Giggles escape from deep within my chest as I slam the door closed with my hip. The abrupt tremble of the door frightens Isabela, but she shrugs it off. My laughter rips through my chest in full snorting glory as I stare at the meme Asiel sent me. Ignoring my better judgment, I exchange phone numbers with a client.

It's odd.

I didn't feel inclined to, but I wanted to.

My cell phone isn't used for entertainment, but for business. The only apps I have downloaded are my bank app, Uber eats, security cameras, and Gmail. That's all I'll ever need. The only contact number I have is Diablo because of our arrangement with Demonio, and he always obtains the location information.

I never texted anyone for my pure enjoyment.

Yet, here I am, flirting with my client over a screen. Since he left Thursday morning, he had spammed my phone with memes, TikTok, photos of himself, and emojis, like it was his job. As opposed to my pictures, none of his photos were sexual, but he's sexy without trying.

In fact, he was dressed in steel-blue jeans and rugged black boots, paint up to his elbows, and a green smear across one cheek. He was crouching from how low the canvas is positioned, working a paintbrush, his triceps firm and veins poking out from his arm. He glances back over his shoulder, probably putting his phone on a timer to capture this aesthetic look.

It's sweet.

He's creating another painting of me in his favorite place-- his art studio.

The main focal point was the canvas he was painting, another piece of me, but I couldn't take my eyes off Asiel. He's my handsome addiction wrapped in seaweed-- salty and flavorful. Like his come. Jesus fucking christ. This man has me horner than a fucking dog! At this point, I'm going to be grinding against a pillow until he finally eases up and fucks me.

My attention diverts to the new notification on my phone from the one and only Asiel. The message brings me to the internet to TikTok again as another romantic song from Sam smith fills my ears. It's a plain ocean blue background with a paragraph deep in white reading--

"Have you ever met someone and they're so fucking perfect in every way? And maybe they aren't perfect to everybody, but to you, they're just absolutely amazing. The way they laugh and smile and talk and think and look and just everything about them and everything they do just keeps amazing you."

Along with a kissy face emoji and a pink thumping heart.

"Por qué se sonroja?" Isabela blurts, her nose scrunching with confusion.

(Why are you blushing?)

My phone nearly tumbles from my palm because of her obnoxiously loud voice. "I'm not blushing. Also, no Spanish. You're supposed to be practicing your English for school, Isabela."

Isabela rolls her eyes, slams her book shut, and tosses it to the vacant side of the couch. She springs onto her feet and rushes over to grab the grocery bags weighing down my arms. Since saving Isabela from being thrown into the Mazmorra, I've been harboring her in my apartment to keep her from being discovered by Diablo and his spies. She doesn't mind at all.

She's got everything she could ever want -- food, money, education, a private bedroom, electronics. It's so fucking gruesome that Diablo roped an innocent, lost teenage girl into this world. As a way of getting back at me for splitting my attention into two different tasks, putting Asiel before him.

Diablo hates when I adventure off by myself.

We're partners, but he likes to think he is in charge.

I don't let anyone control me, especially a man.

In my free time, I've been searching for any relative capable of taking care of Isabela and dragging her far away from here. My investigation hasn't made any progress, and Isabela seems to be the only living member. Just like how I was, even younger than her. I want to keep her here and help her persevere in the world, but I have no doubt Diablo is looking for her. It's way too fucking risky to keep her here any longer.

"Why you blushing?" She repeats in English, her Spanish accent lace in her words.

I stuff my phone in my back pocket and open the refrigerator. "I wasn't blushing, idiota. I was just watching a funny video."

Isabela stands upright, her arms crossed and her eyebrows arch in questioning. "Was it about that video of the man farting in the store? It's been trending all day. Did you get any chips?"

My lips assemble a flat line. "I did, but you should be eating healthier to get all your nutrients."

She purses her lips, almost touching her nose, before snatching the PuffBooties from the bag. "Okay, Mom! I'll make sure to eat an extra cup of veggies for dinner. Happy?"

My left eye twitches. God, she's such a fucking dramatic, bratty little girl. Why did I offer her housing again? Oh, right, because I decided to be a human for once. She should be worshipping me. Okay, maybe that's too much. But I'm only looking out for her health. The doctor said she's extremely underweight for her age. At the very least, I deserve a thank you for taking care of her while risking my agreement with Diablo.

