KOHEN:

As I walk through the door of the bar, the sounds of bustle and music invade my ears. I look around the place and I don't see anything I haven't seen before, everything remains the same. The lights flicker in a bright and colorful tone, creating a mix of shadows. The air is thick with tobacco, alcohol and sweat. I look around the place and, as I walk, I meet some familiar faces. I completely ignore the grimaces of disgust, concentrating only on getting to the bar. Once there, I sit in one of the unoccupied seats, but all my calm disappears when I hear Mr. Batman.

-Are you crazy?- I hear Will's voice on the other side of the bar- what are you doing here?

-Same as everyone- I point to the people who are at the bar- Come for a drink and good music.

-How can you come after everything that happened? Gregory is furious - Will reproaches me in an exaggerated way that only the two of us listen.

-Yes- I repair the area with my eyes, until I find the boy who is looking at me with the face of a mad dog.

-And not only him, you know that Andrés is also angry with you, he told you not to come until you have part of the money you owe. What the hell are you coming for? Do you belong to the suicide squad? Or what?

Will looks at me without understanding and I take a breath and then explain with disinterest.

-It's part of the money I owe Andrés- he looks at me even more confused.

-Where did you get it from? -He asked with a curious tone -Did you call Demon?

I make a disgusted face and make noise in my eyes when I hear that person's name.

-I sold the motorcycle.- His eyes widen at the news I just gave him.

-Oh really? - I nod - And now what bike are you going to use in the races?

-What do you think?- I mention, painting a cynical smile on my face.

-Oh, don't invent the old thing, don't even dream it- he says, annoyed when he realizes what I'm talking about.

I open my mouth to say something, but am interrupted by an irritating voice behind me.

-Hey Walker, what are you doing here? -I thought I made it clear that you would never put your ass in this bar again.

I turn to face him. He stared at Gregory, raising an eyebrow and giving him a superior look. He has the same tattoos on his neck. He maintains the usual characteristic style, as a rock singer, and retains a piercing on his inner lip. The only notable modification is his hair, which now sports a mane with several curls.

-Are you deaf or what? -I asked you a question, Walker- Right now Gregory is on the defensive, he has never managed to deal well with his emotions and that gives me extra points, since I do know how to play with them.

-How is Natasha, Gregory? -I answer him with a question and I see how your body tenses- I know that what I just said has bothered him, since his jaw hardens and his knuckles turn white. A slight smile appears on my lips at his reaction, since I love to provoke him and that he can do absolutely anything.

-You must be really crazy to come back and ask me about that bitch.- I look away at the boy who walks up to Gregory and hands him a baseball bat. I rise from my seat defensively, listening to Will whisper my name behind my back. At this moment we find ourselves being the center of attention in the bar, everyone is attentively watching what is happening between us.

-For me, your threats are worth three kilos of shit, Gregory- I say, completely sure of what I'm saying.

Our gazes are penetrating and full of contempt, reflecting the deep hatred we feel towards each other. Neither of them is willing to give in or show weakness. Every attempt to look away is considered a surrender, so we maintain close eye contact, seeking to intimidate each other and demonstrate superiority.

-What's going on here? Are there puppy fights?-I can distinguish very well that voice that can be heard to my left.

We all turn to see Derek, who enters the bar lighting the cigarette between his lips.

-Apparently this idiot hasn't been clear about what we told him the last time he set foot in the bar.

-What did you call me, idiot? -We both intended to end this right now, but we are interrupted when Derek steps between us.

-That's it, puppies. Stop barking-Gregory opens his mouth again to speak, probably to attack me again, but Derek continues talking-Gregory, go to your fucking seat. You!-she points at Will and he remains completely paralyzed-stop being a gossip and make me a glass of vodka.

-Yes sir-I see Will preparing the drink as Derek finally walks towards me.

-And you, troublesome boy, come with me.- Before leaving I head to the bar and pick up the package I brought from the beginning, putting it in one of the pockets of my sweater, giving Will one last look.

