Venon Attraction - Dália

"We always know where our paths will lead us, but we never know when someone will show up as our salvation. That's what Jass was to the Meyer family, and to me. Salvation from all the darkness that surrounded me. When I left the woman I loved to serve the Meyer's, I never imagined where I would get to, when I pushed the boundaries back, I never imagined that one day I could have a family again.

Ary Meyer was my family when I was assigned by his father to protect him with my life, Jasmine Ribeiro was my family when I promised her in the living room of her home with a positive test in hand that I would protect her and her baby with my life. Dahlia became my family when I was the one who broke the news to her mother, when I later chose her name, and when I became her bodyguard. Seven years ago this beautiful girl came into the world. Seven years that Portugal has been too small for so much love, for a smile as radiant as hers.

A year ago Heiko had asked Ary to return to help him run the business. At the time they had a big fight and Ary had thrown him in his face about the deal they had made! But we know that it is not that simple to get out of the criminal world, his father was in trouble, Meyer Haus was in debt with the militia government and needed his son to get out of it. They closed a deal, Ary said that if he came back it would be to clean Meyer Haus once and for all, that there would be no more drugs... And he promised Jass that within a year he would be clean, without all the filth he carried, that their daughter would not inherit this world. Jass was reluctant, but there was nothing he could do because he knew that Ary would not abandon his mother in danger. He needed to get back to the business world. But you know that nothing is as easy as it seems.

It was supposed to be a normal day, a day when Ary was at home with his family. I was coming back from the market bringing the things from the list Jass had given me while the trio was preparing dinner, when I saw smoke coming out from all sides of the house. I ran out of the car and when I walked through the door, the scene was shocking. The house was in flames; Ary was lying between the living room and the kitchen with a gunshot wound to the forehead and his body practically charred, Jass was on the stairs with three shots through her body. Bloody.

"Adam..." She whispered.

"I'm going to get you out of here." I spoke already ready to carry her out of there.

"We don't have time." She denied as hard as she could. "You need to get her out of here. Save my girl."

"Where? Where's Dahlia?" I asked.

"They broke into the house, shot both of us, Dahlia..." She swallowed dryly, her strength already gone. "She ran to the hiding place. They made it look like it was a fire. Everything is going to collapse."

"Jass... I'm going to get you out of here." I spoke now feeling the smell of smoke fill me.

"No. I need you to get her out of here as soon as possible Adam." She said now coughing up blood. "We don't have time... There's been a fire. There were no survivors." She faced me one last time. "Protect her with your life, as you promised me. I love you."

"No, Jass..." I spoke rocking her as her body collapsed in my arms. "I love you too, don't.... No..". I spoke with tears streaming down my face.

A final crash brought me out of my reverie, a pillar shattered, falling in front of the front door. I kissed his forehead and released his now dead body in the same place where it was, running to the left part of the house that led to the library. I urgently pressed the discreet button behind one of the books, and the bookcase moved to the side giving access to a small gap.

"Hi little one..." I stared at the little seven-year-old girl cowering in front of me with a large suitcase in her hand.

"Daddy..." She spoke startled. Yes, she called me Daddy. My eyes burned. I remember the first time we were called to a meeting at school. The reason: Dahlia was telling her classmates that she had two daddies. We laughed a lot that day. This was real. The two of us would always protect her with our lives.

"It's time to go, my love." I spoke taking her in my arms and picking up the briefcase with my free hand.

I went out the library window and before we crossed the flowerbed of the neighboring lot I saw the fire department approaching in the distance and the house collapse in flames.

I hugged Dahlia still on my lap and carried her to the playground of the house in front of us, put her sitting on one of the little houses and placing the suitcase beside us, I held her face with both hands.

"They..." She spoke now sniffling. "They shot Mom and Dad." She spoke in shock.

"Did you get a look at who did it?" I asked staring at her.

"No. No Daddy. He had his back turned." She spoke now denying with her head without stopping.

"Look at me." I spoke searching her eyes. "It's just you and me now, but I promise I will protect you with my life." I spoke hugging her tightly and letting her head rest on my chest. "It's going to be okay my love, daddy will fix everything."

