4

Yesenia

My feet stake before entering the bar.

Will he be here?

Not that I’m looking forward to seeing him, the truth is that I didn’t think for a minute about Axel until the moment, between waking up, going to the internship, coming home again, studying and getting ready for work, the only time I had to think about him is now, there are few seconds of entering to work another night.

I shouldn’t be anxious, but I am.

There is something about him that attracts me, I see handsome men every day, yet something in his expression attracts me immensely.

How honey attracts the bee.

I go into the establishment and look around for him. My eyes take a few seconds to locate him in the slightly darkened environment, and there he is with the owner of the bar, Vladimir.

Marjorie is serving them both with a broad smile on her face, and what affects me is the smile he returns to her.

Maybe as a thank you?

Marjorie is a beautiful woman and men would be foolish not to spare her a second look, but when she leaves, he does not direct a look at her, on the contrary, those brown orbs fixate on me.

I breathe deeply, because for a small moment, I felt the air missing in my lungs.

Damn a hot man!

And he was totally aware of it, because he gave that little smile of corner of lips that makes any woman wobbly legs.

Axel nods in greeting and I reciprocate the same gesture, then run to the bathroom to prepare.

Will he come every day?

Because if you do, it’ll be hard to stay focused and work at the same time.

It’s delicious and appetizing.

My eyes follow her as she walks quickly to the bathroom.

I was surprised to realize that I noticed her presence as soon as she passed through the doors, I had not yet seen her, however something made me feel her.

Strange?

A little bit, maybe.

But what wasn’t weird in my life?

I grew up in the midst of blood and death, I was raised to be my father’s replacement as soon as he died and running a city was not easy, everything requires close attention and planning, from the most grotesque part of the city, such as drugs, prostitution, weapons, controlling the police, politics and even the mayor, even the best part of the city, how to generate jobs for the most needy, donations, health, education, among the most diverse areas.

I am the one who controls this city and I hold it in the palm of my hands.

My father was not a good person, but he taught me with iron fists how to handle this work, in this part I am grateful, however, the hatred is greater for having caused the death of my mother.

Watching her languish in front of me while my father was having fun with the prostitutes practically made me dance on top of his coffin the day of his wake.

"It seems that you have lost your way, my friend" Vladimir points and turns my attention to his face, which exposes a big bastard smile "And I know exactly where she went" He tilts his head indicating the way Yesenia went.

"It’s no big deal."

"Imagine it!" Vladimir laughs loudly and it makes an absurd urge to climb up my arm to punch him.

I take a deep breath and ask for patience in my mind.

The Devil and even God knows that people do not like to see me without patience.

"I’ve never seen you run after a woman, though Yesenia is worth it" I arch my brow and he quickly raises his hands in surrender "I’m not blind to the women who work here, but you know I don’t mix business with pleasure, tempting as it may be many, many times."

"I’m not "running" after her as you so graciously said, I’m just interested, you know I don’t get deeply involved in my relationships, Yesenia is just a woman to pass the time."

"Just try not to ruin the girl’s life, she does not know a third of what this city and you hide."

"You don’t seem to know me, Vladimir, I’ve never ruined anyone’s life, much less a woman’s" I’ve never subjected a woman in a lifetime that I didn’t deserve, except for those who betrayed me in their lust for power.

After all, I was dictating the mob in this town.

The power to command Southward Angel is in my hands.

"Well, I don’t know everything about your life, just what you show me, but you know you’re not getting any younger, you’re already 34 and time is ticking by fast, a few years from now you’ll be 40 and you still don’t have a child."

Ah...

The damn pressure to have kids, I hear it at least once a month and every time I want to strangle the person who says it.

"I will know the right moment, Vladimir" I cut the conversation, I am already saturated with this subject, and Vladimir is not a person who would like to kill, I like his company when it suits "I will go home now" I lift and shake my partner’s hand.

I cast my gaze around the room for the last time and find Yesenia talking to the bartender as the boy makes the drinks.

My fists tighten as I watch the interaction, she smiles in a way that hasn’t smiled since the day I met her, a smile that extends to her ear.

The bartender says something that makes her laugh and I count mentally up to three not to commit a madness among several people, I turn to Vladimir who watched me attentively and say the words that will put an end to the shit I’m watching.

"Fire the bartender, if he does not, he will have worse fate" that said I leave the bar irritated and go straight to my SUV, slamming the door with all force when I enter.

I breathe deeply trying to calm myself and I notice my hands trembling, in a way that did not happen for years, something that occurred mainly when I was with my father or in anger attacks.

And it is at this moment that I wonder if it is not better to abandon this achievement.

Yesenia is not worth all that.

Not if it’ll hurt everything I’ve built over the years.