I looked up from my food to see Candice studying me over the rim of her glass, she was eating a shrimp salad while I had the surf and turf. "So..." I prompted her.

Candice smiled slightly, "The family thinks the future of Paramount Group and Endless Online is very bright, coupled with their time compression, the possibilities are endless. From what I have learned from a few inside sources, you are about to make a few big splashes and can end up in a position of power within the game. A driving force for its continued development and expansion." I snorted, the time compression was something new. Only a theory a decade before but this was the first commercial application I had seen or heard of. "Frank wants you to stay where you are and develop that relationship," Candice explained and I froze at the mention of my grandfather and the patriarch of the Henrick family.

I looked at Candice like she had lost her mind, but after a few moments, she didn't start laughing. "Why would grandfather support me playing a video game? He is..." I tried to find the right word when he spoke from the entrance of the room.

"Boy, I grew up on Dungeons and Dragons, and while most games are a waste of time and entertainment for the youth. Endless Online is a whole different animal." I looked towards the old man was. While he was over seventy, he still had a powerful frame that had broken more than one man, and his eyes still pierced the soul missing nothing. "Hello Arthur, it's good to see you again." I grimaced and turned my glare towards Candice.

She flinched slightly and looked away, "Don't blame your aunt, I was the one who put her up to this since I knew you would decline a meeting with me." Frank cut in as he moved to one of the empty chairs and sat down. "Of course, you can always come and work for Infinity Solutions?" my grandfather prodded with a slight smile.

I shook my head, "No offense, I don't want to be like Jack and James, running around the world and being a playboy." I disparaged my two uncles without a second's thought. While they were great talkers and negotiators, they were horrible husbands in my mind.

Frank smirked, "Didn't you used to work at a sex club called Saints and Sinners while you were in college?" he pointed out.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, I was a bartender and cook, yes I participated at times, but I never whored myself out." I told him, which was very true. I wasn't surprised that he knew of my activities, but then again, I was almost certain the family had a stake in the club.

Based on what Sharon, AKA Mistress Candy, knew about my family and had been surprised that I was willing to do grunt work, I was almost certain Frank had a history with the place. Frank had a toothy smile as he chuckled, "Yes, and part of those activities was enjoying your time with Candice here. She raved about your activities there and managed to convince June to join the club but not until after you quit your last year of college. Why did you quit anyway?" I looked at him and smiled.

"I worked there to earn enough money to pay my bills, keep a roof over my head, and food on my table. I had enough saved so I could concentrate on my studies that last year, it was a smart move and I graduated in the top ten percent of my class because of it." I told him.

Frank nodded his head in clear approval. "True, now as your aunt stated I want you to be our family's presence within EO. To continue down the path that you have started." he continued until I held up my hand.

"I haven't decided on anything and if I do continue, it will be for me. Not the family. While I wouldn't do anything to harm everyone, I will do what I think best." I told him and waited for the explosion, but nothing came.

A shit-eating grin grew on my grandfather's face, and he started laughing, I looked over at Candice, but she was engrossed in her food. "What, surprised I am not arguing with you?" I could only nod my head in response. "Boy, I figured out long ago you were going to do what you wanted no matter what your parents or I wanted, so I did my best to help you out when I could, and when you needed it. Otherwise, I stayed the hell out of your way and let others learn they couldn't tell you what to do, but you could be swayed by reason." he glared at Candice who blushed.

I sat back, slightly stunned at the revelation that my grandfather hadn't been behind my aunts' antics when she had first shown up at Saints and Sinners. "My apologies grandfather, I thought you sent her to the club and were behind her trying to get me to come back into the fold. I was wrong." I told him and he chuckled before surprising me again by standing up and pulling me into a hug.

I flinched slightly when he started whispering in my ear and did my best to hold back my tears. "I understand why you are angry at the family and why you blame them for their deaths. I would give up every last dollar to bring my son and daughter-in-law back if I could, but I can't," he told me. "All I can do is watch over you and try my best to see that you grow into a man your parents would be proud of and from what I can see, you very much are." I stepped back after giving me one more squeeze.

I closed my eyes and got ahold of my emotions, I could feel Candice worriedly looking at me, but I ignored my aunt. While she might be a manipulative bitch, our relationship had changed over those random nights we saw each other. You can have a dominant and submissive relationship without some emotions, trust being the first and foremost on both sides. Which begged the question as to why she tried to manipulate me back into the fold?

I opened my eyes, "Why?" a simple question, yet Candice blushed because of it.

