Present
September 2016
"At that moment, I couldn't tell you who I was, Emma..."
"I'm not interested in hearing your cheap lies, Mr. Basciano," I interrupted, "I'm only here because I'm fulfilling a service."
With that, I got into the limousine, trying to hold back the anger that made me want to cry. He followed me immediately.
"Why did you become this?"
If someone had told me that Luc would show up and question me about why I had become an escort, it would undoubtedly have been the epitome of comedy, so I couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at? I'm asking you something serious. How the hell did you end up being one of Rocco's girls?"
The urgency in his voice, the veiled disappointment, stopped my laughter immediately. How could he even ask that?
I didn't hesitate to respond gracefully before telling him to go to hell.
"What I was doesn't concern him; what I am now is what matters. I'm here to work, so I don't intend to talk about the past when I have a job to do. Just tell me what you want, Mr. Basciano."
"Is that your answer?"
"I don't even understand what you mean..."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Emma."
"No, so please tell me what I have to do, and let's not waste any more time."
"You won't explain?" he demanded with a disappointed look.
"I don't need to explain who I am; I don't owe it to anyone. Now, what's your fantasy, Mr. Basciano? What do you like?"
With the last question, he couldn't help but curse life.
I ignored him and decided that looking through the tinted glass was more interesting than paying attention to that jerk.
"We'll go get my car, then we'll stop by for some of your clothes, and I'll treat you like the escort you are," he said with a deep, commanding voice, disarming.
I smiled because I had gotten under his skin, and the fact that he wanted to insult me was a sign of how foolish he could be.
"Can I tell you a secret, Mr. Basciano? I don't mind being told what I am... I'm satisfied knowing that I live up to the idea," I said with all the malice.
The jab had its effect because he couldn't hold my gaze, so we ignored each other for the entire journey. When we arrived at the first destination, he got out, and with a grimace, he gestured for me to follow him. He didn't say anything, just nodded and continued on his way.
The limousine left, and I couldn't help but gaze at the large gray house in front of me. It had a garden with a spectacular display of gardenias and lilies, along with large trees that were sure to provide shade and shelter on sunny days.
It was a paradise on the outskirts of the city, in a private residential center built for the wealthy, which not only struck me as twisted but also shocked me because that vision was my dream home.
"This man is a damn lunatic." I said this like a mockery of his memory.
The sound of a metal door at the end of the tree-lined path caught my attention, and a beautiful Bugatti appeared with Luc changed into different clothes. The door opened, and his voice resonated outside.
"Get in," he demanded without further ado. "Tell me where you live, so I can get some comfortable clothes."
I wanted to tell him to go to hell because I knew that taking him home was a bad idea, but I wanted to see what he could do with that information. I gave him the address, and he looked at me in surprise.
"What? I live there; it's a quiet and safe area, unlike this, but I can live in peace."
He didn't say anything.
We took longer than desired to arrive, and I got out right away and texted my friends. I knew they'd be worried if I didn't check in.
Emma: I'm fine, I'll be on duty with Luciano Basciano tonight, I'll share with you the address, anything I'll let you know.
Lilly: Rocco knows?
Alice: Yes, my clients informed him and he was more than delighted. The problem is that something is wrong with Emma and Mr. Basciano.
Lilly: Really?
Emma: That's absolutely okay.
Alice: He saw it and he had the expression that he saw a damn ghost.
Lilly: We'll talk about this as soon as you're done with the service, I'll keep an eye on you, so have the speed dial ready, I don't care if he's the CEO of the world itself, I'll beat him up if he does anything to you.
I smiled at the protection and then saw Luc's car out the window.
"How did this happen?"
It was the million-dollar question.
I sighed with some mental exhaustion before grabbing a bag in which I placed extra clothes and two sets of lingerie that, although I hated wearing, served to do my job. I took off my beautiful red dress, put on something more practical, changed my clothes for something practical.
She put me on a flowy white skirt with a black top and brown leather jacket. She swapped her red heels for her knee-high boots and I walked out with her phone charger in my hand, while I turned off notifications from chatting with my friends.
