Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ An Exile's Stone Heart ❯ An Exile's Stone Heart III ( Chapter 3 )

Author's Notes: Last time, Mai vented, and well it was just mean. There's more come, I'll just keep moving along, so shall we? Personally, I don't think Yugi and Co. be in this. I am trying to find out where I want to go with this, so please forgive me if I wander off a bit. Just a reminder, the language is "sharp" so to speak and this is not for kiddies. Thanks for reading so far. In this chapter, Mai gets an unwanted visit, begins work on the Myers account, and Joey suffers from withdrawal.

An Exile's Stone Heart

Chapter Three: Keep your distance from me; don't pay no attention to me!

"Is that how you treat all of your male guests Valentine?"

The man asked as he fell down in pain. Mai smirked, crossing her legs. She leaned over her mahogany desk looking at the pathetic man that struggled to stand up. He was small, mousy, perverted little shit that Mai disliked to no end. He had been trying to get into all of the female population's pants. He was unsuccessful, which wasn't surprising. The man literally resembled a mouse. His bad comb over, polyester suit, and bad breath was a turn off for everyone in the office. More than once AJ Grubbs had been reported for sexual harassment. Unfortunately, the little bastard was the nephew of one of the higher ups. Mai didn't know for sure which executive was damned to be related to him, but he was lucky.

"You deserved it Grubbs."

"Just admit it Valentine, you want me. I understand."

"I want you like I want V.D."

Mai sneered, glancing at a few briefs Lila had placed on her desk.

"You're still here?"

"Yea, I just wanted to talk to you."

Mai leaned back sizing up the man.

"What do you want Grubbs?"

"Aside from you and me naked, dancing horizontally-"

"Grubbs."

Mai wasn't pleased with his annoying antics. He was a loser, a natty looking man, whom if he were an insect, he'd most resemble a fly.

"I'm kidding Valentine. I want in on the Myer's account."

"Why do you want to work on the MA?"

Mai asked, pretending to sound shocked. She wasn't shocked at all. It was the prime season for the vultures to come out. Anyone that wanted to leech off her good work would have a hell of a hard time. He was just a brownnoser. There was no way he was getting in on her project. She didn't even want the Myer's account, and if she was going to forced to do it, she wasn't working with him. He was not productive, and his poor work ethics would not reflect on her. She was more curious about why he wanted to work with her on the account. There could be three possible answers; he wanted to closer to her, he was seriously slipping with his effective productivity, or he knew something she didn't.

Mai thought it was most likely that he knew something she didn't. Everyone that worked with her knew she was strictly professional when it came to work. There was absolutely no funny business. If her formality was undermined, the partner she was working with suffered the consequences. He knew he had no chance in hell with her, and she knew he could afford to slip up with his work since he had a relative that was a higher up, but he couldn't slip too much. Even if he was in danger of getting fired, she knew that she would be the last person he wanted to work with to ensure his employment. It must be that he knew something she didn't. He was privy to certain information by having an uncle as a VP. He must have known why she was chosen for this project, and it most be very profitable if he was willing to work with her.

"I know something's big is going down. I want in."

Mai smirked at his desperation.

"I'm sorry Grubbs. You know I work alone on major projects. If you wanted in, you should have filed a request to work with me with Human Resources. Sorry honey, but could you leave? I've got work to do."

He said nothing, but his gestures only confirmed what she knew. There was lots of money to be made on this project, and if he wanted in this badly, she was going to find out why. Mai watched as he left, but not before he subjected her to a very crass gesture. Mai sighed with irritation. Even 46- year old men acted liked whiny babies when they didn't get what they wanted. Mai looked over the briefs and files Lila had given her, and set up a timeline for when she would like to have things done.

Once she had her presentation ready, she'd set up a business lunch with her client and they could begin work. Already this day was proving to be tiring. Soon, she was attacking her work with fervor, despite the sinking feeling she was getting. Mai had become so engrossed in her work, she hadn't realized someone had been trying to call her until Lila came in and pointed to her phone. Mai picked up the receiver, and headed to the copy room.

"Mai Valentine speaking, who is this?"

"Must you answer so formally darling?"

Mai frowned, knowing exactly who was on the phone. Joey Wheeler. She copied the files, ignoring the stares of her coworkers. Some fo the men were old enough to be her grandfather, and the stares were more annoying than anything else.

"It's been five hours, and you can't keep away?"

"Sorry, I suffer from Mai withdrawal. Did you lock my house?"

"Yes you ass, and thanks for putting the garbage cans in the driveway, I was almost late."

"I thought you might enjoy that. Anyway, are we on for tonight?"

"No can do Joseph. I've got a meeting with a major clientele. I should be busy for at least two months."

There was silence on the phone. Mai knew she had shocked him. His reaction would be very interesting indeed.

"Who's the client?"

Mai giggled insanely.

"You know I can't tell you that. I can't mix business with pleasure."

"Mai that's all we've been doing. That is our entire liaison. What am I supposed to do now?"

Mia was getting annoyed with his whining. He couldn't go a day without getting laid. It was really disgusting. The man needed some self control.

"That's something you've got to figure out on your own."

"What are you going to do? You know you can't resist me."

Mai gathered her stacks, but not before sending evil death glares to every male staring at her. Even dressed like a professional businesswoman, she could not get any respect. Those jerks were really gross. She entered her office, happy to see Grubbs hadn't returned.

"Yes I can. Besides, I've got a vibrator."

There was silence once more. Joey began chuckling lightheartedly.

"Touché. Still, I can't believe you'd deprive a man of his natural urges. You're using sex as a weapon."

"I am not using sex as a weapon. Find someone else to sleep with. I know you've got other women."

"Why didn't this client of yours come to McNair International?"

Joey asked slightly jealous. LaBeouf Inc., and McNair International were rivals in every sense of the word. Both companies prided themselves on cutthroat tactics to get what they wanted. What they wanted was always the client's money. At LaBeouf, Mai was known as the Tiger Lady. She was Daring, beautiful, and fatal when crossed. While Joey did not have such an endearing nick name, anyone that visited McNair International's sky scraper would find him easily. He usually had an entourage of fifteen people willing and ready to please the great Joey Wheeler.

"Obviously my client knew I could offer them what you couldn't."

"All you can offer is head and sub par service."

"That's funny, that's not what you said last night."

Mai said hanging up on him. She blocked his office and cell number from calling her office. She didn't want him calling her office for the rest of the day. She needed to concentrate. As much as she loved their sexually titillating conversations, business was business, and Joey Wheeler wasn't getting in the way. Not like last time.

Mai sighed, rubbing her temples. The day had just started, and already two people were more than curious about the Myer's account. Mai gathered her jacket, and purse. Maybe if she got a little fresh air, she could clear her head, work faster, and get back to her apartment. She could go out with her girlfriends and treat herself to a nice dinner, and then maybe a little clubbing. After talking to Joey, she'd need a distraction. Slowly, she'd break him, just like he broke her, and then vengeance would be hers.

FN: That is it. Was it too short? Too long? (Yeah right) Want more? Want little? What do you think? Next chapter, more stuff, happens but I have to think of what. More M/J interaction though! Please review this! If you don't I'll think no one is reading it, and stop writing. (I've been known to do that, then get pissed off emails from people that read my stories.)

-Shanni