His Only

Chapter Seven

AMELIE

I curl up in the corner, my body screaming in agony as I wait. Every muscle aches, every bone throbs. I'm a mass of bruises and cuts, my skin tender to the touch.

I wrap my arms around my legs, holding myself tightly as if trying to hold myself together. My eyes are fixed on the floor, my gaze blank.

My mind is numb, my thoughts scattered. I try to focus on something, anything, but my brain refuses to cooperate. All I can think about is the pain, the fear, the uncertainty.

But even as I wait, I know it's not just physical pain I'm afraid of. It's the emotional pain, the mental anguish. It's the knowledge that I'm nothing more than a pawn, a prize to be won and used.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I won't give them the satisfaction of seeing me break. I won't give them anything.

I'll wait patiently, my eyes fixed on the floor, my body tense and ready. I'll wait for whatever comes next, for whatever they have planned for. I close my eyes, trying to muster up a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Alessandro is already here, waiting for his chance to bid on me. Maybe he's still alive, still looking for me.

I try to push aside the doubts and fears that have been plaguing me. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I will be strong, I will be brave. I will face whatever comes next with dignity and courage. A spark of hope ignites within me, a flame that flickers with determination.

I let out a sigh, my mind wandering to my parents. Are they still alive? Are they looking for me? Do they even know what's happened to me?

I feel a pang of guilt for thinking about myself, for being so selfish. But I can't help it. I'm scared, I'm alone, and I'm desperate for any sense of connection, any sense of hope.

I think about the auction, about the bidders who will be vying for me. And I hope, I desperately hope, that Alessandro is among them. I don't know if he's searching for me, I don't know if he even cares. But I hope.

Maybe, just maybe, he'll be there, bidding on me, wanting me. Maybe he'll want to save me, to protect me. But why should he? I shot him...

I don't know why I hope for this, why I want him to be there. I push the thoughts aside.

I watch in horror as girl after girl is taken from the room, never to return. The thought sends a chill down my spine. What's happening to them? Are they being sold to the highest bidder, or is something far more sinister at play?

I try to push the thoughts away, but they linger, haunting me. I think about the girls who were taken, wondering if they're still alive, if they're being treated cruelly, if they're...

I force myself to stop thinking about it. I need to focus on my own survival. But the questions linger, refusing to be silenced.

As the hours pass, more girls are taken, and none return. The room grows emptier, the silence thicker. I'm left with only my thoughts, my fears, my doubts.

And then, I hear the footsteps, heavy and deliberate, coming for me. My heart races, my breath catches. It's my turn. I'm next.

I'm dragged out of the room, a sack thrown over my head, plunging me into darkness. I panic, my heart racing, as I'm unable to see what's happening around me. I try to struggle, but my arms are held tight.

I'm disoriented, but my senses are heightened. I can hear the sound of music, a loud, pulsating beat, and the smell of cigarette smoke fills my nostrils. I'm in a different room, one filled with people, and I can sense their eyes on me.

Am I on some sort of stage? I wonder, my mind racing with fear. How many people are watching me? How many criminals, mafia members, are bidding on me like I'm some sort of commodity?

The bidding starts, voices calling out numbers, and I feel a wave of nausea wash over me. I'm being sold, auctioned off like a piece of property. I try to scream, but my voice is muffled by the sack.

I'm dragged forward, my feet stumbling, as I'm presented to the bidders. I can sense their excitement, their eagerness to own me. I'm just a prize to them, a trophy to be won.

I try to think, to come up with a plan, but my mind is a jumble of fear and panic. I'm at their mercy, completely helpless. The bidding continues, the numbers rising, and I can only wait, terrified, to see who will win me.

"$10 million". The voice booms through the room, a deep, authoritative tone that makes me shudder. I freeze, my heart skipping a beat, as I recognize the voice. It's him, Alessandro. I'm certain of it.

The auctioneer asks for any final bids, but the room falls silent.. The auctioneer pauses, then yells out, "Sold!"

My mind reels as I try to process what's happening. Alessandro has bought me. I'm his now.again.

As the sack is removed from my face, I blink rapidly, adjusting to the bright light. My eyes scan the room frantically, searching for him. And then, they find him. Alessandro's gaze meets mine, and I feel a jolt of electricity run through my body.

As I gaze upon Alessandro, my eyes widen in a mix of shock, fear, and relief. My pupils dilate, as if trying to take in every detail of his face, to confirm that it's really him. My eyebrows arch, and my eyelids tremble, as if struggling to comprehend the impossibility of his presence.

My gaze is like a frozen lake, icy and still, yet beneath the surface, a torrent of emotions churns and foams. I search his face, looking for answers, for explanations, for any hint of what happened after that fateful day.

My eyes lock onto his, and for a moment, time stands still. I see the same piercing gaze that once held mine, now seems to bore into my very soul.

I feel like I'm drowning in his gaze, like I'm being pulled under by a riptide of memories and emotions. My breath catches, and my heart stutters, as if trying to restart itself.

In that moment, our gazes entwine, the past and present collide, and I'm transported back to that fateful day, reliving the trauma, the pain, and the shock. Yet, I'm also aware of the present, of the fact that he's standing in front of me, alive, and that nothing will ever be the same again.

His eyes are piercing, intense, and seem to bore into my very soul. I feel like he can see right through me, like he knows all my secrets. But I also sense a glimmer of something else in his eyes, something that looks almost like... concern?

I try to read his expression, to understand what's going on behind those piercing eyes. But his face is a mask, unreadable. I'm left wondering what he's thinking, what he wants from me.

Our gazes lock, and for a moment, it's like the rest of the room fades away. It's just him and me, connected by an invisible thread. I feel a shiver run down my spine, his eyes never leaving mine.

The air is thick with tension, heavy with unspoken words. I can feel the weight of his gaze, the power of his presence. And I know, at this moment, that my life will never be the same again. I had fallen too deep to run out of his clutches again. I couldn't break eye contact with him even as strong hands pulled me backwards and away from the crowd.