* Adam..." She spoke. "There was a fire. There were no survivors." She stared at me one last time. "Protect her with your life, as you promised me. I love you.

No, there was no one left now. There were no survivors. Ary Meyer, Jasmine Ribeiro Meyer, and Dahlia Ribeiro Meyer were dead."

I was only seventeen when I decided to drop everything and follow the Meyer family, I left the love of my life, the woman I had planned to marry since I was fourteen, to follow as the hound of a cartel. I knew that with the life I was leading I would not be able to give the best to my family and that the difficulties, the same ones that affected my parents, would affect us and this was not what I wanted for her because I knew she deserved better. I was so good at training that I became a personal security guard for the Meyer family, and at twenty I had the honor of being Jasmine's security guard, at twenty-two my life changed when Dahlia was born and since then she is what I have been living for. I never had a family, I never imagined myself worthy of the smiles that Dahlia ever gave me, I never felt as alive as I did being next to this smart little girl. If I believed in spirituality, I would say that this is exactly what I was born for, to give my life for her, to be by her side whenever she needs me, to help her feel safe, especially when all she can feel now is hatred for the death of her parents, and dread of the nightmares that come torment her at night. I would give anything to rip this pain away, to protect her with my heart, I promised I would do that. I promised I would protect her, and now I am letting her go and learn to protect herself, and I don't know, I don't know how I feel knowing that when I find her again, she will no longer be my little Jasmine flower.

When I put my foot out of the car in the town where my father lived part of his life, I felt a chill go through my whole body and narrowed my eyes at all that I had inherited. MEYER HAUS. The largest nightclub in Germany with headquarters in several countries such as Italy and Brazil. I ran my hand through the red hair that went down to my waist and sighed.

"Are you ready?" he asked looking deep into my eyes.

"I have never been so ready in my entire life." I spoke with a corner smile that some might even call Machiavellian.

With my head held high and a piercing look on my face I walked forward with Adam a little behind as my bodyguard, when I reached the door of the club and knocked it was as if something told me that either I was making the biggest mistake of my life, or this would be the best decision, somehow, when I entered the place I knew I would never be the same again.

"Can I help you?" A brunette man in a suit with a dot on his ear appeared, I stared him down and smiled.

"I want to talk to Meyer." I spoke, my tone of voice came out decided and firm, and I could have sworn I saw him shiver.

"He's not available at the moment." The man said with his narrowed gaze on me.

"Well go in there and tell him there is someone here he will want to attend to." I said directing my gaze to the narrow path on one side of the nightclub.

"And how would I be able to call the Miss?" He sighed clenching his jaw.

"Owner of this place and the person who will fire you if you don't take me there." I spoke quietly arching one of my eyebrows.

"The Meyer Haus has only one owner, Miss." The man cracked a corner smile.

"Exactly. But let me correct you, bless you. It's owner. And it's me." I sighed and faced him.

"Okay. Wait here." He said shaking his head negatively, turning around, and heading down the hallway that would lead to the nightclub office.

While waiting impatiently - because patience is definitely not my gift. - I observed the place now closed because it was only 8:00 in the morning. Some security guards were around the place, while others were just cleaning the bar wings and the dance floor. I knew that even the cleaners had training in weapons handling and grappling, but this didn't give me an ounce of fear? If they thought it could be hell in there, they had never experienced a third of what I did. If this was hell, I was the darkness, the chaos, the terror that my enemies don't expect and certainly don't see coming when they are dancing on top of their rot.

The security guard appeared in the hallway and motioned for me to follow him, so I did. When I entered the office and faced him, I saw what I already knew, I was dealing with the devil.

"And you are?" He said leaning on the desk and with his hands in his pockets. His face was square and without a hint of emotion. His gaze reminded me of the black cat I had when I was smaller, and every time I came in, he would scrutinize me from top to bottom as if he could see my soul, just like this one was doing now, except he might even be a cat, but I didn't have a soul.

