After supper, Karmale strutted to her bedroom without any care about her surroundings.
Karmale mindlessly ruffled through her unpacked suitcases in pursuit to seek a suitable outfit for her new day tomorrow. It had been a month since she had gone to the law firm. Now that she was going back after what seemed like ages to her, she wanted to dress to the nines. Not only that but also look gorgeous and of course presentable.
"God! Why can't I get anything good to wear for tomorrow?"
She continued the unproductive search as she threw her clothes all over the room. Some on the floor and others on the well made bed.
"Gosh! I'm tired of bending." She groaned lifting her leather case from the ground. For it's weight, she staggered a bit before she could successfully put it on the bed in front of her.
She searched through all the three of her bags but it all ended up pointless because most of her clothes no longer fitted perfectly. This new diet Ryxel had forced her to adjust to her had rendered her so plump that her suit trousers would not pass past her thighs.
"Oh God! Not the peach ones!" She cried out loud praying that at least her most loved pair of clothes and her last hope would fit for she had already tried on all the rest and the results had been the same. All fruitless, disappointing, frustrating and annoying. None of her formal trousers fitted. At least they would not be shoved up her ass.
"I didn't realize when I grew this fat. " Her voice held tire in it. She wanted to sleep. At least she had done enough of the cloth seeking and it was all in vain. So maybe she would just retire to bed and worry about what to wear when dawn broke.
"Oh sweet sleep! Here comes Ryxel's baby, Caramel!" She groaned as she fell flat on the bed only in her under garments.
Before she could fully go drowsy, her eyes widened in realization of what might have escaped her mind.
"Oh my God! Ryxel!" She sat up and her fists curled up in anger.
"That arrogant Hot Sir made me eat like a pig and now all my formal wears are no longer fitting. It's all his fault." Her lips formed into a thin line as she threw a pointed look at the door that was before her.
"But it's not like I also refused to eat. I always opened my wide mouth like a warthog and took in whatever was placed before me." She shrugged.
" Why? Why did you do that Karmale?" She said slightly slapping her forehead with her palm.
"And you kept on dressing in these oversized clothes. The big jumpers and sweat pants. So you could not notice that you were increasing in size. Girl, you were adding weight! Oh God!" She said with deadpanned regret in her tone.
"But I didn't give myself this huge clothes. Ryxel did. It's his goddamn fault. But I didn't have anything to wear. He was only showing generosity. But- "
Before she could continue talking to herself, she decided otherwise.
"I should not overthink all this weight add up, Ryxel, the big clothes and now my own clothes that are practically no longer mine. No, I shouldn't." She suggested to herself.
"I should have a goodnight's sleep. An early one so that I can get up early to go to work." She convinced herself.
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes Karmale healthy, wealthy and wise."
With the utterance of that statement, Karmale, fell into deep slumber. The exhausted female slept in the comfort of the clothes littered on her bed.
In the VIP LOUNGE...
"Diana!" Echoed the rough voice that always held an aura of authority.
"Yes, sir."
"Inform Miss Karmale that I want to see her."
"Sorry, sir. She is already fast asleep in her room." Diana disclosed to her Boss.
"Oh." It was a silent one that only he heard but not his employee and this was proven when she asked, "Pardon, sir."
"Nothing that concerns you, Diana.'' he rudely cut across with his statement.
"Apologies, Sir." She said and humbly bowed her head in sheer respect.
"You may go." Ryxel said with an intention of dismissing her and off the woman went.
"Karmale Hale Kane." Ryxel inhaled and exhaled the name just to relax his worried nerves.
He made his way to her room. When the door of the room he had given to her a month ago when she had come into his came in view, he hesitated a bit before he turned the gold crafted knob.
His eyes scanned the room in disbelief that rather turned into amusement.
"I didn't know she can be this disorganised." A small laugh escaped his lips.
"How could she possibly throw about her own belongings? The way she holds onto her files and documents. The papers well filed. Paper clippers here. Staple wires on all the necessary documents. And now this?" He shook his head in bewilderment.
But after approximately a minute, his amused expression turned into an annoyed one.
"How can someone be so disorganized and care-less about their own stuff?" He reprimanded the cold air.
He felt repulsive about the littered room. He just hated shabby atmospheres. He felt like he should exist immediately but unfortunately his body thought very differently.
It rather bent down and started collecting the lady's thrown about clothing. He swiftly picked up all the ones on the clean floor and made sure to put them away in her closet.
He was about to shut the door of her wardrobe when he noticed that he had left a peach shaded clothing on the other side of the bed where Karmale lay comfortably and far asleep.
