The Mafia King's Virgin Healer

Maya had just come out from the doctor's office, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Each step felt heavier than the last as the doctor's words echoed mercilessly in her mind. Her fingers trembled slightly as she clutched the crumpled paperwork-another treatment, another payment they couldn't afford. She swallowed hard against the knot in her throat, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears that threatened to fall as she walked back to the room where her sister was fighting for her life.

But then, she saw her best friend talking to someone. As soon as she realized who it was, she quickened her steps as she walked over to them.

The moment they saw her, Vicky's face changed as she stepped back a little.

"Oh look who's here," the other person said.

"What are you doing here, Gummy?" Maya frowned.

"What else? I'm here for my personal business which you obviously don't need to know about." Gummy smirked.

"What did she talk to you about?" Maya turned to her friend and asked.

"Nothing important," Vicky shook her head.

"I was only telling her to get you to give up this fight on your own for your own good. How about that?" Gummy said.

"That would never happen," Maya replied firmly.

"Of course I know," Gummy smiled sinisterly. "Don't also blame me when I win this fight."

Maya laughed, before moving closer to Gummy. "I have always beaten you in our previous fights. What makes you think that I won't beat you again this time around? What gave you the funny thoughts?"

"You've lost the fight in heaven and so shall it happen on earth soon," Gummy huffed as she wore her glasses and sashayed her waist away.

With her gone, Maya looked back at Vicky who seemed slightly scared.

"What was she talking about?" Maya asked.

"Nothing serious. You know Gummy, she was just bragging about the match."

"I wonder what she came here to do."

"Let's not think about that attention seeker," Vicky said, swiftly changing the topic as they headed into the room where Mara, Maya's sister, was in.

Maya sighed sadly before she silently walked over to her sixteen-year-old sister's motionless form. Various tubes and wires snaked from Mara's arms to the IV drips and monitoring devices surrounding her bed.

Their mother, Sarah Miller, sat hunched in the worn vinyl chair beside Mara's bed, her graying hair pulled back in a messy bun. At forty-five, stress and worry had etched deep lines around her eyes, making her appear older than her years. The woman had a distant look in her eyes like she was lost in thought, and even when Maya got closer to the bed, she didn't seem to notice.

"Mom?" Maya slowly called, bringing her attention back.

Sarah finally realized as she blinked the tears in her eyes away before looking over to Maya. "What did the doctor say?" she asked.

"They're monitoring her response to the new treatment, but..." She swallowed hard. "We need to make another payment by next week."

The two remained silent for a while before Maya glanced at her phone: 6:45 PM. Time was slipping away.

"I need to head out, Mom," Maya said softly, adjusting her gym bag on her shoulder. "My shift's starting soon."

Sarah looked up, her gray eyes red-rimmed. "Already? Can't you stay a little longer?" She reached for Maya's hand, her grip desperate and pleading.

Vicky stepped forward from where she'd been leaning against the wall, her short brown hair framing concerned hazel eyes. "Please cheer up, Mrs. Miller. I'll make sure Maya gets to work safely. You've nothing to worry about."

"Thanks, Vicky," Sarah said, sending her daughter's best friend an appreciative look.

Maya felt her heart plummet at the lie. There was no "shift" – only the underground boxing matches that had become her primary source of income since she chose not to go to college. The thought of her father's old mechanics workshop, now little more than a shelter for his drinking habits, made her chest tight. He hadn't always been this way. Before losing his job when Maya was twelve, he'd been different – present, caring, responsible. Sometimes Maya wondered if Mara's condition had broken something in him, turned him into this hollow shell of the father she once knew.

When Allen lost his job, he had tried to start a small business by borrowing money from the bank but he did some business with some people and lost all his money to them. Their house was confiscated and they had to move to a smaller apartment in the not-so-great part of New York City. Allen gradually lost himself in alcohol, while Sarah had been the one working to cater for the family and also their debt. But in the end, it wasn't enough. Maria's heart condition needed a lot of money for checkups and medications, and so they were always in and out of hospitals. Sarah had been juggling between taking care of her ill daughter and work.

Maya is brilliant but had a special problem–her hair color. Wherever she goes, she always attracted the wrong kind of people in her life because of her hair color which was red from middle to up and gold from middle to down. Even when she dyed it black, within two days the original color would mysteriously grow back. And when she cuts it, it becomes worse. So she was always bullied. With so much danger looming around her, Maya had no choice but to start training herself secretly. By the time she was 15, the load was already too heavy for her mother, and so she started working part-time in different places like the 24-hour diner down the street, a small cafe near their apartment, the local grocery store stacking shelves, babysitting for neighbors, and even delivering newspapers at dawn before school. She would sometimes help at the laundromat on weekends, folding clothes for tips. She even tried data entry work from home whenever she could get it. Anything to support the family.

