The Slave of Pleasure

Vincenzo

The sound of keys turning in the cell lock echoed through the cold, narrow corridor. I looked up and saw the guard, a sturdy, serious-faced man, waving at me. "Vincenzo, you have a visitor. Come with me.”

I knew this was no ordinary visit. That kind of formality only appeared when something important was about to happen. I stood up calmly, without rushing, maintaining the restrained posture I had trained so much over the years. There was no more room for impulses or violent reactivations. Not now.

I followed the guard through the cold corridors of the prison. The concrete walls, marked by time and the history of each prisoner, seemed to watch me as we passed. Each step was a reminder of what I had left behind and what I still had to face.

When we reached the visiting room, the guard turned his hand on the lock and opened the metal door. The room was small, just a table in the center and two chairs on either side. But it was not empty. Across the room, two detectives were waiting for me. A man sat with his hands clasped on the table, and a woman stood beside him. Both had calm looks on their faces, but there was a professional firmness about them.

"Mr. Vincenzo, thank you for coming,” the man said, indicating the chair across from him. “Please have a seat.”

Staying neutral, I pulled out the chair and sat down. I looked directly at them both, never looking away. “Who are you?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

The man was the first to introduce himself. "My name is Ryan. Detective Ryan," he said with a slight smile. "And this is Detective Susan."

The woman nodded politely, remaining silent.

"We're here to assist the local police with the rescue of Adrian," Ryan continued, watching me closely.

At the mention of my son's name, a small smile escaped my lips. "You already know his name."

"That's our job," Susan said, relaxed but with a confident gleam in her eyes. She seemed like the kind of professional who wasn't easily shaken.

Sitting in that cold concrete room, my hands cuffed on the metal table, I stared at Detectives Ryan and Susan as if their expressions might give me some answer I didn't already have. But there was nothing. No clues, no sign of relief. Just the uncomfortable weight of time dragging on, while each beat of my heart seemed to echo louder inside my head.

Adrian. His name wouldn't leave my mind. My son. It was still hard to process. Veronica's revelation had been like a punch in the gut. Not because I had a son I didn't know about, but because of the way he'd been used as a bargaining chip in a dirty deal I never wanted to be a part of.

Ryan cleared his throat, pulling me back to reality. "The Yakuza don't usually trade lives lightly. You know that, Vincenzo. We need all the details. How exactly did Veronica get into this situation?"

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool. "Veronica has always had this need to prove something. Ever since I left the mafia, she found herself alone. I think that's when she started getting involved with the wrong crowd." Susan crossed her arms and leaned forward slightly. "What do you mean by 'wrong crowd"?"

"She went to the Yakuza when she needed protection to keep her illegal business going. But the price was high. The Yakuza don't work for loyalty or favors. They took what Veronica had most valuable: Adrian. He was her guarantee that she wouldn't step out of line."

There was a brief silence. Ryan drummed his fingers on the table, thinking. "Do you think she knew the consequences from the start?"

I clenched my jaw. "Veronica is many things, but she's not naive. She knew what she was getting into. But she thought she could handle it. She always did."

The memory of Veronica, staring blankly as the rain fell on her, flooded my mind. No matter how much I tried to hate her, a part of me knew she was just trying to survive the way she knew how.

"What now?" Susan asked, cutting through the silence. "What do you think the Yakuza want in exchange for Adrian?"

"They'll want leverage over me. I know how they work. They think if they have my son, they'll have me too," I replied, my voice firm.

Ryan nodded slowly. "We're going to need all of your cooperation to get him back. And if all goes well, we can review your situation here."

For the first time, I felt a small spark of hope. But it came with a silent promise. I wasn't going to let Adrian spend another day in their hands. No matter what the cost.

Ryan spoke again. "I'll be blunt, Vincenzo. We're going to issue a warrant for your release. We know you're not the mobster you were years ago. Keeping you locked up isn't necessary."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what do you two want in return?”

Susan stepped forward, crossing her arms. "You're an ex-mobster, Vincenzo. You know how they think. You know the system inside out. With you on our side, we'll be able to move faster. We need someone who understands the code and the fine print."

I watched the two of them for a few moments. There was sincerity in their words. They were competent. Professionals who knew who they were dealing with and wouldn't let themselves be manipulated. This was a rare opportunity, and I knew that turning it down wouldn't do any good. I nodded slowly, giving them a tight smile.

"We'll work together, then," I replied, keeping my gaze fixed on theirs. "But I want one thing in return."

Ryan tilted his head curiously. “And what would that be?"novelbin

"I want to be the first to see my son when they find him.”

There was silence for a moment before Ryan and Susan exchanged glances. "I think we can guarantee that," Ryan replied, giving a slight smile of satisfaction.