Irritation spikes like igniting a match, but I quickly diffuse it. "I try to be. Anyway, I'm going away Friday, so I'll send Tania over for some company. Don't, in any circumstances, leave this apartment."

Isabela cracks open a soda can, takes a long sip, and burps. "Why do you always say the same thing as if I'm five years old and will forget?"

"I'm just making sure."

She shoves a handful of chips in her mouth and says, "I won't leave. There's nothing out there for me. Puedo conseguir un futuro si me quedo aquí."

(I can get a future if I say here.)

Her response reminds me why I'm so tough on only recruiting women and men interested in sex work. My case was different. I already knew what I wanted to pursue at a young age, but others didn't. They're lost, confused, alone. Strolling through the fantasy purple trees in pursuit of their perfect future. One wrong turn and wicked people take advantage of their naiveness. It's the way of life.

Survival of the fittest, but sometimes the weak one needs a little push.

I felt inspired to be that push for Isabela.

For some fucking reason.

Foggy, dull red hues flash Diablo Paraiso's hallways, causing streaks of scarlet red lines on individuals' faces. The air is musty, smokey, coming from the absurd amount of cigarettes and hookah in the strip. EDM music blasts from the speakers, shaking my footing as I make my way to my dressing room.

Opening the curtain, I catch Tania's fiery batch of curls as she practices her poses in the mirror. From the mirror view, she meets my gaze, and wears the brightest smile. She swings around, resting her palms on her drawer, and wiggles her eyebrows.

"Bitch! I feel like it's been ages since we talked," she says and narrows her eyelids. "You have a lot of explaining to do, starting with that on your desk."

Astonishment washes over my face as I creep forward to my gift clutter desk signed with an enormous heart-shaped card from Asiel. My duffel bag slips from my shoulders as my attention is fixated on the black rectangular box. With a single tug, it splits open, revealing roses arrange into a heart and a collection of Ferrero Rocher underneath.

I almost moan at the sight of Jimmy Choo Alia's crystal pointy-toe pumps resembling Dorothy's red ruby shoes. Matching perfectly with the diamond embroidered mermaid dress with a sexy, long slit on my thigh. It doesn't even end there. Asiel spoiled me with a collection of Versace shoes, glasses, and more from other brands.

"Do you have a new sugar daddy?" Tania asks, elbowing me in my ribcage.

My lips curve into a wide teeth grin as I try on my new favorite pairs of shoes. "No, it's just my Muñeco. He's infatuated with me."

She steals a piece of my chocolates and launches it into her mouth. "My, mmm? What's going on there?" She shimmies her eyebrows. "Damn, why do you always get the lucky ones? Does he know you can buy this all for yourself?"

I shrug my shoulders aimlessly. "Probably. Maybe if you become Damien's girlfriend, then he will spoil you. Or give him a nice blowjob. Either or will do."

Tania squeals, clapping her hands. "Holy shit! He asked to be your boyfriend? Fuck, you're going to break his little heart. I almost feel bad for him."

"Don't be." I wink, my tongue gliding over my teeth. "He's getting his money's worth."

"Gosh, you're a heartless bitch." She takes a lollipop from the painted vase on my desk and sucks on it. "Serious question. How good is he in bed? Is his cocky as mouth-watering as I imagined? Veiny? You know I have a thing for veiny, thick cocks."

I laugh, strutting in my new pumps, and admire them through the mirror. "It's just the way you imagined, maybe even better. Sadly, I haven't gotten him to fuck me yet. I have yet to find the key to his chastity belt, but I will. Damn it, Tania."

His body is inhumanly sculpted, with stone, tone muscle on his chest, back, and thighs. His legs are aggressive, twice as thick as mine. My mouth salivates as I recall his cock standing up thick and straight, the head twitching every time I touched it. I love sucking cock, especially Muñeco's because, like he's stated, he's all mine.

"What?"

I clench my thighs together. "I'm so fucking horny now."

Tania saunters over, her fingernail trailing up my forearm, and she places soft open-mouth kisses on my shoulder blades. "That's not a problem, baby. I have a few minutes to spare if you want to sneak off."

