a's

t her here

cious yet, but the sound sliced through the fog in my head like a blade. My eyes

uldn't speak. All I

e I couldn't place yet. "The enforcers said it was either I repay the debt and walk away... or th

ied with a calmness too controlled to be real. That k

second voice stuttered. "Everything I to

ds cut through the air, sharp and offend

lan any of

loan." His voice stayed low. Steady. Unmoved. "I don't care. R

olently against the

talking

did it sound like some

id, final. "Cross me again, and wh

eavy enough to choke the room. A door slammed moments later, echo

hing until my body jerked violent

Used to clear someone

scream. The tape s

wnership into the air. "Put her in one of the cellars. Give her what

one." The title l

dr

name lightly in

is

pe was ripped from my mouth in one brutal motion. Fire shot across my skin,

ked rapidly, my eyes burning unt

. Alive. This place wasn't

k hair. I only saw his back, but authority radiated from the way he

ice broke. "Please l

Didn't even acknowledge that

fortless force. My feet stumbled against the floor

nd sp

anyone. I didn't know gamblers. I didn't kno

o a man whose face I hadn't even seen. What

y head multiplied

ak. They didn't look at me. Black from head to t

That day. The mask

. Dressed the same way. Sile

from this. The ropes bit into my wrists as they tightened their grip on my arms. My chest

g? I didn't do anything wrong. Please just let

le

ubborn. S

, no hesitation-just cold bodies escorting me d

wer me!" My breath sped up with every step. I twisted my wrist, yankin

no res

ding us somewhere I didn't want to see. One man walked ahead. The other

ht of stairs. The air gr

Uneventful. I kept to myself. I avoided trou

t. Or argue. Or scream. My voice trembled. My

sto

midating, industrial, humming faintly with secu

keep something

ont punched i

was dim, its edges swallowed by shadows. One man stepped inside first and reached for a

ed me down another set of stairs. The moment my feet touched the concrete

al table sat at the far end of the room. Tools

n the cente

rai

it settled de

door slammed shut behind them, the so

Locked

geway that required a code, not with a

d into a cellar like livestock sold to the highest bidder. My legs gave out. I stumbled to the fa

~

ke. My eyes flew open as the door un

road. M

own the stairs slowly, deliberately-each step measu

ontroll

ght yet, but everything

lf backward, my palms scraping the floor. "Jus

halted, stoppi

ade the word feel filthy. "You're already mine

pa

n home to. Not even your pretty family. I'm sure they'll find som

osses

e fear burning my chest. "Y

le

fully into the f

from his face, and everything snapped into

How is that