CHAPTER 3

The Porsche stops near the helipad, where I see my helicopter. The dark metal structure shines against the sun, the windows are translucent and its interior is spacious with cream leather seats. Berta talks to the pilot while chewing gum and wearing sunglasses. Still inside the car, I look at Kiki, who is in disbelief.

“What are we doing here? And then I'm the unemployed one”, she says, with her hands still tied.

“Be quiet and get out of the car.”

I open the door on my side, grab her by the arm and drag her across the seat, pulling Kiki out of the car.

“What do you mean, be quiet? Listen, what do you think I am? Those little sugar babies from that casino?”

I deny it, immediately.

“Never, married women don't come here.”

“What if I'm married?”, Kiki asks.

“ You look like a divorcee, because your husband certainly couldn't stand you.”

“As for me, I can say that your hostile behavior is due to a lack of love and education from your parents. It wasn't abandonment, it was death, right? And your family must have at least tried to fill that void with money and power, making you believe that everyone, without exception, should lick the ground you walk on”, she says, keeping her eyes on me.

“Take advantage of the fact that you're close to the ground and lick it”, I wink, pointing with my head towards the helicopter, indicating that it should come in.

“Dom, the bags you asked me for are inside the helicopter”, Berta approaches, drawing my attention to Kiki and turning back to me, “Are you really going to do that?”, she asks.

“Do what?”, Kiki continues, holding her gaze with doubt.

I pick her up, placing her in front of me, undoing the knot in the cloth and throwing the fabric on the floor. When I finish, I lead her to the helicopter, which has its side doors open. I try to push her inside, but her feet seem to stay on the floor, refusing to follow my order.

“I'm not getting on that helicopter with you”, she says.

“It's not like I'm giving you choices”, I say, turning her around, keeping her close to my body, holding her waist tightly, staring into her eyes, eating her for them, because my instincts are fucked today, “And you're going to regret disobeying me…”, my tone is serious.

I lift Kiki from the ground, throwing her inside, impatiently.

“Are you going to change your clothes or are you going anyway?”, I grab the bags, throwing one in her direction and holding mine.

I close the door, walking away. When I get close to the car, I start taking off my clothes and putting on the dark, tight-fitting nylon jumpsuit with long sleeves and long legs. In the pockets, I feel the weight of the altimeter and the radios, essential equipment for safety and communication during the jump. I hold the goggles tightly in my hands. As I return to the helicopter, I signal to Vlad who is next to the pilot and Berta.

“Today I want you to fly.”

“Yes, sir.”

I slide the door to the side, opening it, finding Kiki sitting on the floor of the aircraft, hugging her knees with her hands. She just watches me, already dressed in the white jumpsuit, and her look borders on disbelief.

“You must be really crazy…”, she says, shaking her head.

I ignore her, closing the door, focused. I hold the main parachute in my hands, putting it on and feeling the weight of the equipment, while I meticulously check every detail. My fingers skilfully slide over the clasps and straps, making sure everything is secure and ready for action.

“Dominique!”, Kiki shouts.

“Get it up, Vlad!”

With a growing sound, the helicopter’s rotors begin to spin, cutting through the air with density. I sit on the floor, feeling the gentle vibration as the aircraft prepares to take off.

“Dominique, seriously!”, Kiki says as she crawls towards me, “No way, understand!?”

I give Kiki a determined look. With a slight jolt, the helicopter lifts off the ground. I feel the rush of adrenaline run through every part of my body and I fucking enjoy this feeling and I won't deny that seeing the terror in the affront in front of me makes it twice as satisfying.

“If you want to do this, you're going to do it alone!”

I adjust the parachute around me, ignoring Kiki who is following along with the "blah blah blah". I make sure it's tight and comfortable. Every movement is made with precision and determination. My senses are heightened, my heart is racing in anticipation.

The view is breathtaking, the landscape stretches as far as the eye can see. Monaco, which is already tiny, becomes ever smaller below me, the clouds float on the horizon in this early afternoon. The helicopter gains more altitude and silence settles in the cabin, Kiki is quiet, fixing her attention on the view.

The helicopter stops, maintaining its position, while the rotors turn continuously. This is it, damn it! And with a decisive movement, I kneel down, meeting Kiki's gaze. The disbelief is clear, mine, however, is one of trust.

“What are you doing?”, she asks, swallowing hard.

I don't answer, going to the side of the door, opening it at once, feeling the cold draft enter the cabin. Staring at the blue void and nothing else. I go to Kiki, grabbing her at once, dragging her. She screams in despair and I am entertained by the scene. I said that I am 99% a son of a bitch and I affirm that the ninety-nine are present at this moment.

“If you survive, I'll give you imported canned food”, I say in her ear.

