper against the backdrop of my thoughts. I don’t bother with it. Pain, hunger. They’re distractions. All that matters is this. Every line of code, every solved bug, every new feature brings me closer to perfection. The world outside this screen blurs, irrelevant.

Zeenith isn’t just software. It’s my proof. Proof that the years of sacrifice, the sleepless nights, the skipped meals, the missed birthdays weren’t for nothing. I’ve poured my soul into this, and once it’s done, they’ll see. The tech world will know my name, and I’ll be more than just another engineer. I’ll be the one who redefined user interaction.

But for now, I work in silence, the only sound the soft click of keys, until—

“Tahani?” Contessa’s voice breaks through the quiet. Her smile is warm, as always, like she has all the time in the world to spare. I glance up, fingers still poised over the keyboard, feeling like she’s pulled me out of a dream. "How's the flagship project coming along?" she asks, stepping closer.

I lean back in my chair, rolling my stiff shoulders. "Almost there. Just a few bugs to squash before launch."

Contessa’s expression shifts, a seriousness creeping into her features. “Have you heard the latest office buzz?”

I shake my head, fingers still hovering over the keyboard. “Nope. You know me. Deep in this project. What’s up?”

She lowers her voice, leaning in as if the walls have ears. “Word is, Archer Gates is about to sell Iconic. I mean, everything. They’re saying close to a billion dollars, and it’ll go down once your projects are live.”

I raise an eyebrow, absorbing the news. “Archer Gates? The billionaire who buys up software companies like they’re on clearance, selling once the value has gone up? That’s...unexpected,” I say, sarcasm dripping in my tone.

Contessa pulls a chair closer and sinks into it. “I know, right? I’m torn. On one hand, it could be huge for Iconic, taking us to the next level. But on the other hand, it’s the uncertainty that bothers me. And Gates... well, let’s just say his management style has raised a few eyebrows.”

I lean back, considering. “Yeah, he’s got a reputation. Ruthless. A shark in the business world. But maybe that’s the kind of push Iconic needs? A shakeup to go bigger.”

“Maybe,” Contessa replies, but the doubt in her voice is obvious. “But the way he takes over companies... it’s like he strips them down, changes everything. I’d hate to see him ruin what we’ve built here. I mean, most of us actually care about this place.”

Her eyes flick toward Mason Hughes’ office, and she smirks. “Though some people are more interested in kissing up to whoever’s in charge.”

I let out a dry laugh, nodding. “True. But whatever happens, we’ll get through it. We’ve worked too hard to let some CEO come in and ruin it all.”

Contessa’s expression softens, a little relief in her smile. “You’re right. No shark is going to break up this team.”

“Not the dream team,” I assure her.

We share a quick laugh, and for a moment, the tension lifts. But as she heads back to her desk, my thoughts return to Archer Gates. What will his arrival mean for Zeenith? For me? My hands hover over the keyboard, but the nagging curiosity won’t let me refocus. If he’s about to take over, everything could change and not necessarily for the better.

If anyone had bothered to ask me, I would have told them we were already on the path to explosive growth without needing a corporate vulture swooping in to take the reins. But no one asked me, so I keep my head down, doing what I’ve been doing for the last four years: building.

My eyes flick back to the monitors in front of me. Zeenith is my baby, a cutting-edge compression algorithm designed to shrink video files without compromising quality. It’s not glamorous, but it’s groundbreaking for usage of video on the web, and it demands every ounce of focus and persistence I have. The complexity is what keeps me going, keeps me locked into the code.

The day moves at lightning speed. Outside my bubble, the office hums with life. People shuffle between meetings, chatting in the hallways, grabbing coffee in the sleek café down the hall. Iconic’s got a reputation for innovation, and every person here feeds off that energy. It’s what drew me in too, all those years ago.