"My name is Dahlia, and I have come to take what is rightfully mine." I was direct and straight, my gaze studied him from top to bottom, and the only movement he made was to uncross his legs and run one of his hands through the blond hair that fell under his eyes. Nothing. Not even the slightest surprise or debauchery.

"Um." That was the only thing he spoke. "Mir wurde von dir erzählt." he said using his native tongue. "And you won't have to take anything, we are not enemies, if I saw you as one, you wouldn't be talking, to tell a story. We are partners. Welcome to hell."

∞

I let the water fall over my body as I machined and machined everything I had to do. I sighed as I leaned my hand on the wall and after three seconds I turned off the shower and stepped out of the shower. I put on black leather pants along with a cropped top of the same fabric and a leather cape that went to my knee. I looked at my closet full of black and leather clothes of all models and smiled, that closet was me inside. Dark and full of hardness. I put on a high heel boot, my gold watch, and looked at myself in front of the mirror analyzing my wet hair. I brushed my hair quickly with a styling brush, eyeliner, and a black lipstick. I was ready for what would be my first day at the Meyer Haus.

When I went downstairs to the manor where I lived, Adam was ready and sitting on the couch watching the news.

"I prepared your breakfast." He said smiling at me.

I nodded without showing any emotion whatsoever.

"I'm not hungry." I spoke staring at him and headed outside knowing he would repeat the move.

"Come on, flower." He spoke calling me by the nickname he had given me when I was still a little girl and which reminded me of the time when I was still alive. "Eat some, at least."

"You know I don't eat in the morning." I said, breathing in the fresh air outside. My house was in the heart of the forest, there was a single entrance and an emergency exit through a tunnel under the land. I loved that place because I knew it like the back of my hand, Adam had me memorize every square meter, which was easy thanks to my photographic memory.

"Not for the afternoon, not for the evening." He sketched an odd sound in disapproval. "Give me at least a good morning smile."

I stared at him. I widened my lips without showing my teeth.

"Let's get to work." I spoke rolling my eyes and headed down the stairs to the exit. He sighed audibly and opened the car door when it stopped in front of me.

"Ladies, first." He ironized.

I got into the car and let a smile escape as he got in beside me, Adam had always been very sentimental and tried to get me to show my feelings. But what he didn't understand was that my feelings turned to ashes along with my parents' bodies in the fire in my house when I was only seven years old. Adam had become my family, and all the hell I had to go through to get here and get justice had taken away what little emotion I had from having him with me. I felt hatred, the purest hatred and resentment for everything that had happened, and I didn't blame him. I blamed only one person, and that was always on the other side of the mirror. Day and night, staring at me and judging me for knowing that my parents only died because I was born, because they wanted to protect me, they gave their lives so that I would be safe, and because of that I had become this woman. So I would live up to them. The way I was trained to do.

When the car stopped in front of the Meyer Haus and I got in, everyone stared at me. I greeted them with a discreet nod and went straight to the office. I knocked twice and walked in.

"Um." He had his back to the phone. "Okay."

Meyer hung up the phone and faced me.

"Are you always accompanied by the dog?" He spoke, staring at Adam and then back at me.

"Do you have a problem with that?" I asked without taking my eyes off his.

"Not at all." He said. "Come on." He picked up the blazer that was on the arm of the chair and made his way outside while I followed him.

We got into his car. Adam in the driver's seat, the two of us in the back seat while one of the security guards drove.

"Don't you want to know where we're going?" He asked staring at the window.

"Do I need to?" I asked without taking my eyes off the window beside me.

He didn't answer and I didn't bring up the subject. I didn't need to know where he was going, because I knew exactly what he was going to do. He was going to test me, and I was finding it amusing. The car parked at a big house, and we got out.

"The dogs stay here." Meyer said staring at Adam for a few seconds and moving on.

I nodded reassuringly and followed. At the front door two armed security guards were inspecting our visit, when we entered there were two more security guards in the living room passage. We went up the stairs to the upper floor, and stopped in front of a door where two more security guards were making sure who was going in and who was coming out. They searched Meyer and passed him to me.

