Thump! Thump! Thump!

Water was dropping incessantly from somewhere beside me. If I had my coordinates well, I'm sure it's from my left. I groaned in pain. My body was beginning to ache- my behind to be precise- from staying in one position for what seemed like two days.

Darkness.
I couldn't see anything because my eyes were covered real tight with a thick black blindfold. I could literally perceive stale food around me and I could make out different rats that squeak all around me.

Where was I?

A door barged open and heavy thumps followed. Soon the black blindfold was ripped off but I still couldn't see because my eyes weren't accustomed to the little light that snuck into the room through different cracks and holes in the wall. But after blinking fervently, I wished I could unsee what I just saw.

Santiago Alba.

Is this some sort of joke? How in the world am I sitting down before my father. Even that title felt super duper stale in my mouth. Like I was eating a real burnt burger and I'm sure you know how discomforting that is.

With a scowl on, he allowed his eyes to rake over my body. Most probably to check if I had a broken limb and something told me he was disappointed. Shutting his eyes, he took in a deep breath.

"Child" his deep voice ranger through the silence. That was the thing with Santiago. He never addressed me as his daughter. He'd rather call me child since after all, the word 'Child' meant anyone's offspring.

"Father" I replied with every ounce of bile my body could afford. His deep grey eyes darkened, resembling the sky during storm. He did not like my tone.

"You will not use that tone on me" I scoffed at his words. I shouldn't use that tone on him heck! He shouldn't even grace me with his presence. His presence made me feel like I would be dead of bad luck before Christmas.

"You have grown" I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he expecting me to still be the same after six years.

"Yes father, I have grown" my voice wasn't light. If for anything, it was still sharp and spiteful.

"As much as I'd love to chitchat with you, I believe we have business to discuss" Were my ears playing with me?

"I'm sorry, did I hear you say business?" There was no way in this life or next that I'd go into business with a demi demon. That's like making a deal with the devil. And making a deal with the devil is equivalent to selling your soul and this soul is not interested in being at the devil's beck and call.

"I have a proposal for you" he said in dismissal to the sentence I had made earlier.

"No! Whatever it is, I'm saying no" I wagged my head from side to side. I wasn't going to give him the liberty of cat walking into my life once again after literally destroying it.

"You will listen to every word that I'll say and comply to it without hesitation" he said through clenched teeth. Just look at the nerve of this man.

"You'd be so fucking delusional and mentally deranged if you think I'll pay heed to your proposal. You should thank your gods that I'm the one strapped to a chair and you're on your feet and not the other way around because I can swear on my destiny and the little left out of it that you wouldn't last a second to even breath your last"

A yawn.

That's all I get after my little rant. And would you look at that. Guess who's the culprit? No other than Santiago Alba. My mistake of a father.

"You done?" He asked in a monotone. His words dripping of boredom. This act wasn't new to me. Santiago was always one of those egotistical men that felt superior to anyone and everyone.

He nodded his head at the person behind me which I had long lost and forgotten even existed. A big, burly and tall with his golden tan skin completely covered in tattoos made his way out towards the door.

It was even then I allowed my eyes to take in my surroundings. It was a splitting replica of a long forsaken warehouse. Broken chairs around almost every corner. Spider webs, some long forsaken by their owners while some had their owners were literally everywhere.

Rats roamed all about like it was their town. Roaches, leaking roofs, bugs. A really flat dusty mattress sat at a corner, alongside some bottles and already used condoms. I couldn't and didn't want to let my brain process why those items were there and I was thankful my brain didn't bother thinking it through.

Soon, the man from earlier returned with the fucker that kidnapped me. My left eye was continually twitching in anger. The nerve of Santiago. If I had my way, I'd punch my way into my kidnapper's brain.

"What is this?" I asked, my eyes dropping on Santiago.

"Child, this is Marcus, you'll be addressing him as Jester" I let out a scoff.