He strode over and without fully looking, he pulled the thing with all his might but it didn't budge. He stubbornly pulled again but this time increasing the energy but still no good results. The cloth was way more stubborn than him.
"How the fuck can a simple non-living thing be so stubborn? For fuck's sake it's a lifeless cloth!" He huffed in annoyance and turned to check it out. Perhaps it was stuck somewhere and it was not just being stubborn. What it was attached to or placed under must be the defiant surface. Surface or person?
Person!
Not just person but head strong Karmale Hale Kane.
"Oh, now I see!" He said with only a very vague emotion on his face.
Karmale had slept on it but only half way and the other part of the outfit was left dangling from the bed.
"You are really something woman." He said as he pinched his lips tight hence forming a thin line. He slightly lifted her and removed the cloth from under her chest.
She had been facing the opposite side when he carried her in order to remove the cloth she was lying on. She moved in a bit, turned and faced him still in her sleeping state.
Just having the moonlight hit her face, he was tempted to sit next to her. He stared at the beautiful features of her face. His stare turned hostile when he felt like he would tear down the moon for hitting her face so hard. He felt like the moon was nature raping her with that intense glow that it produced. He stared harder at her like his eyes would leave his sockets and enter her body. He simply did that because he thought the moon would steal her away from him given the way she always sought it in her sleep and similarly it did.
Ryxel's POV.
After Karmale and I had watched a Netflix, she had as usual fallen asleep in my arms.
In the middle of the night, she kept wriggling out of my hands like she was uncomfortable or something of that sort. But I did not let her have her way.
"Ryxel!"
"What, Caramel? Go to sleep!"
"I want to open the curtain first."
"And what would be the reason for something as mysterious as that?" I inquired.
"It's not mysterious."
"What is it then?"
"It's beautiful. The moonlight is a beautiful site." She reasoned.
"No, go to sleep. That's not reason enough."
"I am not going to. I am going to poke you instead till you agree and let me open the curtain. Ryxel please. I want the moonlight to kiss my face."
"Kiss your face?" I unsurely asked for I doubted whether I had heard the right words.
"Yes, Mr. I have been in love with the moon since I was ten. On the nights when it appears in a full sphere, it kisses me."
"How? That's weird, Caramel!" I exclaimed.
"To you. Not me."
"Our love is scared. The moon and Karmale." She dramatically quoted.
" It's pure, innocent and gentle. He simply kisses my face with his luminous light. Nothing like painful sexual intercourse."
"Sex? Really, Caramel? Are you horny right now?"
"No, Ryxel! Just loosen your hold on me, I wanna draw the curtain."
I let go of her and she did draw the curtain to her satisfaction limit.
"Awww, moonlight kiss." She cooed.
That's how our nights always were whenever the moon chose to show up all in full glory. Glowing like a golden trophy. Karmale always abandoned me for the beautiful moon. She often shifted to a chair in the VIP lounge that was directly opposite the window that let in the moonlight.
"Oh how I fucking hated the moon! I envied that spherical natural source of light! How it got to smooch her with so much ease yet only I had the right to do that!"
**
Karmale's lips curled up into a small smile and that's when jealousy got the best of Ryxel. He put his hands over her face to shield her from the moonlight.
He did that but he felt like it was not helping at all. So he stood up and angrily drew the huge curtains.
He continued picking up her scattered clothes but this time the ones on the bed. After he had put all of them away, he lifted her and tucked her under the sheets.
"Sleep tight, Caramel. Don't leave bed and go wondering into the cruel night." He kissed lightly on her spotless temple.
He then walked out of her room.
**
"Diana, go get Miss Karmale." Ryxel said glancing at his wrist watch and lines of worry blanketing his forehead.
"Right away, sir."
Diana returned to the arena with Karmale hiding behind her.
To whatever direction Diana moved, Karmale followed suit. One would mistake her for Diana's shadow.
"Diana,stop!" The one with the keen blue eyes commanded.
Diana obeyed and so did Karmale.
"Move to the side."
Both the women did as instructed.
"Come here, Caramel."
Karmale stepped forward in a pair of blue jeans, one of Ryxel's white hoodies and simple flat shoes. So unprofessional unlike her mate. Ryxel was dressed in black all over. Black shirt dress, suit trousers, a coat and leather boots. Very professional.
They each searched each other's dressing. Karmale felt so shabby but what could she do, her clothes were not fitting. Besides that, Ryxel was too smart making her feel even shabbier.
"Woah!"
"Ryxel, sorry for this embarrassing dress code. It's just that-"
"What are you talking about, Caramel?"