The dimming sunlight pours through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting the office in a warm glow. It’s a rare moment when I notice the time of day, usually too engrossed in Zeenith to care if it’s morning, afternoon, or night. I’ve been here late for months, tweaking and refining the algorithm until it’s perfect or as close as humanly possible.

My eyes burn from hours spent staring at the screens, but I don’t stop. I live for the thrill of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, of creating something that could change the way the world works. This is what gets me out of bed every morning, what makes the missed sleep, the skipped meals, and the late nights worth it. I just hope the vulture circling above doesn’t tear it apart before it can fly.

I may not have Archer Gates’ business acumen, but in my realm, I am just as brilliant. It’s my intellect and relentless drive that have built me up in this industry. Every late night, every line of code is a testament to my rise as an engineer. I’ve constructed my career at Iconic, brick by brick, long hours and endless sacrifice stacked one on top of the other.

So, the idea of someone swooping in to disrupt all of that? It’s unsettling, to say the least. This place, this work, it’s not just a job to me. It’s my legacy, and I’m not about to let anyone, not even a billionaire, tear it down.

My thoughts spiral as I wonder how Archer Gates’ leadership will change my world. Will we clash, or can we find some common ground? His reputation precedes him, but I can’t help the flicker of curiosity that sneaks in. Is there more to him than the ruthless businessman everyone paints him as?

Before I can untangle my questions, the door swings open as if I summoned him with my thoughts. Archer Gates strides in, all sharp angles and authority wrapped in an impeccably tailored suit. His presence fills the room before he even speaks, his piercing dark eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, I feel exposed, like he’s trying to decode me with just a glance, his eyes narrowing slightly as if I’m some unsolved equation.

He smooths his jacket and takes deliberate steps toward me. “Tahani Stevens.” His voice is smooth, laced with authority that leaves no room for anything but attention.

I meet his gaze, holding steady even as the air feels charged. “Yes.”

It’s only one word, but it feels like a million.

A hint of a smile tugs at his lips. "I've heard impressive things about your current project. We're going to make waves in the industry with that software and a fortune in the process."

"Thank you, sir. I've invested a great deal of time into it."

He raises an eyebrow, his gaze unwavering. "Indeed. Investment requires sacrifice."

I meet his stare head-on, refusing to flinch. "I'm no stranger to hard work, Mr. Gates. You'll learn that about me."

The tension between us is charged and sharp. This moment feels like a test I refuse to fail. His amusement flickers in his dark eyes, his lips twitching like I’ve just passed some unspoken challenge.

"Good. I’d expect no less."

As he outlines his vision for Iconic, I study him carefully. The sharp lines of his suit, the commanding presence, all scream power and control. But beneath that polished exterior, there's something else. Ambition, sure. Hunger, definitely. But there’s also something more primal, a force that explains how he’s built empires from the ground up. He devours companies like a predator—efficient, ruthless, and terrifyingly effective.

When he finishes, my mind spins, trying to process the gravity of what he’s just laid out. But I can’t ignore curiosity running beneath the surface. There’s a storm brewing in Archer Gates, and part of me knows I should stay as far away from it as possible. But I can’t deny it—I want to understand him, to peel back the layers of this man who could tear everything I’ve worked for apart with a single decision.

He strides to the door, his departure just as commanding as his entrance. I glance up, only to catch him turning back, his eyes catching mine. The barest hint of a smirk pulls at his mouth, like he knows exactly where my thoughts are headed.

A shiver runs down my spine. This man is dangerous in ways I’m not sure I’m ready for. He could ruin everything I've sacrificed for without a second thought. And yet, something in me wants to see more, wants to understand what lies beneath that controlled exterior. Archer Gates may be a threat, but he’s one I can’t quite look away from.

As the door closes behind him, I sit back and think of what just transpired. The future of Iconic, and maybe my own, is no longer in my hands. But something tells me I’m about to play a much bigger game than I ever imagined. And Archer Gates? He’s about to become my most intriguing, and dangerous, opponent.