My lips tremble with need, lust, and kinkiness. Tania continues upward, leaving a trail of wetness from my shoulders to my neck, feeling so fucking good. Her fingers swirl circles over my bra, instantly causing my peaks to harden, desperate for a squeeze. She slips her fingertips into my bra and pinches my nipple between her fingers.

I throw my head back; the heat rushing to my stomach. "That sounds wonderful, but I have a session with my Muñeco."

Tania frowns, protruding her lips. "You really give up a fun time for him? I'm shocked. I don't think this is the real, Mika. You must be a clone."

I roll my eyes. "No, I'm very much the original. But in honor of my boyfriend, I'm resisting any sexual activity not involving him."

She erupts into laughter, hiccuping as she grasps for air. "That's a good one. Now, go suck his cock and convince him to buy me some shoes."

Keeping the pumps on, I fling my dress over my head and onto the floor. A puddle of flowery goodness. As I bend over to look at the treasure chest of clothing, Tania smacks my ass cheek, and it jiggles from impact. A pair of intimates sparkle underneath the illuminating lights, catching my attention.

It's a sparkle chain bra and panty embroidered with rhinestones. Bedazzled chains rest against the curve of my hips, finishing below my ass and blending perfectly with my pumps. Asiel would be a dumbass for turning me down, but knowing him-- he will.

Applying the last coat of lip gloss, I send a kiss to myself because of how fucking irresistible I look. Honestly, the world should be grateful for my existence because I'm one of the seven wonders. My eyebrows knit together as my ringer goes off, receiving a notification from Asiel and an app.

Asiel's message reads, "I've so desperately missed you all day. I'll be there in twenty. Can't wait to see you."

Because of my corrupted soul, I couldn't resist the urge to send Asiel a picture of my ass in this g-string. It showcases the curves of my hips, the arch of my back, and the thickness of my cheeks. My legs tone, olive and long. A picture capable of causing Asiel to swerve into traffic. A photo-worthy of becoming my screensaver.

After admiring myself for a second longer, I click on the other message sent from my alarm system at Isabela's place. My heart drops to the pit of my stomach as I desperately open the app and click on the cameras. Static. Black and white, nothingness. I press the rewind button and watch the last frame received from my cameras.

An image of Isabela thrown over the shoulder of a big, buffy wrestler, and he spanks her ass as punishment for her constant protest. Anger smears into my skin as if I dump a bucket load of paint on myself.

I grab a trench coat and button it. "Fuck, I left something at my place. I'll be back if you find my Muñeco. Just tell him I'm running late."

She sends a thump up. "Got it."

My driving is hysteria, switching in and out of lanes in a frenzy. Countless horns scream at me, but I continue my recklessness, determined to reach my apartment. Instead of twenty minutes, I'm in my driveway in ten. My door is agape, the light from inside creaking through the cracks into the darkness.

Slipping through, I find Isabela's dinner of mashed potatoes and chicken spread across the floor. The plate smashed into pieces. The gallon of gravy overflowing, flaming, spilling to the floor and creating a size-ten shoe print. Diablo's size. It has to be him. The bodyguard's feet are at least a size twelve from his larger, bulky frame.

But what does he want with her? He has an entire city of naive teenagers miserable for a dream, but he comes after Isabela.

Is he really reacting out of spite for me?

Or is Isabela not the girl I thought she was?

Anger blazes through me like a firework, exploding in the sky, colorful, but dangerous. Motherfucker. What is Diablo doing? He had always claimed we were business partners, and I took his words with a grain of salt, but he's been proven truthful till our argument a week ago. Is all this a game? Playback for letting go of my responsibilities?

Regardless, I'm going to fucking kill him.

He has betrayed me, and I'm going to blast a bullet through his skull.

There is no greater mistake than fucking Mika Santana over.

I don't play when it comes to my enemies.

You would think Diablo knows that.

I'm tired of men always underestimating me.

Woah.... Such a complex chapter I wrote lol! It has some sexy, genuine, frighten moments... well I hope you guys are as scared as Mika...

Do you think Diablo took Isabela? Or someone else?

Are we ready to see how badass Mika can be?😝😉

Thank you guys so much for reading this chapter and I cannot wait to read all your comments and thoughts thus far... hehe like every chapter just gets better

And better...

I swear!!

Love ya❤️❤️❤️