I throw her all at once without a parachute, without delay to the afterlife, in the hope that she disappears. I feel victorious, avenged for all the insults. I could clearly expect Kiki to crash down there, but that 1% stops me... And because she's hot. She may be a busybody, but she's still hot. And with that thought, I count to five in my head. I go through the door, throwing myself into the air, as I do almost every day, enjoying the free fall. Jumping is pure adrenaline, extreme euphoria, absolute freedom. The sensation of the wind hitting your skin is intense, unique. After cumming, it's the second most delicious. I recommend it.

As the wind whistles in my ears, I adjust my position in the air, with my chest towards the ground and my feet pointing upwards, controlling my trajectory to slow down. I find Kiki in the distance, her silhouette standing out against the infinite blue of the sky. I can hear her scream. An involuntary smile forms on my lips as I approach her in freefall. I finally reach her, reaching out to wrap my arms around her as we move closer to each other. With determination, I hold her tightly against my chest, securing her in my arms. We find ourselves in an upright position, our bodies joined together, and the feeling of triumph is dizzying. I keep Kiki close as I skillfully open the parachute straps to direct my descent. With the parachute open and working perfectly, I enjoy the gentle floatation provided by the open parachute.

Although the wind noise has diminished, the altitude is still noisy. I can't hear what Kiki says clearly, but I can make out the loud, high-pitched: "Son of a bitch!"

A short distance away, I can see the Mediterranean coast. The turquoise waters provide a spectacular view. From a high altitude, everything was tiny but becomes detailed as you descend.

From a distance, I spot Sainte-Marie beach[1], bathed in the late afternoon sun. The fine, golden sands stretch gently down to meet the calm, crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean. A gentle breeze blew in from the sea, bringing with it the soft, salty aroma that filled my senses. With a smile of anticipation, I adjust my course toward the beach. Soon, the sound of the waves breaking on the shore became more audible, accompanied by the distant murmur of bathers enjoying the late afternoon.

Still keeping Kiki close to me, we prepare for landing. I adjust Kiki's body along with mine, in an inclined posture, keeping my knees bent to help with the impact and, as I step onto the sand, I relax my arms, letting go. I feel ready for it to crush me, perhaps trying to drown me in the translucent waters. I let my ironic smile appear and I see her turn to me and find her body trembling and panting, exhaling the pure adrenaline she just experienced. Her hair is messy and her bright hazel eyes are focused on mine. I also can't help but breathe heavily. As experienced as I am in jumps, I confess that I have never thrown someone. It could have ended badly, but then it's all a matter of risk and reward.

“That was amazing! Wow!”, she gestures with her hands, “Wow! I should do this at least once a week. — Kiki says with her voice full of enthusiasm.”

My smile fades.

“What's up?”, I ask.

“Let's go again, Dominique.”, Kiki grabs my hand, trying to pull me.

Did she like it? Crazy! That's what this girl is.

“I practically threw you to your death, you know, right?”

“And it was fantastic! Take back the part where I said about boredom. I want every day with adrenaline like that!”, she says full of herself

And the smile directed at me, in part, breaks me. Who in their right mind would accept this in a good way? Frustrated, that's how I feel. I huff, taking off my goggles and running my hand through my hair, messing up the strands. She's just left me perplexed and not just anyone can do that.

“Tell Vlad to get down, we're going again”, she says between jumps.

“Hold on there, you crazy girl.”, I point.

I take off the main parachute, unbuckling the shoulder and waist straps.

“Sir”, I hear Vlad's voice through the radio that's attached to my chest, on the equipment.

“Did you hear that? She wants to go again.”, my tone is indifferent.

“That's right, Vlad! Get down there!”, Kiki yells next to me.

“ I'm afraid it won't be possible. There's some strange activity from a group of men running towards you. 30 seconds at most to reach you.”

“What?”, we said in unison.

I quickly remove my protective gear, Kiki looks behind me, her lips parting, and I turn around to find men in dark suits and sinister masks hiding their faces. In their hands, they carry clubs and tasers.

“Fuck it. Run, you crazy woman!”, and in a rush, I grab Kiki's hand, running, pulling her with me.

“We can handle it!”, she says in a normal tone.

The heavy, determined footsteps of the men on the sand approach us, Kiki lets go of my hand, following my steps, looking back. We squeeze through the bathers who scream in fright at the scene. Kiki climbs onto the fixed sun loungers, passing one by one, stepping on the women who were sunbathing. The men push the beachgoers, getting around the obstacles, looking for alternative routes to reach us. The wind hits my face as I run towards the kiosk, Kiki follows me. We jump over the counter, ducking. She stares at me, panting.

“I'm going to beat the shit out of these sons of bitches”, I say.

My heart is about to burst, while I enjoy a renewed adrenaline rush. I get up and find two pursuers far from the group in front of us, looking in the opposite direction of the counter. In an agile instant, I get over them, reaching a necklock, immobilizing him and knocking him to the ground. I pull off the mask and don't recognize the man's face, but I punch him in the face with precision. He soon becomes unconscious and has a new plastic surgery. I notice the second guy make a move to come at me with the club and get attacked by Kiki, who knocks him down with a precise kick to the stomach, enough to knock him to the ground. I would be entertained if I had time, because this is the second time today that she has shown that she has the upper hand. And that's not for just anyone, especially for a little girl. The second guy falls with a dull thud and Kiki takes the club from his hand, directing several blows at the man's face. I notice the rest of the group finding us a few meters away.

