"Looks like we are going to have Italian tonight." Louis announced.
"Wow!" Karmale exclaimed with a bored look.
Louis merrily reversed the car and made for a different direction. In front of the lavish restaurant, he parked his vehicle.
"Don't get up. I would like to get for you the door first." Louis pledged the gentle gesture.
"Thank you. You're such a gentleman." Karmale placed her palm in Louis's as she climbed down. Her other hand held her purse and a dark trench coat.
"Pleasure, honey."
They walked hand in hand and when they reached the glass door of the Italian restaurant, Louis opened.
"Fine lady." He moved aside to let her through first.
"Thank you." She walked in.
"Welcome Sir and Ma'am. Good evening." A waiter greeted the two.
"Hallo." Karmale briefly smiled.
"Good evening." Louis greeted.
"Do you have a reservation for the night?"
"No-"
"I'm sorry then sir. We are booked out."
"Excuse me?"
"All tables are taken, Sir."
"Wow! Couldn't the night get any better?" Karmale mumbled to herself.
"Excuse-"
"Louis-!" Karmale grabbed Louis's arm. His expression was bitter. He wanted to shout at the waiter.
"Our bad, mister. We'll leave right away." Karmale said to the waiter.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Have a good evening."
"Sure."
"No, Karmale. What kind of place is this?"
"Louis, don't embarrass yourself and I any further. You know it's not the man's fault you did not make reservations earlier."
"I'm sorry."
"Never mind. We can go home and I'll cook for you something nice. How does that sound?" Karmale winked.
"Amazing!" He peeked her cheek.
"Mrs. Black?" A heavy Italian accent called interrupting the romantic moment.
"Mrs. Black?" Karmale's brows rose and fell in confusion but she turned to the call. Louis had not paid attention to the call till Karmale did.
"Who is he calling that? Who is he anyway?"
"Agastino? I'll talk to him, Loui. Give us a minute."
"Okay, Vanilla." Louis peeked her on the cheek again.
"Did I use the wrong name, ma'am? You took long enough to turn."
"Yes. Actually the name is Ms. Kane. How are you, Agastino?"
"I'm okay. How come you are not with boss?"
"I have been good too, Agastino." Karmale spoke otherwise not wishing to discuss anything about Ryxel in front of Louis. Luckily, Agastino understood.
"Ms. Kane, are you leaving already?"
"Yes."
"No, don't. You didn't even sit down."
"We did not make early reservations so the place is full already."
"Who said that to you? The waiter at the door?"
"Yeah. But please it's okay."
"No. I'm so embarrassed. Pardon him. He is new. He doesn't know the vital people of this restaurant. I apologise. Will you please come with me, Ms. Kane?"
"Ummmm...he will decide." Karmale looked at Louis who was typing into his phone.
"Louis?"
"Yes, babe?"
"Good evening Sir. My name is Agastino. The head chef and manager here. I sincerely apologize about-"
"No problem, mister."
"I'm ashamed. Will you still dine with us?" Agastino offered.
Louis looked at Karmale who said nothing but shifted on her heels. She was tired of standing. He then thought about making her cook yet she must be exhausted. He considerately made his decision.
"Yes, we will."
"This way." Agastino led the way.
"I would have cooked for you, Loui."
"I didn't want to be rude to the old man, babe. Besides, you can cook for me any other time. In fact, we can do it together. Huh?"
"Okay." They sat down and the menu was brought.
"Let's have pizza Napoletana, Louis."
"Um- you didn't even check the menu. You sure?"
"Don't they have pizza?"
"Ah- they do."
"Then I'll have that."
"Sir, we'll both have pizza."
"Um-Louis?"
"Yeah?"
"You sure?"
"Huh?"
"Wanna have pizza for real?" Karmale leaned in closely till her face was barely an inch away from his.
"Yeah." He exhaled sharply.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"After the prank Ella played on you in tenth grade?"
"Karmale that was a dirty prank. Oh my!"
"Sorry for disturbing your peace of mind. How was the detention?" Karmale laughed as she leaned back in her seat.
"It was horrible. But I'm glad I got to share it with Ella." Louis smirked.
"Oh!"
"Yeah. I asked Denis to help me a little."
"Okay?"
"Yeah, when Ella threw all that rotten pizza all over my locker, vengeance was surely mine." Louis chuckled as he watched Karmale laugh.
"How did Denis help?"
"He-"
"The meal is here!" Agastino jovially announced.
"Thank you." Karmale said to Agastino and to Louis she said, "continue!"
