Bounded By Debt

il

vy with silence. Light sputtered in weak pools acro

everything.

nto the oak doors and curling into my clothes, cli

llowe

aited beyond that door, had already

fted from

ves. The other, smooth and comma

luster. The wheedling. That edge o

ething was differ

mach t

oser, hear

door snap

pleaded. His voice wavered. "

ce so thick it felt

h

patient m

l racing up my spine.

into the fabric of my swea

of ice against glass.

cle's. Ragged. Desperate.

Just a few more months. Busi

mbling. Dren

cut throug

used. D

the man said. "I don't deal with

ing chill spr

r, careful to

revealed a glimp

. Papers lay scattered across a mahogany d

en I s

d. At

isp lines. Ef

n this fading ruin

o powerful. T

eath

eed to be

o Bi

in bars, murmured over liquor and fear. A man peopl

w he w

my

d around my spine

bling hand down his face

cut h

bows on his knees.

heavy-felt like some

you have negotiat

om wen

y nails int

dipped lower.

or lose somet

d turne

stiffened. "Wh

lowed. Heav

glass again, swirl

d. Too sof

houldn't feel

it

you know,

swallowed

don

finish.

n it ha

id my

niece.

ay spun a

and cold, like stepping

h. A gasp pushed up from my t

r. My uncle stood, breath comin

. Panic. Bu

didn't

t nee

ke a man who

ootsteps pounded against the floor

his head. "

m shrank, pressing

Patient. Like the calm before a storm. "I want my paym

th hitched. "Sh

rd the door. "She's twent

ce grew t

lenched at his sides. "

hair like he owned the bui

ing you

opened his m

d. "Or I take Emil

he door, my heart thra

o

dn't be h

a gambler, a selfish basta

ould

Raymond asked

le

Marco

won

it felt like a

s breath

t," he

d. He studied my unc

ve made yo

shifte

ed the desk,

passed

ke

rely rose ab

choed like

raight int

th fled

o

and I caught my

t given

g. A possession.

ilted benea

urn

t. Before they saw

gs to move. St

tremble. Don't

y stretche

I b

made it t

dow m

my wrist. Stro

nd tried t

ip tig

you going

ver my skin like

fr

turned t

o Bi

and unshaken. A sto

even hear

k, sharp with amusemen

hing

eath

go," I w

ying me like I was a puz

rd, didn

n't a

smi

rt g

but it was like tryi

st, to where my pulse flut

sion," he said quietly. "

y fists. My

ong to anyon

burned on

dark sound that curle

you're wrong

s, edged

hurt-but it didn

s a p

going a

anym

ay, the truth sank

walking o

only the