As we enter the corridors of the bar, I don't get distracted by observing the surroundings, since I know this route by heart. This area of ​​the bar is limited to the exclusive entrance of the boss and his trusted men, like Derek, who is Andrés's right-hand man.

They are illuminated only with dim red lights. The atmosphere is tense and, as we approach the office door, soft jazz music plays in the background.

The walls are paneled in dark wood and decorated with paintings of cityscapes and portraits of mysterious figures. The silence in these hallways is predominant, it is only interrupted by the echo of our footsteps.

Reaching the wooden door, Derek reaches for the knob as he turns to look at me.

-Please, child, avoid problems-I ignore him completely and continue entering the office.

Upon arriving, I give myself a quick moment to repair the entire place. As always, the room fills with cigarette smoke, creating a thick and oppressive atmosphere. My eyes meet the same old decoration: the luxurious furniture and works of art hanging on the walls, some weapons neatly hung in display cases, and a rather large desk.

My gaze goes to the man in the center of the office. He is sitting behind the desk, dressed in one of his elegant suits, enveloped in his authoritarian aura. His eyes study me while he smokes the tobacco he has between his fingers, I approach until I reach one of the armchairs in front of the desk and sit down in it.

-Why did you call me?- I ask nonchalantly.

Two days ago I received his call, which I found very strange, since the last time we spoke he made it very clear that he would not return unless he had part of the money I owe him.

-Did you forget that you owe me money?- He asks incredulously, leaving the tobacco in the ashtray next to him, on the desk.

I'm not ready for one of their games, so I take out the package I'm carrying with me and leave it on the table.

-What's that?- he says, looking at the envelope out of the corner of his eye.

-It's part of what I owe you-he raises an eyebrow a little surprised and takes the envelope to open it.

-This isn't even a quarter of what you owe me, puppy.- Their laugh and that stupid nickname they gave me makes my blood boil.

-That's all I can give you for now-my voice is firm and concise as I speak.

-How did you get this?- he asks, a little intrigued.- I hope you don't get into any more trouble.

-Do you mind?- I bark at him and a slight smile forms on his face. It infuriates me that he always asks stupid and hypocritical questions as if he cares about my life.

-No-he says without further ado-But I wouldn't want you to end up dead or in jail before paying me everything you owe me.

I figured he was going to say something like that, so I don't get upset about what he said, I just focus on doing what I can to stop the anxiety that my body has before saying the phrase that I find so difficult to say. .

-Andrés, I need your help-his eyes widen at the words I just uttered, while my throat closes and my right foot does not stay still. -I need you to give me... that.

His eyes narrow as he leans forward, taking in my entire body, not missing a single one of my movements. When he realizes how anxious I am, his face becomes completely serious.

-Are you planning to increase your debt, boy?- I let out a bitter smile when I realized what an idiot I was, when I thought that this fool could help me without screwing me over somehow.

-It's just a little- I insist even though I know I shouldn't.

-You know that "a little"-he emphasizes that part-would considerably increase your debt to me.

My frustration and anger increases every time I hear him speak. My eyes fall to the floor and I clench my fists against the couch. My right foot won't stop moving and even though I try not to, it seems to have a life of its own.

-I'm not giving you any more of that shit, Kohen.- If you want to continue consuming, you won't because I'll give it to you. Is it clear? - The firmness of his voice is direct and precise.

-Fuck you, Pride- I say, getting up from my seat to get out of here.

-Kohen- is the second time I've heard him call me by my name, which I find strange since he never does. I turn to look at him to hear what he has to tell me and my blood boils when I hear it-Elena wouldn't have liked to see you like this.

-Don't you dare say his name with your disgusting mouth!- I threaten him without any shame by saying what I think.

-Be careful how you talk to me, boy- I see him get up from his seat, but I realize that this is going nowhere, so I turn around and continue walking towards the door. But just when I go to open it I stay still when I hear Andrés' voice again. -I may not be able to help you with that problem, but if you collaborate with me you could pay off your debt.

I turn in the opposite direction to listen to it without moving from the spot.

-I have a job for you, if you help me with that, consider your debt paid, pup.

