CHAPTER 6

Blanca's beauty salon is located away from the pool. It was supposed to be a guest house, but she turned it into a "mini spa". It's huge. You can easily get twenty people's hair done and whatever else you want here. I walk through the door feeling the air conditioning on, it's freezing in here. The space is large and bright, with huge windows that let natural light in, bathing the room in a soft, welcoming glow. The walls are covered in elegant wallpaper with a discreet and sophisticated pattern in shades of silver, complemented by dark wood panels. Modern chandeliers in arches hang from the ceiling. Blanca is having her nails done, while the hairdresser touches up her roots. She's drinking a glass of champagne, which is nothing new. Her gaze meets mine and then she frowns with ink.

“What has he done now?”, Blanca smokes the pod that lights up a neon pink light when she sucks.

“He who?”, I ask, putting my hands in my pockets, checking the colors of my nail polish

“Dominique, obviously? You don't know that many people around here and Lohan has just left... you’d have met him in a minute.”

“And do you know what he wanted?”, I ask.

“To bring you those flowers over there”, she points with her toe, “With a note that says ‘I'm sorry’.”

I walk over to the flowers, finding a bouquet of fifteen yellow roses, they're beautiful... I don't think Lohan has something to apologize for.

“What did Lohan do to apologize to you?”, Blanca asks curiously.

— He tried to kiss me — I say, picking up the clear nail polish.

It's the white party, isn't it? I don't even know why I'm here choosing colors. Jeez!

“There, Kiki, I did you a favor”, she says, turning the glass over.

I turn to Blanca

“What did you do?”

“I said, Lohan:”, she makes quotation marks with her fingers, “Is she dead so you can send her flowers? Yesterday Kiki got three limited editions, do you see the difference between gifts for the living and gifts for the dead? You know what's worse, Lohan? You can't even stick it in your…”, she makes the "OK" gesture, “Because of the thorns.”

I let out a laugh, even though it's not nice to laugh about it.

“So uncalled for, poor little thing... the flowers are beautiful”, I point at them.

“But he could have tried harder, much harder. First he fills you with Chanel and now flowers? What a step backwards? He'll think you'll accept anything, that you're cheap”, she makes a negative gesture with her fingers, “I'll never allow that. And don't even think about accepting just anything, you weren't found in the trash.”

“ Lohan is nice, I don't think he likes me and wants something serious. Do you understand? It's just flirting. I'm sure he was at the whorehouse with Dominique yesterday. All of them, in fact.”

Blanca gets up from her chair to go to the sink, but stops in front of me, her voice lowered: 

“I'll tell you something, Kiki. Dominique and his friends are the desire of the women of Monaco, but no one knows exactly where they go. They're extremely discreet. The whorehouse they frequent is restricted, exclusive. Yesterday I heard some hot gossip from Ingrid. You can't tell anyone. She let it slip because she was nervous that her husband had cheated on her and, in an outburst, she told me everything. They're partners in a gambling house that Dominique owns, in fact all seven of them are”, she whispers, as if every word is a dangerous secret.

“Games? I once heard them talking about going to play somewhere... but they weren't clear. I thought it was card games, I don't know”, I whisper back.

“It's sex. There's everything you can imagine from explicit games to all kinds of tastes. You can only enter if you're invited, and you sign a liability contract and Didi will try to get me in under a false name. Would you like one?”

I shake my head in disapproval.

“I don't know if that's my thing.”

“Neither does mine, we just go there to watch the games and drink champagne, you don't have to take part. Kiki, there's a game called "sexual lady", two players are chosen to move the human board. There are 24 guests to play. Twelve on each side. When one house eats the other…”

I put my fingers to my lips in shock and Blanca puts the cup down on the coffee table.

“You're fucked there, until you come, in front of everyone”, she says, in low tones.

“For someone who was venting, she told you a lot, right?”, I bite the tip of my nail.

“Please come with me, we'll wear a wig. It's not even now, it takes time to be accepted... do you think I want to be recognized there? I'm married.”

“I'll think about it. If it happens, don't think I'm going to play those things.”

Blanca claps her hands, as if we were going to Disney.

“But go on, what did Dominique do?”, she asks.

“Nothing. I didn't even see him today, I just went for a walk. I'll join you for the party.”