I got into the car and didn't say anything, silence reigned for a few seconds before Luc spoke.
"Why do you do this work?"
His tone of voice was calmer, in fact, he seemed almost desperate, but I decided to nip the evil in the bud or it would be an endless tale.
"I'm going to be very clear, Mr. Basciano," she said sarcastically, "because you don't seem to understand the refusal very well, but here I go: my life doesn't concern you, the only thing that interests you about me is my body, so stick to that.
"You won't give in.
"I'm not going to give in, my life is private and it's not your problem.
"I want to tell you...
"Sir, Basciano, if you're going to tell me anything that isn't service-related, don't waste your time or your saliva. I'm not interested in hearing anything other than what you want me to do for you.
Luc sighed.
He drove another half hour, turned near a remote road and drove into a motel on the way, which was not only ironic, but even amusing.
"Are you serious, Mr. Basciano?"
"What are you serious?"
"From all over the world you brought me to a motel on the way?"
"Yes, Emma, I brought you to a motel on the way, any problem with that?"
"For a man who pays too much for an escort, this place doesn't fit with what he's used to.
Luc frowned, then parked and saw me completely annoyed, he was about to boil, the vein in his forehead was throbbing.
"You have no idea what I'm used to or not used to.
"No, obviously I don't know, Mr. Basciano..." I don't know anything about you.
He wanted to emphasize it, so the very miserable man smiled ironically.
"The first time I made you mine was in a place a thousand times easier, Emma, what's the problem?"
At that moment I felt insulted.
"Do you really think he claimed me at that moment?"
I laughed loudly.
"Emma...
"You're the most gullible person I know, I've seen everything in this business, but I'm going to be good, I'm not going to laugh at you again, and I'm going to show you why women like me are never claimed."
She squeezed the steering wheel hard before heading out and I couldn't help but feel victorious.
"Come down, Emma.
I did it slowly, but he had some patience so he waited to walk beside me. That's when I realized that the place wasn't all bad, I could pass for discreet, but it didn't compare at all to the suites I was used to.
He went straight to talk to a gentleman who greeted him as if they were old friends, who simply gave him a key.
"Are you bringing your companions here?"
It was what I wondered out loud, but then I ignored it because it wasn't my damn problem, even though I was bothered by the idea. We went straight to the last room in the hallway, Luc opened the door and I walked in confidently.
"Interesting.
"What do you find interesting, Emma?"
"It's not as bad as it sounds.
"I see...
I placed my bag on a table in the corner of the room, he closed the door and approached from behind, stuck to my back and grabbed my hips, before bringing his mouth close to my ear to say:
"Show me how you work, princess."
PresentSeptember 2016His hoarse voice made my body come alive.It was as if I activated the muscle memory that had been dormant, waiting for the only man who could make me vibrate. So, I took all the muster of my willpower not to give in to it, to remind myself that what Luc was doing to me was a humiliation.That's why I didn't hesitate to turn things around."As you like, Mr. Basciano.He sat up in bed, with a cretino's expression to watch the spectacle.I smiled with amusement, took off my jacket and then his expression changed to an indecipherable one that I couldn't understand clearly. That made me almost faint before his gray eyes, before his perfect features that reflected expressions of longing that I instantly hated.I let go of the garment with some anger, pulled down my skirt gently, so blatantly that I could see a trace of annoyance in Luc. That prompted me to be more daring, I opened my top freeing my breasts and seeing that Luc's interest shamelessly I threw it in his
PresentSeptember 2016I gave boldness to my desire to make him swallow his words.I set out to make the same journey with greater ease and seduction than the night before, with an optimism based on driving him crazy, and I noticed that he liked what he saw, that, in spite of everything, he was as attracted to me as he had been in the past.I smiled slyly, crouched down like a panther, and walked over to the corner of the bed to turn it on more than it already was.He appreciated me with a different look, a raw, naked look and I could feel the growing bulge in his pants that gave me the answers I was looking for. I licked my lips to tease him more than usual.It was a delight to see him like that.I sat on my knees as I reached him and ran my hands down his legs to stimulate him, giving an alluring touch to the moment that he couldn't help. I didn't take my eyes off his face for anything in the world, I unzipped his pants and put my hand in to stimulate what he had caused.He let his