When she finished high school, she got a scholarship to study at Harvard, but she couldn't accept it because of her family's situation. She couldn't leave the whole burden on her poor mother. As years passed, Maya got stronger with her training, and when she got a suggestion to fight underground from a friend, she took it seriously and sought after it. The first time she fought, she got beaten, but with determination, she won the next match and cashed out. Ever since then, she had been fighting in underground boxing. At first, she thought fighting there was like a free ticket to getting stronger with all the training, but as time went on, she found it difficult to stop since she needed the money.

Knowing that she had no option considering the family's situation, Sarah sighed before pressing a kiss on Maya's cheek, her touch gentle. "Be careful, sweetheart. Text me when you get there."

"And take care of yourself too, Mama," Maya said, as she quickly hugged her mom.

Maya felt happy when she saw her mom finally smile. It had been a while since she saw her do that, and she was grateful that she could still make her smile. All hope was not lost. As long as Mara remained alive, there was nothing Maya wouldn't do to continue taking care of the hospital bills.

Her only wish was to see her sister smile at her and run around, full of life.

It was a pity that Mara was born this way, with a weak heart that had prevented her from living a normal life like every young teenager out there.

"I will, honey," Sarah sighed.

She gave her daughter a little pat on the cheek before letting go. Maya cast her sister one last sad look before heading towards the door with Vicky right behind her.

Outside in the hospital corridor, Vicky grabbed Maya's arm. "I think it's time you end these fights, Maya," Vicky began. "I know how everything started. You getting bullied all the time and wanting to get stronger, and now, you're making money through fighting. Which is obviously dangerous judging from the deep bruises you sustain at the end of each fight."

"You didn't mention also being a victim of kidnappings," Maya raised her brows as she stopped walking and turned to face Vicky. "So what are you insinuating?"

"What I mean is..." Vicky bit her lip as she stared into Maya's eyes. "You're stronger now and no one can dare do any harm to you. I just hope you can stop with the fights."

"How could you ask me to do that after witnessing the situation in that room? Or should I spell it out to you? The fact that my mom is losing her mind over debts and my sister's hospital bills, and my Dad is going crazy from too much alcohol consumption. He is practically ruining his life and oblivious to what we are facing!"

"And me..." Maya paused and sighed. She blinked her tears away and licked her lips before speaking, "You think I love fighting? No, I don't. I'm doing what is necessary in order to take care of my kid sister."

"Maya, these fights are getting more dangerous. There has to be another way-"

"There isn't," Maya cut her off, her voice firm. "This is what I'm good at. This is how I can help." She started walking toward the exit. "You don't have to come tonight. It's getting late."

Vicky snorted, dangling a set of car keys. "Actually, I do. Because I borrowed Mark's Nissan Sentra, and there's no way I'm letting you take the bus at this hour."

Maya's eyes widened. "You mean you stole your brother's car?"

Vicky looked around before glaring at Maya. "Must you say it so loudly for everyone to hear?" She scolded.

"Oops, my bad," Maya said, slapping her palm across her mouth. "But you really did steal it."

"Look who I'm trying to assist," Vicky rolled her eyes. "I guess I will just allow you to take the bus after all, you're used to hard life." She pocketed the car key and made to walk away, but Maya held her back.

"Don't go please, my queen. This servant is the softest thing you can ever imagine and she's grateful for her majesty's thoughtfulness in stealing- I mean, borrowing her brother's car," Maya pouted.

"The last person to get to the car will drive," Vicky decided not to listen to Maya's blabbing as she bolted.

"That's not fair," Maya screamed, running after Vicky.

Maya was too carried away in getting to the car first that she didn't notice when she collided with a solid form.

Maya almost crashed to the hard tiled floor but was swiftly caught by a hand that instantly wrapped around her waist, followed by an intoxicating scent that enveloped her; the stranger's expensive cologne. But beneath that enticing fragrance was an unexpected heat radiating from his body, almost fever-hot against her cool skin.

