A T R E U S
Straightening my tie and my cuffs I wait for the elevator to arrive at the top floor. Silently I prayed that it was straight because my capabilities with ties were not good.
In a house with only two men you would think that my father and I would at least know how to do it, if only to hold onto our masculinity.
That was definitely not the case, my father's ties were always bad for as long as I could remember. My mother usually tied it for him and the same thing for me. She tied mine up to yesterday morning.
She wasn't at my place this morning when I woke up so I had to do it myself. I would say I did an alright job, even though I had to call Vera to guide me through it.
Stepping out the open elevator I walk straight to my office to get the legal files for the meeting I had first thing this morning.
This deal would be the breaking point to our limitations. We would be worldwide for the first time since this firm was built 15 years ago.
"Good morning." I said to the employees I passed on my way.
Grabbing the files from my desk I walked to the meeting room. Sitting in a random chair, I look over the stipulations of the contract, making sure everything was correct.
"Sir." My assistant said making his presence known by the door, that he opens wider.
Standing from my chair I walk to Dariya Verlice, who I can now put a face to. She wore a grey pantsuit that fit her perfectly, with a pair of black heels.
"Atreus Castro." I said to her offering my hand to her respectfully.
"Verlice." She said to me shaking my hand firmly.
I lead her to the desk, gesturing for her to take a seat. She sits in the chair that was directly opposite the one I just vacated.
She stared at me silently, her dark blue green eyes piercing my grey ones.
"Well you called this meeting." She said leaning back into her chair expectantly. Her strong German accent contributing to her mispronunciation of some of the words.
"Yes, my apologies. As an upcoming attorney of Castro's law firm, I'm here to offer you a deal or partnership per se." I start professionally.
"We want to expand overseas and who better to advertise than one of the best Formula 1 races in your time, who travels Europe yearly."
"If you accept and take the task of us being one of your sponsor stickers on your race car, we'll sponsor your races with 5% profitable income from the new firms we plan to open."
"5%? What else do I get?" She asked me.
"Well you also get the best lawyer in all of America to fight your cases."
"And who might that be?"
"Me, of course." I answer confidently.
"Why ask this now? Why not a few years ago when I joined Formula 1?" She asked.
"Having advertisement of a athlete in a sport that has many different range of viewers every year can be beneficial and also the fact that you just fired your last lawyer. The chance was open for the taking, so I took it."
"Do you know why I fired my last lawyer, Mr. Castro?" She asked leaning on the glass desk, eyes never wavering from mine.
"From what the media said, he lost a case that made you lose 10 million dollars."
"The media lies, 10 million didn't put a dent in my bank account. He deliberately lost that case, because I turned him down when he offered himself sexually." My eyes widen slightly at her words and her undeniable bluntness.
"The reason I'm telling you this Mr. Castro is because you're a handsome man, my last lawyer was as well, I'll admit, but handsome men always seem to think high of themselves. That they're better that everyone, that women should bow to them. Do you agree Mr. Castro?"
I slant my head to the side slightly studying her. Leaning foward on the desk I said, "I don't agree with you, Ms. Verlice."
"Why is that?" She question mimicking my action, slanting her head to the side.
"Because I'm not like most handsome men." I smirked at her slightly, watching as her eyes filled with mirth.
A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she leaned back into the chair, studying me.
I pulled the contract from my briefcase encouraging her to read it. Instead she pulls a black pen from her inner pocket, signing along all the lines with her left hand.
"There, you have your advertisement, Mr. Castro." I looked down at the paper admiring her elegant signature written on the lines.
"You didn't read it." I stated.
"I'll read it later I have another meeting now, send a copy to my email though. All the legal files shall be sent to your office sometime during the week." She said to me rising from her chair and buttoning up her blazer.
I stood after her putting the signed contract back into the file holder, securely.
I look up from the chair I was pushing back in place at the sound of her heels nearing me. She took a hold of my tie, straightening in.
She patted my chest lightly before turning and heading out the room. I followed behind her as she retraced her steps back to the elevator.
"I'll visit your firm sometime this week Mr. Castro, when I'm free." She said to me pressing the elevator button.
"You're welcome anytime Ms. Vercile." I said to her honestly.
She hums at me in response, slipping her hands into her pocket as she waited. She nodded at some employees who walked by their eyes filled in astonishment.
As the elevator doors opened my mother and father walked out with the few other people. Ms. Verlice walked in after them pressing the button to the lobby.
My parents stopped next to me following my line of sight as my eyes stay connected with his as the doors close.
"Who was that son?" My father asked me taking my mother's coat.
"Dariya Verlice." I answered.
"Did you get it?" He asked me.
"I did dad." I said to him, smiling at his eyes filled with pride.
"Mother." I greeted her leaning down and planting a kiss on her cheek.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come to your place this morning Tray. Someone decided that I needed to go to work late." She said to me, glaring at my father who smiled proudly.
"Your the boss Sloan, you can never be late." My argued, leading us to his office.
"I still don't understand why you can't be my lawyer. People sue me everyday." My mother said to me arranging the papers on my father's desk as she sat in his chair.
"That's nothing to be proud of baby and we Castro's don't-"
"Depend on anyone. I know." I mother completed, smiling at him.
She looked at her watch before rising from the chair. "I was only dropping in to say hello. I have a two hour meeting this morning with those imbeciles and a very important lunch date with my side." She said seriously taking her coat from my father's arm, pulling it on.
"With your what?" My father asked her eyes wide.
"My side." She said stoically picking her purse up from the desk.
"You're not going anywhere." My father said seriously wrapping his arm around her waist, stopping her from leaving.
She pouts at him before saying, "Your getting too old for me, I must have someone who could at least keep up."
He chuckles at her comment stepping closer to her, "Keep up? With you? You still can't keep up with me baby." He leaned his head down, kissing her.
"Please take this elsewhere." I said trying interrupting them turning to look out the window not wanting to see that. They did no such thing.
Picking up my file I walk to the door, to leave. My mother's laughter is the last thing I heard before the door closed behind me and the glass fogged. I grimaced already knowing why they fogged that glass.
As I walked into my office my phone rang. Looking at the screen I saw it was the devil reincarnated times two.
"Sister." I said into the phone, sitting in my desk chair.
"Bro, I'm at the casino right now and I need some advice. Should I go all in or hold?" She asked me over the loud background noise.
Odessa had a great passion for gambling. I never had a problem with it, neither did my parent, she always won anyway and if she didn't she would still get her money back.
My family was scary as fuck and Odessa was probably the worst out of all of us. She is what you call silently but deadly. She was way more out going that her twin Vera, but when she got angry she was more deadly and unpredictable.
Mom loved it though, tried hard to get her angry so she could sit back and laugh at her.
When she did that it made me wonder if we were all as psychotic as our mother. I know Odessa was and Galina for sure.
"I'm not sure Odessa. Are you winning?" I asked her booting up my computer.
"Of course I am." She answered arrogantly.
"All in then." I say to her.
The line is quiet for a minute, besides the background noise. She laughed loudly suddenly, demanding her money.
"I fucking won!" She screamed into the phone. I pulled it away from my ear quickly, not wanting to risk an injury.
"You and I already knew you would have won." I said to her.
"Yeah yeah."
"I'm gone bro, this money isn't going to make itself." Without even waiting for me to answer she hung up.
I shake my head at her antics, reading my very busy schedule for the day.
Vote and comment, enjoy your day/night.