"Natasha are you going to help with or attempt to learn this stuff? It's your region to manage now and you can't just leave it." Malachi warned, narrowing his gaze at her. She just got off the phone with Marie having made plans.
"I'm not going to. What does it matter? I was just going to hire someone and until then I have Ariel who was helping my father with it before he died." Malachi looked at her. He was so annoyed with her at the moment that he wanted to start yelling, and he never did that. This was serious! You couldn't not just put all your assets and money into some strangers' hands.
"Yes it does matter. How would you know what to do, or if the person you hired was actually doing their job? Not robbing you blind? They would be in control of all of your assets." He said as she was flipping her hair over one shoulder.
"Aren't you worked up? I trust you to help me pick someone, and like I said there's Ariel."
"Yeah, and are you going to pay her?" He asked gesturing toward Ariel who was keeping her head down and in the computer at the moment not voicing an opinion as normal. He was irritated with her, but at least she pulled her weight. Even if she let Natasha walk on her like a rug.
"Why would I pay her? She's family." He started at Natasha. It had been four months since their parents had died. Natasha had only tried for the first month to get what it meant to run her holdings. Then she just didn't care and handed it off to Ariel. Who quite frankly surprised him. She was extremely quick to pick it up. Find the quickest fastest way possible, and still save money along with getting all the shipping orders and complaints handled. Along with land purchase.
He had to say that Ariel was the best for the job. He knew Natasha wasn't going to pay her. Just like she hadn't helped Ariel with doing the funeral arrangements. Just like she hadn't helped her with the clean up of their home and directing that. Just played the grieving daughter and passed it off on that. Ariel had stepped up and gotten it all done.
"You're being extremely negligent of your work. Actually you're being lazy." He said straight out. He'd had enough. She wasn't helping with anything. He wasn't her family nor her sister to walk on. They were to be married and she would know where he stood. As it was, he was taking over more and more from his father. He couldn't afford to do hers as well. He'd be stuck inside, in an office all fucking day.
"Lazy? I always come to check don't I?" She challenged. "I'm not neglecting all of it and Ariel is doing fine. Seeing that my holdings have nothing to do with yours it shouldn't matter."
"Yeah and when Ariel decides to go and make it on her own? Who will you have then, because I don't have the time to check everything as I'll have my own. I don't think you get it Natasha, I will see everything as a shared holding. I'd do for you what you should do for me and not because I have to ask."
"Just what do you want me to do?" Natasha demanded starting to raise her voice now. Ariel just peeked over the edge of the computer to watch the two of them. She'd been wondering when Malachi would have enough and call her out on it. Ariel was a bit annoyed too, but unlike Malachi she wasn't going to say anything.
"Learn what you are supposed to. Do you think I'm marrying you to be your slave or something? Because you always seem to think that I'll handle whatever difficulty pops up. Do you know how hard it is right now managing what I am with all the holdings me and my father possess? Not to mention recent attacks, and robberies of supplies."
"And?" Natasha said throwing up her arms. "What should I sit here and stare at a screen with numbers on it and expect something to happen? I do make the calls that are required and talk to those that need to be spoken to as she can't seem to manage it." Natasha said with an angry hand gesture to Ariel who just kept watching just a bit.
"When was the last time? Maybe once a week you do it. When one of us, namely me, practically drags you in here to do it because no one else can. Ariel doesn't have the authority to make the calls that you have to. Nor will I until we are married." He had clenched his fists. His nails were digging into flesh. He kind of wanted to attack her with her attitude.
She wasn't going to be a fifty-fifty spouse. He'd at least hoped for more than she was giving. Which was nothing. His inner voice was getting stronger and stronger with its dislike. He could feel the need to do something, which hadn't happened quite like this before. With Cameron once long ago but that had been settled quickly. He wanted to put her in her place, no way in hell she was his equal. He wanted her to do what he said. Maybe he wasn't as normal in his thinking as he thought. Here he was being forced into being stuck with this woman.
"You know what, fine you won't have to worry about it. No marriage, no problem." Ariel looked over at Malachi who looked nonplussed by what she said.
"You don't marry me and all your assets become mine, that was the agreement. You signed it along with your parents. It's a binding contract. The same if you divorce me." He said, which was true. It was a failsafe to make sure that their holdings didn't go to Alectro. If he divorced her then everything would go back to her as was.
So far the only thing protecting the two Standish in the room was the fact that they lived with Vento and one was about to marry them. Or they would have been done away with and then a real fight would start between Alectro and Vento for power. Alectro was very aggressive right now. Vento was having a time managing what he already controlled and the deals they were making with the five other smaller families in power.