Then her eyes met his cold and alluring green eyes, the finest she had ever seen in her life, making her gasp. His features seemed carved from marble – sharp cheekbones, strong jaw, and full lips set in a stern line. To say the cold-looking man was handsome was an understatement; he was mesmerizingly hot and sexy. And the strong arms that held onto her were like steel bands, making her athletic 5'8" frame feel almost delicate against his towering height. Despite years of boxing training that had toned her body into lean muscle, she felt oddly vulnerable in that brief moment.

The man gently pulled away from her, though his hands seemed to linger for a fraction longer than necessary.

"Be mindful of your surroundings next time," was all the man's deep, compelling voice said before he adjusted his perfectly tailored black suit and strode away, his face expressionless with no readable emotions.

"I-I'm sorry," Maya whispered, finally coming to her senses. She looked at the man's well-defined back in his black suit and unconsciously licked her lips, tasting the mint of her lip balm. His aura was intimidating and yet captivating. The scent of his cologne still clung to her skin, making her head spin slightly.

Maya couldn't help but wonder why his body was scorching hot, like touching a flame that didn't quite burn.

"Hey, we made a bet," Vicky shouted, pulling Maya out of her daze.

"On it!"

They rushed to the hospital parking lot, their footsteps echoing off the concrete as they ran, giggling like the schoolgirls they'd been when they first met fifteen years ago.

The black Sentra wasn't much – a 2018 model with a few scratches on the bumper – but it was better than the hour-long bus ride to the fighting venue.

As expected, Vicky got there first, so Maya had to take the steering.

"You seemed so lost back there and your face is so damn red. Don't tell me that you're falling for a stranger?" Vicky teased, buckling her seatbelt. The overhead parking lot lights reflected on her amused expression.

"Not a chance." Maya cringed at the thought, absently running her fingers through her red and gold hair. Her calloused knuckles, evidence of countless hours in the ring, caught slightly on the silky strands. "I just felt some kind of serious heat from his body. It was so hot, like he was burning up with fever."

"Well, he's in the hospital for a reason, right? He will get treated." Vicky chuckled, the sound bouncing off the car's interior.

"Oh, that's right," Maya agreed while laughing, though something in her gut told her this wasn't a simple case of fever. She flexed her hands on the steering wheel, feeling the familiar texture of worn leather under her fingers.

Their laughter was interrupted by Vicky's phone blaring "Sweet Home Alabama" – Mark's ringtone. Maya's heart jumped to her throat as Vicky checked the screen.

"Relax," Vicky said, declining the call with a casual swipe. The screen's glow disappeared, leaving them in the dimness of the parking lot. "What's he gonna do? We're already out. Besides," she added, connecting her phone to the car's speakers with a series of soft beeps, "I think this calls for some driving music."

"Why the hell did you use his ringtone for your phone?" Maya glared at Vicky.

"To scare you, of course," Vicky shrugged.

Maya shook her head in disbelief. "You're crazy."

"I know."

As they pulled out of the parking lot, the opening notes of their favorite song filled the car, vibrating through the seats. The hospital's imposing structure grew smaller in the rearview mirror as Maya navigated through the evening traffic.

Maya watched her best friend – more like a sister really – bobbing her head to the beat, her short brown hair swaying with the movement, and felt a surge of gratitude. Since they were five years old, sharing crayons and secrets in kindergarten, Vicky had been her constant. Through every hospital visit, every family crisis, every triumph and failure, they'd faced it together. The setting sun painted the sky in shades of pink and gold, reminiscent of Maya's own unique hair colors, as they drove toward another night of necessary violence.

"Are you ready to kick their ass?" Vicky suddenly screamed through her singing, her voice mixing with the music.

Maya rolled her shoulders, feeling the familiar pre-fight tension building in her muscles. "Hundreds of them!!!"

*********

Pedro Delgado walked into the office of his doctor friend with measured steps, his Italian leather shoes silent against the polished floor. The sterile hospital smell mixed with the faint scent of lavender air freshener did nothing to calm his growing irritation. He brought out his phone and dialed a number, his expression darkening with anger as he heard her annoying voice.

"I give you 30 seconds to walk down to your office, or else you will regret being alive," he threatened before ending the call.

He walked over to the chair behind her desk and sat down.

As he waited, his mind wandered to the woman who had collided with him earlier. She had been a vision of contradictions – delicate yet strong, her body fitting against his for that brief moment like a missing puzzle piece. Her captivating ocean-blue eyes had widened in surprise, framed by long lashes, and that unusual hair – red fading into gold – had caught his attention. Even now, he could recall how soft she had felt against his chest, her subtle floral perfume lingering in his senses.

