Karmale's POV.

I reached home at around two minutes to seven. Earlier on, I had called my house help and asked her to come home and help out with the dinner.

She is a fairly old, plump amicable lady. She is in the (60-65) age bracket I could say. She really is an adorable mother figure. I consider her the mother I never had. She is an angel God sent as a mother for me.
So when I say mummy I mean Mrs. Hart. She is a widow with no clear family lineage. She only mentioned that she has an elder sister who lives on the outskirts of the city.

Anyway...

I drop my files, phone and heels on my bed. I take off my clothes only remaining in a bra and panties.

I stand in front of my half filled bath tub of water and I feel an unfriendly breeze wash over me. My body trembles like a feeble twig in a hurricane.

Water!

My body shakes vigorously and goosebumps wear up my skin.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" A distant young girl's voice echoes. But it is only in my head so only I can hear it.

"Mama! Ma-"

Knock! Knock!

The knocking on the door retraces me back to what's current and demanding. I touch my heavy head and massage my temples. My atmosphere seems to be centripetal. I feel nauseous. Since morning my head has been aching but I'm not the person to wail about being unwell. It's childish. I prefer staying silent and strong by myself. Worrying others is less selfless. People have problems too. Problems bigger than a headache from a hangover.

I stagger to the bathroom sink and wash my face.

"Oh God- I forgot I have mummy's keys so she cannot come in." I regain myself after the realisation.

I grab a pink teddy bear printed towel and dash to the door.
If you have realised I love teddy bears. I know it is childish but I need no judgement. It is my life, my preferences.

I turn the keys in the lock and turn the knob.

To my astonishment, it's not Mrs. Hart but my client I could say.

He is a man of towering height, deep ocean blue eyes, sharply cut jaw lines, Roman nose. To sum it all up, he is darkly handsome.

His phisque is perfect. Thick muscles beneath the heavy black leather of his clothes. I'm close to drooling. But his body scent is something equally perfect but far from friendly. It's burning my insides like ulcers.

I'll settle for his good looks then. I actually don't intend to stare but what should I do.

His cold gaze meets my stare and he smirks. This guy must know himself too well. The cocky type.

His eyes shamelessly search my body. My towel is of knee length height and my bra is a strapless one, my shoulders and half chest are exposed. I cling to myself in a feeling I cannot understand. I am either shy because I am standing half dressed- naked in front of a hot guy or I am embarrassed for my non- professional behaviour.

Even after my action of discontent this guy does not stop to gawk.

"Excuse me?" I pose.

He takes off his coat.

"What are you doing? " I ask and move a step or two behind.

"Don't try any dirty stunts on me." I firmly warn but my insides are shaking. My fingers start to shake too.

"Judgemental much! "He silently hisses and leans in. Placing his coat over my shoulders, my face flashes in embarrassment and my eyes dart to the floor.

"Mummy! " I call ignoring every possible aura of discomfort he had caused.

"Hello, sweetheart." She warmly greets.

I walk past him and a sense of recognition envelopes me.

His intoxicating but seductive scent. That dark familiar cologne from last night.

My heart skips and my breath feels stuck in my throat. I can barely breathe. This doesn't feel good anymore.

Mrs. Hart pulls me into a hug but I feel like I am suffocating. I immediately pulled away.

"What is wrong dear?" She asks out of concern.

"Nothing." I say trying to convince myself actually.

"Then why is your body tense."

"Mmhm?" I pretend like I have not heard but I also feel the goosebumps on my skin.

"Yes, dear."

I don't know but I could feel the guy's eyes behind me pierce right through me. The room temperature itself suddenly lowered.

"It's nothing mummy." I lie.

"Let's go cook." I say changing the topic.

"Not until you tell me what is bothering you." She insists. And the room gets colder.

I hear the man behind me say something like Hmmn... and walk away.
At least he knows what is meant by privacy.

"Mummy, let's not worry about nothing." I comfort and she agrees.

We go to the kitchen and I hand her an apron.

"Go and first change your clothes." She says to me.

I doubt whether I want to take off the coat but...

"Okay." I plainly agreed.

I put on a black T-shirt dress and skip back to the kitchen.

In half an hour, we are done cooking. She lays the table and I dish up the food.

I stand under the shower for a bit. Later on, I'm out in an off shoulder black body hugging dress. I place the man's coat over my wrist and go to the sitting room to meet the give it back.