-I'm not going to get involved in any of your dirty business, Andrés- I told him clearly and decisively.

-There's nothing shady about this, at least not the part that involves you," he says completely calmly, but I can't help but feel deeply uncomfortable with this whole situation.

-Forget it,- I mention before reaching for the door handle.

—Will you leave without even taking my proposal into account?—the words resonate in my mind, repeating themselves over and over again incessantly. You should at least consider your proposal. It could be my escape and free me from its constant influence.

-I hear you.- Once I said those two words, a look of triumph appeared on his face as I headed back to the couch.

                                 ***

I don't know at what stupid moment it occurred to me to accept Andrés' proposal. The plan was supposed to be for Gregory and his gang to enter the house of one of Andrés' enemies to rob the winery, while I would wait outside in the car to facilitate the escape, since I have quite a bit of driving skills. However, the whole plan seems to have gone to shit when things went wrong. Now I'm in a stupid Uber being chased by the police, not knowing the whereabouts of the others or if they managed to escape, and with a hysterical crazy woman in the back of the vehicle who won't stop screaming.

The midday sun shone in the sky as the car's engine roared under my control. My hands were slightly sweaty on the wheel, but I was determined to face whatever was to come. My heart is pounding and adrenaline runs through every fiber of my being.

My gaze alternates between the road and the side mirrors, constantly searching for any sign of danger.

-Derzhis's krepche, devochka!- I whispered to myself in Russian (hold on tight girl) referring to the girl who is with me, when I saw the flash of blue and red lights.

Without thinking twice, I stepped on the accelerator and took to the streets in a frantic race to escape. The tires screeched around every sharp turn, while my mind worked at full speed to plot the best possible route.

—Oh, fuck, really?! Couldn't you have gotten into another car!?—I pay attention to the girl who doesn't stop cursing, exhausting my patience.

<I should have kicked her out of the car when I could>

-Could you shut up, girl!?- The only thing I can think of to calm her down is to yell at her, since she is out of her mind and that totally distracts me.

At that precise moment, my attention is directed towards the track, while endless sensations settle in my stomach as I witness what is coming. A challenging curve that could be our downfall if I don't manage to overcome it successfully.

-Stop, fuck, stop!- I can't help but look at the girl in the rearview mirror, as her voice clearly reflected how scared she was. For a moment I was absorbed in her teary eyes and felt compassion. After all, she shouldn't be here. I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

-Close your eyes- I said in a calmer tone as I looked into her beautiful blue eyes and tear-soaked cheeks.

-That?- He murmured quietly, but I could catch his word.

—Just close your eyes and hold on tight—for a brief moment, our eyes met once again and I experienced the strange sensation of protecting her.

After seeing her close her eyes, fear and excitement mixed in my mind, but I stayed focused on one goal: escape from this situation.

I immediately stepped on the car's accelerator while concentrating on the curve I had to take. I notice that the police van is still chasing us and see a chance to escape when I see a red car approaching from the opposite direction to us. I increase the speed to the maximum and, in a quick movement, I turn the steering wheel, stepping on the brake to turn in the opposite direction to the one we were going before hitting the red car, without having to complete the curve.

After evading the police, I slowed down the vehicle while watching in one of the side mirrors as the police van and the red car collided, causing a traffic accident.

-What have you done?- I listen to the girl speak while watching her reaction reflected in the rearview mirror. I can feel worry taking over her as she looks out the car window and witnesses the car accident I just caused.

-Did you crash them?- he asked incredulously, still unable to fully assimilate what had happened a few moments ago.

-The situation came down to choosing: it was them or us- I say without further ado, justifying my action.

What did this girl want? That we would crash instead of them?

-You are kidding me right?! There could be deaths!—I am not surprised by her reaction, since she is surely not familiar with these types of traumatic events. However, it would be helpful if you tried to understand the seriousness of the situation we find ourselves in.

—I don't think there were any deaths, it wasn't a big deal—I try to minimize things, although the truth is I have no idea if there were injuries or not.

