Minutes earlier…

“Knock, knock!” Teresa said aloud in singsong as she approached Emily’s office. Emily looked up from her desk, her eyes meeting Teresa’s in the glass panel window. She smiled and gestured for Teresa to come in.

“Hey, Teresa. What can I do for you?” Emily asked, closing the folder she was reading. Her raven hair fluttered from the action.

Teresa stepped into the office, closing the door behind her. She took a seat in front of Emily’s desk, her expression serious despite the heavenly scent of Emily’s lavender perfume.

“So, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about Brad, uh, Valerie’s ex,” Teresa said, her voice steady and firm.

Emily’s expression became more attentive. “Brad, hm? What about him?”

Teresa took a deep breath, her eyes not wavering from Emily’s. “He’s been persistent in trying to contact Valerie, even after she made it clear she wants nothing to do with him. He’s left several messages and texts, and he’s even been spotted inside the building a few times.”

Emily frowned slightly, sitting back in her chair as she crossed her slender legs. “I remember those texts and messages. They were... disturbing, to say the least. And I thought we had made it clear he was not welcome on the premises.”

Teresa nodded. “Yeah, well, he’s not taking the hint. He’s been lurking around the building, trying to catch Valerie when she leaves. He even sent her a message detailing his itinerary for today, saying he’ll be outside the building at five.”

Emily’s expression darkened, her well-manicured fingers drumming against her desk. “That’s not acceptable, Teresa. We can’t have him harassing our employees. I’ll call security and have them keep an eye out for him.”

Teresa leaned forward in her chair, her eyes pleading. “Emily, I need to do something about this. I can’t just sit back and let him terrorize Valerie like this.”

“Are you asking me for permission? Or for support?” Emily asked, her voice steady and firm. Teresa understood the subtle distinction between the two. Emily was a manager, not a babysitter, and she was not obligated to help Teresa outside of her role.

“Both,” Teresa admitted, her voice filled with a mix of determination and vulnerability. “I need your support, but I also need permission to take some initiative. I care about Valerie, and I want to help her.”

Emily’s expression softened, and she nodded in understanding. “I know you do, Teresa. And I appreciate your dedication and concern for Valerie. But we need to be smart about this. We can’t just charge in and confront him without a plan. That’s why I want you to talk to security first. Let them know the situation, and work with them to come up with a strategy.”

Teresa nodded, grateful for Emily’s understanding and support. “You’re right, of course. I’ll talk to them now. Thank you, Emily.”

Emily smiled, her expression softening. “You’re welcome, Teresa. And please, keep me in the loop. I’m here to support you both,” Emily said, her voice filled with sincerity.

Teresa stood up; her resolve strengthened by Emily’s support. “I will.”

She turned to leave but hesitated, her hand on the doorknob. She looked back at Emily, her expression serious. “You know, I just want to make sure Valerie’s happy. She’s... she’s important to me, Emily. More than just a coworker.”

Emily’s eyes softened, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I’m well aware of that, Teresa.” She said, shifting in her seat, the rustle of her short black skirt audible. The memories of Valerie’s… talents… were still vivid in Emily’s mind.

Teresa simply smiled and shut the door to Emily’s office behind her. She made her way to the security office, her heels clicking on the polished floor of the lobby with resolve.

As she approached the security office, she could see the two guards on duty through the glass window. They were deep in conversation, but one of them noticed her and waved her in. She pushed open the door and stepped inside.

“Hello, Teresa. What can we do for you today?” one guard, Ben, asked. He was a burly man with a thick beard and a friendly smile.

The other guard, Mike, was leaner, with short-cropped dark hair and a serious expression.

“Hi, Ben. Thanks for taking the time to see me,” Teresa said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the devious plot forming in her mind. “I need to talk to you about a... situation involving one of our employees, Valerie Johnson.”

Ben’s expression turned concerned. “Sure thing, Teresa. What’s going on?” he asked, gesturing for her to take a seat.

Teresa took a seat, placing her hands neatly in her lap. “Do you remember when Valerie had some trouble with her ex-boyfriend, Brad?”

“Ah, the dickhead!” Ben interjected, his face darkening. “Yeah, we’ve had a few run-ins with him. He’s been more persistent than a goddamn mosquito in summer.”

Teresa nodded grimly. “Exactly. And now he’s started leaving messages on Valerie’s work account, saying he’ll be outside the building when she gets off work. I want to do something about it.”

Ben’s expression turned serious. He looked at Mike, who nodded in understanding. “Yeah, we’ve seen him. Usually on this camera right here,” Ben said, pointing to one of the multiple screens behind him.

Mike nodded, his expression stern. “He’s a persistent little shit, that’s for sure. But we’ve handled him in the past. We’ll take care of it,” Mike said, his voice gruff but reassuring.

Ben frowned while looking at the screen and sighed. “Yeah, there he is. Standing just far enough outside, looking right up at the building like a creep. I’ve never understood why some guys think that sort of thing is romantic.”

Teresa nodded in agreement. “I know, right? It’s more intimidating than anything.” She said, her hand gently falling on Ben’s shoulder.

Ben addressed the monitor. “Yeah, that’s right, dickhead. Just keep standing there, grinning.” Ben said, “One day you’ll have your cock out, on tape. Then we’ll call the cops and show you why you don’t mess with one of ours.”

