Hazel winced in pain as John pressed the shard against her skin. Liam shrieked in fear and rushed to help Hazel up, but John shoved him aside with a forceful push.
In a sudden fit of greed, John snatched Hazel's purse from her pocket, and bundles of cash tumbled to the floor. His eyes lit up with a predatory gleam.
"No! Don't take that… it's for Liam's school fees!" Hazel pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.
John shot her a dangerous glare, his hand creeping up her thigh.
"You don't want me to take it? Or do you want me to f*ck you first, just like the slut you are, before you give me the money?" he spat angrily. Hazel shook her head vigorously.
He scoffed, standing up and shoving the money into his pocket before staggering out of the house.
Hazel quickly regained her composure and rushed to Liam, checking if he was okay.
"I'm fine, Hazel... but you don't look so good. Let's go to a nearby pharmacy," Liam said worriedly.
Hazel shook her head sadly. "Don't worry about me, Liam... I'm okay. I'll just stitch it up myself. Come on; let me drop you off at Aunt Gracia's place. I need to leave now," she replied softly, hissing in pain as she spoke.
••••••••
"Good evening, ma'am. Can Liam stay here for a while? I've got to go out for some business…" Hazel asked slowly, her black hoodie obscuring most of her face.
Aunt Gracia scrutinized Hazel intensely before shifting her gaze to Liam, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Your father is at it again? Did he try to hurt Liam?" Aunt Gracia asked slowly.
Ignoring the question, Hazel bent down to Liam's level and gently touched his cheek, gazing at him warmly. "I'll be back soon, okay? So please don't disturb Aunt Gracia," she murmured softly. Liam nodded obediently.
As Hazel stood up and took a step back, her head hung low. Aunt Gracia held Liam's hand tightly and led him inside.
Once they were inside, Aunt Gracia shut the door and turned serious. "Is your sister still sleeping with men just to make money? Tell me!" she urged eagerly.
Liam's expression darkened as he lowered his head. "I don't know…" he mumbled softly.
Aunt Gracia hissed in frustration. "What's the point of asking you anyway? You're still too little to know if your sister is messing around with men or not! Go to the kitchen and wash the dishes!" she ordered sternly before striding upstairs.
Liam nodded slightly and shuffled off toward the kitchen.
••••••••••••••
Outside the door, Hazel had been listening intently all along. She stepped back from the door, her gaze cold and devoid of emotion as she clenched her fists tightly. Pretending not to have heard anything, she began walking away into the night.
**MCILY BAR**
Mcily Bar is one of the most popular bars in the USA, owned by the well-known Aurelia Aguilera. Though Aurelia has many bars, motels, and hotels, Mcily stands out as her most famous establishment.
Hazel walked into the bar, her face concealed by a hoodie instead of her usual mask. She quickly strode upstairs to Aurelia's office, entered, and shut the door behind her. Aurelia turned to Hazel with a cocky smile.
"Oh my, you're actually here! I was beginning to wonder if you'd show up. But then again, it's not as if you have a choice!" Aurelia retorted with a sarcastic laugh.
Hazel forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes and sank onto the couch. "Just like you said, 'It's not as if I have a choice.' Can we skip to the point? I'm already feeling irritated," she muttered coldly.
Aurelia's smile vanished as she gritted her teeth. "You little wench!" she snarled angrily before quickly composing herself.
"The world-renowned mafia boss is in my hotel and has requested a girl to please him tonight. I want you to be that girl—so get prepared! The pay will be substantial. Just cooperate with him and give him all the best moves you know!" Aurelia said seriously, greed glinting in her eyes.
Hazel gazed intensely at Aurelia and nodded slowly.
"One last thing: don't do anything that might anger him, or you're doomed! If you lose this opportunity, I won't take it lightly," Aurelia added coldly. Hazel nodded again and turned to leave.
Aurelia let out a triumphant smile.
---
Hazel entered a room and quickly stitched up the wound on her face. She glanced at herself in the mirror and let out a sad smile. Dressed in a red show-back gown that hugged her figure loosely and stopped just below her butt, exposing her fresh thighs, she took her mask and put it on. Her gaze turned cold as she exited the room.
As she reached the middle of the bar, "B.I.T.C.H" by Megan Thee Stallion boomed from the speakers. With determination, Hazel began to catwalk toward the stage.
Hazel held the dancing pole, twisting her waist and letting her movements flow with the rhythm. The crowd erupted in cheers the moment they laid eyes on her.
"Look! It's the snake girl!"
"Damn! I bet she would be incredible in bed!"
"Check out that tiny waist! I want her!"
Men exclaimed dreamily, their gazes hungrily fixed on her.
Meanwhile, in a shadowy corner of the VIP area, a strikingly handsome yet dangerous-looking man lounged on a couch. His black, silky hair fell over his side profile, partially obscuring one eye, giving him an air of mystery. Though his eyes were shut, one might think he was peacefully asleep. His jawline was sharp enough to cut glass.
He was shirtless as usual, a cigar resting between his fingers as he took slow drags. This was Alejandro Fernandez, the world's most feared mafia king.