"What's this? A circus?" My right eyebrow arched in confusion but mainly annoyance.

"Words have gotten to me from someone that you'd be working with Alejandro Black for the next few weeks" Days! He didn't even do his homework very well but there was no way I was going to let him know that my contract wasn't for as long as he expected. I wasn't even going to tell him anything.

"And by next week, the blue Asian sapphire would be walking through the door and into their vault. I want you to swipe it and hand it over to Jester who would be waiting for you right outside"

A blue Asian sapphire was literally the most expensive gem. With a net worth of over millions of US dollars, anyone who had it was the real deal of the world. It was pretty ironic that the person that wanted such was a mere thief. Yes! It was said that we should dream big but this dream was like dreaming that you'd be God one day.

I let out a bitter laugh. That must have hit a nerve because his jaw clenched. Wasn't this man tired of stealing?

"Is there a joke I missed to catch?" He asked.

Looking him squarely in the eye, "I know it's said that a leopard can't change its spots but it can at least change its pattern of approaching prey, or don't you think, Santiago?" Now, his jaw was beginning to tick. He never liked it when I called him by his name but that never meant I would adhere to stroke his ego and call him father. A title he didn't deserve.

"You've lost your touch in planning a heist and stuff but regardless, must you steal?" I was stepping on a nerve and I knew it but I sure did like it. I could see him practically straining to keep his cool.

"I mean, you could always walk up to someone's door and beg, I'm-" before I could even finish that statement, his hand was already wrapped around my neck. So tight I thought I could see stars.

"You will not tell me what to do or how to do my things because I am your father. You should've considered to give me your shitty speech when your mother died and when I left and you'll see what would have become in life"

"Recall that I was the one who put you where you are and I'd advise you don't bite the hand that fed you" Oh! I wasn't just gonna bite it, I was gonna rip it off a stake it on the moon.

"Says the man that can't even think well anymore. Accept it Santiago, you are weak, old and useless and cannot reason well anymore. And I'm going to remind you that you didn't put me where I am today. Actually no! You did push me to be what I am when you stole from the man I loved and went AWOL, leaving your dirty tracks for me to clean up"

He scoffed at my words. "The man you love? Look at you deceiving yourself. Thieves like us don't fall in love, Child. It's high time you grow up and put on your torn big woman panties if you even have one and realize your fate. You're a thief and you'll forever be"

"I'm. not. a. thief" I replied through clenched teeth.

He released his hold on my neck and I couldn't thank my gods that he did. I need to breathe and I couldn't last a second inhaling bullshit, stupidity and tobacco mixed in one.

"Suite yourself, child. You'll do as I say" he said, digging his hands into his pocket to retrieve a packet of cigarettes and a lighter.

"And why would I do that?". He practically hadn't given me a reason to do his bidding and it wasn't like I was even going to give a thought about his proposal but I wanted to hear what he'd use to blackmail me.

"Because I'm watching your every move and failure to completely would result in the death of your close 'friends' starting with that chic, Claire" I grit my teeth.

"Don't you dare!" I snapped. A smug grin tore through his disgusting face. "Oh! I will dare".

"I swear, Santiago if you let a single strand of-" he puffed some smoke nonchalantly as he turned to Marcus and the other burly hulk of a person.

"I'm done here" and with that, he turned around and headed towards the door.
"Get back here, Santiago! I'm not done with you!" A needle.

A syringe. Again.

I'm beginning to get annoyed with this technique. Darkness began to cloud my eyes and I was out. Again.

*******

Hey! I kept up with my promise!
I updated! Two cheers for me.

So. How've you been. Hope y'all being enjoying this book.

How do y'all feel about Santiago's offer?
Thoughts!

Anyways! I'm out. And I'm tired. Much love.
Please don't forget to press that little star below. Trust me, you don't know how much joy it'd give me if you vote.

Much love once again.

XOXO

Jhesika😍❤