Teresa’s eyes sparkled with an idea. “What if I could arrange that? Get his cock out, I mean,” Teresa said, her voice casual but with an edge of wickedness that made both Ben and Mike raise their eyebrows.

Ben leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Teresa. “You mean like… a trap? Lure him in and then nail him?”

Teresa nodded, a slow smile spreading across her face. “I think it’s time we give him a taste of his own medicine. And I know just the bait to use.”

Mike frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. “And what if it doesn’t work? Or worse, what if he enjoys it?” Mike asked, his expression skeptical.

Teresa leaned forward, locking eyes with Mike. “Trust me, he won’t, in the end. Not with the way we’ll set this up. We just need to make sure it’s all legal. No entrapment, just a simple bait and switch.”

Ben rubbed his chin thoughtfully, seeming to warm up to the idea. “So, what’s the plan? How will we lure him?"

Teresa smiled, her eyes reflecting a sense of mischief. “Leave that to me, gentlemen. I have experience dealing with men like Brad. Trust me, I know just what to do. But I’ll need your help with the technical side of things.”

Ben chuckled, a wicked glint in his eye. “Oh, I think we can manage that. Just tell us what and when.”

Teresa stood up, her mind already racing with the details of her plan. “I will, but first I’ll go up and tell Valerie we’re solving her problem. I’ll text you guys later with the details.”

With a smile, a wink and a wave to Ben and Mike, Teresa left the security office, her mind already organizing the various components of her plan. She strode back to her desk, her heels clicking on the polished floor. As she rounded the corner, she spotted Valerie sitting at her cubicle, her face flush, her eyes fixed on her computer screen.

An unfamiliar woman’s sultry voice echoed through the office cubicle. “Valerie, I want to make you happy, too. I want to show you how much I’ve missed you, how much I’ve thought about you.”

Teresa halted her steps, puzzled. It was unlike Valerie to perform a private session. In fact, she couldn’t remember a single instance. To hear another woman’s voice now, filled with longing and desire, was both arousing and concerning.

She felt a pang of jealousy, even though she knew it was unjustified. After all, Valerie had every right to explore her sexuality, and Teresa had encouraged her to do so. She took a deep breath and continued towards her cubicle, bracing herself for whatever was about to unfold.

As she rounded the corner, she could see Valerie more clearly. Her blouse was unbuttoned, revealing her pert breasts beneath. She stared at the screen, her eyes dilated.

Teresa’s pang of jealousy became a surge. She knew it was merely a performance, but it was still shocking to see Valerie do so.

“It was even better than I imagined,” the woman said, her voice a low purr. “And I’ve imagined it many times, Valerie. So many times.”

Teresa’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched the scene unfold before her. She had only seen Valerie like this once, so dominating, so completely lost in the moment, like with Brooke and Emily.

“I’ve imagined it too, Denise. Ever since that day on the bus,” Valerie said. She bit her lower lip as her fingers worked her hardened nipples. Her eyes never left the screen. “I want to see you again. In person, I mean.”

Teresa’s heart fell silent, the pieces clicking into place. She held her breath, her eyes scanning the screen for any sign of her. There, in the corner, was the familiar flash of red hair, the sprinkling of freckles over porcelain skin. Denise, the woman from the bus, the woman Valerie had shared her first intimate moment with.

Teresa watched as the two women exchanged words; their eyes locked on each other through the screen. She saw the way Valerie’s breath hitched, the way her nipples hardened under her touch.

She heard the soft moans that escaped her lips as Denise whispered words of desire and longing. Teresa felt a strange sense of pride. She knew Valerie was capable of this, that Valerie was strong and confident and sexy, but she hadn’t intended for those to be used to rekindle an old flame.

Having set the dinner date details, Valerie ended the call, her eyes fluttering open. She looked around, almost as if she had forgotten that she was in the office. She gasped and bolted up in her chair to grab her phone, sending a quick text to Teresa.

Teresa barely silenced her own phone’s chime in time, anticipating the message.

“You, busy?” Valerie mouthed aloud as she hit send on the text to Teresa. She pulled her blouse back together, her hands slightly trembling as she tried to tuck it back into her skirt.

With moistened eyes, Teresa replied, “Just solving your stalker problem. What’s up?” Teresa’s response read, her thumbs dancing over the screen as she typed.

Valerie typed back quickly, her fingers shaking slightly. "Well, it turns out that Brad wasn’t the only one who’s been watching me perform. Denise, the woman from the bus, had been following my streams, too. She just reached out to me, and we... we had a private session together. She wanted to meet up in person tonight."

Teresa’s heart skipped a beat, her grip on her phone tightening. She knew exactly who Denise was.

“Oh, wow,” Teresa replied. “That’s... that’s unexpected. But I trust your judgment, Valerie. If you want to meet up with her, then you should. Just be careful, okay? And let me know how it goes.” She felt a tear run down her cheek, could taste the saltiness as her tongue ran over her dry lips.

“I will. And Teresa... thank you. For everything. I don’t know what I would do without you,” Valerie replied, her words filled with sincerity.

Teresa couldn’t help but smile. “You’re welcome, Val. I just want you to be happy and safe. And if this is something that brings you happiness, then I’m all for it.” She texted, her hand covering the beginning of quiet sobs.

Valerie looked happy, giddy even, and Teresa couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. Not because she was jealous of Denise, but because she longed to be the one making Valerie feel this way. She quickly shut down those thoughts, knowing that was a can of worms she couldn’t open right now.

She had a plan to execute.