"I was losing you. Sharon had told me your plan to quit, and I thought if I could bring you back to the family, I could continue to see you. With your uncles gone most of the time, June and I needed someone we could trust that wouldn't cause a scandal or try to extort money from us." I could feel a frown growing on my face as she continued. "We were compatible, and you completely broke me and molded me despite only seeing each other once or twice a month." I glanced over at my grandfather as I blushed.

I could see my aunt's shirt tenting slightly as her nipples hardened. Both Frank and I coughed as Candice shook herself and broke out of her reverie, "Be that as it may, you broke the first rule. Don't lie, be truthful. You should have told me Candice and we might have worked something out, instead, you manipulated me and tried to get me to do what you wanted without saying what that was." I told her before looking back at my grandfather. "Now, what exactly do you want from me?" I asked him as I started to eat my lunch again.

Thirty minutes later, I was on my way home but this time it wasn't a taxi but one of the family's cars. One of the items that my grandfather had foisted on me, like the new apartment Frank had insisted I take. If EO blew up as much as I thought it would, the added security might one day become necessary in the real world and not just in the digital. Thankfully I also got an apartment I wanted, one that had access to a full gym, pool, and was located near an area I liked.

While I might have lost the battle, I was still intent on winning the war. Delphic Tower soon came into view, while it wasn't in the heart of the city it was still near it. Something my grandfather wanted, and I compromised on, more importantly, I could see Candice excited about me being nearer to where she lived. While I was not adverse about enjoying my time with June or Candice, any relationship would eventually end since they were both married, even if it was to my asshole uncles so I would keep my distance from both. It was a realization I had come to during the meeting with my grandfather and one I didn't like but it would be better for everyone if we didn't pick up where we left off years ago.

"You have my number for the car service, correct sir?" the driver asked as he slowed the car down.

"Yeah, I got it," I told him as I spotted Ruby waiting out front for me. Like me, she was being moved to the building but thankfully we were not roommates. While I might have forgiven her for missing Nick's manipulations, she was still firmly entrenched in the family politics and manipulations.

The driver whistled as he looked at her, "Damn!" he called out.

I chuckled, "Yes she is, and she is also my cousin. Don't worry, I will make sure she knows you appreciate her looks." I told him as I stepped out of the car and slammed the door behind me. I turned and saw a shy smile on my cousin's face, "Well guess we will be neighbors." I told her earning a bigger smile as she hooked my arm into hers.

"Yeah, when your grandfather told me you would be coming, I didn't believe it. My question is are you happy with coming here?" Ruby asked.

I looked up at the building and shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know...I just know my course is set with the game and I won't shy away from it. If EO becomes as popular as I think it will be, I think it's a good idea for me to be here." I told her as we walked through the entrance of the building.

A woman was waiting for us and smiled, "Ms. Odell and Mr. Henrick, welcome to Delphic Tower, I am Janice, I am in charge of relations between the tenants and the owners. If you two will follow me, I will show you two to your new apartments." the woman turned on her heel and headed for the bank of elevators that led to the floors above.

While I might be living with the biggest dry spell since I discovered sex, I wasn't a monk. While Janice had a small chest, she did have a very nice ass that I wouldn't mind seeing bouncing. My cousin slapped my chest when she caught me leering at the woman, but just chuckled as I blushed. "You will both be on the forty-fifth floor, there is a gym and pool on the floor if you wish to use them. Ms. Odell will be in suite forty-five-eight, Mr. Henrick you will be in suite forty-five-three. They have the same floor plans, your immersion capsules were delivered this morning, and both have been connected and tested by the people that installed them. We did a sweep of both suits after to ensure that they didn't leave anything behind, both suites are secure." Janice informed us.

"How often do you do sweeps?" I asked her.

While I knew the security of this place was intense, this was something else. "Weekly, unless requested otherwise. We also get a full scan of your biometrics and the only way to access the elevators and your apartments are with your digital keys and physical keys. I was also told to let you know Mr. Henrick, your V.I. from your apartment has been transferred to your new quarters." Janice replied as I looked at Ruby who shrugged her shoulders.

Well, that was a good thing, but still, someone going in and out of my apartment at random times..."Each apartment has three bedrooms with two bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining room, living room with an attached entertainment center. Groceries are delivered on Wednesdays and Fridays, so if you want someone to deliver them make sure your orders are put in the day before. From what I was told, both of you will be working from home so delivery times won't be a problem?" Ruby nodded her head.

"Yes Janice, we will both be working from home for the foreseeable future. I assume both apartments have a view of the city?" Janice nodded her head as she smiled.

"Yes, all of our apartments have some outside areas with lawn chairs and grills, we just ask that you make sure you monitor them if you decide to use the outside grills. There is also a garden and pool on the roof of the building if you wish to visit them." Janice replied as the elevator stopped and we got off as she led us towards our new homes.