Withered Souls

chapter two

He didn't go back to the coffee shop the next day. Nor the next week. No matter how many times he thought of it, how many times she appeared to him, sitting in her corner, probably reading a new book, he couldn't put himself through it. The memory of her voice, her eyes on him, her hands delicately underlining the book pages was etched to his brain and every time he thought of those moments, his heartbeat sped up and he felt sick in his stomach. He was just terrified of what would happen if he went back, if he fed these feelings.

It was a Monday night so he was driving back home. The weather seemed fine, the rain was now a dream of a week ago. Streets were always crowded at this time and with the sun almost down, you had to be really careful of pedestrians walking in front of your car like they own the street. Catching every red light in the area, he finally made it to the villa, noticing the family was already there.

"Goodevening sir," Bella said. "Everyone's in the living room."

Monday dinners usually consisted of him, Rhysand, Cassian, Rhys's cousin, Mor, their friend Amren, and recently Rhys's and Cassian's girlfriends Feyre and Nesta. It hadn't taken long for his brothers to get close with the sisters. Rhysand had known Feyre even before they bought the company. Meanwhile, Cassian and Nesta always went back and forth, fighting and reconciling. It was annoying to be near couples but he was also happy for his brothers, the only family he knew.
Amren was already at the end of her wine glass when he walked in and took a place next to her. He didn't dare sit next Mor. Ever since he had a crush on her, and seeing she never reciprocated, he felt uncomfortable making any moves around Mor. Crush was a little underestimating, because when he was a teen he thought he was so in love with her, he would wait all his life. However, things had eased down since then.

"Beron is suing us as soon as he can," Rhys said jump starting the conversation without making any small talk. "At this point we have nothing we can do."
"Elain won't talk to me," Feyre said. "She won't meet his son again, she won't come home, nothing."
"She's put up a wall for months now," Nesta added. He might not be Cassian's or Rhysand's biological brother, but seeing the Archeron sisters trying to deal with any family realated issue, made him wonder if blood was enough to keep good relations.
"Is that our only solution?" Cassian asked. His hand around Nesta's shoulder playing with the edges of her shirt. "Elain getting married?"
"How will that change anything? If she marries, this Lucien guy gets 20%. If Beron sues us, he also gets 20%. Why are they going through all this?" You could feel Mor's anger running through the room.
"There's a loop hole," Feyre said. "If Lucien marries Elain, he keeps that 20% with her. They both get a saying in the company. If she chooses to divorce, she takes 10% back. While with Beron, he gets that 20% fully."
"So the marriage is the better option," Mor said shaking her head. Feyre just nodded to her.
"We're still going to lose," Rhysand said, standing up and walking to the bar, refilling his glass of alcohol. "Beron having a vote in our board will ruin us." He looked to Feyre and then at Nesta. "You need to talk go Elain."
"She won't listen," Nesta said. "She won't marry some guy she doesn't even like. She might not even be over that Graysen guy."
"Well fucking make her," Azriel said, his nerves on the edge of exploding. "If she wants to save this company and keep her money, she needs to do this one thing for us. She never attends meetings, she's never there for any board decision, she's never here for family dinner, to hell I've never seen the woman before. Don't you think it's time she stands up and take some responsibility."
Feyre and Nesta looked down. He then wished he wasn't as aggressive towards their sister.
"We'll figure this out Az," Cassian said, noticing Azriel's anger. "We know you have put too much in this company. We wouldn't let it crumble down."
"Yeah," Rhys said sipping on his drink. "We can't force her to marry. Maybe we can talk her into it. Let's have a dinner or something."
"She won't come to dinners," Nesta cut in.
"What about the 40th annual year gala. That's in two weeks isn't it?" Mor jumped in. She looked glorious in her red dress, Azriel noticed. Red was indeed her color.
"She doesn't attend the galas anymore," Feyre said. "At least not for the past few years."
"Maybe this year being the company's 40th birthday, she will come," Nesta said. "We can say it's important for all the board members to be there."
"Sure we can try."