Present September 2016 I didn't see him coming, so I took a deep breath and answered him with annoyance. "That's none of my clients' business.” "I'm glad I'm no longer your customer!" He replied, handing me an envelope. “Here's your payment. Thank you for your service!” He bowed theatrically, a clear mockery that infuriated me. "You're welcome," I replied sharply, grabbed my things and left the room without looking back. What the hell did the think he was? It was too much for me at the time. I walked down the hall and down the stairs in a hurry that surprised me. I wasn't the fastest woman in the world, so you could tell I wanted to fly to the farthest place ever. I felt like I was a hallucination and that damn night was just a bad dream, some kind of nightmare that got the hang of it all when the realization of it all hit me hard. I had seen the only man who can love become a filthy rich billionaire capable of fulfilling his damn whims at my expense; He was a man I didn't
PresentSeptember 2016I didn't get rid of the check like I thought I would.The desire to break it into pieces was what was left over, however, I used it in something that really needed it: the women's shelter.This was my secret, my hidden place to help all the women like me who had difficult times, had to flee far away and had to stop being themselves to become someone else.The girls helped me with the shelter, so when I collected the money on Monday and sent it to the association, not only was there a party and happiness, but the green light was given to the project to expand it."I'm so grateful, Emma, you've been an angel to these women," Principal Chan told me."Just pretend it was someone else.”"It will be impossible, but I think I can help you with something.”She turned to look for some papers, so I frowned."What would it be?""I heard you're really into photography and were looking to specialize in photography, so I think you might be interested in this," he said before
PresentSeptember 2016Friday had arrived faster than I wanted and by the end of the night my phone rang for a message from an unknown number.I'm outside, get out before I'm forced to go in and get you. "You bastard," I blurted out as I read.It was obvious that he went to make sure that I wouldn't play one of my games to leave him standing, which not only spoke to the twistedness of the matter, but the control he had over me.He can't stop me from feeling bad."It's just another customer”.I said to myself like a mantra to remind myself that Luc couldn't affect me any more than I let him, so before I opened the door I put on a fake smile.He was leaning back in his spectacular car, and I couldn't help but catch a glimpse of how those dark jeans looked, how well the white shirt with the top buttons open and showing some of his tanned skin fitted, as well as the jacket that clung to his arms in a way that highlighted his worked muscles. The whole bearing was of a mature man, of a man
PresentSeptember 2016What started at the table made its way through the living room, the stairs and the furniture.Luc marked me wherever he wanted, as much as he wanted and he always did it looking me in the face, without letting go of the fact that he was the one who did it and that, whether I liked it or not, I wasn't enjoying it like I had ever until we had dinner."I never imagined we'd be this unstoppable, Emma." I stopped chewing as I listened to him talk. “My fantasies fall short.”"Well, are you pleased with the service, or are there more fantasies you want to explore? After all, it was your money that bought me.”At my monotone response, he looked at me as if he understood for the first time, since our reunion, that I was a different person and that I wasn't going to give in, so he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut after that.He didn't say anything else; he didn't want to go on, he just guided me to his room.The surprising thing when I walked in was that it bore a
Part II. The BeginningPastApril 2009 "Your mother killed herself.”Those aren't the words you want to hear as you come home from taking a calculus test at the end of a difficult day at the distinguished elite high school you attend at.Actually, I never expected anything from my family, not when it didn't function as a proper family set, however, hearing it from my neglected father when my little sister was in shock, was not what I thought would happen.Everything had turned into a mess in a matter of hours.I was supposed to do my usual role as a caregiver, I never expected to have to manage a loss like that. At the time, he was just another kid waiting for his mother, a woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder type two, to come in and finish off the bad joke.I couldn't believe it.I opened my mouth from the impact, about to say something stupid, but the hard look of Matteo Basciano, my father, was enough for me to even say anything. So, I turned my attention to my sister and went i
