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MIJAKO's INTENTIONS

Weeks had gone by since she last heard from Siraj, but after discovering his true character, she found herself unperturbed by his absence

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Weeks had gone by since she last heard from Siraj, but after discovering his true character, she found herself unperturbed by his absence. Aphrodite, however, insisted on dragging Mijako along, relentlessly stalking him beyond her control. Siraj seemed to be preoccupied with a myriad of women – women who bore an uncanny resemblance to her.

Standing outside the neon-lit strip club alongside her sister Lola and friend Tashi, she steeled herself for the task at hand: securing her job back and ensuring employment for the other two women. On her father's orders, she turned towards them, her lips pressed together determinedly. "Allow me to handle all the talking," she requested firmly.

Both Lola and Tashi nodded their agreement before they entered the dimly lit club together – a place thick with the heavy aroma of marijuana smoke, potent alcohol fumes, and the scent of perspiration from the melding bodies. The club had seemingly evolved since her last visit; new faces danced on stage while familiar ones were absent. Fortunately for her, Dyme was nowhere in sight.

The seductive leather corset and provocative fishnet leggings she donned captured the attention of everyone around her, as they clamored in anticipation of their treasured dance routine returning. Her captivating smile, revealing a set of perfect pearly whites, was directed at some familiar faces she recognized from her previous stint working there.

Despite the attention, her focus remained unshakable as she navigated through the enraptured crowd with the women trailing behind her. Her eyes quickly found Siraj working behind the bar alongside Javon, who had miraculously recovered from Aphrodite's savage assault. A hint of guilt stirred within her, acknowledging that nothing could have prevented Aphrodite's unrestrained violence that fateful night.

As Siraj turned to face her, their eyes met and she could immediately perceive the fervent longing he harbored for her from the expression on his face. As much as she wanted to deny it, she missed the intoxicating way he made her feel. Nevertheless, she prioritized her father's wishes above all else. With her full, luscious lips parting sensuously, she uttered, "Catori... Can we speak?"

Siraj inclined his head, beckoning her to accompany him. She cast a fleeting glance at Lola and Tashi, gesturing for them to remain by the bar and indulge themselves on her tab if they desired.

As she took leave of the bar to trail behind Siraj towards his office, she observed a multitude of men approaching the bar in attempts to charm the women, causing her to shake her head in disapproval.

Upon entering his office and hearing the door shut securely behind them, she lifted her gaze to meet his eyes, experiencing a torrent of emotions coursing through her. She was painfully aware of the hypocrisy she bore, given that her own misdeeds far exceeded his when it came to taking lives.

No longer able to suppress the turmoil within her, she blurted out, "I know you kill people... and at first I was -" But before she could finish, his lips fiercely collided with hers, as he simultaneously hoisted her body closer against him.

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