My hand glides across the page, finishing up my thoughts before heading into work. Every evening comprises brainstorming ways to utilize Asiel once he has reached the final stage. He is learning faster than I expected, but I am a fucking fantastic teacher. This isn't a complaint. The quicker he develops, the faster I can ascend to the top of the food chain.

My intentions are plain fucking clear. One by one, the pieces are falling into exactly where I want them. Asiel is my victim, a bloodless corpse, as I swallow every last inch of his blood. It's a fault in the universe calculations to drop Asiel in my path. What did it expect? For me to worry about a naive boy in a dirty, nasty, cruel world?

No fucking chance.

He's a lot of fun. I'll give him that.

It's a free show, in more ways than another. How can I complain when I get my pussy eaten out every fucking day? If only Asiel allowed me to pleasure him, then he wouldn't dream of ever leaving. A good fuck, pussy, ass toys with the men's species, making it easier to control them. Our bodies are like nature's form of mind control, and who am I to waste it?

My heels scratch the red carpet as I give a flirtatious wink to Sergi, earning a flustered response. It's amusing to watch tough, scary, gritty men blush because of my actions. My tote-bag bangs against my hips as I stride over to Diablo's office for my allowance. Confusion sneaks through the uncharted territory of my brain as I pass by an unfamiliar face.

Something feels incredibly off.

My gaze dithers around the murky hallway, realizing tons of new strippers are unknown to me. What the fuck? This one girl captures my attention: her cheekbones are prominent, beautiful even, but uncertainty lingers in her eyes. There's no way she's older than fifteen. The girl clutches her anime backpack, shaking like a leaf in her chair.

Throwing on a sweet smile, I stop by the girl. "Are you new? Sorry if it's random. I just never seen you before. I'm Mika, basically second in command here."

Her bangs fall over her eyes, obscuring her view as she glances at her converse shoes. "H-Hola, soy Isabela. Es mi primera noche aquí. Fui reclutada por Diablo la semana pasada cuando fui al cine."

(H-hello, I'm Isabela. It's my first night here. I was recruited by Diablo last week when I went to the movies.)

In a movie theater? At a quick glimpse, her story wouldn't raise any red flags, but it's the way she constructed her sentences. Her expression was a dead giveaway as well: shaky bloodshot eyes, gnawed nail buds, vigorously licking her lips, tapping her foot. Something sinister is occurring because of my absences, and it better not fucking be what I think it is.

"Te dio un tour de antemano? La disposición de los pisos es bastante compleja para un primerizo." I rub her back, trying to ease the trembling nerves radiating off of her.

(Did he give you a tour beforehand? The layout of the floors is quite complex for a first-timer.)

She shakes her head, her eyes drooping with doubt. "N-No. Sólo me dijo que me presentara a mi cita de la una en el calabozo."

(N-No. He just told me to show up for my one o'clock appointment at the dungeon.)

My eyes widen, bulging from their sockets. It's exceptionally rare for a Recruitee to be tossed into the dungeon on their first night. The key to surviving the dungeon is through security in your mental health. The other floors are like paradise compared to the heavy shit we go through in the dungeon. Being fucked, demolished, destroyed like a useless doll fucks with people's mindset if they're not strong enough to handle it.

This girl wouldn't last five minutes down there.

How can Diablo be so fucking oblivious to something so obvious?

I grab her shoulders and pull her over to the corner for a bit of privacy. "Mira, vete a casa a pasar la noche, yo le diré a Diablo que te has resfriado y has vomitado. Si las cosas empeoran, tomaré tu turno y tomaré la caída. De acuerdo?"

(Look, you go home for the night, I'll tell Diablo that you've caught a cold and thrown up. If things get worse, I'll take your turn and take the fall. Ok?)

Her lips quiver. "Siempre me está observando."

(He is always watching me.)

My eyebrows furrow. "Who?"

"N-No puedo..."

(I-I can't.)

I briefly glance at the hallway, catching a glimpse of my familiar red-head colleague. Interlocking my hands with her, I drag us over to Tania, and I yank on her arm, causing her phone to tumble to the floor.

"What the fuck!" she seethes.

I roll my eyes, grabbing her phone. "Oh, shut up. There isn't a single crack! See," I say, swapping the phone back and forth. "Look Tania, I need a quick favor from you."

