Rival across the hall

[heartofcourage]

"Leaving?" Marissa asked, looking at him with a startled gaze. "No. He would never leave the firm. He knows he'll make partner in time."

Would Chase truly consider leaving? Not only would her father feel betrayed by that decision, she would never forgive him. He had a nice little setup at her father's firm, but maybe someone else might come along and snatch him up. She suddenly wasn't so certain that Chase would choose to stay. His clients would follow him. It would be a complete and total mess.

"Of course, I would understand if you wished to seek other representation, but I would hope that if Chase left, you would stay with me as your lawyer." Marissa said, unsure of what was going on.

'Playing hard to get? Really? Alright. It's Gwen.' Came the text after his last had gone through.

 

[Love2rp]

"Marissa this isn't a question about if I stay or go but wanted you to be sure you heard about it. Apparently they have offered him a Senior Partner role, quite an attractive deal from what I've heard" he said gauging her reaction "he's a great guy but my loyalty is to you Marissa" he said reaching across the table and touching her hand softly.

Chase texted back "ah Gwen, I should have known. I'm flattered, really but I can't, I work with your parents...."

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, I hadn't heard. I suppose I'll have to talk to him tomorrow about all of that." Marissa said as Anthony reached across the table to place his hand over the top of hers. "Anthony, please. I think you're a very nice man. You have a beautiful little girl who we are going to make sure is completely safe from your ex. I'm flattered that you are interested in me...but I don't think this can go further. You're my client. Things could get messy."

Marissa was trying her hardest to protest and still remain graceful. This account meant a lot to her and she would make a very nice payday at the end of everything. However, she didn't want to make an enemy of Anthony Latino.

'Fuck my parents.' Gwen text him back, not backing down in the least. 'You were interested this afternoon. I'm interested now. Give me your address.'

 

[Love2rp]

"Well perhaps if that is the issue then maybe I do need to follow Mr Daniels and his arrogance to a different firm, that would solve that issue, you know" Latino said moving in and whispering "I don't lose Marissa" he said before smiling and leaning back in his chair

"Gwen I'm sorry if I led you on but honestly, it wouldn't be good for anyone" Chase texted trying his hardest to ignore the fact that she was in her early 20's with an amazingly tight body and likely amazing skills

 

[heartofcourage]

"And neither do I, which is why you chose my services." Marissa said, slightly taken back by Anthony's pledge that he would follow Chase if she were so serious about them keeping their professional and private lives separate.

She was interrupted as the waiter came for their order. She didn't really even know what she ordered as she pointed to something on the menu, so flustered that Chase had been right about Anthony wanting something more from this partnership.

"Let me ask you something, Anthony. Do your dealings really have something to do with the mob? It's the rumor around the office and I will tell you right now, I won't tolerate that." Marissa said bluntly, looking at the man across the table from her to watch his reaction.

'You'll regret saying no, Chase.' Gwen said, the threat pretty toothless but she would be pissed if he turned her down completely.

 

[Love2rp]

"Are you asking as my attorney or as a love interest Marissa?" Latino asked seeing what her intentions were.

"Gwen you are amazing and beautiful but I don't want to be 'that guy' anymore" he texted back

 

[heartofcourage]

"Both." Marissa answered as Anthony seemed to want to know where her interests lie. "Is it so wrong to want to know?"

'Fine. Your loss.' Gwen text back, leaving the conversation at that.

 

[Love2rp]

"Marissa let's just say that Chase's father and I have done business with many other associates over the years and your father has been our attorney. Whatever you want to call that I have no record neither do my associates" he said as the appetizer arrived.

Chase threw his phone down and walked into the kitchen. "What the f*** is happening to my life?" He thought as he poured himself a vodka

 

[heartofcourage]

"That's not an answer, Anthony." Marissa said as the waiter placed a tray of meats and cheese down in the middle of the table and seemed to disappear shortly there after. "I trust my father completely. I know that he wouldn't get involved in anything illegal, but I want to know about you and your business. I refuse to go further with anything if I don't have a clear understanding."

She was playing a dangerous game, but she knew that Anthony wouldn't hurt her. He didn't seem like that kind of man and she prided herself on being able to judge a person's character.

 

[Love2rp]

"Marissa I'm not a gangster, I have done business with many people but I myself am not a gangster, of that I can promise you" he said as he passed the tray to Marissa. His answer wasn't 100% honest but he knew how to get what he wanted.

Chase sat in his condo overlooking the city in the dark, getting hammered on vodka

 

[heartofcourage]

Marissa nodded, knowing that he was hold something back. She let the subject drop, however. It wouldn't do to make him mad while they were eating. She took the tray and looked down at the spread of meats and cheeses, her appetite gone. She didn't want to seem rude so she took a few bites of what seemed the most appealing.

"Why me?" She asked, glancing up at him as she placed the tray back down. "You have a good decade on me. Why would you be interested in someone who isn't even fully established in their career yet?"

 

[Love2rp]

"Because you see Marissa, there is age and there is maturity, those two things are not necessarily correlated" Latino said as he poured more wine into Marissa's glass to refill it.