"Fine." She said nastily. "I don't want to run it, and I don't need to either. But it still belongs to me. If all you're going to do is bitch rather than help me…" She turned and looked at Ariel.
"Ariel, give me the phone!" Ariel stood up and held out a phone to her sister. She took it punching in numbers angrily with her perfectly manicured nails. She put the phone up to her ear and waited tapping her foot.
"This is Natasha Standish, put Patrick Senspat on the phone." She said angrily. There was a brief pause and then Natasha spoke again. "I want him on now, or I'll find someone else that wants my business." Apparently Natasha got her way because a small smile came to her face.
"Really nice Natasha." Malachi said in an irritated voice.
"I'm making things easier on you, so you should be happy." She snapped. "Then you won't have to worry about me not doing my job."
"Really?" He said skeptically.
"Hello Mr. Senspat." She said in an overly cheery voice. "Yes I want an immediate change to a few things." Pause. "Yes, I want my sister Ariel given authorization to approve transactions on my accounts and be able to sign for and release what is necessary with my holdings." Pause again. "No she won't be a primary. Only with transactions regarding my holdings."
Ariel was staring at her sister like she had two heads. Malachi was shaking his and looked up at the ceiling for a second. Ariel had a feeling that he was asking for patience but Natasha wasn't looking at him. "Yes, thank you."
"There." Natasha said tossing the phone on a couch in the den. All taken care of, Ariel you are now my employee. Therefore you'll do what is need with my holdings. You don't need to find anywhere else to stay. That will be your payment for working with me. A home and a roof over your head. God knows you can't do it alone."
"But I…" Ariel started shocked. She had been kind of looking. She thought that it would be exciting. Having her own place to live was starting to sound good to her.
"Hush up, you are welcome."
"What if she didn't want to?" Malachi snapped. "Real nice too. Give you a place to stay with a lifetime of work." Ariel glanced over at Malachi. He wasn't going to win, Ariel thought he was wasting his time. Arguing with Natasha was like arguing with a wall.
"What do you care? Less work for you. Ariel I think you have work to do, and I'm leaving. You're pissing me off Malachi. I'm leaving and I hope you have a better attitude later." Natasha turned and practically waltz out of the room like she had won some kind of battle. Malachi made an irritated sound and Ariel thought his ice blue eyes seemed oddly a glow for a second. She saw how his jaw clenched and muscles tensed. He looked at her.
"Why do you let her do that?!" He nearly shouted at her. "Once again she used you as a scapegoat to get out of something that she should do. She drives me insane. You happy with a lifetime of servitude and a roof over your head?"
"Well," Ariel started. "at least I have my four million to buy food. She didn't say she would feed me." He opened his mouth like he was going to say something and then closed it. He looked almost shocked. She wasn't sure if he was going to laugh or scream. She offered a slight smile to him. Though he didn't look as angry as a moment ago. Ariel was happy for that.
"Sorry I know you were being serious. Please don't yell at me, I'm just tired of shouting." He let out a slow breath.
"I'm not. I'm just frustrated." However her off beat comment had kind of taken the wind out of him. Her attempt at a bit of humor seemed to deflate him a bit.
"I need to go out for a while. I'll be back in half an hour." He really just needed to go outside and let out the sudden aggression that was in him. He felt like biting something, or beating the shit out of it. How could one person be so self-centered? So uncaring of those they walked on? He went out the door and was going down the hall as his father came toward him.
"I heard raised voices."
"You heard a raised voice. I didn't shout, but I was close." Malachi said. "I don't know if I can marry that woman."
"It's for the greater good, think of that. A lot would be lost, and it's hard enough living here without that."
"I don't need a pep talk to do my duties. I'm going outside, I need a run."
"You've been doing that a lot."
"I've been pissed a lot!" He did raise his voice this time. There was a growl to it. Vento looked at his son. It seemed that he was extremely stressed at the moment. Not so good for them if they lost complete control
"Why don't you relax, I can handle it all by myself for a while." Vento said. It would be a long day but Malachi needed it. Over the past month he'd done nearly everything and had been teaching Ariel some of the things she needed to do.
"No, I'm fine."
"Clearly you're not. I'll do more, just update the ledger then." Malachi just waved him off and went down the hall to leave and go outside.
Once outside he marched over to the tree line and disappeared behind it. He pulled at the clothes that he wore. This was freeing to him. Some people drank, or fought or took drugs. No he was odd, he ran. Of course not as a human either, no that wasn't as freeing as being what he was born with. It took three strides and where he'd once stood was a grey wolf. After that he just ran full out stretching every muscle in his body and his claws digging into soft soil with satisfaction.