At his feet, a girl clad only in a black bra and G-string panty knelt between his legs, playfully teasing him. She giggled seductively as she took him into her mouth, sucking on him like a lollipop.
"F*ck! This girl really knows how to give a blowjob," Knife remarked coolly from across the room as he threw himself onto another couch.
The girl turned and flashed Knife a seductive smile before returning her attention to Alejandro.
"Any news?" Alejandro asked coldly, still puffing on his cigar with his eyes closed.
Knife smirked. "I have thousands of interesting stories for you, big boss," he replied casually.
Alejandro smirked back and stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray without opening his eyes. The atmosphere around him felt heavy—dangerous and cold.
"Get. Out!" Alejandro commanded icily. The girl quickly pulled up Alejandro's pants and zipped them before fearfully scurrying out of the VIP area.
Knife chuckled devilishly as he stood up from the couch and took a few steps closer to the edge of the VIP area, gazing downstairs.
"Your brother is alive," Knife said seriously, glancing at Alejandro.
Alejandro didn't flinch; his eyes remained shut.
Knife smirked and continued, "Antonio is alive and hiding here in the USA. I bet you'll be his first target, so you need to be careful wherever you go."
Alejandro chuckled coldly. "Is that all?" he asked dryly.
Knife was about to respond when his gaze caught a sexy lady on stage, writhing and shaking her hips around the pole.
"Oh my God! What the f*ck? Check out this gorgeous girl! She moves like a snake!" Knife exclaimed dreamily.
Alejandro's eyes snapped open, locking onto Knife with a cold glare. "You're so noisy!" Alejandro hissed as he stood up from the couch.
"Oh no... I think I'm already so f*cking hard!" Knife cried out, glancing down at the bulge in his pants.
Alejandro strode over to where Knife stood, peering downstairs. There, a masked lady was twerking her hips while men climbed onto the stage, trying to grab her waist, but she danced away effortlessly.
A large, bulky man managed to grip her waist and pulled her closer, their bodies pressing together as she felt his hardness against her.
Alejandro noticed how the lady stiffened momentarily before rocking her behind against him. He took out a cigar stick, lit it, and took a slow drag, releasing a faint smirk.
Knife was right; she moved exactly like a snake, and Alejandro couldn't help but imagine feeling that body against him.
"Boss, I never knew you had an eye for good things too! Haha! I mean, she may have a flat ass, but she sure knows how to shake it!" Knife retorted coolly before pausing to gauge Alejandro's reaction.
As Alejandro's gaze remained fixed on the masked lady, a smile crept onto his lips.
"Do you want her?" Knife asked, his tone dripping with cockiness.
Alejandro took another drag from his cigar, puffing out thick smoke through his nostrils. An inexplicable urge surged within him to snap the neck of the man holding the lady's waist.
He shot Knife a cold, hard glare, sending a chill racing down his spine. Knife quickly shifted his expression to one of seriousness and lowered his head.
Alejandro scoffed and redirected his icy stare back to the masked lady.
Meanwhile, Hazel was lost in her performance, whining and shaking her butt when she suddenly felt a piercing gaze from the shadows. A chill ran down her spine.
Is someone watching her? That question echoed in her mind, amplifying her discomfort. The intensity of the gaze felt as if it were boring holes into her skin.
She scanned the room until her eyes locked onto a man whose cold glare made her feel as though she had committed a grave sin. He was smoking a cigar, exhaling heavy clouds of smoke that enveloped his striking features. He was dangerously handsome; dark blue eyes and a jawline so sharp it could cut glass. Shirtless except for low-slung pants that threatened to slip off, he exuded an allure that made her heart race.
Hazel felt an unexpected heat pooling within her at the way he stared at her.
Just then, the music came to an end. She released a slight bow before stepping offstage.
Once in a private room, she quickly shut the door and began sorting through the money people had thrown at her during her performance. Smiling as she arranged the bills into her purse, she removed her mask and changed into a black bum short and a red skimpy crop top before leaving in search of Aurelia.
••••••••••••
Back in the VIP area, Alejandro stood like a statue, still mesmerized by the masked lady's absence. Though she was no longer on stage, she had ignited something deep within him. The way she moved—her hips and body—made him crave more than just a dance; he wanted to see those curves writhing for him too. He felt himself twitch in his pants and shut his eyes with a faint hiss of frustration.
Knife glanced over worriedly. "Boss, is there any problem?" he asked cautiously.
With arms crossed behind his back and eyes still shut, Alejandro nodded slightly.
"Inform Aurelia that I need a sl*t for tonight," he muttered coldly.
"Actually, I already informed her before we arrived that you'd be needing someone to f*ck tonight," Knife replied slowly.
Alejandro's eyes snapped open as he strode over to the couch and sat down elegantly, crossing his legs with purpose.
"Okay... go inform her again," he said dryly.
Knife nodded but paused mid-step when Alejandro's cold voice cut through the air again.
"Tell her I want the girl in the mask," Alejandro finally blurted out with a cocky smile.
Knife grinned and nodded before exiting the VIP area to relay Alejandro's request