Chapter 3

Chapter 03

Francesca's POV.

America was... Different.

It wasn't until the airplane touched down that I realized I didn't know a single place in this country. Nor a single person that I could stay with.

I'd long left the airport and now I was out on the streets of New York, with nowhere to go.

It was a 24 hour flight, so it was almost midnight. I needed to find a cheap hotel to stay in and some food to cure my hunger. I had some money left from the briefcase I stole, but I knew it would only last me a few days in a place as expensive as New York.

I kept walking mindlessly, looking for an inn or a motel that didn't look expensive from outside, but I somehow found myself in the dark part of New York.

I knew I didn't have anywhere to go, but it felt like I was lost or something.

"Who do we have here?", I heard someone whistle loudly.

I shouldn't have been too stupid to even stop, but it was too late now that I'd faced them fully.

"What's a pretty damsel like you doing in this part of New York?", The young man who whistled threw his toothpick away, his eyes rummaging through my whole body.

"I'm... I'm searching for an inn or a cheap hotel I could stay for the night, and possibly for the next few days. I don't know if you know anywhere available-"

"Do you know who you're asking? We own the streets of New York! Of course, we do! All we need is for you to follow us", I saw a smirk on his face.

If I was too stupid to stop and talk to a vagabond like this, I shouldn't have been too stupid to follow him and his friend, but I didn't have any choice. I clearly wasn't going anywhere with my own intuition.

We kept walking for a few minutes, and before long, we found ourselves in an alleyway.

It was dim with no CCTV cameras around.

I thought we were going to take a sharp turn, but the alleyway was just the end of the road.

Out of nowhere, I saw about three more young men come out to join the gang that escorted me here.

Why did I feel like I was going to regret my decisions?

"You know what...", I began backing out slowly, "I think I'm going to be fine on my own-" I hit a brick wall only to see two heavy men blocking the path we just passed through.

I was surrounded by dangerous boys!

"Why are you trying to run? All we need is for you to relax...", The vagabond sneered with his lust-filled eyes checking me out.

"Look, I don't want any trouble-"

"And fortunately for you, we're not troublemakers. But only if you give us what we want, hmm?", He stroked his chin and the others snickered.

My hands were shaking and beads of sweat formed over my forehead.

I was fucked.

"Pl... Please, just let me go. I beg of you-"

He shut me up by slapping my ass roughly and I pushed him away.

I saw an opening and desperately ran through them as fast as my legs could carry me, but I wasn't fast enough.

I felt a grip over my waist before being lifted in the air and thrown to the ground, bruising my head badly.

"I see you want it the hard way. Open her legs wide! We're all going to fuck her till we get satisfied!!", The vagabond ordered and they all pinned me down in excitement.

"Let me go!!! Get off me now!!", I cried and kicked and struggled, but they were too strong for me.

No way I was going to be raped on my first night in New York!!

He removed his trousers to reveal a stiff cock with dirty bumps all over it.

He was about to get in when we heard gunshots in the air.

"It's Mr. Alfred!!", One of them cried and chaos was the next thing that occurred.

They left me and began running helter skelter to for their nearest exit.

"The briefcase, take it! There might be something valuable in it!"

Before I could get my hands on it, I had it snatched from me. "No, please!! That's my life now!!", I begged, but the person disappeared with it into the darkness.

Soon, I was left alone with the short, round, baldheaded man who saved me.

"Are you okay?", He asked.

"Thank you so much for saving me", I bowed over and over in appreciation. If not for him, I probably would've died by now.

"What was in the briefcase?"

"All of my life savings", I lied fluently. "I planned to use the money to stay in a hotel for the next few days and get some dinner. It was meant to sustain me till I was able to get a job so I could pay for my mother's surgery in Italy, but I guess I'll stay on the streets tonight", I explained and dusted floor dust off my skin.

"And risk getting raped again or worse, killed?", He asked.

"I don't have a choice, do I?", I shrugged with a nervous smile on my face, even though there was nothing funny about what just happened.

I couldn't believe I would be this traumatized on my first night in America.

Maybe it was better for me to have died by the hands of Miss. Patricia than for all this to happen.

The cold evening wind made me shiver and made my wounds hurt badly.

"I can help you with a roof over your head, and some food."

I looked up at him in surprise.

"Really?!"

"I can also give you half of the money for your mother's surgery-"

"Thank you so much sir! I can't thank you enough! You've already done so much by saving me from the hands of those evil men!"

"But on one condition. You're going to work for me to pay me back."

"Ermmm... What job are we talking about, sir?"

I saw his eyes roam all over my curves like I was some fresh orange he was planning to buy from the market.

"You will work as a stripper for me in my club."

"S... Sir?"

I'd already done dirty work in Italy. I got to America hoping that I'd get an honest job this time around.

"You heard me right. I can help you, but only if you become a stripper in my club. If you don't want it, you'll stay here in the streets. If you want help, follow me", he said and turned to leave.

I should've learned my lesson by now, but it was either this or getting raped again.

I knew damn well I couldn't survive the streets.

"When am I starting the job, sir?”