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1
Four years earlier
Dangriga, Belize
“You’ll get a thousand dollars in cash just for walking in.” A slender hand pointed toward a tall, iron door. “And don’t forget my cut. You owe me for this gig.”
Jewel blinked rapidly. One thousand dollars? “Is it… safe?”
Anastasia narrowed her eyes. “It’s just a door.”
“I meant what’s behind it.”
Silence.
Jewel’s gaze slid from Anastasia to her friends who were staring her down like they knew a secret she didn’t. They were all older than her, juniors in high school. After years of being ignored, Jewel was grateful that they’d even paid her the time of day.
But this…?
It was too risky. She shuffled back. “I-I don’t think I can.”
“If you were gonna back out like a little rat, why the hell did you waste my time?” Anastasia shoved her roughly. “He’s waited long enough.”
Jewel slammed against the wall. Sparks exploded behind her eyes. “Please… I just… I need a minute.”
Anastasia sneered. “You acted all desperate today at school. I thought you said you’d do anything to help your family?”
Jewel stared at the door again. One thousand dollars…
Anastasia’s lips curled up in a menacing sneer. “That was all talk. You’re not big enough to handle this.” She swung around, motioning to her friends. Her long black hair slid against her lower back, pointing to the exaggerated dip in her tight dress. “Let’s go, guys.”
“Wait!” Jewel pushed off the wall and held a hand out to them.
Anastasia paused. Looked over her shoulder. Her tongue rattled against the back of her teeth like a snake. “Yessss?”
Jewel lifted her chin, hoping she sounded braver than she felt. “I’ll go.”
“Are you sure?” Anastasia bared her gums in a feral smile. “I wouldn’t want you to feel pressured…”
“Just open the door,” Jewel snapped.
“First, let’s look you over.” Anastasia drilled her fingers into Jewel’s cheeks. She winced as pain shot through her mouth, but she didn’t make a sound. Anastasia’s brown eyes narrowed. She turned her head left, right, up and down.
Jewel stood frozen, like a statue. This month’s bills stumbled through her head—electricity, Juney’s school fees, her textbooks…
One grand. I can do whatever they want for that much cash.
“She’s flawless,” Anastasia spit and then she threw her back so violently, Jewel skittered. “He’ll like that.”
She tried to catch her balance, arms wind-milling at her sides, but gravity turned its back on her. The heels Anastasia’s friends had loaned her were too small and pinched her feet. Her fingernails scratched the surface of the wall. Unable to regain her footing, Jewel collapsed on the floor. Pain ricocheted up her palms and shuttled up her neck.
Everyone snickered.
Shame burning into her dark cheeks, Jewel clamored to her feet, hand against the grimy wall to keep her balance. Her heart trembled. Pounded. Adrenaline rushed through her veins.
A voice in her head screamed ‘run’.
And not towards that big, wooden door with the scary bouncers standing in front of it.
Away. Past the drugged-up men and women dancing aimlessly to songs that made her ears bleed. Past the parking lot and the warehouse that hid this underground club from the cops. Past the river and the school, until she made it home.
But Jewel ignored her own fright.
She had to do this.
There was no other way.
