ALMOST. BUT WHAT'S NEXT
1646 Words
Alessia pov
The guard unlocked the door and pushed it open.
I stepped inside.
This wasn’t a room—it was more like one of those adult playrooms I’d only seen in movies.
The lights were dim, the windows shut tight.
The sight made my stomach tighten, twisting into knots of dread and helplessness.
Two women were already there, waiting.
Judging by their appearance, they were in their mid-forties.
They looked at me with quiet pity, as if they had witnessed this scene countless times before.
Maybe they had.
To them, I was just another victim.
And they weren’t wrong.
“Don’t cry,” one whispered, her thumb brushing the tears from my cheek.
Her hands were soft. Too soft for this place.
“It’ll be over soon. Just... don’t fight him.”
“He won’t hurt you,” she added softly. “Just... make him feel good.”
I nodded, not knowing what else to do.
I understood exactly what she meant.
I was about to lose my virginity to a complete stranger—not to Marcus, not to the person I loved.
I wished I had given it to him when he asked.
“Is this your first time?” she asked gently.
“Yes,” I barely whispered.
Her fingers squeezed mine. “It was for us too. I’m sorry you have to go through this. Try to breathe. Take your mind off him, okay? It’ll be over soon—I promise.”
“But after today... what happens to me?”
What would become of my life? What future awaited me after tonight?
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
She pressed a piece of fabric into my hands. “Put this on. Be quick. He’s coming.”
It wasn’t a dress.
It was a rope disguised as one.
A cruel reminder of the fate awaiting me.
I slipped off the dress I was wearing, ignoring the burning pain from the whip’s bruises. Each movement reopened wounds I was trying to pretend didn’t exist.
A drop of blood fell from my skin, staining the cold floor beneath me.
Still, I picked up the new garment and forced it over my body.
I didn’t resist anymore. I had learned to endure.
Maybe this was the life I was meant to accept.
“You look beautiful in it,” one of them said softly. “Is there anything we can do to help you?”
I wouldn’t judge her—it was easier for her to say.
“No,” I muttered.
The word came out colder than I intended.
I had learned long ago not to depend on anyone. Help always came with a price, and I couldn’t afford to owe anyone anything.
I lowered my gaze, reminding myself of the truth I’d been avoiding.
I was alone.
And it was time to face the reality of the life I’d been given.
Then the door opened.
Both women froze.
Without a word, they quickly gathered their things and left, leaving behind a silence heavier than before.
And then he stepped inside.
Vittorio Rinaldi.
The man everyone feared.
He looked even more terrifying up close. His expression was cold, unreadable, and his eyes held no trace of pity or compassion.
Only power. That natural confidence that showed no guilt.
He closed the door behind him.
The click echoed through the room, far louder than it should have been.
Slowly, he removed his jacket, his eyes never leaving mine. There was no anger on his face, no emotion I could read.
That made it worse.
“You thought you could run forever?” he asked calmly.
His voice was quiet.
And somehow, that frightened me more than shouting ever could.
I lowered my head.
“Alessia.”
“I did everything to prove myself to you. And what did you do?
You and your father threw it all away. You made me miserable.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, hoping for a moment that an apology could change anything.
“You’re sorry, you should be, Alessia.”
“I remember when your father made me beg. Made me nothing. Took what was mine.”
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I told myself one day I’d get even. Look at you now. You’re mine.”
“I own you, Alessia.”
His voice was quiet, but every word felt like a threat.
“And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine.
“I own the air you breathe. I own your choices. I own everything you thought belonged only to you.”
My heart tightened.
“Your body, your future, your entire life... all of it is mine now.”
The words left me frozen.
“And now that you belong to me, do you know what your fate is?”
A cold smile touched his lips.
“I don’t think you’d want to know.”
He lowered himself, his fingers lifting my face until I was forced to meet his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
The words barely escaped my mouth as tears blurred my vision.
“Save your tears, sweetheart.” His voice was flat. “Your father made this deal. Now you reap it.”
I didn’t understand. I wished he’d explain. I wished I didn’t have to ask.
This wasn’t the life I had dreamed of.
All I ever wanted was simple.
To go to college, graduate, build a future for myself, and finally live the life I had imagined.
But somewhere along the way, everything changed.
I wished I could turn back time.
I wished I could return to the moment before everything fell apart and choose a different path.
“You’re going to pay for every bit of it,” he said. “In flesh.”
The room went quiet except for my breathing.
“Please don’t kill me.”
The words escaped my lips before I could stop them.
I hated how desperate I sounded, but fear had taken over. In that moment, all the pride I had left disappeared, leaving only the instinct to survive.
He laughed once—low and cold.
The sound sent a chill through me.
Then, without breaking eye contact, he removed his watch and placed it carefully on the table.
Like he wasn’t in a hurry. Like he had all the time in the world.
“Don’t play dumb, Alessia. You know what you are now.”
He stepped closer. “You’re mine. And I’ll use you however I want. When I’m done, I’ll pass you around to my friends. That’s what you’re worth.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to be smaller. Trying to disappear.
Tears slipped down my face before I could stop them.
“Get on your knees,” he ordered, grabbing my arm.
My legs shook so badly I thought I’d fall. I could feel myself trembling.
I didn’t argue—I barely had the strength.
I moved. Bent over. My backside exposed to the room.
Cold air brushed my skin, sending a shiver through my entire body.
I wrapped my arms around myself, but it did nothing to stop the chill creeping deeper than the surface.
“Your father would be proud,” he said. “Wherever he is.
I’d imagine his face when he hears I was your first . Maybe he’s watching. Let’s give him a show to remember.”
“Please...” I whispered.
He wasn’t listening.
I heard fabric tear.
I squeezed my eyes shut and braced for the pain.
It was finally happening.
He was behind me. I heard his belt come undone.
Then—a sharp knock broke the silence.
Vittorio frowned, clearly irritated.
“Who is it?”
“It’s James,” a voice answered from the other side of the door. “I need a word with you.”
“It’ll have to wait.”
“No. It’s important.”
Vittorio sighed impatiently, shoved away from me, and headed for the door.
He pulled it open just enough to look outside.
“This had better be worth interrupting me,” he muttered as he stepped into the hallway.
James leaned in and spoke in a low voice.
I couldn’t make out every word, but I caught one sentence clearly.
“Someone has made a higher offer.”
Vittorio’s expression hardened.
Without another glance in my direction, he followed James down the corridor, leaving me alone in the room once more.
I stayed bent over. Frozen.
Relief washed over me, but I knew it was only temporary.
What if I’d been sold to someone worse than Vittorio? What if he just raised his bid?
I didn’t dare move. I could feel my breasts hanging loose from my torn top.
Then the door opened again.
I looked back.
James stood there. With Vittorio.
“Someone paid more for you,” James said. His voice gave nothing away. “You have a new owner now.”
“Get up.”
“He may be waiting for you.”
I stood slowly, pulling my top together with shaking hands.
Vittorio’s eyes dragged over my body one last time. Hungry. Angry.
“That’s not fair,” he muttered.
James looked at me.
“Come with me.”
My legs shook as I followed him into the corridor.
The guards who’d ignored me before stepped aside without a word. No one met my eyes.
I tugged the fabric up to cover what was left of my top.
We walked in silence down the dim hallway.
My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
“Who is it?” I whispered.
James didn’t break stride.
“You’ll meet him soon.”
His answer didn’t calm me.
If anything, it made the silence ahead feel heavier.
- Writer