“I need two hairdressers here”, she points at me.

I've decided to go, it'll do me good. I can forget what happened today, I'm upset, but there's nothing I can do about it. Dominique is nothing to me, and I think it's great that we're getting away from each other. It's the best way out. I'm going to use today's party to have fun, as I've never done during this period of amnesia.

After taking a shower, careful not to damage my hair, which is only tied up at the top with a few loose strands, I do my makeup. While I'm at the dressing table, applying perfume and getting ready to put on the dress, my cell phone vibrates and I find Lohan's reply message. I thanked him for the flowers and told him not to worry about what had happened. We'll see each other soon. I place the device on the table. I take one last look, liking how it turned out. As I put the dress on, my thoughts turn to this playhouse, and I immediately ask myself: what kind of person was I? Did I enjoy this kind of sexual approach? Or was I more of a marrying saint? Well, I won't know that today, but I need to find out soon and it doesn't seem wrong to go there just to see.

When you look at me as a whole, the dress Lohan gave me is simply perfect and matches the sandals Dominique gave me. The length is very short and the side slits are large, one smaller than the other. I can't make any sudden movements, otherwise game over, my ass will be out. I check the clock, and it's half past nine and the music is loud. It seems that the party’s inside my room and not outside.

Guests are welcomed by a path lit by crystal lanterns and lined with white rose petals. All the guests wear white, creating a dazzling look. Men in well-cut suits and women in modern dresses adorned with all kinds of elegant jewelry. The strictly white dress code adds a sense of purity and exclusivity to the event.

The party area is decorated with lightly woven white tents that move gently in the sea breeze. Long tables, covered with white linen tablecloths and floral arrangements of lilies, roses and daisies, are arranged strategically around the garden. The lighting is soft and sophisticated, with hanging crystal chandeliers and white candles that create a cozy and romantic atmosphere at nightfall.

There are several gourmet food stations scattered around the space, offering a variety of dishes. A refined bar with a relaxed atmosphere serves champagne, exclusive cocktails and rare wines, while a DJ plays a selection of contemporary music.

In a more private area next to the pool, there’s a lounge with comfortable sofas, silk cushions and low tables, where guests can relax and enjoy intimate conversations. The sea view is stunning, with yachts anchored off the coast. Despite all the luxury, the atmosphere is carefree, everyone is enjoying themselves. Blanca chats each person with her unique friendliness, making everyone feel at home.  As I descend the garden stairs to access the event, I notice a few glances in my direction, mainly male. Noticing my arrival, Blanca comes towards me in her tight, short dress, covered in feathers and wearing high heels. She takes my hand.

“That dress was amazing, there was no one who didn't look at it while you were coming down”, she says, taking me to a group of men, who talk lively, “Martin, I want you to meet Kiara. She's new here. My new sweetheart.”

The man with black hair and green eyes smiles when he sees me.

“You're an angel…”, he says, taking my hand and kissing the back of it.

Her gaze is glazed over, she doesn't even blink and I realize I've been turned inside out. Blanca pulls my hand.

“Don't you dare”, she says, in a scolding tone, “Not only is she not for you, but she's the girl in Dominique's eyes.”

And in the same second, I raise my hand in protest. Feeling angry.

“No, I'm not!”, I say to Blanca, who smiles teasingly.

“Aren't you? Then prove it to me”, she crosses her arms.

“What kind of friend are you?”, I ask, confused.

“The one who wants to see how attached you are to him and how much I have to worry…”

I feel my heart beating nervously, it seems wrong to do this just to prove that I'm not his. But in a way, it's what I need to say that I'm not to myself, if there's any doubt. Even if there isn't, maybe... because I know I'm upset by what I saw this morning. I take a deep breath, looking at Blanca, challenging her.

“Watch, then.”

I pull Martin close, sticking my mouth to his, feeling our lips move together, our tongues meeting in a synchronized dance. I kiss him harder, trying desperately to feel something other than boredom. My body reacts coldly and nothing I feel compares to Dominique's touch. It frustrates me deeply. Even so, I give him my best smile after kissing him. Martin seems to want more and pulls me in for a second kiss, which I don't deny. I go along automatically, letting myself be carried away by the situation, but without really getting involved. As I pull away, I smooth my hair back, catching my breath.