"Let's eat babe. That will be a story for another day."
"Hmmmn! Okay!" Karmale picked her glass of wine and sipped on it.
"Bad eating habits." Louis commented.
"Louis-"
"Don't start. Let's eat."
"You first tell me how Denis helped."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Okay." Louis picked up from where he had stopped. Karmale laughed and made more conversation herself but hardly ate a thing. She spent the whole meal biting on one slice. When Louis started to ask questions, she excused herself to go to the ladies'room. When she returned, they had sponge cake for dessert and left.
_
"Babe, let's walk from here to your place."
"What? Louis we are like-"
"Only two blocks away, Vanilla."
"I'm putting on heels, Louis. Be considerate. I can't walk for that long. It's cold too. Ice freaking cold."
"No problem. I'll drive."
Karmale did not say more. She leaned back and looked outside the window.
"We are here, babe." Louis opened the door for her.
"Thank you, gentlemen. And thanks for the night."
"Let me walk you to your door first."
"Don't go through the trouble. I can manage."
"I insist."
"Okay."
They walked silently, took the lift and at her doorstep they stood.
"Good night, Louis-"
"Sleep tight, babe." Louis moved in to kiss her.
"Louis-" she stopped him with her hand on his chest.
"Something wrong?"
"I'm dozing."
"Oh, you must be tired. Good night." He kissed her cheek.
"Good night." Karmale inserted her keys and entered her apartment.
"Oh my God! That was suffocating!" She breathed out. Rushing to her kitchen, she pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge. She took only a sip and left like she did not even want the water anymore. She dropped the bottle on island.
She headed to her bedroom and slid out of her outfit, washed off her makeup and entered her bed.
_
Louis still sat silent in his car that parked outside the skyscraper apartments. His eyes watched the one house that interested him.
"Karmale, if you think I can't see how you push me away whenever I try to get close to you, you are wrong. I see it. It's not fair. You know that I want you. So why are you fighting me? I'm scared that you don't want me back. But I'm your first love and I will never fade from your heart. I'm not going nowhere. Not if I don't have you." His speech was over confident.
_
Knock! Knock!
"This early morning?"
Knock! Knock!
"I'm coming!"
"Ella!"
"I'm here to make up for all the times I have been too busy. I'm sorry, Karmale."
"Shut up! I understand. You don't need to apologize."
"Thanks girl." Ella hugged Karmale who smiled in glee.
"So, girl. How was the date with Louis?"
"Fine."
"Just fine? Nothing more than that? No details?"
"There are details but believe me they are so boring. You don't wanna know."
"I don't care. Tell me everything." Ella sounded desperate.
"Woah! When did start to care so much about Louis?"
"Come on, Karmale. It's you I'm worried about not that idiot who broke your heart."
"I appreciate, Ella but I don't want to talk about it."
"Karmale-"
"I don't want to talk about it, Ella!" Karmale's voice was firm.
"Okay."
"Yeah. And oh please it has been a fortnight since that night and he hasn't made any new attempts. So he is probably over me after the way I acted savage around him. Ah-anyway-"
"So you pushed him away?" Ella inquired.
"Yeah. But I wanted to keep him close and- anyway, he is smart. He backed off. Otherwise, I had something rolling for him."
"Revenge?"
"Yes, Ella! Hell yes! That bastard almost cost me my family Ella. My life too. That- that- I nearly committed suicide because of what that son of- I don't want to discuss bullshit, Ella. Why are you here again?"
"Cheer up, Karmale. I wanna take you for shopping. It's my credit we are using. Please don't say no!" Ella begged.
"Thank God it's you, Ella. I'll grab something to cover up. I'm showing too much skin."
"Don't be old fashioned, Karmale. You look hot. Besides it's summer. The shorts and sleeveless suit perfectly."
"I'm only getting a throw-on, Ella!" Karmale shouted as she disappeared in her room.
"Hurry!" Ella called back.
__
"Ella, I don't know why I agreed to come but-"
"Karmale, don't pretend like you don't like my vibes. Come on! You are only feeling perturbed because of that-i don't even want to mention his name. Oh boo! Cheer up! Please, Karmale!"
"Please!" Ella put a big brown bear in front of her face and pleaded with her best friend.
"Pwease, my seasonal bear. Pwease." Ella begged.
"Okay, Ella."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'm going to try not to be moody anymore. Sorry for spoiling the fun."
"It's okay. Let's do our thing then."
