nor

ncrete floor of Ward 4B: the rhy

Beep.

notic comfort during the long nights spent curled in the vinyl visitor's c

ad been smiling a faint, exhausted version of her old self, but present. We had joked about the dreadful hospital meal, about how

had

asp, a dry whisper against the constan

" I whispered. "Don't

e I could reach for the call button, the monitor beside her bed broke its st

ais

swarmed the small space, pushing me aside with practiced, indifferent efficiency. A doctor, Dr. Richard, his blue

xygen saturation is plunging, it's down to

said, his hand briefly pressing against my shou

n't move. My sneakers felt glued to the floor, my eyes locked on Daisy's face as her head thras

apidly, his gaze snapping back to the IV lines connected to her wrist.

avy on my mouth. "You said the

"It isn't anymore. The pathogen has mutated beyond what the standard antivirals can suppress. If we don'

ss rush of nurses moving around Daisy

ard's forearm before he could turn back to th

n his sleeve, then up into my eyes. The exhau

e said quietly. "The pharmaceutical board strictly controls the distribution. The dep

ive thous

d four hundred and twelve pounds and forty pence. My credit cards were already f

grip slipping from his arm. "You kn

ble in the ICU. We can manage her pain. But without the deposit logged in the hospi

rrow morning. Less

in the quiet, dim hospital room. The empty bed was

h my thin jacket. My phone buzzed in my pocket, a text from the billing departmen

at of my heart hammering against my ribs, a terrifying reminder that whi

housand pounds to burn without a second thought. And only one pers

so badly against the steering wheel that I could barely hold the lane. Everything in me screamed to turn around, to find another way, to sell a kidney,

elevator doors slid open, revealing the vast, dimly lit living room of Rhett Wright, a man who

h hanging loosely between his fingers, looking down at the sprawli

aid, his deep voice carrying

teadying through sheer, unadulterated desperation. "Daisy has

ngles of his face, casting deep shadows over his eyes. A faint, unreadable smile touched hi

aking a slow sip from his glass. "A steep price

er agreement you want. I'll work for you for the re

idged the distance between us until he was standing right in front of m

eavy folder lying on the console table behin

said softly, his dark eyes locking onto mine with absolute, terrifying au

hed. "Then rele

from my ear. "The moment you sign page four. But before you open that f

s pocket and pressed it into my froz

ren't just working for me. You belong to me. And the first thing you're going to do with tha