melling of cheap cologne and something metallic. I was on a leather couch in a room I didn't recog

ounded harder. Panic began

linky black dress and heels. She looked at me on the couch with an expressio

ked, my voice hoar

had a business deal to close. He... lent you to

rous, so impossible, that my brain refused to process

did yo

smirk. "It's just business. Liam said you'd underst

lt sick. A wave of nausea so profound it made the roo

t walked in from a back room. Mr. Peterson. He

ith unpleasant familiarity. "Liam said you wer

another step, Scarlet

a,

n. She stumbled backward, bumping a small table

" Scarlett shriek

were empty. There was no knife

me to the "cowering" Scarlett, and his expr

ed in. His eyes immediately locked on Sc

he roared, not at P

ling off the couch. "She's

t me, straight to Scarlett, checking her arm as if

red. "She just... she scare

bbed me by the throat, his fingers squeezing tight, cutting off my ai

face inches from mine. "You can't stand to see her

collapsed to the floo

t feels like." He turned to Scarlett, his voice softening. "Honey,

her ear. "Oh my god... yes! It must

iam said, looking at me with col

sped, still

g between himself and Scarlett. "You will go outside, and you will search that street on your

m forced me out onto the cold, damp street. I was still in my thin sil

rom the doorway, before tur

biting wind cutting through my thin clothes. My knees were scraped raw wit

Monroe?" I heard

e doing? Is

hered. They were filming me

artist, crawling in the

your dignity?"

d soaking through the silk, cold against my skin. Then a crumpled-up

ed with garbage and ridicule. All for an earring that

rning fire in my chest. I just wanted to disa