Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
I’d seen the name JustMadness around several times. Both on my server and others I frequented. Always, Madness was causing problems. Usually, it was stirring up an already ongoing argument or disagreement. But sometimes, like now, I found JustMadness planting dangerous ideas in the heads of users who seemed more than a little unstable. This instance didn’t really seem like much, but I’d watched SoulHunter enough to know he was serious about gaming. I also happened to know he wasn’t as good as he liked to think he was. Mostly because of users like Madness who knew he wasn’t very good but liked to make fun of him behind his back.
Yeah. Not on my server. The only reason I let him stay on was because I could control and contain the damage. If I banned him outright, I might miss something important. Unlike some servers, I was able to heavily moderate mine. I’d written a program to help. It was amazing what AI could do if you knew how to use it. My software scanned everything being said or typed. If something seemed threatening or questionable, it notified me. As I used it, it learned. As it learned, it became more and more accurate until it had down the troublemakers to keep an eye on and new users it needed to learn.
In the meantime, I needed to find out where the kid was from and what school he went to and have a talk with the e-sports coach. Surely to God there was some place for the kid.
Needing to get back to my office where I could explore this situation more easily, I shut down my laptop and packed everything up. Glancing at the full cup of coffee Jordan had left hours earlier, I scowled. There were a few quirks I had. Taking a cup of coffee from just anyone was one of them. I didn’t do it. I made my own or took it from Danica. Even Blaze didn’t get to make my fucking coffee. Why was I OK with Danica making my coffee? No clue. Probably because she got me. She knew when to engage me in small talk and when to leave me the fuck alone. Very few people had that capability.
I glanced around the shop and found the woman in question. Danica was behind the counter waiting on a customer. As always, she had a smile and polite conversation if the customer welcomed it. This time, the young man she served was openly flirting with her. I wanted to growl my disapproval but held it in. Mostly.
There wasn’t anyone in line and the guy kept Danica engaged even when she tried to go back to her work.
“I know a sweet little pizza place on the edge of town I’d love to show you. Tell me what time you get off and I’ll pick you up.”
“I appreciate the offer, Leo, but I don’t go out on weekdays. My sisters have school, and I have to make sure they have their homework done.”
“Surely you can find a sitter.” This Leo wasn’t taking no for an answer, but it wasn’t any of my business. One thing I knew about Danica was that she could take care of herself.
“I probably could, but it’s something I promised myself and my mother before she died. I don’t go out during the week unless it’s an emergency. Then I take the girls with me.”
“Didn’t you say they were your sisters?” Leo looked equal parts confused and irritated. He was good-looking. Athletic. I’d seen the guy around a couple of times. He was some kind of local sports hero in high school. Pretty sure he worked for his daddy now at some kind of family business, but I had no reason to find out. Until now.
“They are.”
“Then why are you responsible for them?” The fucker sounded like a whiny little pussy. “Get someone else to take care of them so you can live your own life.”
“They’re my sisters, Leo. Not a responsibility. I could have passed them on to social services and visited them instead of becoming their guardian, but that wasn’t what me or my mother wanted.”
“Fine. What about this weekend? We’ll go to a movie, then maybe to a nightclub. I have a friend who can get us into The Hudson.”
She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I appreciate the offer. I really do. But I’m not at a good place in my life to date anyone. I know you understand.” Her tone was gentle and sounded truly regretful. While I was happy she’d turned him down, I didn’t like the thought that she might be tempted to go out with him if she had fewer responsibilities. I thought that twit, Leo, was going to keep pushing, but he flashed her a smile.