The Sinners We Love |18+

[20] laurel green

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"No." James answered in a haste, masking it with expertise under the veil of his experience, "We were looking through the final documents." The man rose from his chair, approached the doorway to greet our new company.

For the first time, he didn't have a courteous smile rather it was a placating one. I had expected someone from the Ferrero Stabilimento to attend the meeting before finalizing the reports, however, I had expected it to be a representative. The conditioned temperature that had elevated my skin a few moments back were now starting to feel like scorching heat. I heard light footsteps approaching lazily and James once again neared the mahogany table with precise steps.

"Sir, it is such a pleasant opportunity to have you here." Mr. Athens greeted standing up and so did the other two men who had joined us for the meeting.

"I hope you had a comfortable journey." James remarked taking his seat again, and a shuffling of leather vibrated against my eardrums, making it known that most of them had taken their seats now.

"Do you want anything, Sir?" A woman asked, I assumed she was the one monitoring the needs of the important personnel.

Nobody answered and I believed they thought she was not important enough to be answered.

I had sprained my head in this particular awkward position for a while now, my gaze stuck on the pages in front of me. I could almost see all the fibers that together formed the pulp before it was dried and straightened to form this sheet of paper.

An awkward chuckle followed, with James speaking up again with a low voice, "Is the Sheriff giving too much trouble? I could pull some strings, always." He firmed, in a rather proud tone. There wasn't a hint of secrecy, he was talking about personal matters- personal matters that included the Sheriff so openly. That was baffling.

Nobody answered again and the silence was so unbearable. I couldn't believe these bunch of men were so fine with it. If I could, I would have skidded my chair, breaking the window to jump from the building, for no apparent reason, just to avoid the awkward silence. Another man who was responsible for bringing all the files and other important amenities on beck and call rearranged some sheets and files before handing a light blue document to James.

James leafed through the pages, like the Flash, nodding slightly. "How is the case going?" He lightly pressed on the topic one more time as if testing waters, before passing the file.

"It is."

I could never forget that voice. Even amidst chaos or being chaos himself, it resonated calm in every corner of my body. How many days had it been after he left the gallery? I had lost count now, if we added a few more months it would be a year anytime soon. I could never understand how in just a couple of meetings he had imprinted himself in my mind like a fucking sheath. Now, after what felt like ages, he was here again. 

Luca.

I could just look up, a little to my left, and see him again, in flesh and bones and it wouldn't be just fragments of my memory. It was almost jutting that Luca was.

"What case?" The girl interning for the Adams inquired. There was another stretch of silence and I had assumed by now everyone here was pure maniac. "Is there something I could help you with? I am working on my law school portfolio and,"

"Natalie." James was fast to cut her off and I could only imagine how furious he must have looked because his voice held every bit of fire. "She is my niece, quite handful." James continued with an agitated chuckle.