"That doesn't sound good. What do you mean?"
"This-" Ella emptied a whole bag of popcorn on Karmale's head.
"Oh my God! Ella!"
"What?" Ella was now picking up the popcorn from the ground and throwing it at her mate.
"We are going to get kicked out of here."
"I doubt!"
"We are!"
"Okay. Then enjoy it while it lasts." She opened a bag of crackers and poured them on her.
"Ella, people outside are starving. You cannot waste food like that!"
"Okay, mummy." Ella threw more crackers at her.
"I'm not your mother."
"Then stop acting like her!"
"Right away!" Karmale threw waffles at Ella. Ella cried in fake pain and Karmale laughed out loud. It brought her peace. That alone encouraged her to continue. The two women littered the food section and when they were done, they sat down in the food and chatted away. Their loud laughter surely attracted an attendant.
"Hey, what's going on here?"
"Run!" Ella shouted.
"No, Ella!"
"Karmale, stop being a saint. I know you have sinned before. Sin one more time. Come let's run away!" Ella grabbed Karmale's wrist but stopped in her tracks when sounds of gunshots vibrated in her ears.
"Down, Ella!" Karmale shouted and pulled Ella and the mall attendant down with her.
One more round of gunshots was heard and screams followed after that.
"Silence!" A man with a face mask shouted at a woman who squatted down next to her two daughters.
"I want everyone-each one of you to move to the centre and sit down-"
"Karmale-"
"Shh, Ella-"
"We should do the same, Karmale-"
"No-"
"We should, Karmale these men will kill us. They are armed."
"Yes. I will call 911." The attendant said.
"Don't miss-" Karmale said to the woman.
"Why shouldn't she Karmale?"
"Ella, these are dangerous people. You don't want to mess with them-"
"Karmale-"
"Keep it down, Ella! Can't you whisper like I am doing?"
"Let's go sit in the centre like others, Karmale. I'm sure they just want to take money. After that, they will leave. Otherwise-!"
"You! Move to the centre!" One masked man pointed his firearm to Ella's head.
"Uh-me?"
"Yes you, bitch and that girl too."
"Karmale?" Ella turned but she only saw the attendant. Karmale was gone.
"Oh my God! My friend!" She started to cry.
"Shut up, bitch! We are not here to babysit anyone. I'll shut you up with a bullet- seal your lips." Ella shivered and cried but still managed to nod a yes with the big gun inside her mouth.
"Now move and to the centre." The man kicked her in the thigh.
"Ah-"
"Shut up and move!"
"We are armed but have no intention of harming anyone. But any idiot that decides to act smart and use his phone to mess with our business here will not live to see another day. I promise. All of you! Place your phones in front of you and your idle hands at the back of your heads. Right now!" Everyone obeyed.
"You can cry if you want. It's a free world. But let no one think of escaping. Avoid noise too!"
The man who was speaking nodded to his colleagues and left that part of the mall.
_
Karmale had crawled to another corridor where diapers and young babies' equipment were.
"Oh my God! Ella! Please let not those men hurt her." Karmale silently prayed with her eyes shut and fingers crossed. A heavy arm grabbed her shoulder.
"Mmmh!" Was her muffled cry behind the man's palm on her mouth.
"Shut up!" Was the aggressive command. She kicked and fought but the person who held her was too strong for her to free herself from.
"Don't make noise. Stop the fighting too. You are complicating things. I want to get you out of here and take you to a safe place! Comply!"
Karmale continued to fight. The man carried her off the ground. He lifted her with his one hand around her abdomen and the on her mouth and took her away.
"Put her down!" A male voice emerged from another corridor. This one had fridges of beverages, milk, yoghurt, name it.
The man did not stop. He continued to run. A single bullet sank into the flesh of his leg and he fell to the ground.
"Ah!" The man screamed.
"Go help the lady up."
"Right away, Boss."
The masked man from earlier on gave his hand to Karmale and she moved back in a sitted position.
"You! You! You are the mad man who hit my friend!" Karmale pulled off the man's mask.
"Wow! Leo!" Karmale was speechless.
"I didn't know that you are a monster. Where is your Boss?"
"Look behind you, ma'am."
Karmale jumped up and literally ran into Ryxel with fury.
"What's your problem, Ryxel Grande Black?" She shouted.
"Keep your tone down! Didn't you hear the instructions Leonardo gave?"
"I don't care-" Ryxel grabbed her by the waist and pushed her so hard that she knocked the fridge behind her.
"Not a word more!"
