The Slave of Pleasure
CHAPTER 17

Rachel

When he mentioned that we were going to have coffee together, I was relieved. Everything seemed so unreal that I was longing for something that would bring me back to reality, even if it was just a cup of coffee. We sat in a charming bistro

with a vintage feel, full of small tables and wrought iron chairs. The aroma of fresh coffee mixed with the smell of freshly baked croissants filled the air, bringing a sense of comfort that I didn't even know I needed.

He was sitting across from me, elegant as always, with that look in his eyes that made me feel uneasy. I could feel the tension in my body, but I tried to hide it, fiddling with the little spoon that came with my coffee cup. "Did you sleep well?" he asked casually as he took a sip of his coffee.

I hesitated for a moment before answering, trying to figure out if he was being kind or if there was some other meaning behind his question.

"I guess so," I replied, still feeling a little out of place. "But... I still don't know if all of this was real. It feels like I'm dreaming." He smiled, one of those smiles that left me confused, as if he knew something I didn't. "Doesn't the weakness you feel in your legs answer your question?" he asked, his tone of voice both serious and teasing. My cheeks instantly flushed, and I didn't know whether to laugh or feel embarrassed. The truth is, he was right. From the moment I woke up, my legs had felt weak, as if they'd run a marathon. But this weakness was accompanied by a strange sense of satisfaction, something I'd never experienced before. "I've... never felt anything like it," I admitted, not looking directly at him. "And you won't either," he replied, with an almost arrogant but comforting confidence. "I was just starting out, taking it easy on you to see how far you could go." How far pain can lead to pleasure...

The way he talked about pain and pleasure, as if they were two sides of the same coin, intrigued me. It was something I had never explored, and the fact that he was talking about it so naturally made me question whether I really knew what I was getting myself into.

"We still have a long road of discovery ahead of us, Rachel," he continued, as if reading my thoughts. "This was just the beginning."

I didn't know how to respond. Part of me was curious, wanting to know where he planned to take me, but another part was apprehensive, afraid of the unknown. Everything was happening so fast that I could barely keep up. We drank coffee in comfortable silence, while I tried to process everything he had said. The cup of coffee in my hands seemed to be the only thing keeping me anchored to reality at that moment. But what was reality, after all? Everything was turning upside down, and I was beginning to accept that my life would never be the same again.

After a while, he stood up, extending his hand to me.

"Shall we go?" he said, and I knew it wasn't a question.

I nodded, putting the cup back on its saucer and picking up my bag. When we left the bistro, the limo was already waiting for us. He opened the door for me, as he always did, and I got in, still feeling that mix of anxiety and curiosity. He got in right away, and as soon as he closed the door, he pressed a button that made the window that separated us from the driver go up, creating a barrier that gave us privacy. The space inside the limo seemed to close around us, making the environment even more intimate.

I remained silent, waiting for him to say something, but Vincenzo just watched me, as if studying my every reaction. The silent tension between us was almost palpable, and I knew he was enjoying the situation.

"Rachel," he finally said, his tone soft, almost caring, "you need to understand that what happened between us was just the beginning. There's so much more you don't know yet, and I'm here to guide you along that path." My heart beat faster at those words. Vincenzo was a mystery to me, but I felt like he was taking me to a place I couldn't come back from. And somehow, that didn't scare me as much as it should have. "I know this is all new to you," he continued, his voice low and intense. "But I promise you'll discover things about yourself you never imagined. Just trust me." I looked into his eyes, searching for some reassurance, some indication that he was being sincere. And somehow, I felt like I could trust him. Maybe it was crazy, but part of me wanted to keep going, to see where all this would take me. "I trust you," I replied, my voice coming out firmer than I expected. Vincenzo smiled, pleased with my answer. He came closer, taking my hand in his, and I felt a shiver.

A squeak ran down my spine.

Sitting in the limousine next to Vincenzo, the feeling of adrenaline was still running through my veins. I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened since we met, and now, more than ever, I needed to better understand who this man was next to me. With my heart racing, I turned to him and asked:

"Vincenzo, why do you like to mix pain and pleasure? What is the purpose of this?"

He remained silent for a few moments, as if he were choosing his words carefully. I could feel the intensity of his gaze on me, his eyes piercing mine with a curiosity that always left me disconcerted.

"Rachel," he began, his voice low and husky. "There are things that cannot be explained with words. It's not a question of simply 'liking'. It's about the connection it creates, about the way it exposes us, makes us vulnerable and, at the same time, more aware of ourselves and of the other."

I tried to process what he said, but a part of me was still confused. Sensing my hesitation, he leaned in a little closer, his face mere inches from mine.

"It's not something you understand just by hearing it," he continued, a slight smile forming on his lips. "It's something that needs to be lived. To truly understand it, you need to feel it, experience it..."

I was about to ask more, but before I could say anything, Vincenzo added,

"It's not about explaining, Rachel. It's about showing."