The Slave of Pleasure

Rachel

I sat in the limo, my face still hot from the tears I had shed. I felt ridiculous for letting that saleswoman get to me so much, but the humiliation had been deeper than I had expected. I had only wanted to buy a dress, nothing more. How had this turned into such a horrible situation?

Suddenly, the limo door opened, and Vincenzo stepped in, surprising me. His eyes narrowed as he took in my condition, and he sat down next to me, concern evident on his face. "Rachel, what happened?" he asked, his deep voice filled with a mix of concern and restrained anger.

I took a deep breath, trying to control my shaking voice as I explained what had happened in the store. "I just wanted to buy a dress, Vincenzo. It was beautiful, it was in the window, and I thought it would be perfect..." My voice trailed off for a moment, but I continued. "But the saleswoman... she treated me like I was trash. She said I didn't belong in that store, that I couldn't afford anything there. She practically threw me out.

Vincenzo's face darkened as I spoke, and by the time I was done, he looked like he was about to explode with rage.

"That woman dared treat you like that?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Wipe your tears, Rachel. Let's go back there now."

"No, Vincenzo, you don't have to..." I tried to argue, but his mind was already made up.

"It's okay, Rachel. I won't let this go," he said, with a determination that made me feel a twinge of hope mixed with fear.

I resigned myself to the situation and wiped the tears away with my fingertips, trying to compose myself. He gave me an encouraging smile and took my hand, leading me back into the store. When we walked in, the same saleswoman was there, behind the counter. She saw me and her face immediately twisted into an expression of disgust.

"What are you doing here?", She practically growled. "I already told you to leave."

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, Vincenzo appeared at my side. His gaze was cold as ice as he spoke.

"She's my guest," Vincenzo said, each word spoken with a frightening calm.

The saleswoman's face instantly paled. Her eyes widened in recognition, and she began to tremble.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't know" She began, but Vincenzo cut her off before she could continue.

"Who do you think you are to treat people like that?" He asked, his tone sharp. "Do you think you can judge someone by their appearance or by what you think you know about them?" The saleswoman stammered, trying to justify herself, but Vincenzo wouldn't hear of it.

"Get the manager. Now." He ordered, leaving no room for any argument.

The woman hesitated, her eyes filled with dread, but finally picked up the phone and called the manager. There was a tense silence as we waited, and I couldn't help but feel guilty for causing all this commotion. But at the same time, it was comforting to see someone standing up for me in such a fierce way.

A few minutes later, the manager appeared, a tall, middle-aged man with a nervous expression. He looked at the saleswoman, then at Vincenzo, and immediately seemed to understand the gravity of the situation.

"Mr. Vincenzo, how can I help you?" the manager asked, trying to sound calm, but it was obvious that he was sweating with nervousness.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

"I want this saleswoman fired," Vincenzo said bluntly. "Now."

"Vincenzo," I started to say, trying to stop her, but he cut me off with a look.

"She humiliated you, Rachel. That is unacceptable." He turned his attention back to the manager. "I expect you to deal with this immediately, or I will make sure this store never sees another high-profile customer again." The manager nodded frantically, clearly desperate to avoid a disaster. "Of course, sir, we will deal with this immediately," he said, turning to the saleswoman with a stern expression. "You are fired. Pack your things and leave now." The woman stood there, frozen, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. But one look from Vincenzo was enough to break her paralysis, and she began gathering her things, mumbling apologies that no one was hearing. When she finally left, Vincenzo turned to me, his expression softening. "It's okay now," he said, a hint of tenderness in his voice. "I won't let anyone treat you badly, Rachel. Ever again." I didn't know what to say. Part of me was in shock at what had just happened, and another part was incredibly grateful. Vincenzo had a way of protecting me that was both intimidating and comforting.

"Thank you, Vincenzo," I murmured, finally finding my voice. "I didn't mean to cause all this trouble..."

He shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

"You didn't cause the trouble, Rachel."

He replied. "And now that everything is settled, why don't you pick out that dress you wanted? And a few more, if you want." The offer was so generous that it took me by surprise. I hesitated for a moment, still processing everything, but then decided that perhaps it was time to allow myself a little luxury. With a shy nod, I walked over to where the dress was displayed. The piece was even more beautiful up close, and as I touched it, I felt a shiver of excitement. Vincenzo stood beside me, watching as I tried on the dress. When I left the dressing room, I saw the admiration in his eyes, and it made me feel powerful, confident. Vincenzo asked the new saleswoman to wrap the dress and show me other pieces in the store. "Let's make this an afternoon you won't forget, Rachel," he said, smiling as he held my hand. And so it was. Vincenzo turned what had started out as a terrible day into something extraordinary. I left the store with bags full, but more than that, I left with the feeling that for the first time in a long time, someone was truly there for me, willing to do anything to see me happy.

Vincenzo may be intimidating, but at that moment, he was exactly what I needed. And somehow, that made me want to be closer to him, to understand more about the man who had done so much for me in such a short time. Who was Vincenzo really? I didn't know the answer, but I was determined to find out.