"Uh--" she kept quiet giving him the opportunity to continue what he wanted to say.
"You are pretty good at wasting time. It took you an hour and more to get ready and still here you are unready. Did Diana perhaps drag you here before you could even start dressing up. You are still in casual clothes."
"Er..." Karmale shrugged, hesitated and finally clicked her tongue to stop any words from formulating from her lips. She shut her mouth close.
"Huh? Any problem, Caramel?"
"I-I-mmmh-i" she stammered.
"Speak, lady." He impatiently demanded.
"I am hungry." She happily put in before Ryxel would suspect that she was lying. A girlish grin stuck to her face.
"Is that it?" He asked as if sensing her lie.
"Yes, that's it."
"You are lying, Karmale. That cannot be the reason you came unready downstairs. It cannot be hunger. Psychologically, an excited person does not feel hungry. And you, Caramel, I know, are excited beyond measure not hungry. I know you would be ready two hours ago just that something is missing."
"So tell me, why are you not yet ready? What's missing?"
"My-my-clothes."
Ryxel raised his one eyebrow to signal Karmale to continue talking 'cause he was sure as hell that what she had said was incomplete.
"My clothes are not fitting, Ryxel." She shyly shared her problem with him. She did not expect him to create for a solution but him being adamant, she had to answer his questions. Maybe what she thought he would do was burst into laughter. He was more than sure and ready for it if it came out.
"That's alright. Let's get going."
"While I'm dressed like this?"
"Diana!" Ryxel called completely ignoring Caramel's question.
"Yes, Sir." The woman came running and humbly lowered her gaze before her boss.
"Get sneakers for Miss Karmale."
"Yes, Sir."
"No, Diana." Karmale cried but Diana knew better than to disobey a command given by her boss.
"Ryxel, I cannot go to office like that. The sneakers are not fixing anything."
"Here Sir." Diana said and stood in front of the two holding out a pair white with pink stripes.
Before Ryxel would say anything, Karmale grabbed the shoes from Diana, said thank you, gave Ryxel a pointed look, slipped out of her sandals and put on the sports shoes with a huff.
"Hmmmn." His rough voice reasonated through her ears.
"Yeah right. I never wanted you to get bossy with me. That's why I put them on without a fuss."
Ryxel didn't say anything more. He just grabbed her wrist and dragged her out.
___
At a certain boutique
"Good morning, sir. How may I help you?" A man dressed in a checkered oversized shirt and brown trousers warmly asked Ryxel. He appeared to be in his sixties and looked like the sole owner of the cloth store.
The place was a large one though the exterior appeared small. It had multiple and hardworking staff. Never seated. Ever on their toes twenty four - seven.
"Good morning. I want your best collection of formal feminine wear. I-"
"You will get that right away." The man cheerfully said interjecting Ryxel's speech.
"That I know because I came to this place after top notch research about what it can offer." Ryxel said in a hefty voice.
"Alright-"
"Shut the fuck up, dummy. I am talking." Ryxel grabbed the man's collar slightly lifting him off the ground.
The man's eyes widened in fear as Karmale gasped in the same emotion.
"Ryxel, let him go! You are calling for attention by doing this."
"Have some respect for
your customers. Don't ever fucking open your mouth and interrupt someone when they are speaking." He harshly left his collar earning the man a slight fall back.
"You are old enough to understand that, mister. Behave." Ryxel said pretending to dust his shirt like they were colleagues.
"Yes-yes."
"Not just yes but yes, Sir."
"Yes, Sir."
"Now get me your best staff 'cause it seems like you are just going to stand there like you are rooted to the floor and wet your pants." Ryxel smirked.
Karmale looked at the old man and sympathised with him when she saw his private area attain a liquid. He really was easing on himself.
"Ryxel, you bully!" Karmale jerked forward to go help the man who had by now placed his hand at the centre of his trousers so as to avoid embarrassment.
"No, no, no. Don't even think about it, Caramel. This is not some charity hall. We are not here to volunteer for some charity program for the elderly. No. So don't think of advancing towards that man. Let not assisting him occur to you." He held onto her hand.
"Your best staff?" Ryxel demandingly looked at the peeing man.
"Ali." The man called and a long neck at the corner of the room turned in response to the stimuli of his voice.
A slim woman immediately came sensing the urgency in her employer's summon. With a polite smile, Ali greeted us.
"Ali, these are special customers. Treat them with full curtsey and give them our very best collection of-" the man pressed his thighs together to avoid further flow of urine.
"Don't worry, sir. I'll explain it to her." Karmale offered on seeing how uneasy the man was.