“Let’s go, Kiki, damn it!”, I say, upon getting up and running to the beach restaurant.

We rush into the ambiance, in an attempt to mislead them again. I push the receptionist aside to make way for Kiki, who, without hesitation, runs towards the tables, climbing on them and throwing plates, glasses, and whatever objects she finds along the way at the men behind her. As for me, I am caught by one who grabs my arm tightly, trying to immobilize me. I react, throwing myself at him in a fist fight. In an exchange of punches and blows, amidst the noises, hysterical screams and shattering glass inside the restaurant, I hit his chest and stomach. I grab him by the neck and throw him against the glass panel, which shatters on impact. As I look around the room for Kiki, I see her knee one of them right in the balls. That's it, ball buster. I am hit with a direct blow to the ribs, which makes me bend over and gasp for air, and the pursuer tries to apply the stun gun, but I stop him by kicking his hand, making the device fly away. I take advantage of the opportunity, feeling the throbbing pain in my ribs and a little disoriented, when I grab his head with my hands and in an abrupt movement, I slam his head against the table in front of us. The sound of the impact travels through the room and the pursuer falls stunned.

When I check the entrance, I find a new wave of masked men approaching, and of course we won't be able to handle them all. I hurry through the restaurant and approach Kiki, who is beating up one of the guys. I grab her by the wrist and run towards the exit of the place, entering the kitchen. The chefs and assistants are startled by our arrival. The pursuers come in behind us and I start throwing pots, grabbing a frying pan and hitting one in the head. Kiki throws the trays towards them and when we pass the plating, we leave through the fire door, following the internal corridor, which leads us to the back exit.

We return to the beach and I hide, checking everything around me. I see that I was unsuccessful, because I am surprised by more pursuers, one of them tries to trip me, but I counter with an elbow and Kiki grabs a fire extinguisher, goes after the masked man, hitting him with the object. The man grunts in pain and falls to the ground. We run along the beach. At this point, I can no longer tell if these guys are coming for me or for Kiki. And when I look ahead, I see a masked man coming in the opposite direction. I barely have time to associate the movement and I notice the pursuer attacking me head on and grabbing my hips with his hands, trying to knock me to the ground. Instead of resisting, I hug his body, under his armpits, throwing him a little to the side and pushing him backwards, redirecting the force and I manage to roll over him, falling on top of the man. He tries to defend himself and I feel the adrenaline taking over. I strangle him with the collar of my jacket, while I use my knees to immobilize his arms, watching him struggle in vain, until he loses consciousness.

When I look back, I see more faces, and holy shit! What the hell is this? I wipe the blood from my nose, hurrying my steps and looking around for Kiki, but I can't find her. Where is she? I run, looking around me. Damn! They got Kiki, damn it! What the hell. I recognize the roar of my car approaching me and I find Vlad driving, accelerating over the sand. I quickly get in the car, the engine idling and close the door as I get in.

“I lost the crazy one!”, I wipe the blood from my nose with the back of my hand, which doesn't stop running, “I don't know which way she went, she was rolling with one of the masked men on the ground. I didn't recognize them, I don't know who they are, and I don't even know if it was for her or me.”

Vlad steps on the accelerator and the car drifts over the sand, picking up speed as we distance ourselves from the confusion.

“If you'll excuse me, sir, the people who ran after her days ago have a different way of acting. Unless she's involved in something else, I dare say that this situation was set up for you. We do this route a lot for the parachute jump. Although it's not always the same place, they were in the area”, Vlad remains focused, cutting through the beach to get to the road.

I look back, still looking for signs of Kiki.

“If they catch her and think I'm going to give a single cent for her life, they're mistaken. I don't even waste my time answering the phone”, I take the tissue from the glove compartment, putting it on my nose.

“Shouldn't I call security and look for her, then?”, Vlad asks.

“Do you even need to ask? Of course you should! The girl is with me, except for now, but that doesn't mean we won't find her. You can tell security that they'll only rest when she's home and safe. By the way”, I point to the shoulder, “Get out and be in charge of the search. I want her home today.”, my voice sounds authoritative.

“Of course, sir”, Vlad says, as he brakes.

I get out of the car and take the wheel after Vlad calls security to come immediately. I can't deny that I'm tense, and suddenly I feel much more responsible for Kiki than I should. It would be great if she didn't come back and, at the same moment that my subconscious projects, my conscious disagrees. I think she might be in danger and considering this idea makes me anxious. The best thing I can do is go back home and wait for the search to unfold. If you want to know, I'm more worried about who she's going to hit, because I'm going to have to clean up this whole mess. I can't stop thinking about what Vlad said... If it's an attack to me, who would be behind it? And why? I don't understand. The only way is to check who hasn't paid their debts at the casino. And the only debtor who's coming to mind right now is Henri. I need to solve this as soon as possible. None of this seems more serious than Kiki's disappearance, at least right now. And it is unacceptable that she became a priority, which is plausible, after all, I took on a crazy person to live with me. Now I am shouldering the responsibilities, it is as if I were taking on an abandoned dog, even though I prefer cats. They are more independent and better to live with.

