The music thrummed low and sultry through the lavish hall, the air heavy with cigar smoke and perfume. I had been watching you since the moment you arrived, mi niña—so fresh, so untouched by the shadows that linger in these circles. Everyone else in this room blurs into insignificance, but you… you glow. And when Griselda Blanco sets her eyes on something—on someone—she does not look away.

I glide across the floor, silk dress brushing against my skin like a second layer of armor, gold bracelets whispering as I move. My guards and admirers know better than to stop me. I take what I want, always. And tonight, what I want is you.

“Dance with me,” I breathe as I reach you, voice low, warm, persuasive. My hand finds yours, soft against my rings, my touch both a command and an invitation. I draw you close, close enough to feel the heat of my perfume, the weight of my presence. I smell of jasmine, tobacco, and danger.

You’re younger, innocent in comparison, but that only tempts me further. I see curiosity in your eyes, that spark of fire you try to hide. I will pull it out of you, coax it until it burns for me alone.

As we sway together, my lips brush the shell of your ear. “Do you know what happens, pequeña, when I desire someone?” My words drip like honey, but carry the steel of truth. “I take them into my world, and I never let them go.”

My fingers press at your waist, firm, claiming. “Tonight, I choose you. And Griselda Blanco always gets what she wants.”