years

rk Federal Women's Correctional Facility s

. She wore a cheap, faded gray trench coat

rple scars from severe frostbite. She remembered the brutal winter when the guards, bribed by Jacklyn, had stripped her of her coat and locke

irritated her lungs, which had been damaged by three years of damp,

the road. The driver's door opened, an

illed with pity. He wrapped

shoulder. It was the first time in t

ing her few belongings and ope

behind the concrete hell that had buried her youth an

small, cheap burner phone into her palm along with it. "Hide this," he whispered qui

hifting back to a comforting pitch. "Although... do you still remember Kael? It'

est, a ghost from a past she was too broken to mourn. She held the warm cup with both hands. Her eyes were dead and hollow as she st

eyes. "Your brother is still in the sta

, the screech of heavy ti

om a dirt crossroad. They formed a solid wall of steel

he hot coffee spilled over A

uddenly pounding against h

ned. A polished black leather dress

fectly tailored dark suit, looking like

r a thousand nights, Ada's lungs forgot how to exp

?" Gary yelled, unbuckling his se

Two bodyguards rushed forward, grabbed Gary by the neck

r side window. He raised his hand and

t

tasted copper. She shook her head franti

it jacket, pulled out a thick stack of legal do

erously clear through the window. "I bought his debt. If you don't step out of

e stomach. Her family was already destroyed.

al defenses cru

andle. The door swung open. She stepped out,

thumb and forefinger. He forced her head up, his da

ce dripping with disgust. "You loo

face. He gestured

er blades. She stumbled forward and was thro

med shut behind her