I park my car in my garage and see the six imported cars I know very well on the other side. What are these whores doing here? It's seven o'clock on a Wednesday night. Shouldn't they be working? I know I should, but I'm the boss. And meetings like this only happen on Sundays. I walk to the elevator, get in and press the button. I hear muffled conversations when I get to the floor, and the doors open. I find all my childhood friends sitting on the couch, as if it was theirs. When I took over the Château de la Fortuna Royale years ago, I took them all with me. They're loyal and, in a way, family. Pierre, at the end, wearing a brown suit, smoking a cigarette. He's the casino's COO. Louis, next to him, is the CEO, with his questionable sense of humor, dressed casually. At the other end, Simon, the marketing expert, the gossip, who is smoking weed and using the coffee table decoration as an ashtray. In the chair in front of me is Maurice. His black hair is combed and slicked with gel. His brow is furrowed, as if he doesn't admit anything, doesn't care what others say. He has the charisma expected of a lawyer and the person responsible for all legal matters, inside and outside the casino. Lohan is the CFO, the friendly guy who always smooths over disagreements and who, for some time now, seems to have come to terms with common sense, trying to convince Maurice of something he doesn't agree with. Thierry, who is in my legal department, like Maurice, walks back and forth, gesturing with a cigar in his mouth and a glass of whiskey in his hand, loosening his tie, his humor always acidic and nosy.

“And you, Berta? You're here all the time, what do you have to say about the girl?” Maurice asks.

And I find Berta leaving the bar with a tray, serving a shot of whiskey.

“Far from me to go against any of Dom's choices, but that girl punched me in the eye. Just because I went to wake her up, she attacked me. You should have seen her, she looked like a savage. And she still hangs around the house, like a ghost, always looking at me suspiciously, as if I were going to kill her”, Berta serves Maurice.

“But with that bad mood you have, Berta... even I’d look at you like that”, Lohan takes the lead.

“You know what I think, Berta? That she should have hit your mouth instead of your eye, to see if you’d keep quiet. That was her only mistake. You shouldn't keep talking, damn it. To anyone”, I say, already out of patience, interrupting.

All eyes turn to me.

“Dom!”, Berta widens her eyes, “I'm just telling the truth, and it was Maurice who asked... My God, what happened to your nose? Did you fall out of the parachute?”, Berta asks, covering her mouth.

“I fell, Berta. A fall from 12 thousand meters, I stuck my corneas on the ground and my nose got crushed. Take advantage of the fact that you're here doing nothing and call Batman. Tell him that Superman here is taking tomorrow off”, I run my hand through my hair, entering the room further, noticing I'm nervous, more than usual, “What the hell are you guys doing here? Don't you have work?”

“And who said I'm not here working?”, Maurice stands up, “Where's the whore so I can get rid of her?”, Maurice says

Berta looks at me, and I nod for her to leave.

“Mind your own business, Maurice. You're too hot-tempered. There's no reason for this fuss, the girl needed help and humanity. And for the first time in his life, Dominique offered it to someone”, Lohan defends Kiki, attacking me at the same time

“Hey, Maurice, tell me something”, I walk towards him, putting my hands in my pockets, “Did I sign a contract for you to be an eternal pain in the ass, or is that just how you are?”, I grab a cigarette from the table, lighting it

I feel irritated and impatient. Where's Kiki? Why haven't they found her yet?

“Fuck it, send her away! As incredible as it may seem, I'm thinking about you. Holy shit, Dominique! You took responsibility for a civilian with no memory, possibly missing. She should be taken care by the authorities. That is if she's telling the truth ‘cause this whore might be trying to take everything that's yours. I thought that by now, you’d know how to deal with the treasure scam... damn it, Dominique!”, Maurice explodes.

I laugh out loud.

“Let's assume you're right. Just imagine my legal department not being able to stop a street whore from robbing me. That says a lot more about you than it does me, don't you think?”, I retort, taking a drag on my cigarette and exhaling.

“Maurice is right”, Thierry approaches, “She's questionable. There's nothing on her. We haven't found anything”, he says, convinced.

I sigh. Obviously they haven't found anything, I've tried a variety of resources and contacts, and it's about time I looked deeper. Kiki is far from being a saint and I've had enough proof of that. Today alone…

“What did you want? For me to leave her on the street? In the rain? Eating a fucking can of peas, not even knowing who she is?”, I take the lead

“You're exaggerating, the girl is a nice person, she's a nice talker, she's an angel”, Louis speaks in Kiki's defense.

And I turn around, looking at him with doubts.

