3| God is a Woman

"When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishing, and he see the universe when I'm in company, it's all in me."

- Ariana Grande

- Laila is 22 years old in the present -

 Laila 

"Please don't kill me I have kids and a wife to feed every day"

I shook my head, I love hearing their pleas for begging mercy for their lives when they are defenseless. I look innocent when looking for my prey, but they never knew that they were encountering a deal with the reina de los muertos. I am a hired assassin at night, and at the day I am a doctor of physical therapy at one of the prestigious hospitals in New York. After graduating valedictorian of our batch in Physical Therapy I was immediately offered jobs but also met with my boyfriend pounding on someone in his bed, I guess he can't wait for me to give my virginity to him. At first, I thought it was my fault but, guess what, I was distracted by my mother undergoing cancer.

I accepted the job here in New York because I wanted a new scenery for once. The girl whose nose is always stuck in a book as an assassin? My college self would find this amusing, no matter how I crave danger I never tested the waters. The person who encouraged me was no other than Maria Isabel, my best friend. I learned that her family is involved in the mafia, knowing that I needed a large sum of money but I didn't want to be a stripper because it would taint my reputation. She gave me a job as a hired assassin. It fits my schedule, helps with my mama's expenses in her recovery from cancer, and doesn't taint my reputation because of the mask I always wear.

Ever since I started this job I was immediately known as reina de los muertos or the midnight queen. This is because of how I hunt my prey and how I kill them in the most brutal way possible. I never knew how exhilarating danger was if I just stayed inside my shell. Now I tasted blood, I never wanted to stop.

My soul is tainted and it is irrevocable.

Every mission I give to my mama's treatment and for my brother's expenses at school. This is usually how my life is every day. I treat people with care at day then at night, the underworld hires me to assassinate. Ah, the hypocrisy.

You might be wondering if I knew who gave me orders to kill, actually it always stays anonymous because if I get caught they will not be revealed, oh well it is just business.

"You have a family sí ?"

"Sí, Por favor dame la oportunidad de vivir para ellas" (Yes, please give me a chance to live for them)

" Ah, you speak my language, such a shame. You bring shame to your el idioma materno"

"Puta, let me go. You will not survive at the brothel if I catch you after this"

"Tsk tsk, Don't threaten the killer idiota. You didn't give mercy to little girls you raped and sold to brothels or sent to other countries? estoy en lo cierto"

"No last words for the reina de los muertos"

He kissed my shoe for one last mercy but I had no ounce of it for people like him.

I grabbed his face to look at me so that my face will be the last image he will see. I reached out for his right eye to get it out of its socket, then I also did it to the other eye, that is his price for looking at innocent girls to rape and sell.

He screamed like a little girl. Cue in my eye roll.

I grabbed my Jagdkommando knife from my thigh and stabbed his crotch area. Then finished the job by slitting his throat because I have limited time. I exited the motel I took him to, approached Isabel apparently waiting for me by her motorcycle. Then I removed my dark red laced mask from my eyes and mouth.

"Damn! Bitch you look like you showered blood, you did your usual am I right? Limited time?"

"I damn well did, UGH carajo. I did enjoy but, for a while because of the idiota tiempo"

"Cheer up, because we will go ride this bad boy, then have a mojito party"

I grabbed the helmet then rode her 'bad boy' we were speeding not minding the limit.

"Puta I have work tomorrow, Isa I can't"

"Chill for a while, just a little sip"

"Isa I know you, little is two bottles"

"Awwww Darling you know me too much, should I kill you now?"

"You know if you do that you will not have me anymore, you would be always lonely and no mojito parties anymore"

"Such a killjoy, ok I promise little drinks only tonight since the day after tomorrow will be your rest day, a party and shopping for you!"

"You know I can't do the shopping I am already cut short for mama's expenses, I need to pass shopping except for partying"

"Don't worry about the shopping expense I will pay for it, you deserve it, babe. You overwork yourself, you have no time for yourself anymore" She glanced at me with the look I know I'm right

I sighed "Ok Isa, thank you. I love you loca"

"Love you too L."

We arrived at our apartment, with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. It is hard to find a decent apartment in New York, especially at a low rate. But my Best friend always wanted the best of the best which is automatically provided because she is loaded, she belongs to the mafia no wonder.

We prepared the mojitos while dancing to the beats, then started our duo party.

The blaring sound of my alarm beeped like there were troops ready to be deployed for battle.

"LAILA YOUR FuCKING ALARM IS ANNOYING, GET YOUR BUTT OFF AND TURN IT OFF"

"Ugh! Wait what time is it"

7:10 am! Oh my- I have work in 10 minutes.

