ra'

ce sent me was j

ove

s two h

off. No calls. N

phone to my chest like it could bring him back. I kept callin

ds wer

open before I c

ne of them had a scar across his jaw. Another was chewing

?" I asked,

rst. "Gone for now. Safe. D

he couch for balance. "What do you mean gon

't matter. "Nothing yet. He's

ura

little brother

ispered, hot tears s

ld man borrowed over a hundred grand from us. He never paid. Thought dyin

o hard my teeth

u want?" I

the end of the week. Or we

urned toward the door li

t have that kind of money. I do

then smiled. "Then y

they we

like

llowed felt louder

nto the worn carpet. I sobbed into it, help

hear the kno

erate-I stood, eyes swollen, and ope

re like he o

nd of suit that cost more than this entire apartment c

he asked, voice d

ed, co

scanned the room, taking in the chipped paint, the secon

ked, trying to soun

took a small card from his coat pocket

nt De

reux empire. The man standing in my living room was one o

said calmly, "beca

mach d

. "Your father embezzled money fro

ound out too late-he had diverted the funds

en. "No... y

ed. "I never li

across from him, gripping my

e never

forward. "But that money, Amira, is still owed. By law, you and

art p

ou here?" I ask

was thin.

offering yo

n't b

rother has been taken.

you know

erything,"

llowe

ntract marriage with my g

le

m, waiting for

dn't

ed, my voice

will receive five million dollars. Enough to pay off every

llion d

disbelief. "Why w

cien, has twenty-eight days to get married or

o stand beside him, wear a ring, smile for the

s st

tract

djusted his

fe. Behind closed doors, your life is your own. But you must stay

bled. "And i

like I'd asked a

And you live in debt fo

oor o

to leave, t

you twenty-

n he wa

he sound of his footste

to the business

nt De

e was screaming. But all I could see was Jace. Alone. Afraid.

for

or fo

or one

my hand. And I realized, as the t

from you-when all you have left is su

people y