a point

kind that pressed against your skin like

ldn't

ything I'd ever seen, but the room I was assigned still felt

they'd laid out for me. My thoughts swirled too fast to hold onto. E

ed a c

arry a billio

ever speak ab

e would come for

after midnight. No

soft, delib

dy st

owly, already knowin

cen

ething in his eyes was different tonight. He didn'

losing the door behind him. The click

was coming,"

crossed tightly over my ch

"And you're not g

d the

tep forward. "Yo

" I replied. "This isn't the

htly, almost like a sm

tly. I didn't stop him. My body stiffened as th

my skin. His hand re

topped. C

s gaze. His hand hovered in

dn't

her, and gently brushed his thumb over

r," he m

tartled. "Wh

ke he was speaking to himself more

hat are you t

couldn't hold it back anymore, he stepped b

e it

jagged and deep, tra

tar

e. You were trapped under a burning beam. I pulled you out. A p

is eyes burned with som

ldn't let go of a little stuffe

ut I forced my expres

. "You've got t

everywhere. You used to make me p

"I don't rememb

added. "You said 'Vince

e," I mutte

if expecting more. But

on't remember anything before that. Childhood, orphanage-none

trying to pull the memories

blank. I f

"And whatever story you're telling

u don't feel anythi

feel? Grateful? Guilty? Sorry you

le

r a love story. I signed a contract. The deal was

"You want the heir, right?

thing unreadable shif

he

rd, he crossed the

a

sn't meant to be. It was possessiv

't sto

he price. One night. That'

moved over mine. I let him. My brain shut off. My body took ove

my waist, my thigh, my s

touch

t haun

anchor

n't a

t want

care. All I need is the hal

t-and finally moved over me like he was seal

ered my name like a

't say

from him. My fingers clutched th

ugh. But his hand reached out aga

it like it

find you," he

n't r

never let y

l si

don't remember. I'l

head to look at him, my

't spea

t another glance at me,

d, my next word

half payment proce

se, the door click

e dark, bre

hing had cha

a way to get my payment and

he payment after no