“I'll spend more energy out there.”

As I leave the dance floor, I pick up a sealed bottle of water being served by the waiter and come across a light-eyed brunette, who winks at me with a suggestive look and a brief nod. I fix my dress and walk towards him, meeting Vlad on the way in an impeccable white suit.

“Hi, Ki…”, I don't give him time to finish speaking.

I turn away from Vlad and the brunette suddenly pulls me in and we kiss deeply, trying to leave me breathless, but to no avail. His grip is weak, lacking the intensity I was expecting. I say goodbye to him, gasping slightly, and walk towards Vlad, who stares at me in bewilderment.

“Where do you know him from?”, Vlad asks, sounding like a worried father.

“From here. You know how it is, right? A kiss on the cheek is a faggot thing. If I were you, I'd enjoy it too.”

I return to the dance floor, moving sensuously between two guys I've never seen in my life, but who are running their hands over my ass. As I roll over, I pull the guy in front of me into a kiss and the one behind us, engages, slipping into the kiss in a mess of tongues. Finally, I'm invited to a threesome. I refuse, because everything has a limit, and I've just found mine.

I discovered that bitterness is terrible. It destroys, humiliates and isn't good for the skin. I'm in the lounge, kissing another stranger, whose name I don't even know, and my thesis has been proven. He's handsome, smells good, is funny and has a great chat. He kisses me wonderfully, but I feel absolutely nothing. Not even the slightest warmth to give me hope. All I wanted was not to let Dominique have that taste with his manipulations. How is that possible? He's not worth a euro cent. What if my old self is disappointed in me? What if I'm married? And as I feel his hand slide down my ass... hands pull me back hard. When I look up, I find Dominique's figure with gray eyes, radiating an aura of tension. The air around him seems to densify, as if the gray itself were about to explode. His body leans forward, muscles tense, and he strides forward with determination. The handsome man, oblivious to the storm brewing, doesn't realize the danger. The punch is fast, precise. The fist meets the guy's chin with a crack. The handsome man staggers, loses his balance and falls backwards onto the ground. His eyes, once confident, now reflect surprise and pain.

“Dom?”, asks the handsome man.

“You son of a bitch. Your debt just went up three times”, he speaks to the man in a deep voice.

Dominique breathes heavily. He looks at the fallen man without remorse and takes me by the wrist.

“Let me go!”

Dominique doesn't say anything, just pulls me along like a homo sapiens in a bad mood, grabbing me by the hair and dragging me away. I notice that Dominique is only wearing white boxers. What happened? It's the first thing that comes to mind. I can't keep up with him in these heels and I almost trip. My body is lifted when he notices my near-fall and he puts me on his shoulder like a potato sack, walking through the party with me, without showing any fragility and me without making a fuss because I'm not one of those thin people. I prefer a more intimate scandal, I have to work with these people.

Dominique continues to drive me furiously, his heavy, panting breaths echoing in my ears. As we pass through the entire house, he descends the marble staircase with determined steps. I struggle hard, trying to get loose, but I know I can't just react and kick his ass in front of all the curious stares following us. I tilt my head, trying to see where he's taking me. As we descend, I spot a black X7, parked poorly, partially blocking the base of the staircase. The back door of the car is wide open, inviting and threatening at the same time. Next to the car, an imposing-looking security guard, dressed in an impeccable black suit, holds a set of equally dark clothes in his large hands. I assume they are Dominique's, given the absence of clothing.

As we approach the security guard, Dominique throws me hard into the car, causing me to fall face-first onto the soft upholstery of the seat.

“Tell Vlad to go home and you go with him”, he orders the security guard, who immediately walks away

I try to turn around and walk out of the open door, but it's slammed in my face before I can react.

“!Dominique!”, I exclaim, frustrated.

He gets into the car, sits down in the driver's seat and throws his clothes on the seat next to him. Before I can attack him or try to suffocate him with the seat belt, he starts the car with a quick jerk that sends me tumbling to the side.

“You have no right to take me away from a party I was enjoying!”, I protest, my voice filled with anger.

Dominique speeds out of Blanca's property. Every time he sees through the rear-view mirror that I'm about to attack him, he hits the accelerator hard and then brakes sharply, sending me tumbling sideways again.