Her eyebrows slant into a look of confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Could you pretty please bring her to my house in the Hudson yards? It's a fucking long story, but she isn't ready to enter the dungeon, and I won't let her," I explain, stroking Isabela's head.

Tania smacks her lips, eyeing the younger girl beside me. "Alright, but she isn't the only one. Diablo hired a dozen girls with no experience, and is throwing them in without the proper insurance. Things have been changing lately. Why?"

I shrug my shoulders. "How am I supposed to know?"

She gives me the 'are you kidding me' look. "Out of everyone, you guys have the tightest relationship. He never does anything without getting your input first, so what's the sudden change?"

"Just take Isabela to my house. I'm going to get to the bottom of it," I declare, surging with fiery rage, ready to take down a forest.

Leaving Isabela in the lovely hands of Tania, I march down the zig-zag walkway straight into Diablo's office. My infuriating presence remains unnoticed as Diablo reads through his catalog about stupid shit. Clenching my knuckles, I pivot over to my other leg and kick the door with a slam.

With tight lips, he drops his packet on his desk. "It's always splendid to receive a visit from the great Mika. It's a bit overdue, no?"

I narrow my eyes. "Stop being a petty bitch. I've visited multiple times."

His eyes darken, sporting a frown. "For your check and your assignments. Not for me. That hurts, Mika. I value our private time together."

"Stop the bullshit," I say through gritted teeth. "You need to do some explaining, starting with the new recruiters roaming around Paraiso. Why do I feel like the only one in the dark? Since when have you started recruiting people?"

He rubs his tense forehead in circles. "Since you became attached to Asiel's hip," he mutters. "Calm down, Mika. I'll explain everything. Just take the spot on my lap, and I'll sing like a bird."

"You better."

Ignoring my better judgment, I stroll over to him and take the vacant spot on his lap. Oddly enough, Diablo loves this power play because it makes it seem like he is in charge. However, Diablo forgets there's always more to the eye, especially when I am in the equation.

Taking my pretty little spot on his lap, I gently drape my arm around his neck. "Now, get those lips moving before I staple them shut."

His body rocks as laughter erupted from his chest. "Mika, the club runs on oil like any other machine. You might be making me millions, but I have other clients in need of new, inexperienced girls in the dungeon. The money you're bringing in is the only reason I'm letting you slack off."

My brow leaps to my hairline in exasperation. "Baby, how have I been slacking off?" With his head turned to the side, it left his neck full reign for a display of kisses. "I bring in billions. I never miss a shift, and I've finished the job in Brooklyn. There's nothing else left for me to do except give you a night to remember."

His fingers roam my scalp, flipping my hair into a bird's nest. "Tempting, mi Reina, but you forgot one thing." He hooks his fingers underneath my chin, stopping my kissing ambush on his neck. "Who is supposed to bring in new girls when my sexy pimp is infatuated with a client?"

Fuck.

Fire engulfs my body, charring the blood, organs, nerves into plain old dust as he catches me off guard. A part of my job description is to find willing, smart, money-hungry people to bring into the business. My time off was the only time I devoted to recruiting eligible people, but my lessons with Asiel threw me off balance. Either I'm too exhausted from the night before, or I'm brainstorming ideas for our next meeting.

"Have you forgotten what you owe me?" he asks, his lips protruding to imitate a pout.

I bite my lip. "Diablo, there are only twenty-four hours in a day, and it's impossible to complete every task. My responsibilities have been pushed aside for an urgent matter, but I'm all here. As an apology, I'll bring in a swarm of Angeles. However, because of my generous hospitality, I expect the truth about these girls. How old are they?"

Diablo brushes the hair off my shoulders, slanting down to place kisses on my bare skin. "I know you've always been noisy, Mika, but you always hid it better."

My lips twitch. "Just tell me, Diablo. How old is Isabela? From my calculations, she can't be older than fifteen. It seems one of us has forgotten our sacred rules. Do you recall them, Diablo?"

He scoffs, poking his tongue through his cheek. "Only death could make me forget. This rule has always been negotiable, Mika. I only agreed because of what we had been through. The only way for teenagers to remain unscathed is if you are in charge, Mika. So wake the fuck up and stop this shit with Asiel."