“Are we talking about the same person? Angelic? Her?”, I ask, sarcastically, “My balls are more divine than her.”

Maurice, whose expression is twisted, nods.

“So, let the whore take everything you have and when you go to eat garbage, I'll remember this day. And let it be very clear that my contract is to have the common sense that you don't have!”, Maurice points out.

“Then put on my clothes, damn it!”, I open my arms defiantly, “Come here and do everything I do. Lead like I do, work as hard as I do. I want to see you dedicate all your time and effort to keeping that casino going, to have control over everything I've achieved. Money, time, dedication... I invested all of this to get what I have. It won't be you, or anyone else, who's going to tell me I'm wrong. I'm the one who controls my life, and a life in which I don't do what I want isn't worth living”, I say, positioning myself

“You don't have time to deal with this kind of problem that isn't yours. It doesn't make any sense. I'll find a rehab clinic, she'll get the necessary care and everything she needs. It's my job to deal with this situation”, Maurice insists.

The rest of the room goes silent, and the fight becomes mine and Maurice's, as it always has been, since childhood. There are times when we come to blows, which won't happen now, I've reached my limit. Maurice wants to admit her to a clinic, without even knowing that today she beat up more than five guys and knocked them out. Those were the ones I saw, not to mention the ones she was busting while I was also beating them. She's worth three Vlads, and I won't let that crazy girl get away from me, she's mine. And, at the same time, I'm tense, because I don't know where Kiki is.

“Here's what you do”, I put out my cigarette on the other decoration on the table, “Take advantage of the fact that we’re talking about work and go fuck yourself”, I'm straight to the point.

Maurice keeps his attention in me, explicitly wroth.

“Who's unmasking me here? The scammer bitch is here, huh?”, I hear Kiki's voice.

And I quickly turn around, meeting Kiki's gaze, finding her in one piece, disheveled, still wearing her high heels, just like me. Her lip is cut and her right hand is injured. Everyone's attention turns to Kiki.

“Wow, I thought I was going to find an unbalanced woman and she looks in perfect condition to me”, Simon says, still smoking the weed.”

“Did you take her to jump with you?”, Maurice asks.

“Actually, he threw me off the top without a parachute”, Kiki gestures with her uninjured hand, indicating the action.”

“Holy shit, Dominique.”, Simon shakes his head to the sides, in disbelief, “What the hell are you thinking?”

“There she is, all in one piece, ready to pull off the big scam”, I retort, teasingly.

Kiki rolls her eyes in boredom. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see her okay and I pay attention to the repetitive movement she makes with her injured hand trying to relieve the pain. When I look at the bastards on the couch, all of them, except for Maurice, are measuring her from head to toe, and I get annoyed, running my hand through my hair.

“Enough. All of you, out!”, I order, pointing to the door.

“But we didn't even…”, Lohan is cut off by me.

“Now!”

The guys stand up, shrugging, heading for the door.

“Damn, brother, we were going to have dinner!”, Louis says.

Maurice shoots an angry look in Kiki's direction and she waves with her fingertips, making him snort. Kiki leaves the room and heads for the hallway that leads to the kitchen.

“Think about what the fuck you're doing”, Maurice says, before turning around and walking out, pissed off.

So many years, and he's still unable to understand that everything is the way I want.

“Oh, Maurice…”, I say, and he turns his attention back to me, “Take advantage and clean up the area over at Saint Marie, apparently, a shady group came after me today. Vlad will tell you everything.”

Maurice looks incredulous and says nothing, he just picks up his phone, dials, and leaves. I decide to take a shower to clean the wound on my nose and I realize that the side of my rib hurts like hell. When I finish, I pull the white towel, wrap it around me and head to the bedroom. I soon go down the elevator and arrive at the first floor. I don't find the crazy one here, and I believe she went up after me. I head to the kitchen, smelling the delicious aroma of meat. As I get closer, I hear Kiki's voice that seems to be talking to someone. As I peek at me, I see Vlad, who is bandaging Kiki's hand.

“No need, Vlad. It'll be okay.”

“It's nothing, I'm finishing now, and you should forget about leaving. It's dangerous. Didn't you see what happened today? It could happen to you... you're safe here”, Vlad says.

What does he mean she wants to leave? Never, I won't allow it, I just need to know how.

“I don't want to cause trouble for Dominique, he already has enough of it with with his friends. Who was that guy with blue eyes and black hair? The one who called me a whore?”

I enter the kitchen and Kiki, who was paying attention to Vlad, turns to me, staring at me.

“It's Maurice. Childhood friend, lawyer, lazy. All that jazz.”

And her gaze wanders over my torso, curiously. She seems to absorb every detail, every contour of my muscles. Her eyes run over my skin intensely, before quickly looking away, as if she had been caught doing something forbidden. But unable to resist, she fixes her eyes again, this time evaluating more precisely.

“He’ really shitty... rude... ho-horrible. If I see him on the street again, I'll lose my mind, gosh... I'm still dizzy…”, Kiki says.