He is sitting cross- legged on one of the chairs his eyes glued to his phone.

I clear my throat in order to get his attention.
He looks up from his phone.

The light from his phone graces his face making it look pale and sexy like that of Edward in Twilight. Instead of staring like a prick, I  stretch my hand for him to pick his coat.

He stands up and tries to get his coat but one of his buttons is entwined with my bracelet.

As I move my hand forward to separate them he pulls at once and my bracelet was falls off my wrist and the charms on it scatter on the floor.

"Couldn't you wait a little longer?" I ask rather angry.

How impatient!

"Are you blind. Couldn't you see I was going to separate them."

"You are so impatient." I hiss as I kneel down to pick up the pieces of my bracelet.

Too bad! They are in between his legs. I look up at him gesturing him to move but he doesn't burge. He just looks down on me.

I get up, put my hands on his chest and push him. I  innocently pout feigning a sorry.

This guy is not exactly remorseful about what he just did.

I pick up the few charms I manage to see. Just when I thought he bears no mercy, he offers me his hand for support.

I place my palm in his cause I could really use some help given how light headed I feel. Momentarily off-balance, I attempt to fall but he grabs me by the waist.

I recover my standing position and our gazes meet. Briefly stagnant in one another's eyes, I speak up before it gets more annoying and weird.

"It is from my grandma. Why did you tear it apart?" I ask him with a monotone. Straight faced, I do nothing to hide the rage in me but the weakness in my body gives away as tears beam up in my eyes.

No response. His hands rather moves up my back for more stability. It's of help but it's rather distracting.

I blink back the tears as I and wriggle out of his hold.

"Don't touch me like that!" I reprimand.

"Did you like it?" His face is coated with vague emotion. As he looks behind me.

"Dear, dinner is getting cold." Mrs. Hart calmly interrupts.

"Thank you."I say walking to where she stands.

"Sir, please come." She adds looking at the guy standing in my previous position.

"Ryxel." He smirks and I roll my eyes.

"Ryxel Grande Black." The curve on his lips grows.

Mrs. Hart smiles but it comes out rather as a teenage bashful one. I must be blind. But it would never be her fault. This guy is such a flirt.

_

We have a silent meal and at the near end of it, Mrs. Hart receives a phone call.

"Dear, I have to go." She says with a worried look on her face.

"Is it Tess?" I asked.

"Yes, she is having one of her asthma attacks." She answers.

"Please hurry. And if you need any kind of help, I am a phone call away." I say hugging her.

I escort her out and pay her cab fee.

_

"My! The headache!" I walk in and close the door behind me.

"Can we discuss your reason for coming here already? " I bluntly say to Ryxel as I turn around.

"Sure." Comes his response as he hands me a glass of wine.

"I read through your file and decided that I could not take the case." I say wanting the discussion to end there and then.

I feel frazzled. The headache is just making it more unbearable.

"That is not your decision to make, Caramel." Ryxel firmly said.

"Excuse me." I asked unsure whether I had heard well or not.

The name and the rude out burst! Excuse me?

"Yes, Caramel." He confirmed.

"You are going to take my brother's case regardless of your opinion in the matter."

"Oh, Really? What makes you think I will?" I lean back and cross my hands over my chest. The confidence this guy is unnerving but I'll act less affected.

A moment's silence caves in as his features grow dark and malicious. It is always his dirty smirk. He pulls out his phone and shows me pictures and videos that leave me flabbergasted.

Apparently I'm naked in bed and with him besides me.

"Remember?" he says as a devilish frown curves his lips.

I am so trapped.

My head hungs low as I review all the events of last night. It was a shame and I could feel my shoulders fall. I held pride in decency but today and now this man was tagging me as a... I don't want to say the word or even think about it.

Why did I  go to that club in the first place?

"No, I don't." I honestly mumble.

"That must be the effect of the drug in your blood." He says like it's nothing of importance.

That explains the dizziness and headache. Regardless...

"Did you assault me?"

"I would never touch a woman without her consent." With no warning, he grabs my wrist and inserts a needle in my flesh.

I squeeze my eyes shut in pain and the glass in the other hand. The pieces of the glass drop. My knees give way and the particles penetrate through my skin. Ryxel mumbles but the words are barely audible.

I look up at him and tears roll down my cheeks.

How brutal!

"No, I will not defend a criminal." I shot up my eyes meeting his cold ones.

"Don't call my brother that, Caramel!" Ryxel lowly growls grabbing me by my jaws and pulling me up.