“You're unbearable!”, I shout, trying to pull myself together.

Dominique remains silent, ignoring me with a cold demeanor. Just like the day I left his house. His eyes are fixed on the road ahead. Through the window, I see the majestic yachts moored in the harbor and it takes no time at all, given the speed and the fact that Monaco is so small, for us to see Larvotto Beach. The car brakes sharply again, but this time Dominique gets out of the car, presses the driver's seat lever and it automatically moves forward, offering space in the back. Then he opens the back door. I try to force the lock on the door on my side, but it's no use! Jeez! Why does Dominique have a child lock on his car?

He walks back in, closing the door with a bang. His icy gaze sweeps across me, making me boil with rage. Without thinking twice, I throw myself at him, kneeling on the seat, determined to throttle him for this troglodyte behavior. The power of my anger multiplies, fueled by everything I've felt since that morning. Before I can reach him, I'm stopped by his strong arms, which grab my wrists firmly. My attempt to attack is abruptly interrupted.

“You're coming back”, his tone is hard and serious.

I let out an incredulous laugh, gasping. The sensation of his fingers squeezing my wrists even tighter sends a wave of frustration and helplessness through me. My heart pounds in my chest, my breath becomes irregular. Adrenaline and anger mix, making my body tremble slightly, I look at him determinedly, and the storm that hovers in his gaze is about to collapse at any moment. And I don't mind. The feeling of conflict that always comes over me seems to burst at once:

“I won't! This morning you had six colors of lipstick all over your body! Six colors! If you doubt it, you even had it on your cock and you're talking at the top of your lungs about me being yours... me and the whole city, right? Not to mention your deplorable state of self-destruction! I won’t take part in this, I refuse to meet you like this. Since I arrived, there's nothing I can do. And if that wasn't enough, you're taking me out of the party as if you had a right over me…”

Dominique pulls my wrists forward and interrupts me with his mouth on mine, catching me off-guard and silencing me with a rough kiss. I return the kiss in the same way, realizing that my legs are wobbly and my heart, which was pounding with hatred before, is now pounding, wanting more. I force my wrists into his hands, trying to free myself, but he holds on tight, keeping me captive in this intense moment. Our tongues fight for control, in a mix of sensations that leave me dazed, feeling the unbearable heat circulating freely through me. Finally, when he loosens his grip, I release my arms and bring them around his neck, slipping my hands between his hair, smelling his unmistakable woody scent. I inhale deeply, leaving me numb. Dominique holds my waist firmly, pulling me up and sitting me on his lap, without stopping the kiss, which is both delicious and violent. I wrap my legs around his waist. I may be feeling all these wonderful sensations now, but earlier today, I was furious. What Dominique has been doing to me is beyond my control and I don't want to feel these things, apart from everything that's been happening between us.

Every movement of our lips and tongues is a mixture of urgency. I gasp into his mouth, feeling the satisfaction growing inside me, the kind I've been looking for all night and haven't found. Dominique pulls me closer as our bodies fit together, eliminating any space between us. He pulls away briefly. His hands press me down, making me feel his hard cock under his boxers. My whole body immediately shivers, letting a satisfied grunt escape my mouth as I kiss him.

“I want to take care of you, and I won't let you take that away from me”, he says, as he briefly pulls away, and kisses me again.

My hands move frantically through his hair, down his neck and shoulders, exploring every inch of his torso that I can reach, running my nails through it. Dominique holds me firmly, her grip on my waist demonstrating both her strength and her control over the situation.

“That's not your decision”, I speak close to your mouth and lick his upper lip.

Dominique pulls my face away with his hand and grabs my chin, just long enough for our eyes to meet with piercing intensity. The way he looks at me makes me tremble with arousal, and his hand wanders down my neck, making my belly cold. He wraps my hair in his fist and as he pulls it away to lick my neck, I feel my necklace snap, I feel the clasp fall apart under the impact and Dominique pulls hard, throwing the chain away and an electric shiver runs through me as his hot, wet tongue traces a path down my exposed neck.

“Fuck, I messed up and it ended up in shit”, he says, hoarsely.