"Argh..." A low pain-filled groan escaped Pedro's mouth, his hand moving to unbutton his black shirt further until a round fire-like wound that looked like a tattoo on his chest was visible.

That was the souvenir his late wife, Helene, had left him with her death – an unending pain. If he had known that her death would bring him so much agony as a consequence, perhaps he would have handled the situation with more restraint. But as a mafia boss who loathed betrayal, the only language he understood was torture, torment till... she took her own life. Now, her curse on him was all that was left behind.

Pedro's eyes fluttered closed as he leaned his back against the chair, mouth slightly parted, and let out a breathless sigh. The ache was scorching, making him uncomfortable, and seemed to travel to every corner of his body.

The pain was always more unbearable at night and manageable during the day, but he couldn't understand why it was suddenly acting up at that moment – like something had stimulated it.

This was truly hell on earth!

"I'm here!!!" Dr. Alex announced as she practically ran into the room, her white coat flaring behind her like wings. Her curly brown hair, usually perfectly styled, had come loose from its clip, falling in waves past her shoulders. She leaned forward, placing her hands on her knees as she caught her breath, her chest heaving up and down. She had learned long ago that keeping the mafia boss waiting was never wise, regardless of their friendship.

"If you're going to keep coming to my office, can you please inform me on time or book an appointment so I won't have to constantly outrun my shadow this way?" Alex asked as she slowly raised her head. But to her surprise, the man she was talking to wasn't looking good at all. He was literally breathing hard with sweat coating his forehead, his usual commanding presence diminished by obvious pain.

"What is wrong, Pedro?" Her voice was instantly laced with concern as she rounded the mahogany desk to go closer to the aching man.

"DO NOT TOUCH ME!" Pedro commanded even without opening his eyes, his deep voice reverberating off the walls. The doctor froze, her manicured hand halfway to his face, trembling slightly in the space between them.

Alex quickly withdrew her hand, her worry doubling as she took another concerned look at the man. His face was pale, and the veins in his neck stood out prominently. "I just wanted to feel your temperature. Is that so bad? I haven't seen you act up this way during the day."

Pedro gulped painfully before he slowly opened his eyes, revealing dark green irises that seemed to hold centuries of pain.

"Where's my medication?" he asked as he adjusted himself in the chair. The pain was gone. Except for the slight hotness which came from the wound, his body was calm again, and it baffled him.

What just happened?

"Oh, it's right here," Alex said as she opened one of her drawers beside Pedro and brought out a small bottle filled with tablets.

She looked at Pedro and saw him lost in thought, his strong jaw clenched in concentration. In moments like these, when he wasn't actively trying to intimidate her, she could see traces of the man he used to be before the curse, the man that'd saved and given her a new life.

"What just happened?" She couldn't hold back her curiosity anymore, her heart racing beneath her silk blouse.

"I don't know." Pedro gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw working. "If you had been more useful, I wouldn't have to go through this shit." His fingers drummed against the armrest, each tap a quiet threat.

"You're going through a curse, Pedro, and it can't be broken by just some medicine from a witch." Alex's voice was steady despite her inner trembling.

"Then why are you alive?" Pedro roared, glaring daggers at the useless witch doctor.

"Apparently, the medicines I provide to you help to subside the pains somehow. Isn't it the reason why you're still keeping me alive?" Alex smirked, though her fingers nervously played with the hem of her coat. She could only challenge the great and formidable Pedro this way because she knew how important she was to him. At least until Pedro found that special one who could heal him.

"Thank your stars for that," Pedro huffed.

"Can you send your men to come get the medicine next time? Your presence is quite intimidating, and I don't know why you keep doing this to me. Haven't I been loyal to you?" Her brown curls bounced as she shook her head pleadingly.

"Someone needs to keep you in check in case you forget who owns you," Pedro smirked, his perfectly tailored suit shifting as he leaned forward, reminding her of a predator about to strike.

Alex just sighed with a pout but remained silent, shrinking back in her chair. The leather creaked beneath her as she shifted uncomfortably. She knew there was no need in trying to convince the devil to do good.

"Here's the medication," Alex said, handing Pedro the bottle, the pills rattling inside like tiny dice.

Pedro took the bottle, gritting his teeth with anger and obvious frustration. "For how long will I depend on medicine that doesn't even solve the main problem? I need to get rid of this pain, damn it!"

Alex sighed, her breath stirring a loose curl near her face. She knew she had said what she was about to say right then a hundred times for the past five years to the stubborn man before her. But she would say it again until he listened.

