the basement ceiling and splashed onto
ontract from his briefcase, and unfolded it in front of her. The no
ered a marriage certificate a
iolently. She stared at
ered and sho
labor agreement. Legally,
iggled be
ver years ago to cover your living expenses. All that
-five years a free slave-and she'd sig
t down, lips
rt attack? I swapped hi
on the spot. Cary Ashley-the only family who'd poured every
collar with the last of her strength, nails digging in. His sh
darkened, and he slapped
, you have a
. Her forehead slammed against the rusty iron
er, pulling out a handkerchief
dying woman. She'l
d in disgust and kicke
en minutes. I don't want to h
The fake contract lay on the floor, smeared with her bloody th
hrough the vent, casting the couple'
ent down, and yanked out the oxygen tube
e, dear
es stayed fixed on the two figures. Bertrand watched
Wait for the m
cked shut, cutting off the last light. Darkness swallo
memory
e blood, those two faces-gone. She was still sitting on
ands. No blood. No scars
t drop of blood debt from those twenty-five
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