—You don't know what you're talking about—I take a deep breath in search of patience to deal with this girl. Have you still not understood the seriousness of the situation in which we find ourselves involved?

-And you do it?- I respond dryly.

I turn to see her through the mirror and notice her gestures, as if she were immersed in her own thoughts.

-Did you know?- He says in an angry tone- Leave me here.

I was quite surprised by his reaction and for my part I would leave it here. But I think it would be a bit cowardly of me to abandon her when it's my fault she got lost.

-Are you sure? I can drop you off at a bus stop,- I propose.

-No, thanks. Let me here- I roll my eyes at how irritated his voice sounds, as if my mere presence makes him uncomfortable.

<As if yours were so cute>

However, his anger suits me since I can use it to pass the time. Being the unpleasant person that I am, I continue to bother her.

-Hey, you're really stressed. What's got you like this?- A subtle smile appears on my face as I contemplate the annoyance reflected on his face.

—Well, let's see where I start. First, a complete stranger gets into my private transportation vehicle. This individual then begins to drive extremely inappropriately. Furthermore, it turns out that the police are chasing him and, if that were not enough, causes a traffic accident. I do not rule out that it is very likely that the driver of the vehicle is currently calling the authorities to report me for theft! - Listening to her speak and putting myself in her place, I understand that I would feel just as stressed and angry as her.

But still, I'm not exactly adored and much less care about the problems she carries, so I choose to continue bothering her.

—Wow, you are definitely very stressed—a small smile filters on my lips when he looks at me with the intention of erasing me from the map.

**

I finally managed to convince her to let me take her to the nearest stop. The last few minutes of the trip passed in silence, and I think we were both grateful, as it became clear that we couldn't stand each other.

When we got to the stop, neither of us said a word. He simply opened the car door and got out.

—Open the trunk, my suitcase is back there—and that's exactly what I do.

After taking his suitcase out of the trunk, he continued directing me towards it.

—Hey—I call her and she turns to look at me—Just forget about everything, okay? This will not cause you problems.

I'm telling you this so you don't get alarmed or worried about what happened today.

-Forget it? —she says incredulously—Do you think that an event of this magnitude is so easily forgotten?

-Just do it-It's the best for her- I wouldn't like to take action on the situation.

-Are you threatening me?.

-Think what you want. Just act like this encounter never happened.

I see how he nods his head without taking his eyes off me. I take a moment to admire her, since with everything that has happened I have not had the opportunity to appreciate her beauty and how attractive she is. If I hadn't met her under these circumstances I probably would have fucked her, but with her character it's better not to even mention it. I am hypnotized by his deep dark blue eyes, which immerse you in the sea. Her brown hair is not very long and reaches just below her shoulders. Her lips are full and her long eyelashes highlight her eyes even more.

I repair his clothes and once again notice what a good body he has. She is wearing a lovely light blue top that matches her eyes perfectly. In addition, she is wearing a jacket of the same tone, denim shorts that highlight her hips, and elegant white boots that give her height.

I regain consciousness after being captivated by her presence a few seconds ago, but I mentally laugh when I realize that she too has lost herself in my charm.

-Hey- I call to snap her out of the trance she's in. -Do you hear me, girl?

-Yeah, I heard you and you could have saved that last part- he says with obvious annoyance in his voice.

—Okay, well, see you never again—I say goodbye, definitively, since I hope not to have to cross paths with her in the future.

-See you again- the girl repeats my words exactly as I proceed to start the vehicle's engine and hit the road.

After a couple of hours I decided to call Andrés. He was angry about the failure of the operation and asked me where I was. I narrate all the events that happened after I separated from the gang. Apparently two of them were detained, but fortunately the others managed to escape. Andrés assured that none of this will affect me or the girl in the car. However, he made it clear that I had not yet paid him my debt.

That made me quite angry because I followed every order he gave me. It is not my responsibility that the incompetents who work for him did not know how to do their jobs correctly. But despite these arguments Andrés did not give up, since the operation failed and he was not able to obtain the money that we had to steal, so he made it clear to me that my debt was not yet paid.