A breath hisses out of me. "Baby, I haven't closed my eyes since I was seven years old. My priorities might've switched, and for that I'm sorry, but every move comes with an objective. What's so wrong about a girl getting everything that she's ever wanted?"

A rumble of laughter slips between his lips. "So, all this little business with Asiel serves a purpose? I don't like him getting too close to you, Mika. It's always been you and me. I don't want anything to change that."

The air is almost sucked from my lungs.

It's been a decade since I last heard that phrase. To each other, the expression is saturating in a period of hopelessness, darkness, coldness-- death. We never spoke it senseless. Diablo said it because he's feeling lonely, worthless like a broken old toy I just traded for a new model. While I indulge in a shiny new plaything, I don't give away all my recyclables. Diablo is on my leash until I say so.

Because to him, that phrase meant everything.

While it only leaves a bitter taste in mine.

"It's always been you and me, huh? The promise has been bullshit since the beginning, Eugene!"

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, I fix his disheveled tie. "Seriously, all this because of Asiel? He is as harmless as a fucking rock. What is there to worry about?"

Diablo grabs my chin, forcing it heavenward, meeting his penetrating, dark, severe, worried eyes. "Nothing good follows when an angel collides with a fallen one. There are only two outcomes, and the second one frightens me. I can already see how addicted you're to him. Break that boy before things get complicated because I promise you it will."

I stare blankly at him. "Worrying gives you wrinkles, baby. I suggest chilling out. Listen here, Diablo, because I don't enjoy repeating myself. The terms are fairly simple. I'm going to milk that pretty boy dry and be Queen of his empire. The agreement was always for both of us to make it big. Being an expensive escort is not what I'd planned for myself."

A smile curves on his lips. "I love your ambition. It's a fucking turn-on. But Mika, there's only so much light that reflects off a dark soul before absorbing it." He grips my cheeks so tight, my jaw aches from his force. "If the circumstances change, then tell me. I'm a bullet away from ending him already."

With a dainty grin, I rise from his lap, considering putting a fucking bullet through his skull. "Isabela isn't coming for her shift tonight, nor is she coming back. If I find any more teenagers working in his club, I'll murder you myself."

He gives his head a shake, letting out a small breath of amusement. "Don't worry, mi Reina. I won't make another move without your consultation first."

My frustration mix with turmoil.

On my way out, I slither my hand over his storage cabinets, stealing his revolver. If Diablo had a brain, he would let me walk out with it and relieve some stream. As associates, it's disrespectful to receive his negative energy about my private activities with Asiel.

If a doctor performed an operation on me, they wouldn't find a normal heart but a black, tar, dusty heart. Red haze clouds my eyes, straining everything with the desire to explode. Motherfucker. I could go for a joint right now. Anything to keep from erupting like a damn volcano.

My heels stomp on the marble floors until I kick my private room door open, fuming as if fire would expel from my fingertips. Blowing out a sharp breath, I align the pistol and shoot, striking the wall. The slug flies into the wall, hitting bullseye. My anger only depleted by one percent.

He eyes me warily, almost fearfully. "W-What the hell?"

Spinning on my foot, I watch as his eyes come my way, lingering longingly on my Glock. "Don't worry, I'm not looking for a victim unless it's four concrete walls."

An array of bullets follows, hitting the wall perfectly every single time. Giggles rumble from my chest as I catch Asiel crouching, covering his ears with his hands. The bitterness running through my veins collides with the amusement Asiel brought me.

He trembles, remaining squatted on the floor. "Is there a reason why you're shooting up the place? Did the wall commit a crime when I fell asleep yesterday?"

The tiniest bit of amusement crosses my face. "Sometimes I want to watch the world would burn. I love the chaos, the rampage, the terror. It's a warmup for my home."

A frown mars his eyebrows. "What evoked all this, Mika? What's the sudden cruel outlook on the world?"

I shrug. "No reason. It's just a daily thought. One day, we're breathing, living life as if there isn't an expiration date until everything goes black. Do you think about it sometimes?"

He's my beautiful obsession.

Asiel nervously rakes his fingers through his comb-over raven hair, biting on those delicious lips that always brought me to heaven. My breath catches in my throat as I take in his appearance: a white muscle-tee emphasizing his tone biceps, the grey joggers clinging to his skin. The way I wanted to jump his bones and taint him already.

