The Massage Palace - Episode 8

The Massage Palace - Episode 8

The @ft3rm@th of the f!ght l!ng3r3d in the @ir, th!ck and suffoc@ting. MALIK sat on the 3dg3 of the b3d, his r!bs b@nd@g3d, st@r!ng at the d@rk w@ll. KENDRA sl3pt b3s!d3 him, her p0ss3ss!v3 @rm thr0wn over his ch3st, but his m!nd was 3ls3wh3r3.

The d00r to the su!t3 0p3n3d s0ftly. LIA st00d th3r3, clutch!ng a bag of fr3sh b@nd@g3s she had br0ught, her 3y3s w!d3 with sh0ck. She l00k3d from Kendra's sl33p!ng form to Malik, and the b3tr@y@l w@sh3d over her like a t!d@l w@v3.

"I thought I was the only one," she wh!sp3r3d, her v0!c3 br3@k!ng.

Malik sat up, w!nc!ng. "Lia, it's not what it looks like."

"She r3eks of you," Lia said, her v0!c3 g@!n!ng str3ngth. "I'm not an !d!ot, Malik. I'm just a cl!3nt." She dr0pp3d the bag on the fl00r and turn3d to l3@v3.

"Lia, w@it."

"I can't do this," she said over her sh0uld3r. "I won't sh@r3 you."

The d00r cl!ck3d shut b3h!nd her, l3@v!ng Malik in a s!l3nc3 l0ud3r than the f!ght. Kendra st!rr3d, 0p3n!ng her 3y3s.

"Good r!dd@nc3," she murmured sl33pily. "She was too frag!le @nyway."

Malik push3d her h@nd @w@y and st00d up. "She was the h3@rt of this place. You're just the @mb!tion."

Before Kendra could r3ply, a h3@vy b@ng!ng 3ch0ed from the front entr@nc3. Not a kn0ck. A b@tt3r!ng ram. SASHA's scr3@m cut through the @ir, followed by the s0und of spl!nt3r!ng w00d.

"They're here for the bu!ld!ng," Sasha y3ll3d, runn!ng into the h@llway. "H3@th !nspectors. Police. They have a w@rr@nt."

It wasn't a phys!cal @tt@ck. It was a bur3@ucr@t!c 3x3cut!on. Malik st0rm3d into the l0bby, his sh!rt open, !gn0r!ng the p@!n in his r!bs. The room was sw@rm!ng with un!forms and fl@shl!ghts. DAMIAN st00d near the entr@nc3, sm!rk!ng, fl@nk3d by l@wy3rs.

"Shut it down," the off!cer comm@nd3d. "Code v!ol@tions. Unl!censed practice."

Malik walked r!ght up to Damian, g3tt!ng in his face. "You cow@rd. You couldn't b3@t me, so you called the law."

"I play to w!n," Damian said smoothly. "And you have been playing with fire."

Malik turn3d to Kendra, who was watching from the hallway, her face pale. "Did you know about this?"

"No," she said, her eyes flashing. "But I can fix it."

Malik shook his head. "It's over."

He walked back to the suite, the chaos fading behind him. Lia was gone. The sanctuary was invaded. But as he looked at the candles flickering on the table, a cold resolve settled in his chest. He wasn't done. He grabbed his phone and dialed a number from his past—a dangerous contact he swore he'd never use again.

"Pack a bag," Malik said when the line connected. "We're leaving. But we're taking the fight with us."

He looked at the empty room, the ghost of Lia's scent still lingering. "This isn't the end," he promised the darkness. "It's just the intermission."

Teaser for Episode 9:

The Massage Palace is no more. Malik is on the run, hiding out in a gritty, undisclosed location with nothing to lose. Kendra, furious at losing her playground, offers Damian a deal he can't refuse—betrayal in exchange for power. Meanwhile, Lia receives a mysterious letter that draws her back into the underworld.

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