Episode 5

       I was tired as hell. The night had been hell, full of blood and problems I had to sort out the right way. I took another shower, trying to wash the day's shit off my body. I left the bathroom with the towel hanging on my hip; even after the shower, the heat was unbearable, my body heavy with hunger and exhaustion.

        I went straight to the kitchen, expecting to find my food ready, but there was only a damn forgotten serving dish on the counter. I frowned. No sign of the cook. Not a trace of her. But her cell phone was there. That meant she was still in the house. My security guards confirmed no one had left.

Something wasn't right.

I walked through the house, alert, and stopped in front of the pantry. The door was closed. I tried to turn the doorknob. Locked.

"Mierda..."

I remembered this damn lock had been giving trouble. I knocked on the door.

"Anyone there?"

Silence.

I knocked again, harder.

"If you're in there and don't answer, I'm kicking this door down."

Nothing.

"Last chance."

         I waited a second and was already out of patience. I gave two firm kicks to the wood and it gave way, shattering. The door fell to pieces, revealing the scene inside.

The girl was lying on the floor. Pale, sweaty. But breathing.

              For a second, I just stared at her. Should I care? Probably not. But she was Carmen's niece, and I held Carmen in regard. I picked her up in my arms, feeling her light body and her hair stuck to her face.

Carajo... why did this face seem familiar?

I put her on the sofa and, when I touched her face to move her hair, she suddenly woke up.

And screamed.

"AAAAAAHHHH! HELP! LET ME GO!" She tried to struggle, eyes wide.

I clenched my jaw, already pissed off.

"Stop screaming, coño! You'll wake the whole neighborhood."

"YOU PERVERT!" She grabbed a cushion and threw it at me. "LET ME GO, MANIAC!"

I arched an eyebrow.

"Maniac?"

"You're not wearing clothes!" She covered her eyes and then peeked between her fingers, as if expecting an attack.

I rolled my eyes.

"It's my house. I walk around however I want. You're the one throwing yourself into other people's closets."

"Your house?! I-I didn't throw myself in! I got stuck!"

Her voice... the shrill way she spoke...

"Wait a minute..." I looked at her more closely. The messy hair, the big eyes, the voice, the indignant expression...

And then it clicked.

"No jodas... You're the cake girl!"

The shock on her face was instantaneous.

"NO! I'M NOT! YOU'RE MISTAKEN." She lied, nervously.

"You crossed the street right in front of me. I almost ran you over and you cursed me out."

"What did you expect, huh? The cake fell on my face!" She blurted out, the words escaping her lips.

I really tried not to laugh. But the memory was too strong.

"Yes. You looked like a clumsy panda."

"You're an asshole."

"And you, unfortunately, are my cook, and you left me hungry."

She froze.

"What?!"

I crossed my arms.

"You work for me. You're the new chef."

She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again.

"I... I..." She blinked, processing. "Holy shit, you're my boss... Oh, I'm screwed..."

"Does it make sense now?"

She jumped up.

"You must be hungry... I didn't finish your dish!" And she ran off to the kitchen. Probably trying to escape a slow and painful death.

        I rolled my eyes and went to my room, wondering where this woman came from. I put on pants and a t-shirt before coming back. When I arrived, the food was on the table, hot and neatly arranged.

She was on the phone, talking quickly.

"Yes, Aunt Carmen, I'm fine. I just... had a small incident, but I'm heading home now... Yes, I know it's late... No, I wasn't fired. I think. Okay, bye."

She hung up and sighed, looking at me as I picked up my fork.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked, putting the first forkful in my mouth.

"You're not going to torture or kill me, are you?! Because, I know I said a few little things back there, but I swear I'm a good person, I've never hurt a fly... and..."

"Relax..." I interrupted, with an exaggerated sigh. "You're so irrelevant that even killing you would be a waste of a bullet. But don't test my patience, or I might change my mind."

        I let out a sigh and continued eating. The taste was fucking good.

She kept looking at me.

"Are you hungry?" I said.

"I'm not." Her stomach rumbled loudly.

I raised an eyebrow. I got an extra plate, put food on it, and pushed it towards her.

"Eat up before I change my mind."

Her eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

She didn't argue. She picked up her fork and started eating. The silence was strange, but comfortable.

After a while, she wiped her mouth and stood up.

"I'm going to call an Uber. I promise I'll leave you in peace now, don't worry."

I crossed my arms, watching.

"I'll take you."

She stopped mid-movement.

"What?"

"You heard me. I'll take you."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like a guy who jokes around?"

She fell silent. Then laughed nervously.

"This must be a nightmare."

I grabbed the car keys. I could have let this crazy woman go alone, but I didn't want Carmen to have a heart attack if her clumsy niece got kidnapped in the middle of the night.

"Let's go, clumsy panda. I don't have all night."

Her indignant look almost made my night.

Almost.

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