As Ron re-enters his office where I’m waiting with Asher, with Katie trailing behind him, I smile with smug satisfaction. I knew they would bring her to me. That’s the whole reason I set up this meeting. I just had to see her. To know that she can be mine.
Ron and Asher have been calling me daily— which is more annoying than the Michelles and Monicas who leave me pathetic voicemails— asking me to come back into the office so we can negotiate. It’s clear that I have the upper hand. But just like with the trail of girls who leave me voicemails, I haven’t really wanted to talk to them.
Knowing that they will capitulate to my demands makes everything a lot less fun. I like a challenge. But I still haven’t been able to think of any other girl other than Katie. So, that’s the real reason I’m back here, even though Ron and Asher don’t know that.
Once I sat down I’d told Ron I wanted to discuss what happened with his secretary— or girlfriend, or whatever he wants to call her— hacking into my accounts and I’d also told him that I think we need someone to take notes. These two statements combined assured me that I would get a secretary in here other than Ruby.
I’m not stupid enough to ask for Katie by name but I figured she would be on top of the list of people on hand to join us. She doesn’t seem to be fully utilized around here.
“Hello, Mr. Hudson,” Katie says, nodding in my direction.
“Hello, Katie, is it?” I ask her, as if I don’t fucking know. As if I haven’t been jerking off to the thought of being with her every fucking day since we last ran into her.
“Yes.”
We just stare at each other, like two love struck teenagers— I guess she has more of a right to be acting that way than I do— until Asher clears his throat.
“Well Damien, here we are, at your request,” he says, trying to appear important and powerful. Except I know I have him right where I want him. He’s the one who’s been calling to meet with me and not the other way around. Sure, I’m the one who set up this meeting but they’re the ones who wanted it.
“Yes, here we are,” I tell him. “And my first demand is that if I’m to work with your firm, you’re to stay out of my business. I don’t want your little girlfriend snooping on me anymore.”
I look at Katie.
“Write that down,” I tell her. “No more snooping. Not by young tech geniuses and partners’ girlfriends masquerading as legal assistants, not by anyone.”
She scrunches up her eyebrows at me— I love that defiant look— but then nods and takes down the note, appearing obviously conflicted.
“And next, I want a 50% reduction in my fees,” I tell the partners. They look shocked but immediately try to persuade me to change my mind.
“Our costs alone—”
“The manpower and the staff needed—”
“All our time will have to be dedicated to your case—”
“Gentlemen, this isn’t up for discussion,” I tell them, cutting off their protests and dissent. “If you want my business, you’ll agree. If not, there are plenty of other firms who would love to have it. As you know my patent case is significant, and thanks to your snooping girlfriend, Ron, you know I have other businesses with legal work I can bring your firm.”
“Fine,” Asher says, shrugging his shoulders. “We agree.”
“Very well.”
I knew they would, despite their complaints. It was a done deal before I even walked in here. They knew they would accept whatever I offered. And fifty percent is still a good deal considering that originally Ron had been thinking of representing me for free.
Before his meddling girlfriend Ruby got involved. If he wasn’t fucking her I’d demand he fire her. But I know that that would complicate matters more than necessary right now. By having Katie in here, I accomplish two purposes— I send a message to her friends not to fuck with me anymore, and I also get to look at her.
As we go over the various details of the case and strategy for my case, I can’t keep my eyes off of her. I can’t believe I’m this close to her and I can’t have her. I’m not used to having to wait to get what I want. But I definitely want her. Just once. That’s all. Then I’ll get bored of her like I do the rest.
Won’t I?
Looking at her curvy hips and large breasts, I’m not sure I will. And that could be a problem.
I also get the sense she wants me just as badly as I want her. Or at least I originally got that sense. But as the meeting nears to a close, she looks impatient, ready to leave.
“Do you want to go down to Manny’s with us and iron out the rest of these details?” Asher asks me.
“No thank you,” I tell him. “I think we’re pretty close to being done.”
“So, then Mr. Sanchez, can I go now?” she asks, as she raps her pen against her notepad. “It looks like you guys don’t need me anymore.”
“Sure, Katie,” Ron says, as if he’d forgotten she was there. I guess he doesn’t have the same motivation to pay attention to her as I do. “Just type up those notes and put them in a memo in Damien’s file. I’ll speak to Jim but I think I might ask you to work on it some while he’s in court.”
I like that idea. I’d rather anyone but Ruby work on my file and it gives me yet another excuse to be close to Katie again in the future.
But what bothers me is that she doesn’t seem to be as excited about the idea as I am. In fact, she looks like she dreads it.
“Alright Mr. Sanchez, but you know how Jim gets. Territorial about his staff members. You might want to extra confirm with him before you say anything in front of the client.”
She winks and nods her head obviously in my direction.
“But, oops, too late for that, right?”
Ron lets out a strained chuckle, as if he can’t believe the nerve of this girl. I can’t either. I’m not used to a woman not wanting to be near me. I usually have to run away from them.
But as Katie stands up and walks out, I realize that apparently, she’s not like most other women I’ve known. She’s got a strong mind of her own and I can’t figure out what’s on it.
After I hash out a few more things with Ron and Asher, Ron says, “Well Damien, we’re really glad to be working together and we think we should be friends. Enough of this quibbling over money.”
“Hmmm.”
I don’t really do friendships. Just like I don’t really do relationships. But if it’s important to these guys that I pretend to like them socially, I can go along with it. I don’t particularly like or dislike them either way. It’s just a business arrangement: I need their legal services and they need my money.
“We know you’re not a big drinker but you should come with us to Manny’s sometime since you can’t come now. We’ll buy the first round,” Ron continues.
“And you should come to my wedding,” Asher says. “It’s in two weeks.”
That makes me perk up and pay attention. Not just because it’s kind of odd that he’s inviting me to his wedding— he must really want me to stay on as a client— but also because I assume Katie will be there. I’ve gotten the sense that she’s friends with this Ruby girl whom I assume will be there along with Ron.
“Thanks, Asher,” I say, as if it’s normal to be invited last minute to someone’s wedding when they’re still practically a stranger. Although we did just enter a complicated and hefty legal representation arrangement. I guess in that way we’ve bonded. “Send me an invite and I’ll see what I can do.”
“I would be honored,” he says, and he looks like he means it.
“See you soon, then,” I say, and leave Ron’s office.
But first I must find Katie. I’m not leaving here again without getting her fucking number.