“Make sure he signs it” a gruff voice ordered, handing out thick wad of papers. His secretary scrambled, frantically, “ yes sir” he nodded, slowly swirling around in his big dark chair. His secretary shuffled, hurriedly towards the door, shutting it quietly behind him.

The man sighed looking outside his window that was towering over the ocean. His cold eyes followed the waves as they crashed against the boulders. “You can come out now” he said lowly.

The curtains to the farthest of his office stirred and a man dressed completely in black stepped out. His black cap was pulled down covering most of his face, except a rugged scar stretching from the corner of his eye, across his cheek.

The man got up from his seat with a grunt “age is really gaining on me” he chuckled humorlessly clasping his hands behind his back, strolling towards him “I used to be as sharp as a snake” he continued with a far-away look in his eyes; stroking his thumb which bore a ring in the shape of a serpent, with an emerald for its eye. The man with the scar said nothing and stared ahead motionlessly. "Nothing could get past me. Not even my own mother. My memory was so sharp I could remember anything and everything”

He laughed again, standing now in front of him. “Thanks to my memory I am still able to manage all this by myself all these years” he waved graciously over his lavish office.

“I remember everything. Every small detail of every business deal I made”

“Which is exactly the reason why I remember my orders to you” his smile simmered and the man in the black cap stiffened. “I remember telling you precisely with every detail why you shouldn’t make any mistakes.” His arm lurched forward, grabbing the man’s face, his nails digging into his flesh like claws. The man cried out in pain.

“In spite of all my warnings I wake up to see the news that one of the girls was found dead and taken into a morgue and investigations underway” he seethed. His nails dug deep, producing blood to seep out. He pushed him back, bashing his head into the wall not bothering to loosen his hold.

The man withered under his grip, his lips white with fear. “ I own you” the man hissed he dug his nails deeper, and the man whimpered “ I created you and I could crush you. Throw you into the sea and not a soul would know” the serpent’s green eye gleamed like death, before disappearing under a bloody drop that tickled down.

He let go sharply and the man jerked back pawing his cheeks, whipping away blood. The man with serpent ring walked back slowly to his chair “ find the girls body and get rid of it before anyone starts digging”

The man gave him a shaky nod watching as he lit a cigar breathing out a puff “ you are lucky it were you cheeks this time, you mess up next time” he fixed him with ice cold eyes “ I claw your eyes out”

****************************

Anika’s black heels click-clocked on the marble floor as she made her way in to his office. She pushed up her Ray bans, running a hand through her long hair. She took a deep breath, she wouldn’t break today. She jutted out her chin and strode faster.

The secretary was muttering quietly in a telephone when she spotted Anika. Her eyes widened, she surely remembers Anika from her last visit, she scrambled up from her seat “mam, Shivaay sir is in a meeting! I don’t think-“

“Oh save it” Anika brushed her away with a flick of her fingers as she breezed by.

She pushed open the door and walked in. The secretary was right this time. He was having a meeting. Three gentlemen’s heads, who were clearly in middle of something snapped up bewildered. One among those heads shot the coldest look at her.

She flipped her hair, and walked up to their table. “ what in the world-“ Shivaay started

“Good morning gentlemen am afraid you’re meeting has been adjourned” she could feel a cold stare piercing into her like a draggers.

“Am sorry… but who are you?” one of the men managed to blurter out while the other looked frantically between Shivaay and Anika.

Anika smiled, and removed her glasses, taking her own sweet time “ Oh am just another client. Here for a business deal just like you all”

“ I thought we were having an exclusive meeting” the frantic man looked worriedly at Shivaay.

Shivaay’s chair screeched hard as he got up “ we are” bit out “ Let me just handle this”

Before Anika could protest Shivaay grabbed her elbow and walked her out the office, and into a room filled with book shelves “hey!” Anika glared snatching her arm out of his grip “ I can walk on my own”

“Watha hell was that” Shivaay hissed, taking a threatening step towards her. Anika shrugged “am here for the same work they are here for, I just didn’t want to wait”

“I don’t care what you here for!” Shivaay grounded out “ that was no way to-“

“Just sign this and am outta here” Anika held out a file in front of him.

“What is this?” Shivaay flipped through it, his jaw working angrily.

“It’s a deal we signed not too long ago” Anika sighed leaning against one of the shelves “I go with you to wherever you want for ten days, and did what I was told .I kept my end of it and now it’s your turn. Sign it”

“Is this really essential right now?” he shuffled a foot forward “ is it so important that you had to barge into my office when am in middle of an import-“

“Why do you think I care about what’s important to you?” she spoke softly, letting some acid leak into her voice.
Shivaay stared at her, his lips pressing into a thin line. Anika straightened, holding her bag tightly “ sign it. And we’ll be done for. This is the only thing that connects us.  We finish this and we don’t have to face each other again” A dull ache echoed inside her chest, but she held it in.  I won’t break today.

“It’s what you wanted Shivaay. So just sign it and we’ll be done”

He took a deep breath, feeling his chest tighten “it’s what you wanted Shivaay” No he didn’t “So just sign it and we’ll be done” he didn’t want to be done. Not like this. Not yet.

He didn’t say anything. She looked down, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear, his eyes followed the moment, lingering a bit longer than he should.

He looked away, swallowing hard. He did this. He made her like this. And he had no right to be hurt.

His eyes snapped back to her, he opened his mouth to say it. Say one mean sentence that was so easy for him, and just end it. Just like it should happen.

“Anika..if this was about what happened that night.” Her eyes flashed at him and he bit down hard. What.did.he.just.say
“What about that night” she shrugged. But he saw it. The quick flash of hurt, before she looked away quickly.  Too quickly.

She bit her lip, as if she was trying so hard. His eyes followed her lips and this time he didn’t look away. He didn’t want to. He shuffled another foot forward, as a she was drawing him to her. She always did.

The electricity between them crackled. Stop it Shivaay a low voice suddenly growled at the back of his head. God he didn’t want to. All he wanted was to grab her, gather her in his arms and hold her so close that she would never think of being done with him.

Stop. Stop now!

His hand reached up, as if to touch her hair, just a tiny brush.

Stop before it is too late. The voice rumbled in a low warning.

He halted, his hand mid air. Anika stared at him bewildered, her eyes snapping back and forth between him and his hand.

Shivaay exhaled, flipped to the last page, and scribbled his name “ done.” He said handing the papers back to her shocked face “my sponsorship to your medical camp in return for your time. Done.”

He turned around taking long strides to the door, opened it and walked out. He walked fast back to his clients not wanting to look, because if he did he knew he would never let her go.