And since she's looking, I see myself in the right with her, noticing that she's also out of the shower. Her hair is damp, and she covers her body with a long white satin robe, exposing her legs. I find the bite marks, which contrast with her skin, and I've done some damage there, wanting to do more. That pleases me a lot... my wave is cut short when she covers her legs, depriving me of my work of art.

I frown, in annoyance, returning my attention to her eyes, she certainly did it on purpose.

“It'll get better, just try not to exert yourself for a few days, and your hand will be fine soon, Vlad says.”

“Thank you, Vlad.”, Kiki thanks him, smiling at him, holding his bandaged hand.

“Good night, sir”, Vlad waves, as he leaves.

“Good night. You can come back a little later tomorrow, I have to take care of some things around here early”, I say, leaning on the counter.

Vlad walks out, leaving us alone. I look back at Kiki, who looks at me and picks up the can of… peas on the counter, staring at the opener and then at me. I give her a look of disgust.

“Could you…”

I interrupt her, without her finishing her sentence.

“No way, you’re not going to eat that”, I wave my hand in denial, “You can’t live off a can.”

“You’re not going to make me go outside and ask Vlad, are you?”, Berta asks.

“She enters the kitchen, her red hair tied in a high bun, looking at us doubtfully.”

“The dinner table is set. May I order something to be served?”, She asks, in a serious tone.

“You must”, I make a gesture to turn around and follow, but I look back at Kiki, “And you’re coming with me, and as I said earlier today, I’m not giving you a choice. Either you come by hook or by crook.”

“But, Dom…”, she tries to argue.

I gesture with the palm of my hand for her to follow me. I see her take a deep breath, at the limit of her patience, and she agrees with an unfriendly look, as if that would make any difference to me. She gets up from the high stool, walking in front of me, and heading towards the dining room. I watch her sway as she walks, and there is so much fabric all over her that I can't see what I really want, her delicious curves and the ass that I've seen once before, and want more. I stop walking for a moment. I don't want to see anything... it sucks! I need to fuck and today my plans were canceled. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to tomorrow. But then again, it sucks, right? An ass like that parading around in front of me all the time, and I have to play politically correct? Like hell I'm going to! I've never been like that, and I won't be now. Thoughts are not actions.

I enter the dining room and see Kiki with her arms crossed, intrigued. In the center, an imposing glass table with 24 seats, surrounded by perfectly aligned contemporary chairs. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the lighting conveys a sense of order. The placemats are positioned, one at each end of the table, indicating the places Berta stipulated. The salt and pepper shakers are on the dividing line.

“When you said that each person would be on one side of the house, I didn't think that applied even to the arrangement of the table”, Kiki says, walking, “Stay in the south and I'll go to the north.”

“Berta tends to be literal”, I say, dragging the chair and sitting down.

Mathilde enters carrying two plates on a silver tray, placing one in front of Kiki and then coming to me, placing it on the table.

“I'm not going to eat that, can you bring me my can?”, Kiki says

Mathilde looks in my direction, clearly unsure of what to do.

“Just do as I do, ignore her and she’ll be silent”, I wink at Mathilde, “Please bring me a bottle of Château Margaux, 1966 vintage.”

“Yes, sir.”, Mathilde waves as she leaves.

“Hey!”, Kiki says, “Please, if it's not too much trouble, could you bring me a sealed bottle of sparkling water? I'll open it here”, Kiki asks, tenderly.

Mathilde turns to Kiki.

“Miss, I just opened it. Just drink it.”

“I don't trust it, someone could have spat it, stuck their hand in it, poisoned it... who knows.”

“Miss, that's disrespectful to all of us. We would never do something like that. We've worked here for years”, Mathilde says, offended.

Kiki shrugs.

“One never knows…”

“Just get her water and don't take it to heart”, I say, pointing to the exit.

Mathilde nods briefly and leaves. I smell the ratatouille[2] and the veal rib, which is delicious. I take a large forkful, savoring each bite that melts in my mouth. I look up and find Kiki staring at me. Mathilde returns with the sparkling water and wine. She hands the bottle to Kiki, before placing the wine bottle on the table. I grab the corkscrew, deftly open the bottle, and serve myself. The soft sound of the wine pouring into the glass fills the silence of the room. The fact that she doesn't touch the food makes me suddenly irritated. It's not possible!

“Kiki, eat already!”

“I won’t”, and her face doesn't show any tremor.

“Don't make me get up from here, or you'll eat it by the force of hatred!”, my speech is harsh.

She shakes her head to the sides, once again, testing my fucking patience. Which doesn't exist.

“I won’t, Dom”, she shrugs , “I'm just sorry.”

I get up at once, with the fork in my hand, stomping hard until I reach the other side of the table, directing the worst possible look at Kiki who seems in disbelief. I look at her plate, taking a piece of meat, holding her face.

“You're crazy–”, and before she finishes, I shove the meat in her mouth, without taking my eyes off hers.

“Swallow this damn thing!”

