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“Your signature affirms that your acceptance of funds caations”
She struggled to digest his statehted in the top contract It hadn’t been highlighted when she’d signed the paper, not to her recollection But then, she hadn’t read the thing closely, had she?
She’d been so eager for the financial relief, so happy that she’d been selected for the special new progra properly, hadn’t taken care Sabela felt ill, her sto She’d been stupid — very, very stupid
And now, so her she had to just up and leave? To go wherever he wanted? Damn
Retaining the envelope the iven her, Sabela refolded the contract papers and handed thele her way out of this an, she could make him understand that she hadn’t read the contract closely, hadn’t known the money was a loan Perhaps he’d —
It was rew fiercer by the e to ask another question Fear washed over her and spurred her into action
Sabela turned and rushed into her rooe The envelope in her hand burned her fingers She’d been so stupid … and desperate So ridiculously desperate And noas time to pay the piper
She carefully took her passport out of the lockbox underneath her bed
The passport had been her way of trying to keep herself o to Paris and attend fashion week
The passport hadn’t had any use at all since she’d gotten it two years ago Noould be used to take her to so mysterious with another mystery man
Not exactly what she’d had in et a passport
She stuck it into her purse and thought of Trevor Should she go tell hier than a double shift at the restaurant? No It would only agitate hi or when she would be back
She’d call someone, maybe one of her felloaitresses at work She’d ask them to check in and make sure Trevor really was taken care of the way the suited man had promised
Would they do that for her? She didn’t know She wasn’t close to any of them She wasn’t close to anyone She didn’t have time for friends All her old ones had moved on without her
Hopefully, she wouldn’t be gone ht be an asshole to her, but she believed he loved her, and would miss her And they were all each other had
When Sabela returned to the hall, the ht she’d try to run past him, to escape She considered the idea, briefly
“Ready?” he asked
“What if I’o?” Her heart hammered in her ears
The suited an to decide And the authorities, I would presume You should ask yourself how much you owe, and what you believe the consequences of not living up to your obligations would be”
Sabela could only iine, and it was terrible indeed She envisioned herself in a jail cell and her handicapped brother sleeping in a rat-infested alley
“Ready?” the suited man asked once more
She couldn’t run anyway She had a debt that needed to be repaid, an obligation She’d taken a lot of an, and noas time to pay up
She sed and nodded her head slowly “Ready”
She felt nuaze downcast, Sabela followed the man out the door She was off to meet her fate
Chapter Three
COLIN SAT STRAIGHT-BACKED IN his plush leather chair and druainst the antique teak wood of his desk Upon it were only a few items, but out of them, only one mattered: the phone
If he didn’t stop worrying, he’d scratch the polished finish as his fingers beat their anxious rhythrand sches?
For the last fewthis moment had been a constant refrain Noas here As soon as he got the call, he’d know that everything had gone according to plan
One of the phone lines started to blink It was his private line
Colin’s heart skipped a beat, and he snatched the phone out of its cradle “Morgan,” he barked, near breathless with excitement
The voice on the other end was toneless “She’s in the sedan”
“Don’t let her out of your sight Make sure she gets on the plane No other stops No calls Nothing,” Colin said
“You got it, boss”