Dominique kisses me hard again, his hands keep sliding down, squeezing me all over, until they reach my ass and dig his fingers into it under my dress, making me moan into his mouth. He then strokes the skin three times before slapping me hard and hard, and I can't contain the scream that bursts from my lips. I'd like to believe it easily, but I'm suspicious, plus his track record with me isn't the best and I think "Fuck, I messed up and it ended up in shit" is the closest thing to an excuse he can come up with, at least right now. I definitely don't like it when it happens, I've seen it too many times, it doesn't work anymore... with him so close, I can't think clearly, even more so feeling everything together, I have no desire to get out of the car and go back to Blanca. Dominique's hands lift the dress up to my waist and then move upwards, feeling my body slowly, until they reach the spaghetti straps of the single front of the dress, lowering them all at once and when she sees the two little blue stones on my right nipple, his gaze is full of surprise and arousal.

“Do you like it?”, I ask, in a low tease.

His response is a lick with the tip of his tongue, circling the tip, and I roll my eyes at the sensation, briefly losing consciousness. When I return my attention to Dominique, I notice an intense gaze, with a gleam of satisfaction. With every breath, the tension between us ignites, turning the interior of the car into a warm, small space. His hands grip my waist tightly, seeking my mouth again, and I try to relieve a little of this desperate sensation by slowly rolling onto his boxer-covered erection, making him moan and press me down further, making me wet from the friction. I begrudgingly stop for a moment. I take a minimum distance from Dominique, looking at him, feeling the grayish weight staring back at me. My heart is racing, as is my breathing.

“What's wrong?”, Dominique asks.

“After we’re done here, take me back to Blanca’s.”

Dominique's face hardens for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processes my words.

“There's no need to worry, Vlad will collect your things and you'll let her know tomorrow”, Dominique caresses my face with the back of her fingers

“We haven't solved anything. If we have sex and I come back, it'll make everything worse. I still don't agree with the things you've said and the way you treat me. I'm not your possession, don't you think that if you arrive in your panties, smashing someone's face in, saying that you're going to take care of me, throwing me in the car and giving me a nice kiss that I'm going to fall for it? I'm not. I'm amnesiac, not stupid. So, if you want to carry on, we can. But I'm not coming back with you”, my tone is serious,

He nods, with a thoughtful look on his face, running his index finger around the tip of my breast. I won't deny that the touch is wonderful and causes a thousand and one spectacular sensations.

“I have a counter-proposal for you”, he says with a look of authority, “You come back with me today and we'll go over all your dissatisfactions topic by topic tomorrow. But only after bungee jumping…”, he says, bringing his mouth down to my left breast, sucking it slowly, making me shudder, while I hold the back of his neck, feeling him slide his tongue upwards, without haste, traversing the entire perimeter from my lap to my neck, leaving light nibbles on the way up to my chin, where he pulls my lower lip with his mouth, sucking it, “And if you're not satisfied, you go back to Blanca. What do you say?”

“I’ll take it, but just because I want to be rested for tomorrow. The noise from the party won't allow me to get as much sleep as I need. You know?”

Dominique doesn't answer, he just lifts me off his lap and puts me back on the bench. He looks like he's had his plans destroyed in five seconds. He runs a hand through his hair, grunting in disbelief, I doubt he's ever been through this before... certainly not... the door opens and he gets out of the car, slamming it hard. I pull up the straps of my dress and settle into the back seat, still wrapped up in the scorching heat. I shake my hair up, and as I follow Dominique with my eyes, I notice him heading towards the beach, which isn't that busy on a Saturday night. I understand his frustration, I'm the same. I punch the seat, annoyed. Why does he have to be so irresistible? Jeez!  I throw myself on the bench…

I'm not going to say that I slept wonderfully, because I can't sleep peacefully, I always wake up in the middle of the night. It's a pain! It's like a weight on my head that won't let me rest, I'm always on alert, even when I need to relax. Okay, tonight must have been extra motivating. I spent the night remembering what happened in that car. At first light, I was ready to go, wearing cargo pants, sneakers, a T-shirt and light makeup. Vlad handed me my cell phone, which had been left at Blanca's house, and there were several messages from her, angry because she didn't know where I was. How could she? Who at the party didn't see me being carried? Were the people so drunk that they didn't notice a guy in white boxers carrying me? I sent her a message, explaining that everything was fine and that we'd talk later. She hasn't even seen it yet. I'm sure she's stuffing her face with champagne. Dominique woke up excited, ready to jump. Our reaction to last night is clearly as if it didn't exist for either of us. Which is great, there was no awkward atmosphere. The jet ride to the south of France was quick. The bridge we're on is located in a gorge and crosses the river, the view around is one of the most spectacular I've ever seen. Jumping activities are often popular here. I can't wait! I can hardly contain myself from jumping up and down, but I can't tell if it's the adrenaline rush or the cup of coffee I've had. Dominique was drinking it and I asked for some, but I ended up drinking it all.

