nst my ribs. My shoes scraped against the worn floorboards, and for a moment, I stood still, almost af

d voice tore through the s

The air was thick with the smell of stale whiskey and cigar smoke. I found him sprawled acros

waiting

?" he barked, not even

ng the envelope onto the scratched coffee table. He

reated to my room, but something was wrong. There was a gnawing tens

ping to soften the atmosphere. "She wa

nto his pocket. "Tell that nosy

to keep from snapping at him. Fighting was

cans scattered around the room. It was a pathetic a

a little bad luck at the casino,"

my fist. Slowly, I straightened and turned

?" I asked, voice

g hands. "Owed a little more than I can cover..." he coughed, wa

ed. Ice spread t

, Dad?" I

ching mouth gave him away

f he had struck me.

y, his words slurred and defensive. "I was on a winning s

o my mouth, trying to proces

sped. "Who

muttered under his brea

d seemed

table to steady myself.

no De

ve heard stories whispered in the dark, he's a man more myth than mortal, carved from st

ces or forgive debts. He takes payment in

, reckless father has tied

ria. "You can't just walk away from someone like him! He's n

got it under control, princess. Don't you

ntil he saw what he had done. But I knew

fall. I turned away, grabbing my coat from the

the cold bit at my skin. Laura's house came into view, warm

or, and it flew ope

one look at me before pulli

er worn sofa, shak

owes money. A lot of money.

at beside me, wrapping he

whispered. "That's bad. T

d, pressing my fac

long time, Laura rockin

"You're going to get through this. I don't

to beli

ally

n Laura's arms, one chilling th

e. The devil himself will come fo

*

red thousa

hat the repetition would somehow dull the horror of it. The amount made the w

ing, night - it didn't matter. I worked, walked,

on how pale I looked. The manager started glancing at me with concern, asking gently if I needed a break. I told him I was fine - al

ttle, but it was something. I cleaned like my life depended on it - because it did. I scru

sted them all online or took them to pawn shops. I stood there while some greasy-haired man offered me $20 for a necklace that

e brought food I didn't eat

said one night, handing me a wad of

lp and dragging her into this mess. But more than anything,

fat

, drinking, and talki

his voice thick with false confidenc

yes, stained teeth, and the way his fingers shook as he clutched a

like I was or l

woman who'd eventually crawl back to him. He didn't understand tha

oth killed," I snapped at

ng about destiny and chances. I didn't

sed to share with my mother when I was younger. Her presence was gone now, faded like d

it get this far. She

blurred and my chest ached. My mother died a horrible death, she never got justice. The people respons

crape together was less than four thousand. Four thousand

because I was still breathing. I didn't know what else to do, f

the debtor, he came for everything they