He shakes his head. "It might sound stupid considering the industry I'm in, but no. Death follows all of us. It's an entity attached to our ankles since we were born, dragging us along until it's our time. Why spend the rest of my life afraid of turning corners? I know I have to live with more security, but no matter how tough someone is... we all die."

My Glock carelessly twirls around my finger as I ponder over his creative way of thinking. Opinions are subjective, but I valued his. Unlike the other dark essences around me, Asiel isn't chained down by his demons. They're fighting for an entrance into his pure soul like I am, but his morality is his strong suit.

I planned a different session today, but I always liked being impulsive.

Striding to him, I grab his hands and enclose them around the Glock, leaving it in his grip. A breath of shock escapes Asiel when my hands drag his hands heavenward, aligning the pistol with my forehead. My breathing remains steady, barely changing a pitch.

"Why don't we play a little game of Russian roulette?" I ask, spinning the cylinder. "Only one is left. It's about time I put my luck to the test. I'm sure Satan is ready for a companion."

His mouth drops. "Are you fucking crazy?"

"Listen up! When the time comes, you will be face-to-face with your enemy. The world isn't sunshine and rainbows. When the gun is pointed dead blank between your eyes, there are only two solutions. Do or die. If you're afraid, might as well cross yourself off the list," I explain, licking my lips and eyeing the pistol. "To survive, you have to conqueror the serenity death comes with because if you don't fear death, it can't control you."

His chest rises and falls repeatedly. "I-I can't. The chances are in your favor, but I can't risk it. I can't bear watching you suffer. Your life is worth more than this shitty lesson." He tries to drop his hands, but I hold him still. "Stop it. Let me drop it."

"Do it," I urge him.

"No."

"Do it."

He groans, throwing his head back. "Stop being a little brat. I'm not pulling the trigger."

"Either you do it or I'll do it," I say through gritted teeth. "Please."

My eyes close as his warm, masculine scent sinks through my skin and sends a pulse through my veins. Opposed to his scent, all I can feel is the chilliness from the cold barrel against my forehead.

His words soften. "Fuck, Mika. I'm fucking terrified! This lesson isn't working. I can't do it."

Opening my eyes, I stare at him blankly, watching the slickness coating his green irises. "Muñeco, I'll be fine. I promise you. If you trust me, you will pull the trigger. Do you trust me?"

The barrel trembles against my forehead from his shaky grip. "I do. I do, Mika. I fucking trust you more than my familia."

In the blink of an eye, the trigger ticks, and an empty barrel is revealed. Asiel gasps for relief, dropping the gun and himself to the floor. His vulnerability shines through, reminding me of when he came here in the middle of a panic attack. It was a disturbing, harsh, ruthless lesson, but it had to be done.

Dropping to my knees, I wrap my arms around the trembling man and caress his back. His breaths come in fast and hard spurts. Asiel's forehead comes to rest on my shoulder, and I focus on the sound of his harsh breaths as static plays through my mind. His hand moves to my back, and he tugs me the slightest bit closer, warm air fanning my shoulder blades.

"S-Sorry," he says in a strained voice.

"Don't be," I reply, conveying the same tone. "It's hard for anyone."

He stiffens briefly and pulls away, drying the tears streaming down his cheeks. "How did you master this? How do you accept death?"

I wipe his last lone tear. "It's something I wouldn't wish on my worse enemy. You don't have to worry about it, Muñeco. If the situation arises, I'll be there, and I'll pull the trigger. Taking away a soul changes you forever. I'll make it my mission to keep you from experiencing it..."

Woah....

Mika took it too far right guys? I kind of feel bad for Asiel! Poor Angel didn't deserve to go through that fear of losing someone else! Also how f^cking disgusting of Diablo to hire underage girls... I can't stand him... Mika please take care of him!!!

Who thinks Mika went too far?

What are your predictions on Mika's backstory? I want to know what you guys think her life has been up to this point...

Do we all dislike Diablo?

Thank you guys so much for thirty-two thousand on Mika!! It makes me so happy to see her blooming and gaining love! It also keeps me motivated so thank you guys for that!!

Love ya❤️