Page 81 of Devil's Bargain

“Promise not to tell Nina?”

He leans his head against the couch and stares at the ceiling. “Why?”

“Because she worries.”

“She cares about you.”

I sigh, dropping my head back on the couch. “I know.”

He takes another sip. “I won’t tell.”

“An eviction notice arrived in the post.”

A muscle ticks in cheek, and he sighs. “Shit!”

I gaze down at the bottle in my hands, my eyes stinging with tears. “I don’t know what to do, Ben? My mom is either drunk or high all the time.”

Ben looks toward the hallway. His own mom is in his parents’ bedroom, strung out on whatever medication she’s got her hands on this week. But at least his dad brings the money in, even if it’s not much.

He blows out a breath and drags a hand down his face. “Nothing is ever fucking easy for us.”

I take a large sip, allowing the alcohol to numb my pain. “Things have been very dark lately.”

He side-eyes me as he lifts the bottle to his lips. “You’re not going to do something stupid, are you?”

I laugh at that. “Too fucking late, Ben!”

He’s silent, watching me.

“I made a bargain with someone.”

“A bargain?” He leans forward, elbows on his knees.

I nod, tasting tears on my lips. “Yeah. He offered me money for sex to pay the rent.”

“He did fucking what?! Please, tell me you didn’t accept this offer?!”

I meet his blazing eyes. “I had no choice, Ben!”

He swears up a storm and rubs his hand over his green hair. “And then what, April?”

“It was okay for a little while. He paid me afterward, but now…” I trail off, staring at the label on the bottle.

“Now what?”

I pick at the corner, peeling it away from the glass. “The money stopped. There’s a video of me, and he threatens to show it to people if I don’t fuck him.” I don’t mention Jared or the terrifying way they’ve weaved their way into my life. I also don’t tell him they sold me to the man with salt and pepper hair.

“It was a devil’s bargain,” he mumbles under his breath before looking over at me. “Who is it?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“The fuck you can!”

I meet his unrelenting gaze. “You don’t get it! There’s a video.”

He shoots up to his feet and throws the bottle at the wall.

The loud crash startles me. “Please, Ben.”

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