"Don't touch me, you Devil!" She fought but it was of no use. Ryxel had pinned her to the fridge and caged her in between his legs and arms. She could not move all she could do was shiver due to his touch. His hands moved from her thighs to under her blouse.
"Don't touch me, you pathetic animal!"
"It takes one to know the other. You bark like a dog, Karmale! It's pathetic cause no one is going to come to your rescue. All the people here are my men apart from that mother fucker who was trying to kidnap you."
"But he said that he was taking me to a safe place?"
"And you believed him?"
"Don't ask me questions when you already shot him. Just lock him up and interrogate him. Not me! Let me go! I wanna go."
"Okay." He moved aside.
"What? Just like that?"
"Hmmmn!" Ryxel sickly smirked.
"Ryxel! Don't-"
"I won't!" He pulled her back and this time she hit the fridge with full force.
"Ah!"
"I missed you, sweet vixen." He kissed her neck. Once. Twice and the third time she was tugging on his hair. He pulled away and laughed.
"It was mutual. I see." He smirked.
"You are a sick man, Ryxel Grande Black! You are sick! It was a prayer answered- staying away from you. I cannot miss someone like you. You are sick and sickening!"
"Mhh!" Ryxel pulled her to himself and his lips fell closely to her ear.
"Listen up, Karmale. You are coming home with me."
"No, I'm not!" She pushed him and his face was now back in her view.
"I know. You really have a hard head. But if I eliminate only a few people maybe you will change your mind."
"What do you mean?"
"The new decor of this mall are bombs. It will be a massacre, Karmale. One with no roots. No evidence. So unfair. Either way, I'll take you."
"What's wrong with you, Ryxel? These are innocent people. Why would you hurt them?"
"Are you coming or not?"
"You are so shrewd."
"Are you coming or do you want to kill Ella?"
"Ryxel!"
"You will be the killer, Karmale. Your stubbornness will be the cause of her death."
"I'm going to come with you, Ryxel." A tear ran down her cheek.
"Of course!" He laughed but she was crying. Her head hang low and in the process, it landed on his chest. He eased out and held her properly. He spread out his arms and in his embrace, she sobbed. His look was apologetic but he was not going to let down his guard. He was a Mafia Leader not some sentimental lover boy.
"Why are you doing this, Ryxel yet you have no interest in me? Why don't you let me live my life? I am not a girl for someone's pleasure. Let me be." She whispered amidst sobs but he was attentive. He continued to hold her.
"Please let me be. Please." She hit him lightly but he didn't retaliate or respond.
Ryxel signalled Leo who left and returned with some other men who carried away the guy their boss had shot.
"Ryxel, can I have some time? I will come over the weekend."
"You have high value for Ella's life what would be more insurance than that." He removed his hands from around her and she let go of his collar too.
"Don't think about changing your mind, Caramel." He rubbed on her neck and walked away. Karmale watched him walk away and felt cold. That's when it revisited her mind that it was his proximity that shielded her from the cold. She craved his warmth but she knew no better than to think about something else.
The moment the exquisite figure in the dark suit existed the mall from the back door, the noise in the shopping area resumed. A tear slipped down Karmale's eye.
"Ryxel!"
"Karmale! Karmale!"
"Oh my God! You are still alive! I was scared." Ella hugged her friend who did not have energy to return the gesture. Ella pulled away.
"Why are you crying, Karmale? Those men did not kill anyone. They didn't even take money. It was strange but who cares. We are all safe. So why are you crying?"
"Nothing, Ella."
"Okay. Then stop." Ella wiped Karmale's tears but that did not bring them to a stop.
"I can't."
"Oh dear." Ella embraced her friend.
"Nice perfume though!" When Karmale heard that, she pushed Ella off her but rather gently to avoid suspicion.
"At least you have stopped crying. Let's pay for the inconvenience we caused with the food and head home. We will continue this tomorrow."
"Yeah! How is your thigh bone? I saw that man kick you."
"He didn't kick me that hard. He only knocked a little."
"And the screaming?"
"I was scared that if I didn't pretend he would kick me again. Let's go Karmale and let's not discuss this. We were warned against it. Besides, it's working you up pretty bad-"
_
_
"Karmale, please you have to come and help me!"
"What happened, Ella? You sound disturbed. Please elaborate. I can barely understand you. Please stop crying and speak up."
"Karmale, I need-i need a law-lawyer."
"Okay. Why?"
"Karmale-my doctor's license is being taken away from me."
"What? But why?"