PastApril 2009 Days after burying our mother in the family crypt, we went with Grandpa to visit her. We were sitting on some blankets that Giulia arranged so that we could have a picnic, something that surprised us because she felt completely disturbed, so much so that the doctor prescribed some tranquilizers. Faced with that, Adriano had the brilliant idea that a season locked up in a mental nursing home would do him good to overcome the trauma and Enzo almost pulled his teeth.It was my grandfather who calmed the waters and had a private meeting with my father and older brother. That's why I realized that whatever Grandpa would tell us wouldn't be a simple thing."Now they don't have their mother, and they have to be strong together, more than ever, at least until I figure things out," he said earnestly. “They have to be strong, hold on until their father arrives and if something happens, they need to get back to me as soon as possible.”"Thank you, old man," Enzo replied calmly,
Emma's BirthHannaI was tired of fighting.I had to do it for the child I was carrying in my womb because otherwise, I had no reason to continue. I was weak, discarded, and with my soul in pieces, without the consolation of saying that no one had told me. My whole family was at pains to remind me how foolish I would be if I let myself be carried away by the love of a man who wasn't worth it.They were right.The result was to run away with him, leave my house like a thief, and travel with the thought that my love story would have a happy ending. It didn't—quite the opposite. What would be a life away from a controlling father and siblings, where I could do whatever I wanted and no one would force me one more day to do what I didn't like, became a dark hole that swallowed me up without letting me get out of it.It was scary and very disturbing.Bruno was just the bait that someone else used to kidnap me from my life, my roots and origins in Britton. After a twenty-two-hour drive to Ne
Months later...EmmaWe went for Aurora.I was a little girl who was abandoned at the entrance of a church, she had a terrible story, but she was one who told me she needed all the support in the world. She came from a family of Latino immigrants, she was a beauty of a creature, but she was afraid of people, of the world, of people.And rightly so.I couldn't blame her for it, it was just a matter of trust.She was eight years old when we met her, isolated from the rest while drawing fairies and magical creatures. The first one who saw her was Luc, when I looked for him, I ran into her and I just fell in love and even more so when they told me that she went through many shelters where she ended up with some kind of problem because people had no patience for her silence. That caught my interest and when I found out that she was aware of how a family member left her, pushed her aside, I just wanted to do all the paperwork right away.She was hurt, lacked confidence, and deserved all the
Three years later...LucianoWe would finally have our happy union.She, as an adventurer, decided that she didn't want a big gala or celebration, but wanted to have a quick and fun meeting in Las Vegas, that's why we were there, in one of the most iconic chapels on The Strip.Emma seemed like a goddess in every sense of the word.Seeing my wife walk towards me in a beautiful champagne satin silk dress and with a long neckline that incited all my desires, was not only what excited me, but my biggest dream more than fulfilled. I felt in the clouds because of the beauty she gave me, because of the immense love she gave me and because she agreed to be with me, before that, I could not avoid some tears, it was something automatic that not only touched the audience, it touched her much more who also let some tears slip from her eyes and when she arrived at the altar, Bruce gave it to me with great love."Here I give you my granddaughter, live to make her happy, don't break her heart again
PresentOctober 1017"Well, Luciano, you can start exercising, soft things, nothing high-impact, you must recover your previous condition, but yes, I give you my blessing to have intimacy.”We burst out laughing, I saw my sister typing mischievously and I asked her:"Did you write to my girlfriend?""No, I wrote to the one I want to be mine, but it's very hard to crack, I have a feeling it's going to be a very difficult ninja path to travel," he blurted out solemnly and I shook my head over his nonsense."Take it easy, Alice has a past that hides beneath that noble heart, be careful and don't pressure, she must have her time...""Well, I'll drop you off at home and then I'll go to the academy, so...""No, I need to go to the headquarters of the companies, I have something very important to do there and I'll take one of the cars I have there," I asked and he looked at me suspiciously."Well, let's go.”When I got to my office, I looked at the person who was filling in for me, a person