“Are we going to jump at the same time? Will it take long? Quentin said we were next. There are only the two of us here. How many meters did he say it was? I was so excited that I didn't even pay attention to the explanation.”

“500 meters and I'll never give you coffee again”, he says, guiding me to the edge.

“I hope Vlad records it, since the parachute didn't work out, did it?”, my shoulders drop.

The sun is up, painting the sky with warm tones as Dominique and I prepare to jump off the platform. I feel the adrenaline rush inside me, mixed with a touch of caffeine that has made everything perfect. We're standing side by side, our bungee harnesses firmly in place and our hands intertwined. Dominique smiles at me, directing a wink, her gray eyes shining in anticipation. Quentin, the instructor, an old friend of Dominique's, gives us our final instructions with an air of confidence, checking our equipment one last time. I feel my heart racing, as I look down the gorge stretching out below us. Dominique shakes my hand firmly, conveying a unique confidence that makes me giddy. I'm going to jump off a gorge with him and it's ferocious!

With a determined nod, we approach the edge of the platform. The wind is blowing strongly all around us, and I can sense a mixture of excitement mingling in a whirlwind of emotions united in rebellion. I look at Dominique and he gives me an expectant look.

“If the elastic breaks, try not to fall on your face so as not to spoil the wake.”

At the instructor's signal, we jumped together.

The sensation of freefall is indescribable, my heart rushing so hard that I feel it could jump up my throat at any moment. I scream with sheer excitement as the wind whips around me. The bungee cord stretches and I feel Dominique next to me, our bodies together. Instead of fear, I feel only the impulse to live in the moment. We are swinging pendulously over the gorge, and the world seems suspended in time. Dominique laughs beside me, his laughter mingling with mine, as we enjoy every second of this pure adrenaline rush.

The feeling of freedom is pure and relaxing, but at the same time, it's as if I'm at the height of adrenaline, feeling it bubble up all over me. As we are pulled back onto the platform, I continue to enjoy the moment and the view, which is incredible.

When we're pulled back onto the platform, my legs are wobbly and I find myself completely overcome by an electrifying euphoria. My heart is still pounding and I can feel every cell in my body vibrating with the adrenaline rush. I take a step towards Dominique, noticing his gaze fixed on me, heavy, intense, ecstatic, and it makes me hot and tingly inside. I can't help myself. On an impulse, I jump into his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and grabbing his hips with my legs, feeling him squeeze my ass, hugging him tightly.

“I love it! Shall we go again?”, — I say, excitedly.

I feel your heavy breathing on my neck

“Hey, dolly, another day. We have unfinished business. Maurice is waiting for us. We're going to draw up a cohabitation contract, nothing long or complicated.”

I frown, not understanding anything.

“I thought we would talk and reach a consensus.”

“And we will. Only in writing, to be serious.”

I nod. I'm not sure where Dominique is going with this, but putting everything down on paper sounds great. I'm already making a mental list of everything I want.

I fell asleep while listening to Dom solving problems and more problems. "I'll sort it out when I get there", "Fuck, you don't know how to do anything without me, you cunts?”, "How much do you want to stop bothering me, Thierry?”, "It doesn't matter where I am". And then I went to sleep...

I wake up with a start when I hear Blanca's voice:

“Kiki, wake up!”, she says, angrily;

“What's wrong?”, I yawn.

I notice I'm back at home, lying on the sofa in the living room. Blanca is wearing sunglasses and black wide-leg pants, and T-shirt outfit, holding her Hermès handbag.

“What are you doing here?”, she asks, whispering.

“I sent you a message, answering yours, that I was fine”, I shrug.

