Attraction, desire, and sinfully beautiful, Mika Santana is a devil with the face of an angel. Despite her tragic past, she's never given up her ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance which leaves little to no room for matters of the heart. But...
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.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
