THE COSTOF HIS DESIRE

heart pounded so hard it hurt, my breath shallow and uneven. I wante

n't freedom. It was a

, my voice weak, trembl

, bitter and heavy, but the

in. Slowly, he leaned back in his chair, his mouth curving-not in surprise, no

is not safe for you alone," he s

ped. My throat closed tight. I co

Live under his ro

ght burned stronger-what choice did I really have? If I walked away, I ha

"Okay," I whispered, though my vo

ke steel. The praise wasn't soft-it was sharp, cut

ld solve my problems. That it would give

ft my mouth, I felt it-the

s man was simple. Nothing

his eyes, I felt a ch

stepped int

if I'd ever find

ir, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest,

nally, his voice steady, commanding. "T

confusion. "What..

e already known. "Clothes. Don't bother. Yo

dropping. He would choose what I wore? He

othes are mine, they're all I have. But the truth hit me harder: they were old, torn,

another piece of me

ver will go with you. If you're not done in that time..." His eyes s

ack up my entire life. Twenty minutes to erase th

throat dry. "Twenty m

voice sharp as a blade. "If your life doesn't fit into

abric of my dress to keep myself steady. I wanted to scream at him, to t

he wasn'

Breakable. Maybe it really

d the door opened. A tall man in a black suit stepped inside, silent as a shadow. Hi

ly. "He'll take you. He'll watch y

my lap, and I clutched it to my chest like it could shield me.

or, Damian's voice follow

into my back. "You belong to me now. Don

around me like cha

ned for me to follo

just pack

ing away m

hat apartment door, the

teps steady, heavy, controlled. He didn't speak once

so hard I thought it might split. The city lights blurred past the tin

queezed tight. The place I had called home suddenly looke

face was stone. "Twenty minu

p the stairs. My keys slipped in my swea

ked frame above the couch, the blanket on the chair, the smell

sh. Toothbrush. Phone charger. My mother's necklace. I shoved

uder in my head. Fi

a piece of myself. Clothes. Books. The blanket that h

min

eyes swept the room one last time-my b

door. Marcus's voice wa

g strap diggin

d out that door, ther