The Fatal Line

ONE

Tommaso Zetticci

He squints at the suns' light that pierces through the window that is halfly covered by the curtain. He groaned while reaching for his phone from his beds' side table. He's aware that it had rung earlier. Five minutes ago? Fifteen minutes? He lost count of it.
He was at the club last night with Atasha Conti. She is a model. Rising model. They have a steamy night at her place. Thought last night made him smirk. Such a young and beautiful lady.So innocent-looking but quite wild in bed. Or should he say, experienced?

While Andrea de Rossi is the different one. She's the senators' only daughter whom he met a month ago at a co-businessmans' wedding. Since then she called and sometimes visits him in his workplace. She's beautiful with brains. He liked her. Just like her.No more than that. As long as he's enjoying her company, and as long as she's not a headache to him like the previous one who demands attention and time from him, they will be okay. He doesn't like self-centered women, who nag, are demanding, and are possessive. He doesn't want to be ruled by them.

It was Rakim who called. Informing him that his secretary had called that she had moved his meeting for another hour. For obvious reason, he didn't make it to the supposed time which happened an hour earlier.
He called Marcie, his secretary, to reschedule the meeting for the afternoon. He was supposed to meet Leandro Piasco. He wants to test his arrogance and confidence of him. He knows Leandro as a short-tempered person. He owned mostly gambling houses and then some clubs. And he heard Leandro is into selling young women too.

Tommaso is known not as the richest in the business world, but as a determined, brave, intelligent, and good-looking businessman. But his progress has inclined faster and with that comes the threats and insecurities from the other businessmen. But Tommaso is a fearless man. One thing that made him known to most of society. Tommaso owned a hospital, some building of schools managed by his sister, a sports arena, a construction firm and three mansions, and a handful of luxury cars. And above all, he is into selling guns. And this is what made him known to big men. Big men like politicians, celebrities, and some druglords.

When Tommaso inherits an island from his father's unmarried and no children brother, rumors spread fast. A lot was interested to invest in the island. But Tommaso declines them all for he found it too
early to decide yet. And Leandro is one of those 'persistent'.It's their third meeting, but the formal one to be. The two meetings happened at the club and restaurant.

As he was about to sit up to shower his phone rang again. His brows curled seeing an unregistered call. But then he answers it.
"Hmm?", he said lazily while scanning clothes to wear in his closet.
"Good morning to honey.", he heard a familiar voice. It sounded quite upset.
"Sofia, you call?", he said casually while pulling on a plain white v-neck shirt. Then went to the pile of jeans and pull one. And an ash gray blazer. He'll be having lunch at his mother's house.
And this is another one. She's his college friend Enrique Marino's dear sister. She's working at their own company. A very intelligent, sophisticated but quiet dominant woman.
"You didn't call.", he could feel she was pouting on the other line. After a few dates with her, not an actual date but a few dinners initiated by her, he knows her character already. She's a stubborn spoiled brat who's trying to charm him so she can have him on her fingers. And that's not gonna happened.
"Just awake.", he said drily while sitting at the edge of his bed. Counting to ten to end the senseless call.
"Okay. Can we have lunch?"
"No. I'll be at my mothers'.", he said. When it comes to family gatherings he doesn't want to tag any outsiders.
"You can bring me along then."
"Nope. I had promised this day alone with them already.", he said referring to his Mom, his married elder sister, and his younger brother.   He was the middle child.
"Oh..", she said.Quiet disappointed.But of course, he doesn't care.
Then her time is up.
"I have to go.", he said than ended the call before he'll hear another protest.