Chapter 8

The pain of contempt left the girl Isabella with a deep emotional ache. She felt as if the world hated her, as if she were an unwanted fetus that shouldn't have thrived.
Isabella woke up the next day to the sound of her phone tearing through the morning, abruptly interrupting a dream that shouldn't have ended. Isa had dreamt of her perfect life, in the highest penthouse of a luxury building in Florianópolis with a view of the beach, but her sleep was abruptly interrupted by the phone.
— I hope it's important. If it's that old hag, I'll tell her to go to hell, — Isa thought aloud as she reluctantly got up.
Isa didn't recognize the number on the phone's display, so she was sure it wasn't the madam or Aléssio.
— Hello? — Her voice came out groggy, announcing that she had just woken up.
— Good morning, muse of my heart, rays that illuminate my life. Did I wake you, princess? — Aléssio's voice was unmistakable to Isabella; if he made any sound from a distance, she would recognize it.

Isabella's heart acted on its own and leaped in her chest, unable to contain the excitement. Her body trembled, her hands sweated, and not knowing what to say, she threw herself onto the bed with a wide grin from ear to ear.
— Where were you? You disappeared, — was all the young woman managed to say, still in ecstasy.
— Well, my little kitten, part of the job. I'll explain everything, but I want to talk in person. I need to quench my longing. Can I pick you up this afternoon?
— Yes. Of course, — she replied without thinking twice. "I need to tell you something too.
— Hmm... want to give me a hint of what it's about? Fell in love with a client?
Aléssio's question didn't please Isabella, but she remembered what he himself had said. "It's part of the job.
— No... I'll tell you in person, — Isa showed nervousness in her voice but tried to remain calm.
Aléssio hung up, and Isabella clutched her phone, pressing it against her chest. Anxiety invaded her body, and an overwhelming warmth enveloped her. She rushed to the bathroom; she needed to cool down that immense heat that she had no idea where it came from.

The desire to make love to Aléssio manifested warmly. Isa took advantage of the shower, touching her intimate parts gently and affectionately while thinking about her client, her fixed lover. Her fingers slid back and forth, lightly stimulating the clitoris with gentle touches, increasing the pulsation of her pleasure point and connecting her to her own femininity. It was a moment of solitary pleasure where she surrendered to her own essence, leaving her body vulnerable after a spontaneous and pleasurable orgasm.
At the appointed time, Aléssio showed up, honking at Isabella's door. When she came out, she couldn't believe what she was seeing, but her excitement made room for another moment—what she wanted was to kiss Aléssio on the mouth and taste his intense blend of herbs and alcohol.
— What the hell... where the hell were you? — Aléssio spoke between the urgent kisses given by his favorite girl.
Like a gentleman, Aléssio opened the door and settled Isabella in the leather passenger seat, making her marvel at every detail of the powerful car that carried a mysterious and dangerous history, which Isabella loved.
— What's this? You disappeared for almost two months and showed up with a BMW? Robbed a bank, by any chance? — Isabella was the first to break the torturous silence in the car, where only the squeaking of the custom car with a powerful engine could be heard.
Aléssio stared at Isabella with a frightened and fearful look. He couldn't hide from her the desperation he carried in his chest. Isa was his main confidante; she was like his best friend, if not for the confidentiality between client and prostitute.
— I'll tell you everything, but first, I want to take you somewhere, — he said, taking Isabella's hand and giving a shy smile.
The horizon of the road was becoming terrifying with Aléssio's mystery. Isa didn't know what to think; despite having her own problem to solve with him, Aléssio's suspense was more frightening than the pregnancy itself.
The young man took Isabella to a tourist spot in the city, a place often visited but was under construction, so it was partially closed. Aléssio left his powerful car with a guy in a parking lot, took his beloved's hand, and guided her along the giant pier in Balneário Camboriú.
— Oh my God. What a wonderful place. I can't believe you brought me here.
— You deserve it, my Goddess. I wanted to give you the world, but this is all I can offer. I don't know where I'll be in the future, but at least I'll be sure that I made you happy at some point, — Aléssio's voice sounded choked.

— Why are you saying this? Did something happen? — Isa stopped abruptly halfway down the pier and faced Aléssio.
— I'm on edge, babe, — Aléssio lowers his eyes, looking at his own feet. — In this dirty world I live in, any slip-up is a death sentence. I think I pissed off a big shot, and now I'm in his sights.
Isabella's eyes teared up hearing the horror story Aléssio was telling her. Seeing his desperation, she thought it might not be a good idea to tell him about the pregnancy.
— I wanted you to know some details about my work because I don't have any successor. My family was all wiped out by crime. Sorry for talking about these sad things with you, babe, but I'm very nervous. So... — Aléssio puts his hands on Isa's cheeks, looking her in the eyes. — What do you think about inheriting my throne?
— Stop talking nonsense; you're not going anywhere, — Isa tried to touch Aléssio, and he dodged.
— I'm serious, babe. I even wanted to get out of this business, but it's my father's legacy. For me to step down, I'll either be arrested or killed.
— Perhaps a child? — Isa threw into the air without making the truth clear.

— A child? How am I going to support a child? If I leave the business, I don't know where I'll get an income, besides, I could be arrested at any moment," Aléssio said with his head down.
Isabella looked at the horizon, the water sparkling, much like the pain in her chest when she realized she wasn't an option as a wife in Aléssio's plans. She decided not to tell him, not at that moment. Aléssio's vulnerability touched Isabella.
The fact that he opened up, cried to her, and didn't even ask how she was hurt a lot. But Isa was a prostitute and didn't expect more than that from her clients, except for Aléssio, whom she believed had a true emotional connection.
After an afternoon that seemed pleasant, the issues took over, making the atmosphere exhausting. Aléssio took Isabella to dinner and then used her as he always did, leaving a generous payment in her bag.
Sex with Aléssio wasn't what Isa expected because everything she wanted to say got stuck in her throat after he told his story with a foreseen ending. But she enjoyed it, gave and received pleasure. When Aléssio left, she found herself once again in the loneliness and despair of waiting for a child with an uncertain future.