The Price Of His Desire

The Price

“You must be the sister,” Alfonso said, his voice low and sharp. I took slow steps toward him, my heart pounding.

“We’ve met already. That’s a great start,” he added, rising to his feet. His hands slid into his pockets, his suit perfectly tailored. He looked both gorgeous and terrifying at once.

“You… you know?” I stuttered, my mind spinning. I tried to make sense of his words, but my chest tightened with anxiety.

“Did you think meeting at the club was a coincidence?” His lips curved into a playful smirk.

I couldn’t catch every word. I only felt the weight of his presence. Every second made me more tense, more aware of the dangerous calm that surrounded him.

“She’s not here,” I said, hoping he was talking about Aria. Maybe she was the reason for all this.

“I know,” he replied, his eyes narrowing as if he knew more than he wanted to say.

“So this is what you used my money for? Living in luxury must feel nice.” His gaze drifted slowly around the room before settling on me. I instinctively pulled my robe tighter around my chest.

I reached for my phone to call Aria, but he stopped me with quiet authority.

He took my wrist, firm but not painful, and pulled me closer until my chest brushed against his. He lifted a hand and brushed a few strands of hair from my face. I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin, slow and unhurried.

“You’re in big trouble, Diana,” he whispered, his voice low and teasing.

Just as his hand cupped my face and he leaned in, the sound of car horns shattered the silence. It broke through the moment, sharp and distant.

Everything began to fade. The room. His touch. His voice. A thin beam of light crossed my face. I blinked and opened my eyes, staring at the ceiling, my heart racing.

It was just a dream.

I don’t know why I have this heavy feeling in my chest about what Aria could be doing wrong. Maybe it’s all in my head. Maybe Alfonso isn’t even real. Why do I keep worrying about my sister when she doesn’t even care? It’s her money, her choices. Even though I know she lied about how she got it, I shouldn’t care this much.

I stood under the cold shower, trying to wash away the thoughts. The water ran over me, numbing everything inside. Somehow, it helped. The chill grounded me, slowed my racing mind.

I pushed every thought of that man from the club to the back of my head, got dressed, and prepared for class.

Just as I was about to leave, my phone rang. It was Collins.

“Diana, you need to come to the station,” he said quickly, his voice tight with urgency.

“Why? What’s going on?” I asked, my heart skipping a beat.

“It’s Aria. She’s been arrested.”

My heart thudded in disbelief. A cold wave ran through me.

“What do you mean arrested? For what?”

“They said it’s serious. Fraud, maybe something else. You need to come now.”

My fingers went numb around the phone.

The dream. Alfonso’s words. The warning. It all came rushing back at once.

I stood frozen in the middle of the room.

Aria. Arrested.

The words echoed in my head like a nightmare I couldn’t wake from.

I rushed to the station, my pulse racing. Collins was already there, talking to a lawyer. They both looked tense.

“Your sister’s case is complicated,” the lawyer said as we stepped outside. “I’ll do my best to get her bailed out.”

“I’m so lost. Can you please explain what’s happening?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“She’s being accused of fraud and s****l misconduct with a minor,” he said carefully.

My breath caught in my throat.

He handed me a copy of the case file. My stomach tightened as I read. It was worse than I imagined.

Aria had been accused of fraud and s****l misconduct with a minor.

“Not only did she engage in such acts with a minor,” I read aloud, my voice trembling, “she manipulated and coerced him into transferring huge sums of money to her accounts.”

The words blurred before my eyes. I turned to Collins, stunned. My mind went blank. Aria could be reckless, even impulsive, but this?

Then my eyes fell on the last line of the document.

Signed by Alfonso De Lisi.

I didn’t get the chance to speak with Aria, but the lawyer promised to do everything possible to get her bail since the trial was set for the next week.

I asked for a copy of the case file so I could read it again and maybe find a way to help.

I skipped class and went straight home. Collins dropped me off.

The moment I stepped inside, the air felt heavier. Just like in the dream, a tall figure stood by the window, his back to me, hands in his pockets, staring down at the city below.

Alfonso.

Who else could it be?

I took a few steps forward, tension thick in the silence between us.

“I should arrest you too,” he said finally.

“For being an accomplice.”

He turned to face me, and my breath caught.

I couldn’t find my voice. I didn’t even fully understand what was happening, so I just let him speak.

“Maybe you’re just as foolish as she is, thinking you could scam and manipulate without getting caught,” he said. His words cut straight through me.

“You have less than twenty-four hours to find a new place,” he continued, stepping closer until he stood right in front of me. His presence filled the room, his eyes sharp and unreadable.

“I haven’t decided what to do with you yet,” he said quietly, his tone calm but dangerous.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his eyes.

“I had no idea,” I said finally, my voice weak and trembling. “I don’t understand what’s going on, but if there’s anything—” I stopped, unable to finish.

“What do you think you can do?” he asked, his breath warm against my face. “You think you can pay back the million dollars you and your sister stole from me?”

My eyes widened. Guilt washed over me. I had spent part of that money too. There was nothing I could do.

What hurt most was that Aria had kept me in the dark. She had lied about everything.

He cupped my face suddenly, catching me off guard. His touch made my stomach twist. His eyes darkened as he brushed a strand of hair away from my face.

“My offer from the night we met still stands,” he said quietly.

“And what is that?” I asked, my voice trembling.

He leaned closer until his face brushed against my cheek, his breath warm on my skin. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the heat that rushed through me.

“I want you,” he whispered. “I want to have you.”

“My deal is simple. Agree to it, and I’ll let everything go.”

“Including my sister’s case?” I asked, barely able to speak.

He hummed softly in response, his lips so close I could feel his breath move against my skin.

“I’ve had eyes on you, Diana,” he said slowly. “Since the day I came to this city.”

“Tell me what you want me to do,” I said softly after he pulled away.

“Then you’ll have to follow me,” he replied, his eyes fixed on mine like I was the only thing he could see.