"It turns out-i don't know how-but-but- I have been giving the little children wrong drugs. Parents and guardians have sued me. The Health organisation is going to take my license. I won't be able to work anymore." Ella cried.
"Please don't cry. Please. I'll represent you in court and you know that I never fail at any case. So please be strong. I'm coming to your work place right now. Are you there right now?"
"Yes. Please hurry. I'm so scared, Karmale. I'm so-"
'
"No. No. I'm coming right now.
_
"Karmale-"
"Ella!" Karmale comforted her friend.
"Karmale are you sure you can represent me when you are not under any firm?"
"Yes, Ella. I am. I can represent any client because I have the qualifications. I'm eligible to represent anyone in the courts of law. So don't worry. Let's rather worry about the medicine. What exactly is wrong with the medicine?"
"You won't believe this, Karmale."
"What?"
"The toddler medicines are mixed with drugs."
"What are you saying, Ella?"
"I know what I tasted, councillor."
"You tasted it?"
"Yes but the investigation department doesn't know that yet."
"What?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure, Ella?
"Yes."
"Show them to me."
"You cannot know until you have tasted."
"Okay. I will taste then." Karmale bit on a tablet and it tasted odd and her teeth hardly sensed a thing after.
"Oh my God! This tastes awful. Was this person plotting murder?"
"I don't know, Karmale but I don't think so. Seems like the person wanted to ruin my life and used the children cause that's the only way they could get to me." Karmale listened closely and made eye contact which Ella shied away from.
"I-I-mean-i don't know-im just assuming- you know!" Ella chuckled nervously.
"Do you know who did it, Ella?"
"No-no! How could i possibly know?"
"You are the victim, Ella. You could know something. Don't hide anything from me. Otherwise, I may not be able to help you."
"No, I'm not hiding anything. I'm just here meditating and wondering who would benefit from doing this to me."
"I'm wondering too. But-"
"What?"
"Let me come back."
As Karmale made for the exist, Ryxel walked in. They met.
"What are you doing here you murderer? How could you be so heartless? For Christ's sake those are children, Ryxel!"
"Be careful of the accusations you make, Karmale!"
"I don't need to be careful with my words, Ryxel. You are the only threat their is to her and drugs are like child's play to you. You are the one who did it, Ryxel!"
"Get out of the way, Karmale."
"Stay away from her, Ryxel. I said I was coming."
"But you didn't. What happened?"
"I got caught up with this. I was coming tonight."
"It took you long. I'll help here so that I can take you back with me. Move!"
"Ryxel, please don't hurt Ella."
"I wouldn't hurt someone dear to you."
"That's a lie!"
"Have I done it before?"
Karmale was quiet. Ryxel walked past her.
"You haven't but you are Ryxel Grande Black. You can hurt anyone and whenever you want." Karmale followed behind him.
"Ryxel-" Karmale hurried in to find Ryxel helping Ella up from the floor. Holding her shaking hands, he sat her down in a chair and he took the one next to her.
"Ry-"
"Hello miss."
"Hi." Ella responded timidly as she looked between the well built rock figure and her friend who stood anxiously next to her.
"I'm Ryxel, Karmale's friend."
"But-Karmale has no other friend other than me. Karmale-" Ella spoke but each word revised. She did not want to infuriate even a hair on the intimidatingly broad body that sat before her.
"What's your name?" Ryxel asked.
"Riella."
"Our interactions with Karmale held a lot about you. No wonder you have this sentiment that you are her only friend. Hmm!"
"Mister-"
"Riella, how did these drugs end up here?"
"Ryxel, she doesn't know. Leave us alone." Ella looked from Ryxel to Karmale.
"Don't interfere, Karmale. Talk to me, Riella."
"You don't have to if you don't want, Ella. It's okay. He is not the authorities."
"But he sure has authority. I'll speak to him."
#MADAMLAWYER
Heya!🥺
How did y'all love it?👻
Woah! I updated. I'm proud of myself and very grateful to those who motivate me to do it. I rarely get motivating texts or anything so when I do, it excites and compels me to update. Thanks to all those who have shown love here. I appreciate. 😚
And to my silent readers, I love you too.🤧 I just wish one day you would drop a "hi I love you author!" in my DM. I could die of ecstasy.💃
Smooches...I dedicate my weekend to y'all my readers 😙 Happy weekend to y'all... happy Sunday✨✨
Weekend mood-🎶 Ghost by JB🎶
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Love y'all.
Author
Andria 💋