My Life

This was my life. At twenty-two, I was getting pawned off to a man against my will, but I couldn’t do anything about it, I couldn’t say no. John had finally gotten what he wanted.

I had never envied a dead man more than I did the one lying in Lorenzo’s office. At least he didn’t have to worry about debts he never incurred or the nightmare of trying to survive in this wicked world. Right now, death seemed like the better option. I almost wished Lorenzo would just end it for me—anything would be better than living like this.

Tears freely flowed down my cheeks as I followed him out of the club into the cold night air. I heard him firing off instructions to his workers as the valet brought a black escalade around, but I was too dazed to actually listen.

So this was my reality, I was Lorenzo’s property for a week, to use however he wanted, and then what? I would get tossed over to the next man that John owed. This had to be a nightmare. My whole life was a nightmare, one that I needed to wake up from.

I looked around searching if there was anyone who would be able to help me, but no one dared to look in our direction, they were all too scared of Lorenzo.

“Get in,” came his dark voice pulling me out of my thoughts, and that was when I realized that one of his men was holding the door to the escalade open, waiting for me. I hesitated for a moment but when I heard Lorenzo hiss under his breath, I quickly got in. He already warned about not repeating himself.

I held my breath as Lorenzo slipped in beside me, the scent of his cologne filling my nostrils. My heart skipped a beat when he pressed a button, raising the partition between us and the driver. What now? Would he want to take me inside the car?

I finally released my breath when his phone rang, momentarily breaking the tense silence. Lorenzo answered it without sparing me a glance, his voice sharp as he barked commands in rapid Italian.

I kept my eyes locked on the world outside, trying to distract myself from the storm of anxiety swirling inside. What will be my fate for the next seven days? Mom will be worried if I don’t come back. Will John tell her the truth?

My stomach twisted when we finally slowed down, pulling up in front of an imposing wrought-iron gate in the suburb of the city. The gate seemed to stretch toward the sky, as if guarding something forbidden.

We entered a different world once the gates opened. The property stretched out endlessly, rolling lawns and gardens neatly trimmed, the kind you see in glossy magazines but never in real life.

It was so far removed from everything I knew, so pristine and elegant that it felt surreal, like we’d left the real world behind and entered a place where people like me didn’t belong.

My eyes drifted to the guards that were patrolling the property, they were everywhere, heavily armed. I couldn’t escape, even if I tried.

As we approached the towering front door, I watched Lorenzo punched a code into the sleek keypad beside the door, his finger moving really fast. The door disengaged with a soft beep. I took a hesitant step forward, my heart pounding in my chest as I followed him inside.

The interior of the mansion was overwhelming. The grand foyer stretched out in front of me, with floors made of polished marble that gleamed under the soft glow of chandeliers hanging high above. It felt like stepping into a palace, the air heavy with the scent of luxury.

I felt utterly lost. I shouldn’t be here.

“I know, five thousand grand is a lot of money,” I said stopping in my tracks. Lorenzo who was in front of me, paused and turned to look at me.

I took a deep breath before continuing. “I know I don’t have the money right now, but I promise you, I’m going to pay you back, but please just give me a little time,” I pleaded, my tone desperate.

He smirked—a cold, sharp curve of his lips that was as close to a smile as I'd ever seen from him. Without a word, he walked over to the mini bar in the corner of the massive living room, his back turned as he poured himself a drink.

"Want one?" he asked, his tone casual, as if we were discussing the weather and not my entire future.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. My mind raced. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Was he actually considering letting me go? The silence was deafening, and hope sparked briefly in my chest. But how would I even raise five grand? I’d never made that much in my life. Still, I would work myself to the bone if it meant I could pay him back and get out of this nightmare.

Lorenzo settled onto a couch, one leg crossed over the other, his glass of drink in hand. He looked me over, amused, like a cat watching a mouse trapped in a corner.

"Remind me what it is you do again?" he asked, his voice laced with quiet condescension.

"I’m a waitress... at a diner," I admitted, my voice shrinking under his scrutiny. I felt like a student summoned before the principal, awaiting punishment.

His lips twitched again. "So, you plan to pay back five grand from slinging hash and coffee?" His tone was laced with disbelief, as though the very thought was laughable.

"I... I could work overtime. Get another job, a better one," I stammered, grasping at straws. My words felt hollow, even to me, but I had to say something.

He leaned back, swirling his drink in the glass, eyeing me as if I were a puzzle he couldn’t quite figure out. "Principessa," he began, his voice smooth and mocking, why was he calling me that?

"Even if you worked yourself into the ground, you wouldn’t be able to pay me back in a year, much less in the time I want."

My stomach clenched. "But I'll do anything. Please. Just give me a chance," I said, my voice cracking.

He took a slow sip of his drink, never breaking eye contact. "I'm not in the business of waiting, and I’m certainly not interested in charity cases. The truth is, you don’t have time. Your step father is the one who owes me, and he has a week to pay back, and then you can you leave."

My heart shattered as I realized that there was no way out of this. “So, you’re just going to….” my voice broke and I inhaled sharply. “My job at the Diner, I have to be at work tomorrow…”

“Not to worry, your boss already gave you a week off,” he said, his tone dismissal.

“What? Does that mean that I can’t…”

“No you can’t leave this premises for the next one week. You’re mine.”

The finality in his words was suffocating, making my chest tighten with panic. Every instinct in me screamed to run, but the reality was I had nowhere to go. No escape.

“You can’t just keep me here! My mom—she’ll be worried!” I pleaded, desperation edging my voice.

Lorenzo finally looked at me, his expression cold. “Your mother won’t be worried,” he said, shaking his head. “She doesn’t care as much as you think. If she did, she would’ve left that deadbeat a long time ago.”

Anger flared inside me, hot and uncontrollable. “You don’t know anything about me,” I snapped, my voice sharp. “And I’m not yours. I’d rather die than ever let you touch me!”

I was breathing hard now, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. I knew I had gone too far.

Lorenzo’s eyes darkened, as he stood up, his towering figure casting a long shadow. I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting him to hit me.

But instead, his voice came low, controlled, and almost... amused. "I’ll show you to your bedroom, Principessa."