There wasn't a seed of doubt that my plan would work.

When someone as clever as me comes up with a scheme, it always works out to a tea. Diablo, Luka, and Asiel all fall into their places and welcome my result. The only downside is my relationship with Luka is after tonight. He will no longer reveal his intentions unless he's intoxicated. Even then, he wouldn't take the chance to get drunk in my presence.

I guess I could always drug him if needs come to it.

It's about options, people. Fooling Asiel is like taking candy from a baby. Extremely fucking easy. It's a characteristic he desperately needs to work on if he wants to survive in this world. Every time he looked at me, I could read the turmoil churning in his eyes. Poor innocent Asiel tried fighting against his urges, but he couldn't.

I make him crazy, apparently.

Excitement bubbles through my veins like overheated water as Asiel slowly unravels the cloth holding up his mask. It slips to his hands, revealing sculpted features. His emerald eyes gleam with sincerity, mixing perfectly with his cupid-bow plump lips. My knuckle skits over his cheekbones, making his breath hitch from my touch.

"Hiding a handsome face like this should be a crime, Asiel," I scold, clicking my tongue. "I should tie you up right now for keeping this away from me."

His lips tilt into a boyish grin. "Estoy tentado, but later." His hand encloses my wrist, gradually bringing it down. "Right now, I want to tell you about myself, even if I get nothing in return."

(I am tempted.)

Faster than I can blink, he dips beneath my knees and carries me bridal style to the mattress. A cheery laugh falls from my lips. Once he finishes assorting the pillows, he leans downs with his elbow behind his head. Asiel's smirks deepen when I angle over his sculpted chest, laying on it. Our physical contact sends a rush to his head.

"Before I start, can I ask one question?" Asiel asks.

My fingers falter on his chest. "Is this your attempt to get to know me?"

His hands reach over my back, gently threading his fingers through my hair. "If it was, would you open up to me? Could you trust me with your darkest secrets the way I can with you?" He scans my emotionless face. "No, right? I didn't expect you to. But I hope whenever the opportunity comes, that you will."

Never.

My secrets are confidential, locked away in the depth of my memories. There's no key, code, or answer to the sealed storage. I couldn't even unlock the case if I wanted to. It's like a coping mechanism. I don't run from my past, nor do I hide from it. Sometimes it's just easier to trudge around life with no compassion. 

"Ask your question."

He pulls in a breath. "In the alleyway... did you know it was me? Were you waiting for my confirmation this entire time?"

I laugh. "I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't. Thinking about it now, they were so many coincidences; your tattoos, your eyes, your lips. I entertained the idea, but I thought it could've been your brother."

His smile dips. "Did Luka mentions anything about my brother?"

I shake my head. "Mainly positives things like he's the best out of your family. He seems to detest everyone else."

He fidgets with his ring, clenching and unclenching his jaw. "He always did like my brother best. They were inseparable. I used to hate when my brother would ditch me to spend time with him."

My eyes perk up at one certain word. "Were?"

There are only two possibilities for the situation with Asiel's brother. The first being their friendship ended in chaos once they reached their status and pressure. However, the second option made more sense with all the pieces put together. The other is a very sinister option: he's dead. If their friendship ended on the wrong terms, then Luka wouldn't be speaking so highly of him.

Asiel nods, fixing his posture on the pillow. "He's been dead for over a year. I-It. Um-m was ruled as a suicide. It's been about over a year. I-I found his body."

The sadness of his voice could thaw any frozen heart.

Good thing mine is just a beating muscle.

"Is that why you always get sick around dead bodies?" I ask, my voice conveying an enormous amount of sincerity. 

It's fake, obviously. Emotions are easy to fake when it involves expressions and tactics. For example, when I fake a sob, I quiver my lips and sniffle my nose until tears leak from my eyes. So effortless, painless, fun.

"Yeah." Asiel's face turns an odd shade of green. "I guess. I've always been queasy around blood, even as a child. So, it isn't something new. Finding his body started the pattern of throwing up at the sight of blood and guts. I feel sick just even talking about it," he mumbles under his breath.

Lifting from his chest, I shift over by the pillows and nestle his head into my breasts. "Don't overexert yourself. If you are not ready to open up, then you don't need to. Everything goes at your pace, Asiel."

Anguish clings to his voice like a thick layer of honey. "I-I know, but I have to. All of my problems are rooted in my brother's death, and I can't let them go. I can't accept the fact he left me to fend for myself. Why would he leave me? How am I supposed to survive if he couldn't? He had always a better son, a stronger one, a promising leader... I'm just a failure."

I try to soothe him by rubbing soft circles on his back. His sobs amplify, causing his shoulders to shake and tears to soak my top. I lift his face, cradling his cheeks with both of my palms as his eyes illustrate ultimate despair.

"You are not a failure," I protest, clutching his cheeks. "Just because there are differences between you two doesn't make you any less than him. So what if you make mistakes? All humans do, but you're doing a pretty good damn job at managing a cartel."

Asiel squints his eyes and uses the back of his sleeve to wipe the tears on his cheeks. "Am I? Luka just tried to kill me, and Diablo won't want to be linked to us after this chaos. He's going to pull out, and any chance of success is being pulled from under my feet. Repeatedly, I have to listen to how much my father wishes I died instead of my brother. My Capos think the same, and sometimes I do too."

I snuggle his face closer to my body, his cheek resting against my shoulder, as I gingerly comb my fingers through his hair. "A few setbacks, but when you're down, you can only go higher. Cry tonight, and clean yourself back up for tomorrow."

He breathes steadily through his nose, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry for dropping all this shit on you. I get our relationship is strictly business, but there's this toxic stigma about men crying. I don't feel comfortable doing it around anyone other than you."

