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The words began to blur in front of me and I decided that was enough for one day. It was somewhere between lunch and dinner and my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten anything after breakfast.

I still hadn’t heard from Erik. To be fair, I hadn’t messaged him either. I was too scared of his reaction when I was forced to face it. So, instead, I pushed on through the day and decided to make spaghetti for dinner. Maybe he was on his way home and we’d be able to sit down and enjoy a meal together.

I ended up sitting at the dining room table again—alone—twirling noodles endlessly around my fork, staring out at the twinkling lights of Cincinnati. I almost jumped out of my skin when my phone vibrated across the table.

I fumbled the phone as I turned it over to see who was calling. Leah. I hesitated, weighing the pros and cons of a phone call. So far she’d stuck to text messages, but the fact that she called had me anxious something was wrong. Before it could go to voicemail, I swiped to answer.

“Hello?”

“Alex?”

I sat up, everything in me on high alert at the tears in her voice. “Leah, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“It’s…It’s Oscar. I left him and he was mad and he scared me. I left, but he just messaged me letting me know he tracked my phone and he’s coming to me. I’m so scared Alex.”

I stumbled in my rush to get out of the chair, catching myself on the back of the couch. Every neuron was firing through my body causing my limbs to tremble like I’d had too much caffeine as I ran up the stairs to put on a pair of leggings and shoes.

“Where are you? Are you hurt?”

“Not much. I’m at the Budget Inn on Eighth. Can you come get me?”

I froze, looking around the room, trying to come up with a plan. “I don’t have a car. Shit.”

“What about an Uber? You have money for an Uber right?”

“Yeah. I’ll do that. I’m on my way, Leah. Hang in there and don’t answer the door until you hear me on the other side.”

“Thank you, Alex. Thank you.”

I hung up and opened the Uber app, thanking the heavens that one was only three minutes away. I skipped the elevator and rushed down the stairs, just bursting through the door when the car pulled up.

The ride was less than ten minutes but each one passed like a lifetime.

Leah: Room 10

Me: On my way. I love you.

I cringed when I imagined what Erik would say, but he had to understand. Leah was in trouble. He helped girls all the time and Leah needed help.

Making a decision, I quickly dialed his number. He did stuff like this all the time, maybe he could help. Maybe he had plans in place. But with each ring that went unanswered, I knew I was on my own.

“Can you wait here?” I asked the driver when we pulled up.

“I’ve got another job waiting for me to accept.”

“Please. We’ll be right out. I promise.”

He screwed up his mouth but gave in. “Five minutes. If it takes longer than that, I’m out of here.”

“Okay. Be right back. Thank you.”

Shoving my hands in my jacket, I hunkered down just in case Oscar was waiting to pop out somewhere. Maybe he wouldn’t recognize me. I walked up to room ten and knocked on the chipped green door. “Leah. It’s me.”

The door cracked open and Leah’s face appeared. “Thank God. I didn’t think you’d show.”

She reached through and gripped my hand, yanking me inside and slamming the door.

And there stood Oscar, leaning against the wall with a smarmy smile on his gaunt face.

I stomped over, ready to punch him in his junk. “You son of a bitch. You leave her alone.”

He shoved me back and I spread my arms wide so he couldn’t get to Leah.

“Oh, Alex. I’m so glad you’re here.” He reached his hand out. “Come here, Leah.”

My jaw almost hit the floor when she moved out from behind me and went right into his arms. He tucked her close against his body and dug into his pocket, producing a pill that he placed on her waiting tongue. “You did good, baby.”

She swallowed and smiled up at him like she had a million times, not at all scared or trying to get away.

“What the fuck is going on?”

I inched my way to the door. This was wrong. Nothing was adding up and everything in me screamed to get the fuck out of the room.

“Ah, ah, ah, Alex.” Oscar took a wide step, blocking the door. “We needed you here to fulfill the deal.”

“What deal?” I hated the way my voice shook. I needed to portray a strength I didn’t feel.

He reached into his back pocket. “Your sister found this in your room one day. Ten-thousand dollars for a night with a virgin.”