PresentAugust 2017Luc was still the same, a little more stable for passing the critical stage, but the same.I spent the day with all of them, Diana left early to be with her baby and me, Giulia, Enzo and Lilly went to the cafeteria for dinner."What do you want to eat? I talked to the manager of the cafeteria and juggled to get something decent," Enzo said and I didn't even know what to say."I'll just eat some fries and a soda, today is the day to break the diet," Giulia said and her brother shook his head, but didn't say anything."I'll eat a hamburger, thanks," Lilly said.Both she and Enzo saw me and I had no choice but to lie to them, so I sighed deeply and said:"Like Giulia, I don't have much of an appetite and I don't know if I'll be able to eat anything else.”Then a man not so old, perhaps about Uncle Ismael's age, appeared and Giulia got up to go and hug him tightly."Who is it?" Lilly asked and I shook my head."I don't have the slightest idea about it," I admitted.I s
PresentAugust 2017"I wondered if you would follow the route of the road, but no, I thought that the best thing you could do was to seek help," Adriano said mockingly as the six men around us laughed."Don't do this, Adriano," Luc muttered clemiciously."Of course, I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it very well, so well that I'm not only going to go get you, but I'm going to make sure that Giulia and Enzo suffer a lot," he blurted out angrily, and I watched as the dogs we heard came out from behind the trees."Put me down so I can help you," I said softly to my beloved, and he ignored me."Separate them," Adriano ordered, and that made Luc squeeze me much tighter.The men came over and the dogs growled, that's when I knew it would all end badly, so badly that my tears came out without any filter. I was thrown at the feet of Mr. A, who bent down to see me with a wicked smile."What I'm going to do with you will be the funniest thing, Emma.”I swallowed hard and restrained myself fro
PresentAugust 2017Guido was a demented one."Please don't do anything stupid, murdering a billionaire like Luciano Basciano will put a target on your back, you won't be able to live, you won't be able to run away easily," I said in an attempt to negotiate with him and touched my earrings, begging Enzo to pick up the signal."Don't want to see my idiot face, just... Don't do it, it's your fault that I already have that bullseye on my back," he explained cheerfully."You're not thinking with your head, release him before the FBI sneezes and does an unprecedented search," I offered, and he laughed."Emma," Luc said a little nervously."Just be crafty, if you leave Luciano near the road, he'll pay you a lot for me, use that, give you anything to free me later...""Shut up! You talk incessantly and if you don't want me to lose patience with both of us, just shut your mouth," he blurted out furiously and I restrained myself.”He kicked the seat and I squealed with some drama that made Luc
PresentAugust 2017"I'm all ears," I said with difficulty."Things have become difficult for me in these months. I'm not going to lie to you, it's still hard to understand everything, but now I'm coping calmly and the therapies help. Opening up was something I always wanted and didn't imagine it would be so painful.” His voice cracked a little, and I held back. “Now I see events more clearly and I am able to accept my mistakes.” He smiled with a bed. “It's up to me to give myself the opportunity to supplant hatred with love, to recover the illusion of the uncertain and to believe in what is really worthwhile.”"That's good..."It was unmatched."Yes, it is. However, it's not an easy thing to do, saying it motivates you, but doing it is taking it to another level. Continuing in pain won't do anything for us and I want to remedy that.” The understanding of his words showed me the clear and stark reality of us. “Your life went on after you left Britton, it's such a different one... Whic
PresentAugust 2017"Say what you have to say.""My cousin will never forgive me, and I'm aware of that.” The phrase made me hesitate, especially because of the perennial lament she had. “I want to tell the whole truth once and for all.”"What are you talking about?" I asked, not understanding anything.She avoided the gaze as if she had a hard time holding it."When you guys started dating, things changed a lot for me. Emma was all about her family and she was immersed in the love they feel... That made me feel displaced and I made stupid things because of my jealousy that affected both of us.”"Why tell me and not her?""It's something I'll do in due course, when he's able to hear me... Now, I know it's not the time and I must tell you something that involves you. That's why I came to you first, Luciano.”His tone of voice was weak, but the firmness in the last few sentences was all seriousness."I don't know what you mean by telling it now. What makes you think I want to know anyth