"We can only accomplish that if you can take one of the virgin girls we have been selecting and give them love. You're just too scary for anyone to fall in love with. Not to talk of praying for you." Her voice grew softer with each word, like someone trying not to startle a dangerous animal.

"What do you mean?" Pedro barked, his cologne suddenly seeming more overwhelming in the small office.

There we go again, the same reply each time. Alex sighed inwardly, her fingers unconsciously touching the golden cross pendant at her throat.

"What I mean is that you should be able to give love in order to receive one. That's probably what your wife meant when she cursed you." Alex shrugged, immediately regretting the casual gesture.

She bit her glossed lip when she saw Pedro's look darken, his green eyes turning almost black with rage. Had she gone overboard with the last words?

Well, she soon found out the answer to that question because in the next second, she was grabbed by the neck and slammed against the wall. The impact knocked her stethoscope to the floor with a clatter.

"You have no idea what that snitching bitch thought." Pedro spat coldly as he felt uncontrollable anger surge through him. She wriggled and struggled to breathe with her hand placed above the strong one on her neck. Her hands were practically useless against the iron grip on her throat, her nails scratching helplessly at his wrist.

"I-I'm sorry, Pedro," Alex stammered, feeling her airflow being restricted dangerously. The edges of her vision began to darken.

Pedro quickly let go as a thought crossed his mind; he was doing it again, letting the curse influence him. He bit his teeth silently, guilt coloring his expressionless face as he moved away from her.

"Cough... cough... cough..." Alex felt her eyes roll into her head as she coughed repeatedly with tears streaming down her eyes, smearing her mascara.

"So what are you going to do? Will you keep rejecting them?" Alex managed to ask, not ready to let the man off easily this time. "You will just fall into an agonizing death."

No matter how badly he treated her, to Alex, Pedro was her lifesaver, her Messiah, and nothing would make her more alive than seeing him happy again.

"It's none of your business, Alex. Just make yourself available while I still need you." His voice was ice cold, a clear contrast to the fire burning in his chest.

Pedro buttoned back his shirt, leaving just one open as he took the bottle and headed for the door.

'That devil,' Alex muttered to herself as she tried to lean off the wall, her legs shaky beneath her. She glared at Pedro who had opened the door to leave, one hand absently rubbing her bruised throat.

"Oh," Pedro suddenly paused, closing the door back before turning to face Alex.

"What now?" Alex felt her heart fall, thinking that Pedro had overheard her little rant. She pressed herself back against the wall, her white coat blending with the pale paint.

Pedro flashed her a killing smile before walking back to the chair he had been sitting on, his movements fluid and predatory.

There goes his bribery gesture, Alex shook her head in resignation; she just couldn't stay mad at him.

"A lady bumped into me on my way to your office." His voice softened slightly as he recalled those dazzling blue eyes and the strange sensation of peace they had brought.

"Umm... What happened?" Alex quickly adjusted herself as she picked up the stethoscope and rushed over to one of the chairs in front of her desk. It looked as if she was the one who needed to consult a doctor.

"I can't really remember how she looks," he said, his expression distant. "She had ocean-blue eyes, and the brief contact from her felt refreshing, like I had momentarily been dipped into ice. The pain was shut down briefly. It was something I never felt before, and my whole body calmed for some beautifully unknown reason."

"That is a sign." Alex gasped, not believing what she had just heard. She leaned forward eagerly, her fear momentarily forgotten. "Did you allow her to go? I think she's the one we have been looking for."

"How's that possible? The pain skyrocketed before I got to your office. Doesn't that mean that she could be dangerous for my health?" Pedro felt lost, running a hand through his dark hair in frustration.

Alex was consumed with so much happiness, as if she was the one who needed the solution to her problem, that she kept shaking her head, her curls bouncing with the movement.

"But you've never felt this way with anyone before, virgin or not, Pedro," Alex pointed out. "You have to find her. It's all part of the sign. She's exactly what we have been searching for."

"I don't need your instructions on what to do." Pedro suddenly said as he stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. "I have already given out the order to look for her before getting here."

"Just make sure to get someone to look for her!!!" Alex shouted behind him, her voice still hoarse from his earlier attack.

'Will it hurt you to just let your ego down for once?' Alex sighed as she watched the man exit her office. She slumped back in her chair, touching her tender throat, and wondered if the mysterious blue-eyed woman might finally be the one to break the curse, that is, if she survived Pedro's intensity long enough to try.

As Pedro got far from the office, he dialed a number to give out an instruction before heading out of the hospital.