I brush his hair out of his face and blow on his hot skin, trying to offer some relief from the stressful crying. "No need to be sorry. If you want to speak relationship-wise, I'm here for your own enjoyment. Whether it's being a companion to rant to or a person to fuck all the stress out. I'm basically your property for the next few hours."

Asiel strokes circles on my shoulder blades. "Jesus, Mika. I know I buy you for your time, but I don't want you to feel you have to do anything. Forget the business part of our relationship. We're humans firsts, and your sentiments matter."

My sentiments matter? The thought circulates through my brain, short-circuiting it for a moment. It's almost refreshing to hear a man say my opinions matter. My other clients refuse to listen to me, but I always get my way. They entertain my ideas, but when the time comes, they're irrelevant because I'm a woman. My interest in this young, innocent man peaks to Mount Everest.

Nothing beats having a mafia leader bent to your needs.

He will be the puppet on my strings until I clip them.

"I only do the things I want to do, Asiel."

"So, I didn't go too far?" he asks, his voice crumbling like bricks.

I shake my head. "Not. Even. Close."

If anything, he didn't go far enough!

Asiel stiffens slightly and scoots away, tugging his white button-down shirt from his trousers. On his hip is a black-ink cursive name adorned with thorns. "Morterero. I am Asiel Morterero. The reigning jefe of the Morterero cartel. Before my brother's conservational death, the Morterero ruled the drug industry. Now, we are struggling to stay on the maps."

Morterero...

A pretty vague wordless thought pops into my head with a blurry image. His name rings familiar bells, but I couldn't exactly pinpoint why. Maybe Diablo knows. We always kept track of the ruling cartels to save ourselves from being casualties. When we're in a dirty, filthy world, there are only so many places to hide before they find you.

That's why I am always ten steps ahead.

My finger traces his tattoo in a zig-zag motion, admiring the beauty of the design. "Did it feel bizarre to suddenly wake up one day and be in charge of everyone?"

His top lips tilt halfway to a tiny smile. "Short answer, yes. They're my family, but I never felt like we really were. It could be because I have been so disconnected from this lifestyle or age since they're all around my brother's age or older. They don't really take a keen on the idea of being controlled by someone half their age. Especially Gato."

I snort. "Scare him. That should shut him right up."

Asiel's eyes widen with fear. "Nothing phases my cousin, Gato. He thrives in the pain. He lives for that fucking shit. Besides, I couldn't do anything even if I wanted to. It's a wonder I punched Luka. If I wasn't tipsy, I would've backed down."

Arousal buckles through my body as I remember the way he fought for my affections. "So, what I'm hearing is I give you courage?" The smirk crawls over my lips. "Do you want me to flirt with Gato so you can finally teach him a lesson?"

His eyes darken with bitterness. "No quiero que te acerques a otro hombre mientras yo esté aquí."

(I don't want you anywhere near another man while I'm here.)

My breaths lightly wash over his neck when I lean over to nibble on his ear, and he rests his hand on my lower back. "It's my job, Muneco. What are you going to do? Bid on me every night?"

"I'll throw myself through the depths of hell to get you away from any other man," he sternly states. "I broke my rules for you, Mika. I'm serious about this, and I only want you to myself. Don't fuck another man unless there's no other option."

I nip the skin underneath his ear, hard, and he jerks. "Is that all you want from me? To refrain from fucking another man?"

"Don't look, touch, or think about another man," he demands, his face turning the brightest shade of pink. "Please."

The little smirk on my face immediately shifts to a full-on grin. "Anything for you."

His harsh, possessive gaze dissolves to the innocent gleam that is engraved in my thoughts. "Thank you. I never got the chance to thank you for saving me from Luka. Thank you for seeing something in me and having faith. It must've been terrifying to go against him."

I scoff. "I don't fear anything."

His eyebrows raise in astonishment. "Everyone fears something."

"I don't."

He shakes his head. "Impossible."

I shrug my shoulders. "I'm a contradiction."

Asiel opens his mouth only to seal it shut, his eyes widening in realization. Silence beats fill the room as he wears a troubled, turmoil, conflicted expression and scratches the back of his neck.

"Remember when I came in a few weeks ago with a panic attack?"

I bob my head, confused as a fucking daisy. "Yes."

"The panic attack was brought on by an enemy brutally attacking me. I couldn't fight back. I took every punch and walked away like a coward instead of helping my cousin. I'm a fucking coward. How can I be a suitable leader if I can't fight for myself? I will never have their respect unless I change. Help me change."

He clutches my petite hands in his oversized ones, pressing tightly against his chest. "Help you? How?"

"Teach me," he sounds breathless, nervous, shaking with the idea. "Teach me how to navigate the world as fearless as you do. Teach me how to defend myself. Teach me how to be heartless."

The twinkle in his eyes pleads with me. "It's not so easy, Asiel. If we're going to do this, you have to be all in. But think about what you're losing. All the purity gets sunken out once the darkness seeps in. You will never be the same, Asiel."

He doesn't hesitate. "I'm all in. Change me into a man that can lead the Cartel without others' help. To punch people without a second thought. I want to be the man people fear when I walk into the room."

"Done."

Ahhhh we had our angel Asiel open up a bit to Mika!! How lovely! 👀 Asiel is definitely seeking an endgame involving Mika (obviously)! There's a lot of family drama to unpack eventually 🤪! Also, Mika is fun... if yk yk...

What do you guys think of Asiel asking Mika for help?

Do you think she will be able to change him into a heartless man?

Or it will it go the other way around 👀?

Thank you guys for all the supports, vote , and comments!! I'm so very very grateful you guys take the time out of your day to support my crazy little dark romance!! Love you guys!!

❤️

P.S - I couldn't think of a song choice if you guys have any suggestions— let me know ;)