ZU

top of th

the street. The weight of my actions weighed m

ious accessories-had been nothing more than a ticket to

ocal store. I didn't get the full value for it. I knew

selection I'd dropped off w

e important thing was the money I got from selling those items went straight in

rely, but it cleared part of the debt

eathe. Tim

t lig

e, the fact that my life had been redu

or nights on end just to make

sometimes, it was all you cou

ings had covered part of th

to pay, and the sharks didn't

rs to look after, college tuition to pay, or that I worked

heir money, and t

s I crossed the street to th

en, I

Rover parked

looked expensive. My heart

ll ran down my spine but I shook my

is part of town and nothing I'd taken from Adrian

s, and I'd only scrambled

o the grocery store, making my

was covering for me, giving me the chance to

le slower, and I couldn't help but g

zzura, you're

bad as I fixed on my pi

lked in, ever

caught in

om my worst nightmar

as h

no Gi

ashier space, looking as menacing as

flock of sheep, his dark eye

his tall frame crowded

't know how to

ad found me, but I kne

in t

and I saw the fear in my co-workers' eyes. The tens

entire store ha

ause of

y and with wide eyes,

I

n't t

st r

t pounding, my feet moving fas

ush of adrenaline. But before I could even get a good

av

st

erm

was ch

could outrun him. And yet, I pushed myself harder, my heart poundin

ing over me. In seconds, his hand wa

irm, unyieldin

s low, tight with anger, the kind of anger that

asn't from exertion. I could see i

from

m me?" His voice was low, but there

g. I knew I couldn't lie to him. Not a

l did he ev

ce barely a whisper. "I had n

but there was something else

de, maybe. I

didn't

let this slide. N

them back," he said,

my arm. I had to go with him. I led him to the jeweler w

a corner of the city. I knew the owner well enough. He

ano's reputation. But when Adriano asked for the items back, th

ey're mine now," the jeweler said

aid, his voice a low growl. "If you want to keep

nger Adriano, but he also couldn't just hand over the mone

calm the situation. "I can't just give

im. He wasn't going to walk away without what he wanted. He was like a

driano said, his voice dripping wi

sitated, then

had no oth

he handed ov

ve me th

ding over the ring along

hing had frozen. I opened my mouth to say something, but be

he said, his

Adriano was too strong. He was also burning with fu

e street, I turned to

please. I-

are. They weren't interes

right now was making sure I unders

ld fe

his shoulder. My protests were useless. I kicked and

't list

going to

hen, just as I thought I might pass out fro

fr

y throat as the world started to blur around the edges. I

I lost consciousness was Adr

ught a lesson you

everything