Mr. Corporate Law

1.5: L&W Lawyer - Hamish Schwartz

"Because if someone took the effort to paint you, then the least I could do is buy it so no one else can." Well, that sounded kind of sweet, right?

"Uh- Okay?" I stared back at the painting, confused by the sudden attraction I had with it.

Then the painting began to move, which freaked me out, but I couldn't move. I opened my mouth to yell, and my voice was gone. I tried my hardest to budge, still nothing. Everything in the gallery began to melt, except for the painting in front of us. Instead, it extended its drooping arms outwards to grab Dominic while a feeling of hands of some sort slithered up my legs, they were wet and slippery as they wrapped themselves around my waist like vines to keep me at my spot.

"What the fuck- Dominic! Help!" I yelled as soon as I found my voice, although it sounded much deeper and slower than usual.

"Dominic will be happier in New York, little Lawler!" An evil cackle, similar to a witch in the movies eerily echoed through my ears making me close my eyes, and cringe from the high pitch of the laughter. When I reopened my eyes, Nathaniel's lips were pressed against mine as his gaze intensely stared deep into my eyes.

"Ahh!"

I panted and sat up, the buzzing sound of the alarm clock followed with my scream. My heart pounded like crazy and I was covered in sweat. I patted myself all over to see if I was back to reality, and when I turned to the other side of the bed, it was still empty. Dominic didn't come home after the meeting, and even after I called him fifteen times, he wouldn't answer.

But today was the day I needed to go back to the office where I'd meet Nathaniel and my Father again, they would sit me down and talk the terms about the pending contract. And to be honest, I read the contract so many times that I memorized it from front to back, each appendix and footnote of every section, and the fact that the contract agreement already had Adrian Lawler and Nathaniel Walsh's signatures proved enough that they already latched a leash around my neck, they just needed the agreement to obey before they tied the end of the leash around their fingers. I realized that everyone in the firm probably got treated the same way, except Erika, whenever she talked to me about these things, she always sounded like she chose to be there.

I stared at the clock, the alarm was set for 6am, which was far too early for me. If Dominic was here and needed to go to work, he'd already be on his feet and wander off to the bathroom to get ready. I lay flat against the pillows of the bed, my hands slapped over my face to cover my eyes and I let one loud groan escape me. One that needed to escape after being held in for so long. I wanted to stay in bed, the warmth and comfort that cradled against me reminded me of the longing embrace Dominic used to give me, all those times he'd be okay to go to work late because he much preferred to stay home with me. I wanted that.

Buzz, buzz.

Without opening my eyes, I reached over to the side table, slapping my hand around to find the vibrating nuisance that broke my reminiscing of the old person my fiancé used to be. I managed to pick up just in time, not bothering to look at the name of the caller. With a croak of my morning voice, I greeted, "Good morning, this is quite an early hour to call."

"Good day to you too."

"Who is this?"

"Uh, well, if you don't recognize this sexy voice, then I would be so upset-"

I lifted the phone from the side of my face and opened one eye, but once I saw the name, both eyes opened wide as I rushed to put the phone back onto the side and nearly yelled, "Hamish Schwartz!"

"Glad you remember me," He chuckled. "So I need you in the PD office in an hour, is that okay?" He didn't waste time to get to the point, which was unlike him.