“Do you really think I know where my cell phone is after six bottles of Chandon?I sent you thousands of messages and deleted them by the pool. When I woke up this morning, I didn't know where you were or where my cell phone was. When I checked the cameras, I saw you kissing everyone, and my disappointment came when I saw you dragged off in Dominique's arms, him in his boxers, he even broke the face of my guest and my security guard who wouldn't let him in because he was wearing black. I was the one left with no reaction at all, watching this antics. You said it was none of his business and now you're back here? Are you crazy?”, she asks, her voice cracking at the end.

“Sorry, I thought you'd read the message…”

“Fuck the fucking message. You can't stay here, it'll start all over again…”

“We're going to make a contract”, I interrupt her.

Blanca opens her mouth, raising her index finger.

“Damn it, Kiki, are you going to be his sugar baby?”, she whispers.

I open my eyes wide and don't even have time to deny it. Vlad enters the room, spots the two of us and greets Blanca with a nod.

“Miss de la Rosa, Dominique is waiting for you in the office. I didn't want to wake you, but it's necessary.”

“Is it today?”, Blanca puts her hand to her chest in disbelief, “Oh, chocolate, pour me a glass of champagne — Blanca turns sharply to me, “Don't say anything until I get there. When I was with Francisco, before I got married, I didn't have anyone to help me”, she says, heading towards Vlad, who follows her to the bar, pouring the drink.

I look away in disbelief, heading down the corridor. My footsteps echo slightly as I advance, until I find the office door open. I enter and find Thierry fixated on his laptop, his attention completely absorbed by the screen, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Maurice, on the other hand, is sitting opposite Thierry at Dominique's desk, smoking a cigarette with a visibly grumpy face. His eyebrows are furrowed with an air of incredulity.  Dominique is standing next to him, smoking a pod and sipping a shot of vodka calmly. He seems oblivious to the tension in the air and, upon noticing my entrance, nods towards the empty armchair.

“Sit down.”

I put my hands in the back pockets of my pants and walk calmly over to Maurice, who rolls his eyes, and Thierry, who puts his pen in his mouth and nods briefly. I sit down on the sofa, crossing my legs.

“Great choice of sugar, Dom”, Blanca enters the office.

Maurice chokes on the smoke, Thierry on the drink he's just picked up from the table and taken a sip of. I put my hand to my face in denial and don't dare look at Dominique.

“I want her to get everything she can out of this contract, but first of all, is she just an escort or a sex escort? We have to find a good day for her. For example, Wednesday is a quiet day for Kiki, a great day for sex. She'll be rested.”

“Blanca, that's enough. Be quiet!”, I say, embarrassed

“I don't want it to be uncomfortable for you”, Blanca says dejectedly

“Blanca, there's nothing sexual about it. It's a contract of coexistence”, I speak in an angry but low tone.

“Jesus Christ! Why are you doing this? What a lack of things to do, my God!” Blanca pinches her eyes with her fingertips.

“I want you to answer that question, Dominique. What the fuck is this about calling me on a Sunday, when I told you that you'd go to jail if you needed me this weekend?”, Maurice says to Dom.

“It's urgent”, Dominique and I said together.

“Oh yes. It's very urgent to use my international training at the world's most prestigious university to draw up a contract like this. On the one hand, a sequestered imbecile who doesn't even share oxygen, but wants to adopt an amnesiac. On the other, a crazy woman with no memories who is possibly going to pull an alimony scam on the aforementioned asshole and who, instead of getting out of here, trying to take care of her own life and find out who she is, prefers to stay here complaining that she has no right to anything, that she is treated like an object, but always goes back to the animal's lap. Did I miss something? Is this the urgency or can I just shit out this fucking contract and everyone can get back to doing something useful?”

“It was you who wanted to use your most prestigious international training in the world to work with me. From that point on, I'm in charge. I'd like to create a contract that forbids you from expressing your opinions in my house. Take the opportunity to include Berta and Blanca's names too, because I don't want anyone bothering me”, Dominique says, as he sits down on the sofa in front of me

His eyes narrow slightly, fixing on mine with their usual intensity. The sparkle in his gaze is mesmerizing and there's a softness in the way he blinks, letting a faint trace of a smile appear on his face. And I realize that it's that look that blows me away.