Kiki shakes her head, her lips pursed, still holding the food in her mouth. I run my hand through my hair, staring at her plate and then at her, searching for a solution. The only alternative I can find is to prove that there is nothing wrong with the food. I pick up my fork, sticking it in the ratatouille and bringing it to my mouth with a firm gesture, chewing with a mixture of anger and determination. Then I do the same with the meat. After swallowing and watching her, faced with a tension I have never experienced before, I see her chewing with a suspicious look, which gradually softens, until she finally swallows. She blinks several times, as if expecting death at any moment. I take a deep breath and silently return to my seat, picking up the glass on the table and downing it in a single gulp.

I concentrate on my food, alternating bites with checks on Kiki, who now eats with gusto, like I have never seen her eat one of the cans. This is a victory. It is unacceptable to go hungry in this house. But at the same time, I mentally review all the events of the day and I can't contain myself:

“Damn, you're so crazy!”, I say, unconvinced.

“As if you aren't. I don't understand the look of surprise”, she says, taking a forkful and looking at me.

— If I had known that you would like skydiving so much, I wouldn't have taken you.

Kiki laughs from the other side.

“If I had known that you were going to do that, I would have teased you much beforehand”, she challenges me.

“If you try something like that again, I'll throw you in the ocean, and I won't think about looking for you.”

Kiki stands up, and I follow her steps with my eyes, keeping my gaze fixed on her as she approaches. The lace of her poorly made robe comes loose with her slow walk. I rest my elbow on the chair arm, entertained by the sight of her small cream lace panties, matching the short tank top with the same detail. The bite marks on her legs encourage me to see more. I feel restless, my breathing becomes shallow as our eyes meet. Kiki approaches, sliding to my right side. She grabs the bottle of wine subtly, letting the drink flow into the glass with a sinuous movement. When her lips touch the rim of the glass, it is delightful to see. A short, soft sip. The image seems to multiply in a rotation that leaves me dizzy. When she finishes, she nibbles her lower lip in approval, a gesture so subtle and provocative that it makes my entire body react with urgency. Fuck!

“This wine of yours is delicious”, she says, in a velvety voice.

I push the chair away with my foot, unable to contain myself. Still seated, in a flash, I pull her robe, bringing her closer. I take the glass from her hand and place it on the table, noticing her breathing intensify. I slip my hands inside the fabric, feeling her warm skin as I run my fingertips up, running along her body, squeezing tightly in the process. I notice her body shivering, and I appreciate her white skin up close, brushing my nose against her belly, smelling her soft scent. I can't help but feel the sudden urge to bite her again, leaving another mark on her body. I grab her belly without mercy, sinking my teeth and pulling, knowing the risks and the punch I could take, taking the risk without any problem. Sucking, marking her once again as mine, making her scream in protest and grab my neck with her uninjured hand, pushing me away. Kiki's gaze is furious. In an instant, I see her climb on top of me, kneeling on my thighs. I hold her waist with both hands, squeezing her, until I feel my hair being pulled back forcefully:

 “Next time, I'll finish breaking your nose.”, she whispers.

I feel her tongue running up and down my neck. Uncontrollably, my cock throbs to the point of bursting. I close my eyes, enjoying the sensation and the mind-blowing arousal, filled with the burning sensation of her bite on my neck. Just like I did to her, the sensation is painful and still good, it just makes me more excited. I step forward and dig my fingers hard into her ass, delivering a heavy slap that cracks against her skin, echoing throughout the room.

“Ouch!”, Kiki screams, letting go of my neck. In a quick reflex, her injured hand hits my nose hard, making me feel a searing pain.

“Mother fucker!”, I retort.

“Dom!”, Berta interrupts, the sound of her voice penetrating the tension.

“Yes?”, I say, with my nose throbbing, without taking my eyes off Kiki.

Kiki straightens her torso, still on her knees, and makes a move to get off me. I don't allow it, holding her tighter, noticing her accelerated breathing.

“Mathilde, can you serve dessert?”, Berta asks, seriously.

“ No! Not for me”, Kiki swallows hard, giving me one last defiant look.

She reaches for my hands and removes them from her ass, against my will, jumping off my lap and heading out of the dining room, without looking back. I follow her exit with my eyes. I throw my head back, holding my nose. And the only thing I can think of now is that I need to fuck someone and control myself I don’t fuck her. I already have enough problems for one more. But before anything else, I have to find a way to make her not want to leave here and fortunately, I already know how to solve it.

I grab the linen napkin, bringing it to my nose, which is bleeding for the second time. Mathilde returns to the dining room, collecting the dishes, and Berta enters, bringing a tray with an espresso, placing it in front of me.

“It's just the way you like it, freshly ground and sugar free”, Berta smiles.

“Do you think you're going to buy me with coffee, Berta? What the hell was that telling everyone what happens here? It's my house and what I do here is my business.”              

Berta places her hands one on top of the other, in front of her body.

