Playing For Keeps

♤ "Some battles are won in court, others in the mind. The real game? Knowing which one your opponent is playing." ♤ “That’s the third time you’ve lost to her, Damien. Starting to look bad for your reputation.” Damien Vaughn barely glanced up from his whiskey as his friend, Gideon, smirked across the private lounge. “It’s not a loss. It’s a temporary setback.” “Sure. And I suppose Zara Madoxx just accidentally wiped the floor with you in court today?” Damien’s jaw tightened. Zara Madoxx. His newest headache and the only woman who had ever made him want to win and lose in the same breath. How was he even supposed to tell people that a petty lawyer kept beating his ass in court when he in fact had a Harvard graduate as a lawyer? “I need to relieve my lawyer of his duties. I don't think he knows why he was employed in the first place.” “To think he's a Harvard graduate.” Gideon mocked, taking a light sip from his glass of whiskey. The lounge was quiet and exclusive, a place for the wealthy and powerful. Soft amber lights cast shadows over dark leather seats and polished wood. The scent of whiskey and cigars hung in the air. Floor-to-ceiling windows showed the city below, a reminder of Damien’s influence. The only sounds were the clink of glasses and low conversations, calm, controlled, and full of power. The warm light brushed over Damien’s sharp jaw and high cheekbones, making his tanned skin stand out. Shadows moved across his face, giving him a bold, intense look. His black shirt hugged his broad chest and strong arms, showing the muscle beneath from relentless hours at his home gym. As he leaned back, the light caught the ridges of his forearm, the veins faintly visible; a quiet reminder of his strength. He thought back to what had happened in the courtroom between himself, his lawyer and the other lawyer, the one causing so much problems for him and he grimaced. Damien could still hear Zara’s voice in the courtroom, calm and confident. … "Your Honor, if Mr. Vaughn’s legal team had read the fine print, assuming they know how to read contracts properly, we wouldn’t be here today." A low murmur spread through the room. His Harvard-educated lawyer fumbled with his papers, eyes darting to Damien in panic. He stammered out a weak response, but Zara was already flipping through the contract. "Since the defense seems unprepared, I’ll gladly walk them through their own contract." Laughter followed. Even the judge fought back a smirk. Damien sat there, jaw tight, seething as the woman he had underestimated humiliated him in front of everyone. … The young lady was very much willing to fight against him and she kept showing her relentlessness every time they met in court. They hadn't spoken before but the look of irritation on her face always said it all. “I like her though. She's tough, confident and not easily accessible.” Gideon remarked. Damien sneered. He didn't think so. “Not easily accessible? In what context?” “In every context.” “I don't think so. She might look tough but I assure you she isn't as good as you assume.” “What makes you say so?” “She's a woman. I can prove to you that she's in fact very accessible.” “How do you intend to do that?” Damien smirked. He had some sneaky plans up his sleeves. He wanted to know what the so-called lawyer held under all that toughness. He wanted to know what she would look like pinned under him and begging for his mercy. He also wanted to prove to his friend that he could get her exactly the same way he could get any other girl into his bed. “When I'm done with my plans, she'll be at my beck and call. She'll be at my mercy.” He said with all confidence. “The Devil Himself!” Gideon cheered while Damien threw the last contents of his cup down his throat. ☆☆☆☆☆ “There’s nothing I love more than putting these spoiled rich people in their places. Just because they have some money doesn't mean they have to oppress the people under them.” Zara Madoxx replied to her client who was thanking her for the day's court session. Damien Vaughn was being sued for wrongful termination and defamation by a former high-level employee, Daniel Hawthorne, Zara’s client, who claimed he was fired and blacklisted after uncovering fraudulent accounting practices within Vaughn Industries. Zara Madoxx was representing Daniel, determined to prove that Damien not only fired him illegally but also spread damaging rumors that ruined his career. Zara knew men like Damien Vaughn too well. Rich, entitled, and convinced they could get away with anything. She had built her entire career proving them wrong, and today was just another win in the books. Zara was gathering her files in the nearly empty courtroom when she heard the slow, deliberate footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw someone she had least expected to find her. "Still here, Ms. Madoxx?" Damien’s voice was smooth. He took a good look at the woman who had decided to be a thorn in his flesh. He hadn’t really noticed her the last two times. At just 5'2", she carried herself like she was much taller, her confidence throwing him off. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a sleek, tight bun, neat, polished, no-nonsense. Her sharp, almond-shaped eyes, a deep hazel, missed nothing. Warm, sun-kissed skin, high cheekbones, and full lips that curved into a knowing smirk. She moved with quiet confidence, her heels clicking like a warning. She closed her folder and finally looked at him. He stood at the back of the courtroom, hands in his pockets, exuding confidence despite the loss he had suffered earlier. "If you're here to file an appeal, Vaughn, you should bring someone who can actually read a contract," she mocked. A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "You enjoy this, don’t you?" "Enjoy what?" She asked, playing clueless. "Playing Supehero. Knocking down the big, bad rich villain." Zara stepped out from behind the table, heels clicking against the polished floor. Not really. I just enjoy making people take responsibility for their wrong actions. It just so happens that you make it easy." Damien let out a quiet chuckle, moving closer. "Tell me, barrister, is it just business? Or do you have a personal grudge against me?" She tilted her head, her eyes moving back and forth between his, trying to decipher what he was thinking. Then she smirked. "The only thing personal here is the way your ego takes a hit every time I beat you." Damien’s gaze darkened, but he masked it quickly. "You think you know me, Ms. Madoxx." "I know your type," she corrected. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Then tell me, what type am I?" She could feel his breath very close to her, sending shivers down her spine. Zara didn’t step back. She met his stare with unwavering confidence. "Entitled. Used to getting what you want. Believes the world bends to your will because of your last name and a few billion in the bank." Damien chuckled, but it lacked humor. "A few billion? You sound like a woman who thinks she can’t be bought." He mocked. Her smirk widened. "That’s because I can’t." They stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. The air between them felt thick, charged with something neither of them acknowledged. Finally, Damien exhaled, shaking his head. "You might be the most frustrating woman I’ve ever met." "Good," Zara said with a smile of triumph, brushing past him. "That means I’m doing my job." She walked away without another word, leaving Damien standing alone in the empty courtroom, watching her go. And for the first time in a long time, he realized he didn’t just want to win. He wanted to break her. Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she left the courthouse, the cool air hitting her face. She ran a hand through her dark hair, thinking about the way Damien had looked at her in court. He hated losing, but losing to her? That seemed to hit even harder. Good. Zara had no patience for men who thought money made them untouchable. She didn’t care how powerful Damien Vaughn was, she was going to hold him accountable, just like she did with every other corrupt businessman who crossed her path. “Miss Madoxx, the press is outside,” her paralegal, Emma, said as she caught up. Zara sighed. “Let’s get this over with.” The moment she stepped outside, cameras flashed, and reporters started throwing questions at her. “Miss Madoxx, do you think Mr. Vaughn will settle?” “Is it true you’ve never lost a case against Vaughn Industries?” “Do you have a personal issue with Damien Vaughn?” Zara smirked at that last one. “My only issue is with corruption. If Mr. Vaughn keeps ending up on the wrong side of that, that’s on him.” And with that, she walked past the reporters, leaving them to their headlines and Damien Vaughn to his bruised ego. What she didn’t know was that Damien wasn’t planning to just win in court anymore. Now, he wanted to win against her. And he played dirty.