Tainted laws

01

"To thine own self be true" - William shakespeare

ALEXA

Whack.

oh for fucks sake.

that's the only thing I can think of, as I stare at the abnormal size of the paperwork that has just been hurled onto my desk. Every single time I reach the end of a large case, somehow, in some way I am greeted by more paperwork larger than the last, larger than my need to sleep.

"Really big case this time Lex" is all Morgan mutters to me with an exhale, puffing his cheeks out, eyes wide.

My assistant Morgan handles which cases I take on, my calendar appointments, lunch breaks. Literally everything, he may as well handle my sleep schedule, I might be able to sleep if he does.

"How big Morgan?" I question

"Steele" He whispers almost inaudibly, his piercing blue eyes apologetic.

"Morgan, you know my boundary, my only boundary, I am not taking this on" I say as my gaze remains stoic

My parents have always been, relatively involved, in some relatively illegal business. They were the second largest crime family in London. They built their empire in Russia and wanted more, becoming unbearably power hungry, painfully power hungry.

They forced the "business" onto my older brother when he was merely 22 and tried to build me my own empire in London. They wanted to rule the world.

I ran, as far as I could.

I died 3 years ago, well, died in their eyes.

After I died I forged a new identity, same name, just a new person. Fast tracked my law degree, my masters and the bar course and started my own chamber of barristers. At 23 I'd say i'm quite successful. It took my 6 painful, broke, student years but I prevailed.

This case however digs up those 17 year old memories I pushed into the deep my almost unreachable subconscious. Almost.

Remember when I said that the business I was meant to take over was the second largest mafia. Steele is number 1, top of the food chain, and so happens to be my parent's biggest problem. My parents grew it all fast, too fast for Logan Steele. So now they have this shitty, petty beef about who is the bigger bad man in London.

Pathetic.

I would be the biggest idiot to take this on, I didn't change my actual name which means Mr Steele will realise Alexa Martinova owns Angel Chambers in Oxford.

I was dumb to not create a whole new identity but, my name is so fucking pretty I couldn't. Not many people come across my surname. I don't have it up on my website, I don't post anything about me on social media. Nothing. Because first of all, when would "powerful men" let a woman help them and the second of all my past or family is not the most of legal.

Back to the subject at hand.

"Morgan I will never defend someone I know to be violently guilty" I say in a monotone voice.

I always keep my emotions at bay, I learned the hard way they are only for my head. Hence why they are mine.

"It's hefty money Alexa" he pleads as if his life depends on it. "plus it's quite...interesting"