El Rey leaned forward, his gaze piercing into her. "Rosa," he repeated, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. "Have you seen a girl named Maria working tonight? She's new."
Rosa's heart raced as she struggled to find the right words, her mind whirling with fear. El Rey's piercing stare left no room for doubt - he expected an answer, and quickly.
"Maria? Yes, sir," she replied, forcing her voice to stay calm and steady. "She went home early. She wasn't feeling well."
El Rey narrowed his eyes, searching Rosa's face for any signs of deceit. "You're sure about that?" he pressed, his voice cold and menacing.
Rosa swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "Yes, sir," she repeated, holding his gaze. "She left just after her shift ended. I'm sorry, I don't know more than that."
El Rey considered this for a moment, his lips thinning into a tight line. Finally, he nodded, dismissing Rosa with a wave of his hand. "Fine. Go back to work."
Rosa turned to leave, relief flooding through her as she moved away from El Rey. She hadn't seen Maria since their conversation in the bathroom, and she hoped her friend was safe
*************
Maria stood in her tiny kitchen, the smell of simmering spices wafting through the air. As she stirred the pot of beans on the stove, her mind replayed the events of the night before, when she'd encountered El Rey.
A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of his predatory gaze, the way he'd made her feel small and powerless.
The sudden knock on the door shattered the silence of Maria's kitchen, and she froze, her hand still on the wooden spoon. Her heart hammered in her chest as she considered the possibility of El Rey standing on the other side, his menacing presence lurking in the shadows of the hallway.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves before moving towards the door. Peering through the peephole, she was relieved to see her friend Rosa standing outside, a look of concern on her face.
Maria opened the door with a shaky hand, a flood of relief washing over her as she saw Rosa's familiar face. Rosa stepped inside, a worried expression etched on her features as she removed her jacket and slouched into a chair.
"Maria," Rosa began, her voice heavy with concern. "El Rey,He... he asked about you."
Maria's stomach clenched as she registered Rosa's words, her mind racing with the implications of El Rey's interest. "He did? What did you tell him?"
"When he asked about you," Rosa said, her tone urgent, "I could see something in his eyes, Maria. He wasn't just curious - he was... intrigued. Like he had some kind of interest in you."
Maria's face went pale, her throat tightening as she digested Rosa's words. "What does that mean?" she whispered, fear creeping through her veins like ice. "Does he... does he want to hurt me?"
Rosa let out a wry chuckle, shaking her head at Maria's reaction. "Maria, you're not thinking straight," she said, her voice lightening. "He doesn't want to hurt you. He's interested in you, like... well, like a man is interested in a woman."
Maria's face contorted with disgust, as if she'd tasted something sour. "That's even worse," she snapped, crossing her arms protectively across her chest. "I don't want to be involved with El Rey, not in any way. He's a criminal, Rosa.
Rosa arched an eyebrow at Maria's outburst, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Honey, you've got to look on the bright side," she said, her voice teasing. "At least he's handsome, right?"
Maria rolled her eyes, a stubborn defiance in her gaze. "It doesn't matter if he's handsome, Rosa. I'm not risking my life for some... some gangster just because he's got a pretty face."
Rosa sighed, knowing it was useless to argue with Maria when she was in one of her moods. "Alright, alright.
Rosa's attention shifted from Maria's predicament to the tantalizing aroma filling the air, a grin spreading across her face. "What's that I smell?" she asked, her nostrils flaring in curiosity. "I didn't know you were such a chef!"
Maria's features softened slightly at the change of topic. "It's just frijoles," she replied, lifting the lid of the pot to stir the simmering beans. "I was going to make tacos for dinner."
Rosa's eyes lit up at the mention of tacos, her appetite momentarily eclipsing her concern for Maria's safety.
"I'm scared, Rosa," Maria confided, a tremor in her voice as she stirred the pot, her mind still trapped in the dark shadow of El Rey's presence. "I don't want to cross paths with him again. He's dangerous."
Rosa's laughter filled the small kitchen, her mirth echoing off the walls as she continued to tease her friend. "Oh come on, Maria," she said with a grin. "You're going to see a lot of El Rey whether you like it or not. He practically lives at the club."
Maria's shoulders slumped, her feet shuffling towards the stove as she resigned herself to Rosa's logic. "You're probably right," she said with a sigh, stirring the beans half-heartedly. "But I don't have to like it. He's a monster, Rosa.
Rosa's smile widened, a mischievous glint in her eye as she leaned forward, her voice low and conspiratorial. "You know what? I have something that might take your mind off of El Rey," she said, leaning closer to Maria as if she was about to share a great secret.
"Vincent and I," she whispered, a wicked grin spreading across her face, "had sex last night."
Maria's head snapped up, her face a mixture of shock and curiosity. "You what?!"
"I slept with Vincent," Rosa repeated, relishing in the scandalous nature of her reveal. "We had some... very adult fun, if you know what I mean."
Maria's eyes widened, a myriad of emotions playing across her face. "You're kidding me. I thought you two were just friends," she said, clearly caught off guard by Rosa's admission.
Rosa shrugged, a sultry smile playing at her lips. "Well, we're still friends. With benefits, if you get my drift."
Rosa's laughter bubbled up again, a girlish giggle that belied her growing excitement as she recalled the night's events. "Oh Maria," she said, raising her hands as if to demonstrate, "let me tell you, Vincent is packing some serious heat. You wouldn't believe the size of that..."
She trailed off, a sly smile curling her lips as Maria's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Rosa!" Maria exclaimed, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. "You can't just... you can't talk about that stuff with me.
"Who else am I supposed to talk to about this?" Rosa protested, a look of mock-outrage on her face. "You're my best friend! If I can't tell you, who can I tell?"
She sighed dramatically, raising her arms in a theatrical gesture. "Fine. I'll keep it to myself. But just know that Vincent is hung like a..." she trailed off, biting her lip to suppress another giggle.
Maria rolled her eyes, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth despite her embarrassment. "You are too much," she said with a shake of her head.
Maria, despite her seriousness, couldn't help but add a teasing remark. "You're not Mrs. Vincent or anything, are you?" she quipped, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Rosa rolled her eyes, as she chuckled at Maria's remark. "Please, Maria. I'm not looking to be anyone's wife," she retorted with a playful smirk. "Though if Vincent keeps up the good work, I might consider it."
Maria, still laughing, leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Good work, huh?" she prodded, her voice teasing. "Good work in bed, maybe?"
Rosa, unable to hold back her grin, shrugged. "What can I say? The man knows his way around... certain parts of the anatomy," she quipped, her laughter mingling with Maria's.
The two women shared a conspiratorial smile, the subject of El Rey temporarily pushed to the background by their playful banter.