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“Sedative?” I parrot.

Tucking his pen in his shirt pocket, he gives me another nod. “Yes. Ketamine.”

He says it so casually. Like I’m supposed to be okay with it.

“Had we known other drugs were in your system, I’m sure other measures would have been taken.”

“I-I don’t do drugs.” Except when my brother forces me to give up my virginity and tells me to do a line to relax. All it did was send me into the bathroom, paranoid while my heart tried to hammer its way out of my chest.

What else happened that night? Where is Weston? Am I sore because I lost my virginity? I’m almost happy I don’t remember. At least it’s over.

Dr. Silas breaks through my thoughts.

“No judgement. As a physician, it’s my job to treat you, no matter what. I can leave you with some resources before I go.”

A weary sigh leaves me. He doesn’t get it, and there’s too much static in my head for me to correct him, so I look around the space again, this time with clearer eyes.

The lone figure in the corner of the room makes panicsurge inside of me.

He’s standing near the door, hands tucked in his pockets. I take in his unyielding posture and the hard set of his jaw. Rope twists shield the left half of his face from view, but there’s no mistaking the sinister air surrounding him.

“Where am I?” I ask again. This time I direct my question to the room, an open invitation for one of them to tell me what the hell is going on.

The man on the other side of the room steps forward, his imposing height more noticeable now that he isn’t ducked off in the corner.

“I’m Adonis. We met at the auction.”

Hearing the word auction triggers a flashback and suddenly I’m back in that tiny room, seconds after my brother smacked the desperate plea off my lips.

The only thing that makes the mental replay bearable is remembering the way my brother collapsed to the ground in a pool of crimson.

What came after that is fuzzy.

But what I do remember is launching myself at the man standing at the foot of this bed right now.

Spitting the blood in my mouth in his direction because I knew with my brother down, I was an easier target.

Then my vision went hazy while he looked at me with a cruel smirk.

The next thing I remember is this. Now. Here.

At least I went down fighting…

Indigo’s gonna be pissed when she sees the state of this dress. I’m nowhere near a mirror, but I canfeelthe layers of grime and filth coating it. I’ll have to pick up some extra shifts at the cafe to pay her back.

The smoky but distant quality of Adonis’ voice is like a shock collar pulling me back into the present. I run my eyes over the sharp lines of his face and his deep, amber skin.

“Your brother owes me a million dollars.”

What does he want me to do about it?

“You don’t know my brother if you think taking me is going to get you your money sooner.” He’d just as soon let me rot here rather than pay back a debt. It’s the Rose way. We borrow more than we can pay back. Then we disappear like it never happened. At least that’s what people think. I had the misfortune of watching it all firsthand and for a while there, my brother and father reallydidthink they’d miraculously be able to pay back every penny they borrowed.

Until they got desperate. And that desperation led to more gambling and even more borrowing.

“That may be true. But until he wakes up from his coma and I can talk to him, you’re the collateral I choose.”

My stomach sours at his detached tone. It’s like he’s discussing a coffee order instead of my life.