"If I want to kill you, I won't need a gun." I spoke sighing as one of them ran his hands over my body. He stopped, stared at me, and smiled.

The doors opened to an office, a man in his fifties was sitting in an armchair. He smiled as he stared at us, and one of his teeth was gold. How cliché.

"You know I don't allow newbies in my house, Meyer." He spoke.

"With her, you'll have to get used to it." Meyer spoke pointing to one of the chairs as he sat down in the other. I sat down next to him.

"And who is she?" The man asked without even facing me.

"Mrs. Meyer." Meyer spoke up. "Now that you have been introduced, let's get down to business."

"Never in history have there been two Lords." The man spoke analyzing the features of my face, and my urge to give the middle finger was almost overwhelming me.

"Now there is." Meyer was direct. "So Mr. Hernandez. We have an impasse regarding the numbers."

"Sure, sure." The man leaned back in his armchair and picked up a folder on the table. "But understand me Meyer, there is a new supplier in the area, I don't want to leave you, but he charges 15% and you 35%."

"New supplier?" Meyer asked. His expression showed nothing.

"Yes. They say he is Italian." The man spoke up.

"Are you trading us?" Meyer asked.

"I would like a new trade. I'll pay 20%, I don't want to leave you guys." Mr. Hernandez crossed his arms.

"You know we don't lower our prices." Meyer spoke up.

"Then we really have an impasse in our numbers." The man said.

Seeing his winning expression made me smile.

"I'd like to know the reason for the smile, little beauty." The man said propping both elbows on the table to get closer to me.

"It's just that I'm bored since I know how the story ends." I sighed.

"And how does the story end?" The man narrowed his eyes at me and I felt Meyer's curious gaze analyze my expression. Look at that, an emotion. Touche.

"Ah it's simple. A month from now there will be no Italian supplier, only Meyer Haus, as there has been for years. And you will pay 50%." I spoke with an air of boredom.

Meyer nodded with a corner smile.

"So you are telling me that you will expel the Italians?" The man asked with an air of amusement.

"I am saying that we will expel anyone who challenges the Meyer empire, Mr. Hernandez." I stared at him.

"Have you ever heard of the vendetta, miss?" The man spoke with a smile on his lips. "They say the Italians take even your soul."

"Then I have already won the war. There is nothing here that they can take." I spoke shaking my head negatively.

"It's in your hands. 35% or 50%?" Meyer spoke getting up and crossing his arms. "I need a quick answer, I have business ahead."

I stood up and faced him. Mr. Hernandez stared at me with narrowed eyes as if he was thinking.

"35%." The man relented.

I shook Mr. Hernandez's hand after Meyer and we left the room.

"Do you always usually spoil the fun?" Meyer said as we walked down the stairs.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked staring at the exit door in front of me.

"Letting him pay the 50%." He spoke up.

"Um..." I sketched.

We headed to the car and from there to the Meyer Haus. Where Meyer explained to me some of the business we were doing and about our branches, one of them where our next destination would be. Brazil. Where my parents were born and lived large parts of their lives, including their forbidden romance. We would go to the house in Angra where my grandparents were living after Meyer took over the business, which was about two years ago. I had only had contact with my grandfather, only to prove that I was Dahlia, the dead girl who rose from the ashes and would rightfully inherit the business. And now I would meet my grandmother, the woman Adam said was the love of my father's life and one of the most spectacular women he had ever met along with my maternal grandmother and my mother.

I wasn't looking forward to getting along with the family, that was a course I had to take if I wanted the Meyer Haus, and that was the only reason I had returned. It was not easy to explain why I had been presumed dead, the conversation between Heiko and Adam went on for hours and hours while I explored the whole environment he had settled into when he came to Germany. As for me, he could barely hold back the emotion, but I didn't show any emotion because that was exactly how I felt about any other living person than Adam, so when he hugged me, I kept only one hand on his back and mentally asked him to finish soon because I didn't like touch. I didn't like people, and I wanted them as far away from me as they could be, unless they served a purpose.