Paralyzed

La prometida

Andrés and Martín got to work quickly. Within a few days, they had already determined the date of their heist and how they were going to steal the diamonds. They planned to execute the theft during the Paris Art Fair at the Grand Palais Éphémère on the Champ-de-Mars, disguising themselves as jewellers and pretending to ensure that the jewellery was "in good condition" for display.

Months passed, and as they worked together, Andrés and Martín grew closer, their friendship strengthening with each day. Martín met Sergio, and while their initial interactions were a bit awkward, they eventually learned to tolerate each other. Andrés frequently pulled pranks on Martín or teased him, but Martín didn't mind; in fact, he secretly enjoyed it, as he was starting to develop feelings for Andrés.

They often argued about which strategies were better, but they always managed to find a way to blend their different ideas into a cohesive plan. A year went by, and their heist plan was almost complete. Martín's feelings for Andrés deepened, and he knew he would do anything for him. He loved Andrés and wasn't afraid to admit it to himself, but he was terrified of confessing his feelings. He feared that Andrés, who he knew was not sexually interested in men, would not reciprocate. Still, Martín held onto the hope that one day Andrés might understand his feelings.

That hope was shattered one night when Andrés returned home with a woman.

It was the middle of the night when Martín heard a strange noise coming from the main room. He got up, put on his robe, and opened his bedroom door. Normally, he would smile when he saw Andrés, but this time he felt a wave of disappointment wash over him.

As he looked into the room, he saw Andrés and a woman, both naked and engaged in an intense "French kiss." Andrés pushed the woman against the wall, and she clung tightly to him, her fingers clawing at his back. Martín's heart sank further as he noticed the woman's left hand unzipping Andrés' fly, revealing his penis. She gave it a playful tug, her pinky brushing against his testicles while her index finger hovered near the tip. With a steady rhythm, she began stroking him, rubbing her thumb back and forth on the head of his penis.

Andrés moaned softly, placing a hand on the side of her face as he kissed her neck. She moaned in response, gently grasping his jaw and turning his head toward her. Their eyes locked, and she smiled, her thumb rubbing against his cheek as she pressed her lips to his. Leaning in close, she whispered something in his ear, causing Andrés to chuckle.

"Ahem..."

Startled, Andrés and the woman, María, turned their heads to the left and found Martín standing in the hallway, frozen in shock.

"I don't mean to disturb you, but... you guys are kind of right next to my bedroom. And you're keeping me awake."

"We are? Sorry about that. Oh, where are my manners? Martín, this is María."

"Hi."

"So, this is the famous Martín Berrote? I've been very eager to meet you!"

"And I to you. Now, if you don't mind, it's the middle of the night, and we have a plan to finish. To do so, we need some sleep, so good night, and I'll see you tomorrow. And one last thing: if you're going to continue doing what you were doing, please, for the love of God, do it in your own bedroom where I can't hear you."

"Don't worry, we won't disturb you anymore."

Martín walked back to his room and closed the door. Andrés and María exchanged glances and started laughing, sharing kisses as they made their way to Andrés' bedroom.

The next morning, Martín was waiting for them in the garden. He sipped his tea and sighed in relief when he saw Andrés approaching. Andrés sat down at the table and reached for a grapefruit.

"Good morning, Martíni!"

"Good morning, Andrés. Hey, you're not going to believe this, but I had this crazy dream—"

Before Martín could finish his sentence, another voice interrupted him.

"Good morning, my beautiful fiancé!"

"Fiancé????"

"Didn't I tell you? María and I are getting married." She sat on his lap and kissed him.

"Oh, congratulations! I'm very happy for both of you," Martín said, his voice tinged with sadness.

"Thank you, Martín. Don't be so gloomy; I'm sure one day you'll find the perfect man for you, right, my love?"

"Of course, everybody finds love somehow."

"I'm sure I won't," Martín mumbled.

"But yeah, anyway, what were you telling me about this crazy dream of yours?" Andrés asked.

"Oh, it was just a stupid dream. I guess it was because of the noise you were making last night..."

"Yeah... Hmmm... Sorry about that. I didn't think we would be this loud. How's the plan going? I saw you working on it this morning when I went to the bathroom."

"I was just revising it, and I noticed that we can't do it just the two of us; we need backup."

"Okay, so who's our backup?"

"I don't know yet, but I have two people in mind. Would your brother be interested in joining us?"

"I don't think so; he's occupied with his own heist."

Martín stared at Andrés, wide-eyed.

"Your brother is planning a heist?"

"Long story. So, who else is on your backup list?"

Martín pulled out a file and pushed it toward Andrés. Curious, Andrés opened it and saw a profile inside.

"Meet Jakov Horvat. Born in Croatia, he was a hitman. Do you know what this means, Andrés? This means that he will be our watcher—the guy who keeps an eye on the police without being noticed. He can blend in everywhere!"

"Interesting... But just one person isn't going to make a difference; we need more people, at least one more..."

"I could help..." María said shyly.

"Of course! Silly me, why didn't I think of that? Ugh, gosh, I'm such a bad fiancé!"

"No worries, my love. I'm sure you had your reasons. Now that the plan is set, why don't we focus on our wedding planning?"

Two weeks later, Andrés was a married man, and Martín was still a single pringle. Although a wedding is supposed to be a joyful event, it wasn't joyful for Martín. There was something fishy about María; he didn't like her at all. She was bad news, and he tried to warn Andrés, but he wouldn't listen.