"Thank you, Miss. Ali please take them through only the good brands. Go ahead."
"Sure, as you say."
"Please follow me." The lady signaled Ryxel and Karmale who followed right behind her. The owner of the boutique ran off to the lavatory.
The three entered a room whose theme colour was cream. Ryxel sat in the chair as Karmale and Ali talked.
After the little chat, Karmale found her seat right next to Ryxel. Ali disappeared in a small room within that very room.
She came back holding different coloured suit pieces. The suits had white shirts inside. Karmale tried on two colours just before Ryxel dismissed everything.
"That's plain." He said with a bored look.
Ali then brought suits that had crop bras as inputs. Ryxel still dismissed them saying, "That's old fashioned. I want something new, sexy, alluring and presentable. I don't want anything formal anymore. Formal is boring."
"Ryxel, it must be formal and please appreciate something already, I don't wanna be late."
"Caramel, relax. It's not like I'm also looking forward to arriving late to wherever I'm going."
"Ali, get me another collection."
"Yes, Sir."
***
"Ryxel, they have been six collections now." Karmale whined.
"It's annoying. You are not liking anything. They are all formal outfits what's so hard to choose?"
"Ali, get me a pair of boyfriend pants, a thin strapped input-white in colour and any-"
"No. It's not a high school party. It's work." Ryxel objected.
"At a point I heard you say that the outfit should not be formal. Formal is boring." She mimicked with air quotes.
"I'll pick your clothes, Caramel. Sit down." He calmly said.
"Ali, can I have a leather collection."
The woman nodded a yes as Caramel tiredly sat down. She had been trying on all the clothes that had been brought before her with the heels inclusive. It had turned tiring rather than fun. Ryxel had pledged to pick her wear but it had just taken a flip to boredom. He never appreciated anything so she had to change in and out of different clothes and different heels.
"Ryxel, can Ali perhaps get us a two piece?" Karmale suggested.
"Or just any simple body fitting dress?"
"Yeah, sure." He agreed.
"Come try this on!"
"Jeans!"
"Yeah."
"I'm not removing them. Just get a matching blouse and jacket." Karmale said grabbing the pair of trousers from Ali and brushed past Ryxel deliberately knocking him with her shoulder.
She matched the pale blue jeans with a white blouse and a maroon leather jacket.
"No, that's not good enough."
"Come on!" Karmale stumped her feet in protest.
"Ali, give her leather throughout. Black leather." He emphasized.
She came out of the dressing room and Ryxel's eyes were literally shooting right through her body.
The black leather clung perfectly to her curvaceous body. It clearly outlined all her curves and it gave her a sassy look. The bad bitch type of look.
"What are you staring at Ryxel? It's only leather. Had it been swim wear, what then?" She smirked knowingly.
"You look hot in leather." He simply complimented totally ignoring the posed question.
"Finally!"
"Don't rush. I did not opt for that, Caramel. Go change."
"Ryxellll." The fed up lass whinnied. Her shopping partner leaving her with no option, she marched to the changing room.
__
"Now, that's perfect."
*
Karmale and Ryxel branched off to a mini cafeteria and had branch for it was already past breakfast time. Karmale didn't eat so well for she was worried about the time she was going to reach.
"Karmale eat up."
"I'm full."
"You have barely touched anything."
"Ryxel don't worry about me. Just eat faster and let's get to my work place as quickly as we can."
"Karmale, open up!" He fed her.
After they had had their morning meal, Ryxel cleared the bill and the two left the café.
"Ryxel are you sure about this outfit?" Karmale asked as they stepped out of the tea place.
"Yes, Caramel. Why not? Don't you like it?"
"No, I like it. It's formal and presentable. Not to mention absolutely gorgeous."
Karmale was clad in a pair of pale brown trousers and a tight pull neck blouse. The black blouse was tucked into her pants that beautifully stuck to her hips. For accessories, it was golden wrist watch and a ring. She held onto a black purse.
"Besides, what does it matter whether I like it. It's you who gets to pick what I put on today." She said with a bit of sadness in her voice. She lowered her gaze to the street pavement.
"Caramel." He coolly pronounced and raised her chin so that she could look at him.
"I'm not trying to dictate what you wear to work. I thought I would pick your outfit as your special friend. It's not forced. If you don't like it, you can freely say so and pick what you want. I won't stop you."
Hearing him say those words, she felt a wave of remorse sweep by. She was sorry for not noticing and failing to appreciate his efforts.
"No, Ryxel. It's lovely. It's just that I'm not quite comfortable in this."
"Why is that so? These are the types of clothes you lawyers dress in. So what has changed?"
