Business And Pleasure

2

I watched as my new client, a completely bald caramel skinned woman, just like me, of around 30 came in through the door. She was the typical rich client with her well manicured nails, her flawless makeup and body which was in a skin tight mustard pencil skirt and a matching draped shirt. She reeked of money.

I didn't smile at her because I knew her and I knew all about the reason why she had specifically asked for me. Standing up, I smoothed my skirt and extended my hand. "Welcome, Bassey."

She sat down and stared at me with hatred. "Let's cut the crap, OK? You know why I'm here. Let's get started."

I sat down, keeping my face neutral as I gazed at her, holding her stare. "I'm not sure I know why you're here. Brief me a little, Bassey." My blood was rushing through my veins and I could feel it.

She studied my face but it betrayed no emotion whatsoever. She smirked. "I'm here to settle for divorce with my husband. He did promise to divorce me after all with your prompting."

My lips thinned as I bit my tongue.

She went on. "So...since you were sleeping with him, you can have him all to yourself once the divorce papers have been signed. I heard that you have always had a thing for the rich white guys, hey?" she sighed as she crossed her legs daintily. "So...Joele-"

"It's Joera-"

"I don't give a shit. I want you to handle this case since you know so much already about my husband, little tramp. Did you think you were the only one? There's been many before you and I handled it all. But now...I'm sick and tired of his bullshit."

I was fuming inside and my nostrils flared. Did she just call me a little tramp? I looked around in my drawer for a pen just to distract myself and I felt better after I found one. I knew that she thought I would decline taking her case but I was going to show this rich ass what I was made of and when I was done with her equally idiotic husband, it would be her next.

"Would you like some coffee or anything to drink while you tell me your story from the beginning?" I asked with a small smile. "We don't want you getting parched, otherwise your botox will droop."

She sneered. "At least I can afford it, grandma," she retorted, tapping her perfect nails on my desk.

I smiled sweetly even though I wanted to rip that sneer off her face. "Yeah. Can't deny that. But let's rewind a little, shall we? Mack Areo. 60 year old billionaire, huh? That ring a bell? I think that was 2 months after you married Jericho, right?"

The sneer zoomed off her face and she stopped tapping her manicure on my desk. "What the-" She suddenly smiled and relaxed, resuming her irritating tap again. "Jericho knows about that. And you have no proof."

"Oh! But I'm a lawyer, yeah? There's always proof." I leaned closer to her. "Now, if you want me to help you nail that bastard, you better stop tapping those freaking nails on my desk or so help me. Stop being such a bitch and let me do my job. Now...about that coffee, do you want some of not?"

She sat up straight in the client chair. "I just want you to know that even if I asked for you to handle this case...I hate you."

"I hate me too some times. You're not the first and you'll get over it. And your husband, he was a man whore who couldn't even tell me a simple truth-that he was married. As much as I hate you too for how you treated me even though I told you that I didn't know that he was married, I hate your husband more. So...do you want me to knock him out or do you want me to completely kill him and make sure he never gets up again?"
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Listening to Bassey had been exhausting and even after she left, my head was still ringing with her voice. Before I forgot anything, I decided to make the case right there and then and it was only when it became dark outside that I cleared my desk for the day. As I sat at my desk, rubbing my stiff neck, someone suddenly knocked at my door and I kept quiet. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Joera?" a resonant voice called and my heart skipped a bit.

I suddenly forgot all about my fatigue and ran to the door, yanking it open. I stared, having almost forgotten how handsome my boyfriend was. He stood in the flesh with that beautiful grin I liked, his deep dimples showing in his smooth brown face. He was still in his military attire and I breathed in deeply, taking in his scent.

"Are you just gonna stand there and gape or are you-"

He didn't finish his sentence because I enveloped him in my arms, burying my head in his neck, inhaling his mingled sweat and body spray. I felt tears in my eyes and looked at him, grinning like a child who had just been given some candy. I didn't have any words so I just bit my lip.

He was back! My boyfriend, Aurel (or-el) was back from wherever he had been deployed. I had asked him not tell me because I would worry if he was being deployed to some warring country. I was content with lying to myself and telling myself that he was in some exotic country with beaches and cute girls. Aurel and I had met at a court proceeding about 8 months ago, where he was a witness for my defendant. After I lost the case, one of the few I ever did, he tried to cheer me up by buying me a lollipop and I laughed at his childish behaviour. Some time down the line we were in a relationship and 2 months later he was deployed. Now he was back.

"No kiss?" he laughed and his reverberating laughter made my heart float a little.

I only smiled, speechless and he understood. I always did that when I was overexcited. I couldn't say a word.

"How about we grab your stuff and head home? Your place or my place?" He went into the office and grabbed my bag and shoes then locked the door. "Mine or yours?" he asked again and I pointed at him. I still hadn't found my voice as he carried me bridal style to the elevator. I was only too happy to oblige and lay my head against his chest.

He took me to his rental downtown and before we even made it to his apartment door, we were already trying to swallow each other's faces. Yeah. It was that intense. I don't know how we made to his door but we did and we only stopped to look for his keys.

"Crap!" he hissed as he patted his pockets. "Jojo, give me a minute. I think I left the keys in the car. Let me just run to the parking lot, OK?"

I grumbled. "You better hurry up and not leave me high and dry. I'm pretty sure I have cobwebs down there by now. Damp cobwebs." I winked.

He laughed. "That is so gross. Be right back." He ran to the elevator and disappeared as the doors closed.

I grabbed my perfume from my bag and spritzed it over me. Then I grabbed a breath mint and chewed it like I would die if I didn't. He had already kissed me, I know but I wanted to be in my best condition when he came back. Looking at the clock above the elevator, it read 22:43 and I grimaced, thinking about how late it was but I mean my handsome hunk of a man was worth all the time in the world. I had gone through some intense drought since he left. It was time to rain on this parched earth.

The elevator doors clanged open and I smiled and struck a small pose. But the person who came out of the elevator was not Aurel so assumed a normal pose, leaning against the door with my bag in hand, even humming a little.

He stared at me and smirked. "Hey babe," he said as he walked closer to me.

I smiled. "Hey."

He seemed a little surprised at my behaviour but recovered quickly. "Aurel's not back from the military yet. How about you and me take this to my apartment?"

I bit my lip flirtatiously. I know, it's wrong but I always put myself in dangerous situations like these because of my pig-headedness. This guy could have been a serial killer for all I know. Or he could kidnap me and sell me to the highest bidder, who knew?

"As much as I would like that, I actually have other plans tonight. Sorry, boo."

He nodded with a small mischievous grin, swiping at the black loc in his face. "Maybe next time, love." He went on his merry way and just after he rounded the corner, Aurel came back and we started where we had left off as he tried to unlock his door.