Page 38 of Mama Si's Paradise

Purple lights came from the other end of the corridor and loud music shook the floor. I walked ahead like I was in a dream to find some kind of a club at the end, except it was way fancier. Glass and gold and shiny black surfaces everywhere. Velvet furniture and waitresses wearing tiny black dresses, walking around with trays full of drinks in their hands. A big round bar at the far-left corner with a million bottles on the shelves behind it—and mirrors. Mirrors everywhere, reflectingthe lights and the sparkles and the people dancing, the people lounging, the people having the time of their lives. Women and men, possibly over a hundred, were everywhere around me, and I was so mesmerized by those purple lights that I forgot where I was going completely—for a moment.

Then, a tall guy was suddenly in front of me, looking down at me and smiling.

He was absolutely gorgeous—tan skin, a thick dark beard and long hair he’d tied at the base of his neck, a black suit that was as shiny as his dark eyes.

“Welcome, Autumn,” he said, and I heard his rich voice perfectly over the music, even though he didn’t even raise it. He took my hand in his, kissed my knuckles, and another surge of energy went through me. Surely the surprise, and I was thankful for it. It calmed me down like a charm and my heart was no longer beating like it wanted to break my ribcage.

“Let me help you with that.” He moved behind me and pulled my robe off, leaving me only in my bikini top and denim skirt, and those heels that made me almost as tall as him.

“I’m Mike, by the way. It’s an honor to finally meet you,” he said, the robe gone. Simply disappeared from his hands. He offered me his arm. “Shall we?”

The smell in the air was addictive—some version of roses but with a twist. There was always some version of rose scents in the Paradise, and apparently this place was no different. The flashing lights made a prisoner of my thoughts, and I laced my arm around Mike’s just so he could guide me because I had no clue where I was going.

“Thank you, Mike,” I said absentmindedly, as we moved deeper into the room.

The very large, very dark room with plenty of private seats covered by dark purple and black drapes that I could barely tell apart from the walls, shiny tables and food and colorful drinks—and the girls. Some of them were here, apparently, and they were dancing and talking to people, drinking, having a good time. Mia even raised her martini glass when she saw me, with a huge grin on her face. I hardly smiled back.

“You’re even more breathtakingly beautiful than they say, Autumn,” Mike whispered in my ear, taking me off guard.

“Oh,” I breathed. “Thank you. Says who?” I doubted this guy, who was probably the host of this party, had spoken to Mama Si about me—or even to the girls. They’d never mentioned a Mike that I had heard.

“Everyone,” Mike said, his swollen-looking eyes falling down to my lips. “Everyone on the Isle. It’s good to have you here.”

I arched a brow. “Except this isn’t an isle.”

Mike suddenly smiled sheepishly, shaking his head. “You’re right—please forgive me. You’ve turned my thoughts very chaotic.”

He was a real charmer. “Right. Thanks, anyway.”

“We’re here,” he then said, and my knees shook. This time I felt them clearly.

My stomach twisted and turned. If Mike noticed, he said nothing, just pulled me behind the curtain, opened one of the doors, and took me to the other side.

As soon as the door closed behind us, the sound of the beat and the music and the laughter stopped abruptly, as if we were suddenly in a different part of the world altogether.

Mike smiled so brightly I could see all his square white teeth. There was something about him. Something about his eyes—they were colorful, too. Dark but reflecting all the colors, almost exactly like Mama Si’s, except hers were more vibrant, the colors more intense. I don’t know why that made all my instincts go off at the same time.

“I haven’t seen you before,” I whispered as he led us right, down the narrow corridor with black walls and a black carpet,and those same purple LED lights framing the corners of the ceiling.

“I’m not really allowed in your part of the mansion,” said Mike. “Because I’ve been dying to meet you. I’d have come to sayhi.”

I raised a brow. “Why, though?” There were plenty of girls here, all gorgeous, all much more charming than I knew how to be. Why would he care about meetingme?

But Mike stopped us at the first door left. “This is it. I can’t follow you in there, Autumn. Best of luck.”

My client. My first client was behind that door.

Meet him; see what he wants; see what I want—decide.That was the plan. I was going to stick to it and see the end of this night even if it killed me.

With that thought in mind and a weak wave at Mike, I opened the door and stepped into the small foyer that ended in a thick purple curtain five feet away.

How strange. I pulled it aside automatically, not really expecting such bright lights on the other side.

Stars in my eyes, and I had to blink them away a few times until I could see again. Until I could see the room, half as big as the one I slept in, with a bed in it, and armchairs, and pretty statues and flowers and paintings on the walls—but most importantly, a large mirror framed with gold.

I knew exactly what was behind it. The spy room that Mama Siwouldn’tbe in because my client had specifically told her not to.

And finally, my eyes met his.

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