His Criminal Counsel

Chapter 1: The ClientThe courtroom smelled of stale coffee and desperation. The ceiling fans groaned under the weight of the Mumbai summer, pushing thick air in slow, lazy circles. Disha Naik sat at the defense table, tapping her pen against the polished wood, waiting.Her client was late.Not just any client. Raunak Parab. A name that didn’t just echo in the underworld—it ruled it. A man whose crimes were whispered about in police stations, feared in rival circles, and glamorized in dark alleys where ambition was built on blood and betrayal.Disha wasn’t new to high-profile cases. She had defended men who could buy verdicts, who twisted the law until it bent at their will. But this case? This was different. This wasn’t just about defense. It was about survival.The courtroom doors swung open. A moment of silence, as if the very walls held their breath. And then, he walked in.Raunak Parab.Clad in a tailored black suit, he moved like he owned the very ground beneath his feet. He didn’t look like a man facing a life sentence; he looked like he was here for a business deal. His confidence wasn’t arrogance—it was something more dangerous. The assurance of a man who knew that rules were written for people who couldn’t afford to break them.Disha stood up. Their eyes met."Ms. Naik, I presume?" His voice was smooth, deceptively calm, laced with amusement.She tilted her chin up. "You’re late."A ghost of a smirk. "Traffic. You know how Mumbai is.""Traffic?" She arched a brow. "Or making an entrance?"Raunak chuckled, sliding into the chair beside her. "Both."The judge walked in. The courtroom stirred. The trial of the decade was about to begin.Disha took a deep breath. She had defended criminals before. But none like him. None who made the law itself seem like a mere inconvenience.And for the first time in her career, she wasn’t sure if she was here to save him—or if she was the one who needed saving.---Chapter 2: The Game BeginsThe trial was a spectacle. The media had painted Raunak as a villain, a mastermind of crime who had evaded justice for years. Cameras flashed outside the courtroom, and journalists fought for every scrap of information. The prosecution came armed with its evidence—surveillance footage, financial records, informants who had turned against him.Disha had spent countless nights poring over every detail, searching for cracks in the case. But as the trial progressed, she realized the truth wasn’t as clear-cut as it seemed. Witnesses were unreliable. Evidence was circumstantial. And Raunak—he never looked worried.One evening, Disha sat in her office, surrounded by stacks of case files. Raunak arrived unannounced, leaning against the doorway with his usual effortless confidence."You should get some sleep," he said."I don’t sleep when my clients’ lives are on the line."He stepped closer. "Or when yours is."She looked up, startled. "What does that mean?""Let’s just say some people don’t like that you’re defending me."She felt a chill run down her spine. "Are you threatening me, Mr. Parab?"He smirked. "If I were, you’d know."---Chapter 3: Shadows and SecretsThe threats began subtly—strange calls in the middle of the night, unsettling notes slipped under her door. Then they escalated.One evening, as she walked to her car, she noticed a shadow lingering near the parking lot. She quickened her pace, gripping her keys tightly. Just as she reached her car, a voice rasped from the darkness."Drop the case, lawyer. While you still can."Then, just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone.Disha clenched her fists. If they thought fear would drive her away, they didn’t know her at all.---Chapter 4: The WarningThe warnings weren’t just for her. One night, her assistant was attacked outside their office. Bruised and shaken, she handed Disha a crumpled note.Last chance. Leave, or suffer the consequences.Raunak found out before she even told him. He arrived at her apartment late that night, his expression unreadable."You should have told me," he said."Why? So you could handle it your way?""Exactly.""I don’t need your protection.""You do. Whether you admit it or not."Their gazes locked. For the first time, she saw something in his eyes that wasn’t just control or power. It was something deeper. Something dangerous.---Chapter 5: Blood for BloodRaunak didn’t hesitate. The moment he learned the hoodie-wearing man had dared to threaten Disha, he tracked him down. The alleyway was dark, hidden from the city’s prying eyes.The man barely had time to plead before Raunak pulled the trigger. One shot. Clean. Efficient.Disha would never have to hear his threats again.Later that night, Raunak stood outside Disha’s apartment. When she opened the door, he didn’t let her speak.“I don’t like when people get between what’s mine.” His voice was low, possessive.Disha’s eyes widened. “Raunak, what did you—”“I took care of it,” he sai