Sold By My Ex, Claimed By The Devil Mafia King

A'S

h blood. We need so

d blood

uise's Diner. I'm dozing at work again. I must be so tired, I dreamt of

life in Chicago to Greece. Rather, I'm working so hard...Micah is yet to get a job. And although my job at Louie's dinne

I feel dead on my feet

eally hope was just mop water. My apron clings to my waist, stiff with grease and desperation. The last customer tipped me thre

ause I'm finally goi

s, and it's a

ers and a half-smile already forming. Bu

ing me. I'm exhausted.

Again. A third time b

favorite. Grilled che

n my chest, tuck the phone away and zip my hoodie higher, trying to convin

to be

shadows. Every sound makes me twitchy- an engine purring in the distance, a drunk man yell

reeks of weed, stale piss, and broken promises. Same as always. I pass Mrs. Dillard's

e apartment door...

bought the extra tzatziki because he loves it. Chicken souvlaki, too. I had to skip lu

step inside the small

all out, sof

apartment. It smells like takeout and something

. Ski

doesn't feel right. He never leaves the door open. Especially since I told him I wo

hear it before I see it. The

mo

ng on the closed bedroom door at the end of the hall. It's cracked ju

ve like I'm in a dream, slow and heavy,

first, she's naked, her pale thighs are wrapped around Micah's hips like they'd done it a thous

ca

Mic

is body moving like it's never moved for m

I don't cry. I j

e loo

he says. No panic. No apology

e for being here. Like I'm some stranger off t

't br

chest hollows out like someone dug into m

h a soft thud, the kind of sound no one notices.

n and

nt. Down the stair

I'm going. I just

o his phone, a woman dragging a toddler behind her. L

body and left the real Anya standing there in that

k across the islands. We said we'd make it. We sai

idn't have one. We left foster care together and p

rent that wasn't mean to me, the closest thing to a family to me besides Mi

d

have n

I realize where my legs are taking me-I'm walking towards the hospital. Usually, when I don't kno

ley when I hear footsteps behind me

m behind me, dark and