He knows

Taking his silence as consent, she moved to walk ahead of him. She had to draw the line lest a misunderstanding should bloom or worse yet, he recognizes her. Was she getting ahead of herself? It did not matter, as long as she ensured a professional relationship between them.

While the world raved about the mysterious deaths of Claude's attackers, the three's afternoon was pretty quiet. When the two reached the study, May did not need to ask what happened. She had heard everything.

Claude disappeared into his room without a word. May wanted to guess his attitude had to do with Kareena's strictness. But she could not be sure as there was no way to read the man.

Kareena, on the other hand, went over details concerning the earlier findings and thinking of ways to at least get a lead on the case. She did make a promise to the President. But time and again, she mentally fought the urge to look in the direction of Claude's room.

The study soon reflected the golden hues of a setting sun. The slow but eventful day had finally come to an end, and darkness started to spread through the sky. Claude had still not showed himself.

His silence had her second guessing her decision. Was she too rush? He didn't remember her, nobody had insinuated anything about them, the President's gaze and the staff's could have meant anything, and she was not a master at reading people's minds. Was she too harsh on him?

"Bathroom break", May announced, bringing her back to Earth. 

Kareena nodded and watched as her friend left the room. Once more, she was left to her thoughts. Her gaze went to the adjoining room leading to Claude's room. She sighed, she shouldn't be beating herself up, he's not that decent of a man anyway.

Knock! Knock!

She turned to the door and moved to get it. The older man whom she had deduced to be the steward stood at the door.

"Good evening Miss. I've been trying to reach Mr. Walker but he's not answering his room line. Is he in?" 

"He is in his room but I'm not sure about the phone part", she answered.

"Right. Then could I trouble you with conveying this message? The guests have arrived and are waiting for him. I'll have to go back out to attend to them."

Talk to him after a whole day of silent treatment? "...Sure."

"Thank you."

The older man left. Kareena looked to the door with dread. Why on Earth did Miss Quinn assign this bloody case to her? Conveying a bloody message to a client has never been so difficult than in that moment. And May was not back from the bathroom, probably taking her time to check out the hot security.

"Let's do this", she mustered courage and moved to knock on the door. "Mr. Walker?"

Silence.

Another knock. "Mr. Walker?"

Silence.

She pressed her ear against the door and called once more only to get the same reply. Did something happen? Her heart started to thud from anxiety. She called once more.

"Mr. Walker, I have a message for you", she called out, still got silence. Her brows furrowed from worry. "Are you alright? I'm coming in?"

Silence.

She slowly pushed the door open and let herself in. The room was bigger than the study. It could easily work as a studio apartment. 

The lights were on. A huge bed sat in the middle, a sitting area, classical decorations elavated the place's beauty both on the ground and the walls. Each detail was magnificent and screamed expensive. The familiar woodsy yet clean expensive scent wafted to her nose as she walked in further.

"Mr. Walker?"

A rattle was heard. Her eyes fell on a door where she guessed the rattling came from. Her heart clenched into a fist as she quietly approached the room. She had called out long enough for him, she was no longer sure if it was him in that room she approached.

'1, 2, 3..' she counted and reached her hand out to grab the door handle-

Kareena: "..."

Someone opened the door before she could. The person stood with a head of wet hair, framing their face in bangs. The water dripped to their well sculpted chest, trickling down their delicious six pack abs, down to their V where their cock that seemed to retain its vigor under her gaze sat in between their long le-

"Oh my god!" She quickly gave him her back in panic and shielded her eyes with her hands. "What are you doing naked?!"

"Well, I wouldn't take a shower with my clothes on now, would I?" Claude replied. 

"Well, put some clothes on!"

 The man suddenly fell silent. He was probably dressing up, she guessed. Wait, why was she still there? She should leave the room.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know... Let me know when you-"

"Hmm", the man appeared before her, startling her and took steps towards her.

"What are you doing?" She retreated and took him in. The man leisurely covered his private bits with a towel, his gaze unwaveringly locked on hers.

"Mr. Walker, I'm warning you..." Her voice came out weak, surprising herself at the same time. Before she knew it her back hit the cold wall. Claude's tall figure towered over her and he placed both hands on either sides of her. 

"This is my room", he replied a bit too unbothered by their close proximity. "I can do whatever I want."

"You're insane", she moved to slide out of is trap only for his hands to hold her waist in a vice grip. "Mr. Walker-"

A throaty chuckle reverberated from him, his minty breath fanning her face, and his gray orbs piercing through hers. "Why are you still shy when you've seen...."

Kareena's limbs grew numb.

"Touched..."

Panic reflected in her widened eyes. No. It can't be... Her heart was beating even in her ears.

"And tasted... everything."

His grip on her waist had loosened but she was too panicked to notice. There was no way he recognized her. No way!

The girl chanted in her head, wishing for the current situation to be her imagination when his lips brushed against her ear to whisper a word that confirmed her worst fear.

"Kareena."

He knows!