CARNAL

XI

The rain washed away some of the blood on the asphalt and cleaned Siraj's hands as he retreated into darkness. Crimson streaks dripped onto his face just as lightning cracked across the sky like an ominous testament of what fate had just transpired. The bitter taste of Wilhelm's end upon his lips sealed his pact with Mijako: nothing and no one would ever threaten her again.

The dim lights of the strip club couldn't conceal the dark emotions brooding within Siraj as he pushed open the heavy door. The thick air enveloped him, a mixture of smoke and lust blanketing the room like a shroud. He had just taken the life of the governor, his hands still trembling from the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Stepping over the threshold, Siraj felt a twisted sense of comfort at returning to this place where sin was both indulged and celebrated in equal measure. Strippers slid along poles with ease, glistening skin drawing hungry eyes like moths to a flame. He found a seat at the bar, every movement deliberate, as though tempting fate itself.

Across the room, Mijako stepped forth upon the stage. A vision of sheer beauty, she danced upon her pedestal with unparalleled grace and fluidity. Her hips swayed in an entrancing rhythm as she arched her back towards the ceiling in an almost feline manner. He could feel his heartbeat quicken at the sight of her body effortlessly moving through space. A primal desire was ignited deep within him; one that blazed with ferocious intensity.

As Mijako continued her dance, he felt something change in his emotional landscape. The raw carnal desire that he once attributed to his physical longing for Mijako evolved into something more profound—a desperation for connection in a world filled with treachery and deceit. Each supple movement of her body became an incantation that eroded away his emotional barriers while simultaneously building up his courage.

In a corner booth far removed from prying eyes, Siraj sipped on a glass of whiskey, nursing it carefully to delay its inevitable end. The warm liquid scorched its way down his throat, providing some momentary solace from his dark thoughts.

As he watched Mijako twist and turn on stage, sensuous fingers tracing invisible patterns along her body, he began to feel the weight of his actions bearing down upon him. The governor's lifeless face flickered in and out of his mind, haunting him as contrasting images of Mijako's delicate form ebbed and flowed.

This nightly ritual of sin and repentance was not lost on Siraj; he was fully aware of the hypocrisy present in his actions. Entrenched within the walls of his strip club, where purity was reduced to naught but an abstract concept, he sought solace from a world that had robbed him of all semblance of innocence.

The seductive crescendo of Mijako's dance had reached its zenith. Her fingers, tracing a final intricate pattern along her skin, seemed to pull every fiber of Siraj's being towards her. It was a magnetic force too powerful for him to resist. As she finished with an extravagant spin that left her hair fanned out around her like a halo, she captured the lustful gazes of everyone present—and yet, only one mattered to her.

In that moment, Siraj felt as though he existed outside of time itself—his heart pounding with anticipation for each passing moment, and yet racked with profound sorrow for the consequences his choices had brought upon him.

Mijako stepped down from the stage amidst hoots and applause; however, she had eyes only for Siraj. As she approached him with slow and deliberate steps, their eyes locked, and all else faded into oblivion. For one fleeting moment nestled within eternity, they shared a realm untainted by their sins—dancing against the backdrop of a world on fire.

Mijako's eyes suddenly flickered wide open with fear as she caught sight of her mafia siblings making their way inside the establishment. Lola, Bishop, and Kissani were an imposing trio; known for their ruthless dealings and violent inclinations. It was clear they were searching for her.

Siraj must have sensed the sudden shift in her demeanor, because he looked at her worriedly and asked, "What's wrong, Mijako?"

Before she could respond, Lola spotted them from across the room and signaled her siblings. They began stalking towards Mijako and Siraj like predators closing in on their prey. Panic welled up in Mijako's chest as she whispered to Siraj, "My siblings are here."

Siraj's face grew tense as he spotted them too. He knew there would be no easy way out of this situation.

As they moved closer, Bishop craned his neck to take a closer look at Siraj who met his icy gaze without flinching. The tension between them was palpable.

Lola finally broke the silence, all the while scrutinizing Siraj with her piercing eyes. "Well, well... If it isn't little Mija," she cooed in a mocking tone.

Without missing a beat, Mijako retorted, "What are the three of you doing here together?" None of them acknowledged Siraj.

"You seriously thought we wouldn't come pay you a visit, Bishop is the only one that get to know where you work?" said Kissani disdainfully.

The three siblings stood menacingly over Mijako and Siraj when Lola turned her attention to him once again. "You know, Mr. Catori," she started with a half-smile, "this establishment of yours... It would be a perfect spot to wash some money through."

Bishop chimed in, "Yeah. After all, who'd suspect a strip club of anything shady?"

Feeling cornered yet defiant, Siraj replied tersely, "This place is clean, and I intend to keep it that way."

The air grew heavy as they exchanged stares. Mijako's heart thumped wildly in her chest; she knew they had no choice but to cooperate.

Lola leaned closer towards Siraj, playing with her dark curls. "Well, let's hope you'll change your mind." Her voice was sultry and menacing.

"We'll be in touch," warned Kissani.

And with that, the three siblings turned on their heels and disappeared into the crowded room.

Siraj and Mijako were left at their table, shaken by what had just transpired.

Mijako trembled softly as she muttered, "I'm so sorry about this..."

Siraj clenched his jaw and sighed deeply before responding: "Don't be."

"Look, Mija," he started, his voice almost pleading. "You can tell I feel strongly about you and there isn't anything I wouldn't do to make sure you feel supported, but getting involved in money laundering..."

Mijako cut him off with a swift wave of her hand. "You think we chose this life?" she retorted, her voice heavy with frustration. "We got dealt a shitty hand, Siraj. But my brother and sisters? They won't back down from this 'opportunity,' if that's what you want to call it."

Siraj shook his head in disbelief, surveying Mijako's face for any hint of uncertainty. But all he found in those determined eyes was steely resolve.

"They said it themselves," she continued, the words leaving her lips like venom. "They don't care what happens - jail, violence - it doesn't matter to them anymore. They'll risk everything to keep us on top."

Siraj finally stopped pacing and looked Mijako straight in the eye. "And what about you?" he asked softly, an edge of desperation seeping through his voice. "Do you really believe that taking dirty cash is the answer?"

She hesitated for a moment before responding with an almost imperceptible nod. "I don't want to do it," she admitted quietly, her voice shaking ever so slightly. "But I can't turn away from them now, not when they need me the most."

"You know there's no going back from this, Mija," Siraj warned, running a hand through his hair. "You cross that line, and there's no un-crossing it."

"I know," Mijako replied. Her eyes never wavered from his, but a trace of sadness flickered within them. "But I'm willing to take that chance. For them, it's better them coming than my father, he isn't as 'nice'."

Siraj clenched his hands into fists at his sides, a feeling of helplessness threatening to consume him. He could see how hard Mijako was fighting to protect her family, and yet every fiber of his being was screaming at him to stop her. But he knew he couldn't.

With a defeated sigh, he stepped closer to her and encircled her in an embrace. She hesitated for only a moment before burying her face in his chest, pleading with the universe that she was making the right choice.

"Give me time to think," Siraj whispered against the top of her head. "Whatever it takes, we'll get through this together."