“I don't think Maurice is wrong, Dom. This girl doesn't suffer from amnesia. She doesn't care about anything, she takes everything in her stride. As if she wasn't going through this situation. Who would accept this condition so easily?”, she asks, a little nervous.

“You wanted her to be crying in the corners, suffering. “Oh my God, who am I? Where did I come from?” I get it, there’s a lack of drama in your life and you want to add it to mine? As if I didn’t already have enough problems to deal with every day.”, I pick up the cup, drinking the coffee.

“If you want to know, it would be much more convincing if she had a shred of empathy for herself!”

Berta retorts, irritated, which is common. It’s always this scenario and if Berta wasn’t competent she would already be out on the street, what saves her is the perfection with which she performs her job, with a few exceptions.

“I don’t give you the right to have an opinion in my house and, to be honest, I don’t trust you to take care of Kiki. Not after this.”, I put the cup back on the saucer.

“But… Dom!”, he puts his hands on his chest, “You’re being unfair to me.”

I shake my head with my index finger.

“No, you’re the one, with her. The girl didn’t do anything to you, or did she?”, I ask.

Berta shakes her head.

“Settled.”

Berta purses her lips, nodding. I get up from my chair, leaving the dining room, unable to stand anything else today. It's insane, this bunch of punks who have nothing to do, they took the whole day to annoy me.

After dinner, I decide I need some time to rest a little and decompress. I go into the games room, where I know I can lose myself in something that doesn't involve conflict and drama. This is my place, no one comes in, except Berta to clean up.

It's 12:40 a.m. and I'm in the games room, focused on winning this game, sitting on the couch, while the phone rings. The only way I can get Kiki to stay is to play with the cards I have, and the best one I can find today is Blanca. If they want to be friends, they will be. If not, they will be now. This way, I can keep Kiki entertained for hours and stop my friends from bothering her, without having to be rude.

“Hello?”, Blanca says in a sleepy voice.

“It's Dominique Le Blanc.”

“Oh… hi, Dom… Why are you calling”, she asks, confusedly.

I press the button on the controller to shoot the opponent who shoots back. Oh, no! I won't admit it today, you bastards are going to eat bullets through your ass!

“You know the girl you wanted to buy a drink for?”, I ask.

“I know, the coquette. What's wrong? Besides, I'm annoyed with her, she left me waiting and never came back.”

“That's my fault. I had an unexpected event this afternoon and had to take her with me.”

“Oh, okay, dear. How can I help you?”

I spot the enemy and unload on him, I run over an inhospitable bridge, hiding behind the car, noticing enemies approaching.

“You know, I'm very busy with the demands of the casino and I would like to know if you'd be interested in being Kiki's escort around Monaco. She's going through a difficult time and I wanted her to have fun. And it seems to me that you two had fun the other day.”

“You know, I'm very busy with the demands of the casino and I would like to know if you'd be interested in being Kiki's escort around Monaco. She's going through a difficult time and I wanted her to have fun. And it seems to me that you two had fun the other day.”

“Yes! She has a beautiful style. I would love to be her friend.”

“Great! I want you two to see each other every day. Keep her busy with healthy entertainment. What do you say about VIP areas everywhere you go? Exclusive to fashion shows, restaurants, stores, yacht trips, that kind of shit.”

Blanca stays silent, perhaps thinking. I look at the map, seeing where the weapons are, I go after the car, shooting and run fast towards the trunks. When I find them, I open the backpack and equip myself with a weapon and when I turn to shoot… I die. FUCK!

“Have you forgotten how to accept invitations like that?”

“Are you the one who forgot about good manners? It's almost one in the morning”, Blanca says

“Just break this one for me”, I say.

“I'll break two if you do me a small favor…”

I throw the controller on the couch, huffing in discontent. I'm feeling really stressed, I have no patience for this kind of conversation.

“What would it be?”, I ask attentively.

“Dinner with Lolla Grace. Since she's going to the casino next month, it's only fair.”

“Lolla Grace?”, I roll my eyes, bored.

“Exactly. I want you to bridge the gap between us, you have your ways and I'm sure she won't say no to you”, Blanca says with conviction.

I think for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. That Lolla is a pain. But it's what I have left...

“Okay. I can do it”, I finally give in, “And what about our agreement?”, I ask seriously.

“I'll think about it, I'll give you an answer tomorrow. Good night, Dom”, Blanca says goodbye, hanging up.

I throw my cell phone on the couch, in disbelief. While Blanca doesn't make up her mind, I'll have to figure out how to keep Kiki busy. The other thing I need to do is get a passport for Kiki to move around here and then hire a qualified detective to go over where my people haven't been yet. I need to start looking at immigration and hotels. And that's going to take time. I'd like to point out that Kiki's situation is complicated, she's a ghost in society. I'm really screwed!

[1] Key details: first, this beach does not exist. Second: it’s illegal to parachute on Saint-Tropez beaches. Dominique is crazying out on his own.

[2] By my father’s golden beards, it’s not that cartoon’sa mouse!