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
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