The Rose & Her Thorn

Part 7

"So, what would you like to have?" Vikram pulled the chair for her, prompting a grateful and hesitant smile from her, as she sat down into the chair muttering her barely audible 'thanks' to him. "Their Focaccia Bread and their Ribollita are quite soothing to the taste buds and the mind."

"Or would you like to indulge in some dessert and have their mouth-watering Tiramisu?" he prompted, taking his own seat across from her. Throughout their journey to reach the cozy cafe, she had expressed her words of admiration and appreciation in his regard, and he was certain that the little plan of his had worked better than he had expected, and had erased any doubts and apprehensions she had about him.

Shikha looked through the menu and tried - to no avail - to hide her shock at the prices. She was too dazed to realize the man who held reins of an entire state would not dine at any lowly cafe whose prices would be within her reach.

"I don't feel hungry, sir. I will stick with the sandwich," she said, noting it was the only affordable item on the menu, which was still about half of her day's salary.

"Come on, it is my treat, Shikha. Think of it as a compensation for what happened today," he retorted, shutting away her dissent as he called the server and ordered the items which he had suggested for her.

"It was not required, sir. You already did a lot for me."

"Like I said, it is a compensation. You are my mentee and I would not want you to be disappointed," he stated, and added his next sentence after he saw surprise and suspicion dance on her features, "Like all my employees. Satisfaction is the key to productivity."

"Sir, I will accept your compensation if you promise me something," she asserted, much to his surprise.

"Of course. Anything. Just say it," he said, leaning over the table and intertwining his fingers with one another.

"Please reconsider Sukriti ma'am's termination. I know how it feels to be unemployed or not have any stable source of money and I would not wish it upon anyone. I don't want to carry it upon my conscience that I snatched someone's job on my very first day at work."

She did not want to cross the line with the man seated across from her, and yet she could not stop herself from voicing out her earnest desire.

"Okay," he affirmed, nodding his head in approval. Sukriti would jump at the prospect of getting her job back, and she had given him another chance to impress her. He was going to reward her handsomely.

"Thank you so much, sir! I had so many questions about you when I joined. Your reputation precedes you, but I think some of it does no justice to you."

Her features softened and Vikram could swear he saw a flicker of melancholy and a hint of tears in her eyes. "I had no one place their unconditional trust in my skills or berate my offender without nitpicking my faults. I am really grateful to you for showing that I had the right to expect such support in my life, and for providing that support. Thank you."

Conscience coupled with guilt to slap him in the face. A thoughtful frown replaced his smirk as he realized he had played his cards so well that she was on the brink of worshiping him. He did not understand why regret surrounded his thoughts when he should rejoice at the opportunity which presented itself to him.

The server placed their orders on their table, pulling him out of his thoughts. He smiled at her slightly, hoping that she would understand his speechlessness after her confession. He dug into his food wordlessly and let the scrumptious taste win over his senses, numbing him to the other things momentarily.

"How is it? Did you like it?" he asked, looking at her earnestly, hoping to analyze her reaction to the food he had chosen.

"It's delicious, and that gives me one more reason to place my trust in you," she replied, a sincere smile dancing on her lips as gratitude pooled in her eyes.

She immediately knew that no one in her life would agree with her it was a good idea. To the masses and to the lowly nobodies of the city. He was the untouchable mafia lord and to place her unconditional trust in him sounded like the worst idea she had in years, and yet she could not stop her heart from embracing it.

That was the second time that afternoon she had left him speechless. He flashed her a weak smile, knowing well that her trust would be shattered into myriads of pieces if she ever learned that the entire situation with Sukriti was a well-planned ruse, and yet there is little that he would not do to claim her for himself.

All is fairly in love and war, they said, and he was not sure why he was ready to go to such extremes when it was none, but he was sure that he wanted to see himself in her beautiful and dreamy hazel orbs. It would be left to the fate if it would be the haze of passion separated him from his reflection in her eyes, or tears of betrayal.