𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 | 𝟏𝟖+

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

❝𝘐'𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶
𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥,
𝘸𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘴.❞

trigger warnings: mentions of rape, sexual assault for a case they're working on

The rest of the week passed slowly, but Natalia didn't mind. After her first day, Mr. Murdock made it a point to appear more welcoming — flashing small smiles in her direction, praising her for all of the research she'd conducted in current cases to prepare for hearings, and bringing her coffee most mornings. She found herself staying late everyday because she had no desire to go home, she may have been enjoying her job too much.

You're enjoying being around Mr. Murdock too much.

As humiliating as it was to admit her growing gravitation towards her boss, how could she not when he'd done a complete one-eighty turnaround from the first day? He wanted her to know how appreciated she was, it was apparent in all of the subtle actions, the words he used, and the expressions that flashed across his features. Every moment she noticed, his words would flicker through her mind again.

I'm wholly fascinated by you.

Wholly fascinated.

Even now, hearing his deep voice on replay in her head, it made a dark blush creep onto her cheeks as she sat at her desk. It would create a domino effect — the heat would cascade from her cheeks down her neck, ending with a whirlwind of butterflies low in her belly. He'd said so little, but the words felt bigger than anything she'd ever heard before. How could a minuscule sentence feel like a monsoon crashing down on her?

Because you have a crush on a man that you met a week ago.

It was silly. Juvenile, even. Here she was — getting the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance at becoming one of the best defense attorneys in Hell's Kitchen, and all she could seem to think about was how she felt every time Mr. Murdock was in the same room as her. Her heart would practically thump out of her chest, her skin would prick with goosebumps. It was like her body reacted to him no matter how hard she tried not to.

Natalia had dated casually before, but she'd never let it get in the way of her studies or work. Dates were temporary, but her career would make or break her entire life. She had worked so hard to get where she was, and she never lost sight of that — not until now. Perhaps it was because no one had ever caught her eye before. All men, at least the ones she had encountered, ended up being the exact same. They were interested until the next beautiful person came along. Temporary.