was the pounding of my h

't imag

room with me standing in the dim corn

and the moment the light hi

oll

ke the calm, smiling doctor wh

was grave, tight

u doing here?

door quietly behind him. "I saw him follow you. And Mia..." His

ard. "You hear

ough to know yo

an

inside my chest

tion," I said softly, "but he's o

ering his voice. "Damon is powerful. Too powerful

p tightening on the me

ed. "I need Ten thousand dollars an

Mi

I said, my voice b

ng into something like helplessness. For a moment, he

Collins said quietly

thudded

ords echoe

ot belong t

lf. "There are thousands of wo

sitated...

d. "But whatever reason he

sed my

e y

t wa

r of pre

ontract marriage

erous s

id. "I'm not telling you to refuse. I'

though trust was the

hallway light to spill in. "If you nee

w there was noth

anyone

a long moment, breathing shakil

ed into the chair beside her bed. She was as

y. "I'll fix this, Mom,"

w if I was promis

own des

-

at Sunrise Mall, I

rs came

ng perfume samples, arranging

n the hospital with Damon's co

mothe

ted me like a shadow th

said, chewing gum loudly as she folded

y," I m

t hap

tell yo

t landlord again, I swear I'll c

ped my lips. "It's

ask more, my sup

r at the fragr

ing to focus, but eve

behind the mall, staring at my phone

ng through my f

phone v

own N

e is almo

oat tig

ype anything, ano

wer. 8 p.m. We will

for a full minute, my s

ze ever

ontr

arri

aded for a

phone with

-

ck Tower the tallest, most intimid

the sky. Security guards in black suits stood at every entrance. Expe

around myself, fee

walk inside and agree

insane, terri

eak eyes and cold hands, the fear

ked fo

nt, and cold. Everything smelled lik

ptionist asked wi

a Ca

. Her eyes widened a litt

k is expec

ecti

made my sto

r opened behind he

shot upward so smoothly that I barely felt movement,

opened into a dim office wi

me, staring at the city lights bel

in slowly.

tu

hit me again. He looked calm, compos

e," he sa

't have

e replied. "You simply chose t

est ti

sk and picked up a folde

y fingers tremblin

ul

tric

ecta

year ti

ensation spe

immediately

eath c

h for

for me

h to s

it," Da

ugh the pages,

lowly, "that once you sign t

dded.

d that I am not

ther

t this marriage is not r

e than they should h

rching for something-fea

ly, he

gree to th

roat c

art po

g inside m

ought of

whispered.

a pen towar

d around it. Cold

aper then my phone ran

s narrowed.

e hesitated. "It co

ing, but his

pulled out

ID: Dr

rept throu

he call

said sharply

nswered

s? What'

out fast, shak

t found something out about your mother's case

all cu

re body

s slowly. Damon

was Hard, Dark

," he said quiet

embled over

ted, stepping cl

him then‎ at

t walked into something I

ar bigger, f

ous than the man sta