“Ah, Dominique, fuck off.”

Maurice, who is clearly out of patience, speaks up. And not allowing Dominique a chance to respond, Thierry says:

“Whatever, it doesn't matter who agrees or disagrees with Dom's madness, he pays, and we do it. Let's just not waste any time, because soon everyone will be arriving to play. I've got Dom's requests here and you, Kiki, listen and discuss what you think about it”, Thierry says, gesturing with his hand.

Blanca holds my arm, whispering in my ear:

“We're going to get a lot out of it here.”

“Everything will be negotiated, my love”, I say softly to Blanca, turning my attention back to Maurice.

Maurice, who is holding a gold pen in his left hand, indicating that as well as being left-handed, he is not wearing a wedding ring. The last time I saw him, the day after the guys on the beach chased him, he was calling me a whore and accusing me of being a scammer. He wore a big, flashy wedding ring on his ring finger.

“First topic: Ban on cans and processed foods with a high preservative content. These items are banned for health and intelligence reasons”, Maurice says seriously.

Blanca raises her hand:

“Objection, Your Honor.”

“I'm not a judge and this isn't a jury”, he circles his index finger around the room.

“Fuck! How can your client claim intelligence when his is flawed? If you take the canned goods away, what will she eat? Wind or photosynthesis?”, Blanca takes the lead.

I hold up my fingers, drawing attention to myself, and Maurice turns his attention away from Blanca.

“If Dom is in charge of trying all the food I want, at any time, that's fine”, I say, crossing my arms, meeting Dominique's gaze, staring at me seriously.

“I can do it, but we'll have to align our schedules. Because let's face it, I'm not tasting food at three in the morning”, Dominique says, placing the empty vodka glass on the coffee table.

“I feel hungry at dawn!”, I say.

“And I feel sleepy”, Dom glances at Maurice, “Write it down, the little beauty will start having breakfast with me at 5:30 am. Vlad will be available to take her wherever I am for lunch, which may be between 11 and 12. For dinner, I'll take an hour in the evening to join her for dinner and then I'll go back to the casino. And if she gets hungry outside of these times, she'll have to come to me”, he finishes by looking at me again, “Agreed?”

“That's great.”

Thierry starts typing and Maurice continues reading:

“The second topic: my client stresses that the house is available for you to use as you wish, provided that you undertake not to exceed the following rooms: the personal bedroom and the games room.”

I raise my hand.

“Cars weren't mentioned. Are they included in what I can use?”

Dom nods in agreement.

“With my permission, yes.”

I'm taken by surprise, but I pretend to be natural.

“Third topic: it’s requested that all ties and jewelry scattered around the house be collected, including those that are adorning the personal collection of works of art and statues”, says Maurice.

“Really? David's bust looks amazing with the bow tie. Did you see the little necklace on Lilith? Are you sure?”, I ask, incredulously.

“I've never been so sure in my life”, Dominique fights back.

I put my hand to my chest in disbelief.

“Do what?”

Blanca whispers in my ear again.

“If I were you, I'd start thinking about the things you want.”

“I know what I want.”

“Fourth topic”, Maurice reads on coolly, “For security reasons, you will be accompanied by Vlad and will be free to move around Monaco as long as he is present. Without his company, you won't be allowed to go for walks or any other activities.”

I squint.

“I don't agree! It's nothing against Vlad, I just don't need a nanny. I can look after myself very well and you know that, Dominique!”, I say, angrily.

I see Dom scratching his stubble.

“Out of the question. The only place you go without a chaperone is here”, his tone is direct.

“Unfair, I'd say. I want a free pass to Blanca's house, for Blanca to come here all the time and access to the casino. It'll make it easier for me to eat, and I'll get more clients.”

Dom agrees, somewhat annoyed.

“That's fine. But you'll respect me when I tell you not to go to the casino and depending on the day, there'll be security there too. It's not always reliable for you to be there.”

I understand what Dominique means, clearly it's a lot of exposure and I know it's risky, after all, there are still people after me.

“I can accept it, if that's the case.”

“These are my client's main requirements. Now it's your turn to present yours, knowing that all of them will be analyzed without exception. If your friend wishes, she can help you”, Maurice says, placing a piece of paper on the table and looking at me.

“I want to see that”, Thierry