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I am surprised by her forthrightness.
“Okay, give me the truth. Why not?” I figure it can’t be that bad.
“I sold myself to the firm—to Sin, Inc.”
“Wait what?” I start to turn around to give her a what the fuck look. The statement hits me like a ton of bricks. “Are you serious?”
Her eyes meet mine. “Deadly serious.”
“Okay, I have to hear this.” I lay back down and wait for the full story. This has to be interesting. Yet another thing about this place that is crazy but true.
“So it started when my mom got cancer. She was so sick and we couldn’t keep up with the bills. We fell into pretty hard debt and that just made everything worse. So I found the company, or rather they found me, and I sold myself to them. We had money and fixed our life.”
“Wow, that is actually really amazing.” At first, I’m not sure how I feel about her selling herself but if she got help for her mom…it makes me think of my mom and how much I worry about her. I would totally do something like that to help her out if I had to.
She lowers her voice. “It was great—for a moment. Then I discovered that the leader, Archibald Cox, put a hit out on my mother and she died anyway. I was beyond devastated and I’ve been locked in this arrangement ever since then out of fear.” I feel her fingers dig into my shoulders as she adds, “Please don’t tell anyone I told you this.”
I don’t know why she chooses to put me in her confidence but I’m so blown away by what I’m hearing that it’s hard to respond. Fear grips my own heart as I realize I might be in the line of fire just like her mother was.
“Oh my God, Kandy, that’s terrible.”
“It’s…not so bad,” Kandy says in a musing voice. “They take very good care of me, give me a job I can enjoy, and I get to meet some of the city’s most influential people. But knowing some of the things they do to people. I am happy to see you here after so long though. I think you’ll do much better here.”
Just as I’m about to say more, wanting to get more details and ask about that cryptic statement, Samuel, Kaden, Marshall, and Arsen burst through the door. Kandy backs up into a corner. I know she must be scared but she doesn’t know these guys like I do. I’m half disappointed because I was just getting some juicy information from her, but I also feel a little thrill race through me at the sight of these men.
I attempt to cover myself with the small towel but things are popping out every which way.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“We have to talk to you,” Samuel says. “We’ve uncovered some information about your father.”
“Well, what is it?”
“He’s trying to kill you,” Arsen says bluntly. He has a worried expression on his face, and that makes me nervous. He’s normally so collected.
“No, you have it wrong. You have to. He’s not the greatest man, but he would never do that.” I shake my head. I’m beyond skeptical. They must be getting their information from the wrong source. My father would never do that. He couldn’t. Using me as collateral against his debts is one thing, but actually attempting to kill me? It doesn’t make sense.
Kaden nods his head in all seriousness. “It’s true. We have him on round the clock surveillance, and Justin saw him talking to some people.”
“Like people who might kill me?”
“Yes!” Marshall is really worked up over this and I realize they’re completely for real.
The knowledge hits me like I’ve just been mowed down by a bus. It seems impossible that my father would ever want me dead. I’m his only daughter.
Things aren’t perfect, but I’ve always tried to win his praise. I’ve been studious my whole life and I’ve tried to stay out of his way and out of trouble. I remained a goddamn virgin partly because I never wanted to disappoint him or my mother. Now he wants me dead?
Now he wants me dead.
I repeat the phrase over and over in my head, and the truth of it slowly sinks in.
My father wants me dead.
I’m in shock, and the guys surround me in an attempt to give me comfort.
“We’ll protect you,” Marshall says, his eyes determined. I know he means it, and there’s not many that would argue with his commanding presence.
“Fuck.” It’s all I can think to say.
I think back over to how my stepmom died there on the dining room floor, how my dad has forbid me to see my mother under threats of killing her, and how he delivered me on a silver platter in exchange for his debts.