"Something has changed, Ryxel." She hesitantly spoke.
"I am all ears."
"I have increased in size. I have gained a lot more weight than I had before. So, I cannot put on tight clothes."
"I don't feel secure enough to put on body hugging clothes." Karmale grabbed either side of her shoulders grazing them as if worried about the on lookers.
Ryxel took off his coat just like he had the first time he entered her apartment and she was only in a teddy bear printed towel. He gently and calculatively placed it on her square shoulders.
"Is that better?" His rough sound reverberated with concern.
"Yeah." Karmale's body relaxed in unison with the breeze. In that teasing cologne of his, she found solace.
The big coat was like a hideout for her so Ryxel's gentleman act was highly appreciated. The coat covered up a fraction of her body so it would be hard for anyone to notice her new size.
"Thank you." She smiled.
Ryxel rubbed at her back and she turned to head to the car.
She moved and she was almost at the vehicle but she could no longer feel footsteps behind her. She turned to see Ryxel standing at the spot where they both had been standing before.
"Ryxel, why are you just standing there. Come let's go. I am gonna be late." She said as she walked back to him and held his wrist.
"I'm not coming Caramel." He wriggled out of her hand.
"Why?" Caramel held onto his coat that was on her shoulders to prevent it from falling.
He didn't answer. He just gave her a faint smile.
"Ryxel, you are joking, right? You know right now I am a bag of nerves. I am a nervous wreck and you are just going to bail out on me? Just like that? What happened to all the protection that you claimed on me? Are you going to seriously let me walk into that law firm alone? After I have not been there for a month? Ryxel, it's a hard one." She said her voice heavy with plea.
"I cannot do it alone. I need you to hold my hand. I need my friend to do that for me. I need you Ryxel."
"You don't need me, Caramel. You are stronger than that. Go to work."
"Ryxel,-"
"Caramel, get going." With his hands on her shoulders, he turned her around.
"I'm I driving myself?"
"Have you forgotten how to?"
"No, but- Ryxel-"
"Then get the car key in your bag and move it."
"Ryxel please come along."
"Get the key and get out of here."
Karmale checked the small bag that was wrapped around her arm and got out a key. On seeing the familiar structure of it she asked, "Is this my car key?"
"Yes, and there is your car so go to work." He pointed to the blackberry Lamborghini that was parked along the clean street.
"Oh! So are you chasing me? Not yet satisfied with abandoning me? What happened to the annoying protective Ryxel? "
"Caramel, a strong woman doesn't need a man. And you are that. You don't need me."
"When you are giving commands that never crosses your bossy mind." She whispered to herself.
He heard her but thought it wise to ignore and address what he considered more important.
"About protection. I have my men who are going to be monitoring your every move."
"Okay."
"By seven in the evening, I want you home. Keep your phone on all the time. Let all your conversations be strictly work related. Either via phone or in the office. You are to tell no one about where you have been."
"Wow!" She mocked never breaking her gaze from his demeaning and intimidating one.
"Those are our protective measures. If you fail to follow them as per my say, love-" he rubbed his rough thumb on her cheek. "You and your work will miserably part ways." He further soothed her cheek with a numb smirk on his well shaved face.
"I'm I fucking clear, Karmale?" The authoritarian asked his defiant queen.
Karmale being the goddess of defiance kept quiet.
"Are we clear, madam lawyer?" He grazed her cheek harder that her shed of makeup faded somewhat. His thumb turned slightly pink from her rosy cheeks.
"Ryxel, can't you ever ask someone to do something without attaching difficult conditions?"
"I didn't ask you what I just did for it to be responded to with an irritating question." He was still roughly caressing her chubby cheek.
She harshly slapped his hand off her face and stepped away from him.
"I'm not deaf. I heard it all very clearly." She replied in a disturbed tone.
"Good. Cooperate then!"
Without stepping forward to cover the small distance between them, he violently grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her closer.
His animalistic action got her by surprise and immediately annoyed her. She wanted to rescue her poor neck from the preying animal but it was way stronger than her.
Even if his approach had been rude and rough, the landing of his soft lips on her forehead was smooth and tender. That alone eased her nervousness. The moment his lips came into contact with her skin, her eyes fell shut in invitation of the act of protection and cherish.
"Take care." It was a calm one.
"I will." Her response held a similar emotion.
He helped her into his coat and watched her engine roar to life.
___
"She's on her way to work. Jeopard- whatever your name is, make use of her. It maybe the last time you have such a skilled person in your firm." Ryxel spoke through the phone and kept the call before the receiver at the other end of the line would say anything.
#MADAM LAWYER
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