The Seduction Game by Anastasia Maltezos

compelled to stand up for the younger woman who’d only wanted her brother to meet someone nice.
    “What does all this have to do with me?”
    Kate braced herself. “Phase Four.”
    A shutter fell over his face. “Are you trying to tell me I was an experiment?”
    “Yes,” she whispered. “I’m…I’m sorry.”
    “Not as sorry as I am.” He turned abruptly to his car.
    “Wait.” Kate grabbed his arm and he looked down at it distastefully. “I’m sorry, Adam. I never meant to hurt you.”
    He gave her a quelling look before he got into his car.

Chapter 7
    Back in his office the next morning, Adam handed Edward Ryerson the file he’d been working on all of last week.
    “It’s all there, Ed. I promised you I’d deliver the changes and I did.”
    Relieved by the satisfied look on the older man’s face, Adam leaned back in his chair and waited while Edward went through the folder that contained the changes to be made to the customized software for his seaside resorts. Everything was there, from customer billing to inventory taking, but something about the older man concerned Adam. He looked tired and worn out, sluggish, nothing like the dynamic businessman Adam had grown to admire.
    “Ed, are you all right?”
    The older man looked up. “Huh? Oh, I’m fine, son. Nothing to worry about.”
    Adam wasn’t convinced. “We could do this another time.”
    That brought a smile on the older man’s mouth. “You’ve been harping on me to sign on the dotted line the past two weeks, and now that I’m ready to, you want to reschedule?” He laughed. “You’re a fine boy, Adam. More concerned for my wellbeing than lining your pocket with more dough. That’s what I’ve always liked about you. That’s what makes you a great businessman.” He winked conspiratorially. “You’re a humanitarian.”
    Adam returned the older man’s smile. “Don’t let it get out, otherwise everyone will think I’m a pushover.”
    Edward’s face fell a little, and the light in his eyes dimmed as he placed the folder on the edge of the desk and leaned back in his seat. “I used to be like you. I had energy, drive, but I’m afraid things have been getting to me lately.” He sighed wearily. “It’s my granddaughter, Ellie.”
    “Is she doing any better?”
    “Oh yes, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying about her, son. I don’t know if an old man like me is enough for a teenager. Poor child. Losing her parents and now getting pregnant. Worse, she’s stuck living with an old man who doesn’t know the first thing about teenagers. It’s a whole other generation.”
    The older man was wrong, Adam thought. He was warm, kind, generous. Adam had thought more than a few times the past four months he would have liked to have had someone like Edward around when he was struggling to make his own ends meet.
    “I think you’re more than enough, Ed. Ellie will grow up benefiting from your wisdom.”
    Edward sighed again. “I don’t know anymore. In a few months there’ll be another one to look after and I…I don’t know if I can handle it.” He rubbed his chin. “Thank God, Ellie’s been seeing a wonderful therapist. I love that woman like she’s my own daughter. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know where we’d both be right now.”
    “It seems you’re lucky to have found her then.”
    At the mention of a therapist, Kate slipped into his mind and he clenched his jaw, ignoring the raw feeling building in his gut. The intercom sounded and he jabbed the button with more force than necessary. “Excuse me, Ed. Yes, Mary?”
    “I have Dana on the line, Mr. Tyler.”
    Adam’s mouth tensed. “Tell her I’m in a meeting.” His sister was another person he had to deal with. This last foray into his personal life had been the last straw.
    “I already did, but she says it’s urgent.”
    Adam glanced at the older man. “Ed, do you mind if I take this call?” The older man gestured a quick “go ahead” as he reached