"You have the beauty of a young woman and the sensibility of an older woman, in other words my dear, the perfect combination" he said as he helped himself to the spread "you are far too superior to waste your time with men your own age"

 

[heartofcourage]

Marissa was very quiet as Anthony insisted that she was the perfect combination of brains and beauty. She had always been a rather serious person, but she did enjoy many of the same things that other girls her age did. She liked to shop. She dreamed about romance. She had plans to travel the world when she was finally stable in her job. Anthony seemed insistent that she would never find happiness with a guy her own age.

"Thank you for the compliments." Marissa said as she took the wine and had another sip. "Anthony, I don't know if I'm completely comfortable with this. I mean, at the end of the day, you've had so many more life experiences than myself. You have a child. You have a career. You're my client. All of that seems like a big warning sign to me."

 

[Love2rp]

"Marissa you will sins that sometimes the warning signs in life are actually risks worth taking" he said leaning in towards the table "I have a career, so do you. I'm a client of your firm with you assigned, certainly I can always seek reassignment back to you father. I have a child who adores you" he said looking into her eyes "so what's the issue? Do you want to spend your whole like living to work? Do you really see yourself settling down with someone your own age? Someone lacking such self confidence that they feel the need to go around thumping their chest like your friend Chase? More ego than brains? You deserve better than that, I can give you better than that"

 

[heartofcourage]

He brought up Chase and she thought about the disagreements that they had been having lately. He had always been cocky and sure of himself, but he wasn't a bad person. However, they had always just been friends, no romantic feelings ever really considered between the both of them.

"Let me think about all of this." Marissa said softly, still thinking that Anthony was completely wrong for her, but still willing to consider it.

 

[Love2rp]

"That's all I ask my dear" Antonio said as their main courses were delivered. "So with Chase leaving the firm how will that effect things?" He said digging in

Meanwhile across town Chase sat getting drunk in his condo as he looked out over the city lights. Against his better judgement he picked up his phone "should I congratulate you on the pending nuptials" he texted Marissa before throwing his phone down on the red leather couch

 

[heartofcourage]

Marissa's phone buzzed and she pulled it out of her pocket, frowning as she looked down at the screen and the message that she had received. She had never known Chase to be jealous about anything, but it seemed that he was upset that she was having dinner with him.

'Stop it, Chase. It's just business.' She text back, excusing herself for the interruption.

"We don't know that Chase will leave. If he does, I suppose nothing will really chance. Most of the clients that he has are ones that have been established with our company for a while." Marissa said as she cut into her food.

 

[Love2rp]

"And you trust that his clients like the firm more than him? He may be immature and a cocky prick but his clients do love him" Latino said eating his steak and looking over at Marissa.

"Business, yep" is all Chase could muster to text back

 

[heartofcourage]

"It seems that you know much more on the subject than I do, Anthony." Marissa said as he looked at her from across the table, almost certain that Chase would be taking his clients with him if he ever did leave.

She let out a sigh as her phone buzzed again and when she looked down at the screen, she felt herself growing angry at the fact that Chase was being such a jerk again. Why did he suddenly care what she did with her free time? He never cared before.

"Anthony, I'm sorry. I have to take this phone call. It's important." She murmured as she pushed herself back from the table and excused herself.

'Get yourself together, Chase. Because you're really starting to piss me off.' Marissa text back as soon as she was in a quiet location.

 

[Love2rp]

"F*** it, have fun, hope you are happy" Chase said before crashing on his couch and turning on some random tv show as he laid there, the room spinning out of control seemingly as fast as his personal life.

"Everything ok Marissa?" Antonio said as she returned, standing until she sat down like a true educated gentleman. "I hope you don't mind but I have ordered dessert for us"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wish I could say yes, but no." Marissa said as she took her seat again, so angry at Chase for acting the way that he was. "Things will get better, I'm sure."

She stared across the table as Anthony told her that he had ordered dessert for them. "Thank you. I'm sure whatever you ordered will be just fine."

 

[Love2rp]

"What's wrong my dear?" Antonio said lightly grasping her hand. "I ask not as a man after your affection but as a man who cares about you genuinely" he said as the waiter approached with soufflé for both of them

 

[heartofcourage]

"Chase is being a jealous ass." Marissa said as he reached across and took her hand. "He thinks that there is something going on right now, not that it's any of his business. I just...I don't know. He's been so different lately. I told him he needed to straighten up."

 

[Love2rp]

"Marissa my dear he is just being who he is. A spoiled immature boy. Nothing new or revolutionary there. After all his family is in construction, hardly as high society as the stock you and I come from. He tries his hardest but can only be who he is" Latino said


Across town Chase passed out on his couch finally. No plans on going into work the next day on his mind but his cell phone resting on his chest

 

[heartofcourage]

"He comes from a good family, Anthony. Don't think that he's beneath anyone else simply because his dad made his money in construction. And he can be immature but he can also be sweet and caring. I don't know what's gotten into him tonight." Marissa said with a long sigh. "He's been my friend a very long time."