"M****A M****A M****A"

After shutting the alarm Isabel was asleep again. When I told her a little bit, it turned into two bottles, and damn her! I wasn't wrong, I will be running late.

I took a shower then headed for my closet searching for my clothes, and decided to wear a blazer outfit with matching nude heels. I grabbed my stethoscope, my bag full of my uniform clothes, then my keys.

I wrote a note to Isabel I am running late and meet her later for dinner at our usual restaurant downtown.

I decided to get a cab because I am so late. I called Samantha from the reception that I would be arriving around two to five minutes late. I arrived, two minutes late and I am very grumpy because I didn't have my coffee and that I slept late last night with a hangover, thanks to Isa. I got out of the cab in a hurry.

Then suddenly, I bumped into someone making them spill their coffee over me, can my life get any more bad luck? "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? CAN'T YOU SEE A GIRL STRUGGLING HERE? ARE YOU A FUCKHEAD?" my anger slowly diminished since I was met with a good-looking man in a clean suit, even the word good-looking doesn't give justice to his magnifico physique. He has an aura that makes me want to submit.

Wait for what? Que? What is wrong with me today I will not bow down to any men, men bow down to me. They are the ones who submit to me, not me.

But his body is made by the Gods, it can be seen in his fitted suit. Damn! His- I stopped my gaze on this fine piece of meat by the clearing of the throat and that sexy smirk that I just wanted to punch and adore all day. Laila get your head out of the gutter, he is the enemy, do not give in. "you should be careful where you are going next time tesoro, and next time don't use that tone with me. MOVE" I was stunned by what he said, I muttered “pendejo”. I know he heard it because I heard him chuckle. Ugh! Great! He is like that guy from my freshman year in college, a true pendejo. I audibly gasped, because it was him. I reorganized my thoughts and decided to head to the reception saying hello to the staff and Samantha for making my patients wait patiently. I headed to my room, I changed, and headed to the washroom thank God! The hospital has a washing machine. After cleaning it, it was already a total of 20 minutes.

I hurriedly headed to my room for my first patient, he is a good-looking guy in his 50's. He looks like a combination of Keanu Reeves and Skeet Ulrich in a suit.

"Good morning Mr. D'Angelo," I said with enthusiasm,

"Good morning Doctor..."

"Just call me Laila"

"Ok Laila, just call me Raffaele," he said and charmingly smiled.

"We will start your therapy, with a few stretches because today is your first day. Do you want some of my homemade banana muffins?" offering him a box of muffins.

"Oh yes sure, Thank you. These are my favorite"

"Mmm! This is so good"

I chuckled "Thank you, Anyways Let's start our therapy"

After an hour and 20 mins

Because we got sidetracked while talking about something funny.

Raffaele is a good guy and has great humor, I could see that he is a great father to his kids and a loyal husband to his wife. He has 5 children, two of his children are apparently working and the other three are still in school. His twins will be graduating this year in college, and the other is in the first year of college. Apparently, his last child is the same age as Alexander.

"You are a good doctor, I can see it, and no wonder why Francesco referred you. You are also a good company, it looks like time is just passing by if you are my doctor."

I chuckled "You too Raffaele not bad. Frans is a good friend of mine. He is one of the people who warmed up to me during my first time here in this hospital."

"Yeah Francesco is an approachable person, anyways see you on our next therapy Laila"

"Yes see you on our next therapy and bring your usual self nothing else. Come on, I will walk you out."

We exited my room and grabbed my list full of updates of my patients. On the way to the reception area, Raffaele and I talked for a while. Then when we reached the reception area I was greeted by the person I least expected, he was standing there checking me out for a minute then his smirk appeared. I just scowled. Oh how much I wanted to wipe it off his face, that Hijo de puta.

"Papà andiamo, va bene?" (Let's get going, shall we?)

"Certo figlio. Ma prima volevo presentarti il ​​mio dottore." (Sure son. But first I wanted to introduce to you my Doctor.)

"Laila I wanted you to meet my eldest son. Alessandro"

"Nice to meet you Laila" he kissed my hand and smirked. I gave him my best fake smile, this pendejo is making my blood boil as if he didn't spill his coffee to me earlier this morning.

"It's good to see you again Alessandro, apparently my outfit with coffee stains is already clean. Thank you so much for spilling that coffee. Now I have something to clean, but don't worry it was no big deal."

His smirk fell into a frown then into a contemplating face. And we got to a staring match. ugh, the audacity. His father finds our encounter amusing. Raffaele interrupted our staring match by saying, "Laila we better get going, we have places to be. See you soon."

He stepped closer to me and whispered "I'm imagining different scenarios how to punish you il mio gattina" And walked away leaving me speechless with a confused imagination, anticipating my punishment.