Cartel│Mark Lee

Pleasure doing business with you, Mark

I was told to be at Marks house in the morning for a meeting. I felt uneasy and unfamiliar walking through his house. The house was massive and I was unable to imagine how one man would need all this space to live in. The mansion felt cold and lonely. The hallways were endless and dark even filled with all the paintings and sculptures. I looked around amazed as I followed one of his butler's to the office. It was interesting to be here, to see how Mark lived. I had always wondered where he spent his time outside of the clubs I occasionally saw him at or the parties he hosted. I wondered if he was happy to live like this. I assumed despite the life that he lived the money he made would make any sane person happy. I never had much money to my name. I always just chased it. I wouldnt understand Mark and probably never would. 

My mind couldn't stop racing as I thought about the proposal Mark left me the night before. He was right I can't leave this life I have. The cartel would never let me go with all the information I have about them. I know important names and sites that could get an operation burned to the ground by the feds if I ever talked. Although in the very back of my mind I still hoped of a gleaming day I could return to a normal life. A life where I wouldn't feel guilt in the back of my head, the day I would feel free. I almost felt defeated with myself in how I dug my own grave here. Even though Mark led me to this path he didn't intend to keep me around back then, I stayed, but I now realized I stayed too long. 

The door to the office opened and there was Mark, sitting at his wooden desk. He could make any room he entered or object he touched look like gold. The way he moved himself with grace carefully was truly remarkable. He looked at me with a smirk plastered on his face. "Vanessa, welcome." I was silent, standing still at the doorway. The butler made his exit and I looked at him as he walked away, wishing he wouldnt leave me alone with Mark. I watched the butler until I couldn't see him anymore. I then looked back at the man in front of me. He tilted his head towards the chair in front of him for me to sit and I silently obeyed. 

"Have you thought about my offer?" His hands reached for a pile of papers on his desk, only glancing at me for a moment. I could feel the confidence he had in this situation. He radiated the energy proudly. He always had all the power and you could tell how well he fed into it, I wondered if he ever felt full from it. That trait almost made me entirely dislike him among the admirable qualities he did have. "I did." I spoke for the first time since entering the room and it broke the tension that was building up. He stayed quiet waiting for me to continue. 

"There really isn't an offer here." I said breathlessly. The option he proposed to me felt like a dead end. I had no way out of this life and I could never cross the boss. Why did he make it seem like I had a choice to say no to it? He smiled and raised an eyebrow at me. "You're a smart girl nessa." I almost cringed at the pet name. There was nothing more I hated then being called that. It just added onto the power he already had over me. I couldn't defend myself on that matter, I was even too scared to say his name to his face out loud. I gulped and looked away from him to the ground. "Time to lay out the conditions." He handed over one of the papers in his hand. "A contract?" I asked. "exactly."

I skimmed over the words on the page and looked at him. "Your job here is to accompany me to meetings and be a face people can trust. You are here to make friends and be likable. Do you understand what I am trying to say?" He crossed his arms trying to read my expression. "I do I just-" I paused. "Are you sure this is going to help the business?" I asked. He uncrossed his arms and stood up walking around the desk to meet me. "I am almost positive. I have been planning this for awhile now." He sat on the desk beside me. My breathing froze at the close proximity between us. I couldn't deny the fact I was attracted to Mark. He used this fact to his advantage to make me nervous in situations. He did it to get under my skin and to possess his hierarchy above me. The knowledge of this made me resent him even more. Mark was not the most approachable person, for many reasons. Because of that I did understand his plan on wanting to have someone be more social on the business front. I nodded my head still looking at the contract. 

"You will resign here and make more money than you could ever even imagine in that pretty little head." His fingers tapped my head and ran through my hair making me flinch. He tilted his head at me waiting for me to respond. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at the number on the paper. Suddenly it felt like I broke through a built up atmosphere in my head. Suddenly I felt the possibility of power and wealth I could get out of this offer. I felt the same feeling I got when I entered the cartel in the first place. The feeling of lust for money. The status I would receive from being with Mark for business, living in this house and having money to my name. I wouldn't be at the bottom. 

"Well? Aren't you going to hand me a pen." I mischievously smiled and looked at him. He smiled at me and it almost looked genuine as he flashed his teeth. He looked like he won, and I guess he did, but so did I. I signed my name on the line provided and handed him the papers. He stuck out his hand to me and I met him halfway to shake his hand. "Good girl Vanessa." He spoke clearly, almost testing my limits with him. Little did he know I didn't feel like having limits anymore. I felt more alive in that moment then I did in my whole life. Is this what it felt like? To have this up and coming power, to have this amount adrenaline coursing through my veins from making million dollar deals. I shook his hand with force and smiled up at him.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mark."