stination. The city lights blurred through the tears I refused to let fall.

rk, empty alley, n

shadows and grabbed my

doing out here? Thoug

lled of stale beer and cigarettes. He pulled

e lost. Did your

ght I w

The casual disrespect, the assumption that her body was a commodity. How many times had she been grabbed like this? How many

voice trembling with a rage

s grip tightening. "I like that. Mayb

the alley. I panicked, kicking and

uth of the alley. The headlights flooded the

r hands

as L

ht, grumbled, and let me go. He shuffled

ding. Liam rushed to my side, his

What were you doing

, his grip almost as pa

ick! You saw me with Ashley and just

in his voice, only annoyance. He wasn't worried about me; he

y was su

lking into alleys? Are you trying to get your

all finally broke

word tasting like poison. "You

m straight

is dead

went blan

ice flat and dead. "She did it to get you money.

screen glowing with th

vice. She serviced countless men. She endured things you can't even ima

, the words tearin

ster took it for me. She paid the price. Her dignit

ment, a flicker of genuine shock, of horror, crosse

can't be right.

isper. "She did it because she loved me, and I lov

, his manufactured wor

mmered. "I never would have... If I

ief flash of regret, quickly overshadowed by s

ming smooth, reassuring. "She did this for us. For our future." He r

't get it. Or

y for his own twisted narrative. He was still focuse

the times I had held it, believing it would keep m

n. All that sacrifice. It was

, my voice devoid of all e

of the alley, leaving him standing al