king shapes all over the floor. She blinked, a little disoriented, and sat up, looking around. Her room was fancy and sp

ad been flipped upside down overnight, in a way she had never seen coming. No amount of planning could

e door caught

ce was barely audible. She kne

k suit, and his hair was slicked back. He radiated authority and power. No smi

was quiet, but you could tell h

oughts whirling with plans to get away and worries about her old man and how

e with it?" she repli

he was looking right through her. "No need for that, Emma. Y

Maybe she wasn't behind bars, but it felt like it. She had no say in anything. Her dad's m

st him. She felt bare and cornered, trapped. It was

, like a coming storm. "Think I'm telling you what to do?" He stopped close, his

cing herself to meet his gaze. "I want out of this wh

ng he was sizing up. "You can fight all you want. he finally said,

t why you're doing this. This isn't help

away. "Your dad messed up, Emma. And now you're stuck fixing it. I'm giving yo

bout to let him see it. "I didn't

fter but still with that edge. "But life doesn't pla

he needed to think. The room felt little all of a sudden, closing in as she thought about

wed her, every move deliberate. "You'll ge

ng her fists. "I'll ne

ing in his eyes, a hint of something soft

ed you to sign this. Standard stuff, just making

elled out her part in this so-called deal. She would live there, in his place, having to listen to

e in some game she

e asked, her voice tight. "Tha

d. "I don't expect you to like it. But you'll do it. I don't

stomach, but she held it

I asked you to do, Emma,

nd was steady, she wanted to rip the paper apart.

t a word and put it in his p

ma asked, her vo

ien turned to face her. "You'll l

ay. No take-backs now. She was trapped in a life she didn't want

y. She wondered how long it would take to lose herself, how long until the