to swallow her own tongue, a

m, she followed me screaming all sorts

lk robe that costs more than most people's cars. No wonder she's so desperate

unadulterated fury. She holds my marriage license be

probably shatter the vanity mirror behind her. "You think you can just print out a piece of paper an

y. I didn't even notice when he came up. Fo

esence and I almost laugh at

. He doesn't say anything after that but the way his fist is cl

y over my stomach. I feel a strange sense of detachment, like I am watching a movie of my ow

d of his heavy footsteps vibrates through the floorboards. He grabs the paper from Lyd

got my switch fro

ceive scotch on his breath. Was he really that nervous to meet Silas? "You are going to that hotel. You are going to si

fore. My chest tightens and I stand up, keeping the bed between us. My heart is thudding, but my

icured finger at me. "She made it up! Call the

al state verification portal. I dial the verification hotline and hit the speaker

fice," a bored, nasal voice ans

ense. My parents stand frozen,

sued this morning at eight zero four. Parties: Alis

from my father's face, leaving him looking sallow and old. They aren't thinking about my happiness. They are thinking about the million of dol

and stares at it as a ghost is on the screen. We all look at each other and we

ents jerky. "I'll tell him there

snatch the phone before he can touch it. I press it to

er end is like gravel being gr

ke a deep breath and look directly at Lydia, who is watching me with pure hatred. "This is Emily. I'm want to let you know that

ng pause on the line. I c

Silas asks. The threat is so casual it makes the hair on m

king for a Vance girl to settle the debt, you should look at my sister.

but Silas has already hung up. My father turns on me, his eyes wide and bloodshot. Th

with my cheek, a sickening crack that sends me spinning. I hit the floor hard, the metallic taste o

r me, his shadow swallowing me whole. "You just rui

named Miller who has always looked at me with more pity than I

shaking. "Lock her in. No food. No water. Maybe a few day

egnant," Mille

t care!

past the wine cellar, to a heavy wooden door that hasn't been opened in years. The air here

. The floor is freezing, the cold seeping through my dress and into m

. The words are a mantra.

ng. I think of Alistair's eyes, the way they looked when he saw the license. He is a cold man, a wolf in a cha

on wins, and I drift int

hattering. Not small, like a plate or a cup, but like a massive window being pulverized. Then com

niture being overturned. It sounds like a hu

my heart lea

ice booms. It isn't

the sound of another blow, a heavy grunt, and then more crashing. I can imagine Silas's men system

rries through the vents. "You took my money and let

as is crying now. The sound of a broken man. Even though I shou

"I want what I'm owed. And since you d

the stairs creaks open. I hear

? What's

Yesterday? How long have I been down here? I hold my breath, list

loor, I can hear the predatory shift in his to

eams. There is the sound of

is failing. Your creditors are at the gate. I can make all of that go away.

mas sobs. "Just

ays. If you bring me the ten million by the end of it, you get her bac

Chloe! Take Emily! She's i

as snaps. "I want the untouched one. De

or Chloe, even after what she did with Julian. I wai

oice a dead whisper. "Just...

she is dragged away, her heels scraping against the floor until the sound

the dark. I