"And you don't call me that, Ryxel!" I shout back with the very little energy I have left.

"The specifications on the case file make it clear that you know my name just right."

"So you are suggesting?" He asks with the least interest.

"Call me by my name and not Caramel." I answer.

"Since it is only a suggestion," he moves my face from one direction to another,"I am more than welcome to refuse it. The decision is mine." Ryxel states as he drops my face.

"But you are going to take Liam's case whether you like it or not because it was not a suggestion." He coldly adds.

"It was a fucking command." He emphasises. His tone low and hoarse. No smirk. Very stern.

"No, I want nothing to do with criminals." I simply state wiping away my tears with my palm.

Out of the blue, he pushes me to the wall. The discomfort was written all over my features. The pain not to mention my bleeding knees and palm.

Ryxel's muscular hands pinned my bleeding hand and my other swollen one from the needle to the wall. The pain was immense and for a moment my entire body went numb and my face kept camouflaging from red to white. I wanted to cry but I didn't dare give him the pleasure of watching me vulnerable.

We were barely inches apart and I was honestly intimidated by his the look in his eyes but I am too good at maintaining eye contact. Unluckily, my body gives away to tension. I was quivering beneath his tough figure.

My chest heaved really fast. Fast enough to hit his. My heart palspitated hard against my ribcage. I could feel it in my mouth. I was terrified. His face had turned palevwith anger. His eyes shone of impression and content when he saw the fear in my eyes but when it turned into challenge he smirked.

Blood from my bruised palm flowed to his snow shirt. He unbuttoned his sleeve and folded it exposing his tattoed arm. My eyes followed his every move.

He looked up at me and his expression softened.
He lowered his hand to my lips and toyed with them. His rough thumb grazed my lower lip and then my upper one.

I turned my head in disapproval of what he was doing but he grabbed my neck and made me face him again.

He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. His cold fresh minty breath fanned my ear making the pinna turn red as he said.

"These lips..." He trailed off.

" Fuck!" He sharply cursed, "These lips don't dare defy me, Caramel." He played a little more.

"Why-why? Who do you think you are not to be defied?" I angrily asked but my voice was quivering. I didn't like how weak I was coming out.

I felt anger more than pain but the feelings kept messing around. I was confused to sum it all up.

"Ryxel Grande Black."

"I am a mafia, baby. Not just any mafia but the leader of Black- blood pool mafias." Pride was all that enframed his words.

"Mr. Black, I am not going to defend your bloody criminal of a brother ." I said trying to muster my stolen courage. His eyes studied my lips with keen interest.

"You will!" His eyes only left my lips when he wanted to meet my defiant gaze.

"I won't."

And just after those words left my mouth, something plump soft but rough somewhat took charge of my lips. I felt a heat travel through my body, my nerves turn numb and my stomach erupt with excitement.

Involuntarily, I let Ryxel's tongue search the depth of my mouth and stopped struggling for release from his hold. It was thrilling. I found myself leaning back into the wall as he got closer. All I wanted was a stable posture to reciprocate fully.

I desperately wanted to act according to my instincts. I wanted to touch his body. I wanted play in his hair but he could not let me. He had me tugged to the damn wall. His body was literally seeking refugee in mine when he pulled away.

"Why the hell did you do that?" I asked feigning anger to hide the red on my face.

"I needed you to understand." He says with a smirk that was devoured on by the frown that took over his breathtaking visage.

_

_

I woke up at 7:00am. The last I remember last night was Ryxel carrying helping with my injuries, changing my clothes to pyjamas and tucking me in.

How I let that happen, he didn't leave me with any option. Besides, I would barely help myself with all the pain I was in.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand and my wounds stung and slightly weighed me down. The parts where they were were heavy from the bandages.

I reached for my phone and next to it were tablets and a glass of water.

"Fever tablets? I didn't know I had a fever!" I groaned as I pushed back my messy hair.

Then a pink teddy bear sticky note caught my attention. That was obviously from my sticky notes.

Swallow the tablets, have breakfast and rest! We'll meet on Wednesday!
Ryxel Grande Black.

"Not the tablets! Yuck!" I spat but I didn't bother defy a speaking sticky note. At least I didn't have energy for that. I would silently obey and deal with Ryxel on Wednesday. I'm gonna kill him!

# MADAM LAWYER.

Hey that was it for today.

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Night night.

Andria 💋