Chapter 3

Tears welled up all at once, and I fought to hold them back.

I knew this was my only chance to live.

The moment Butch left, one of his men threw a sack over my head and dragged me toward the door.

I jerked my knee up hard, right into his groin.

He screamed and let go.

I ripped the sack off and ran.

But this run-down club was like a maze. In my panic I bolted up the stairs and missed a step.

My whole body pitched straight down from the second floor.

The back of my head cracked against the marble floor, and everything went black.

Through the blur, I saw a familiar figure at the end of the corridor.

A crowd was gathered around him. It really was the eldest brother.

I opened my mouth to shout, but my throat was full of bloody foam.

Right then, the man chasing me swung a club down on my back.

"Run! I'll teach you to run!"

I passed out completely.

When I came to, I was gagged and tied up in a storage room.

My clothes were still on. I hadn't been assaulted.

It seemed they'd all gone to greet the eldest brother.

As long as he hadn't left, I still had hope!

I dragged myself desperately to the corner and started grinding the rope on my wrists against the rough seam in the cement.

Just then, a hushed argument came from outside the door.

It was Mila!

"Where's the money? Give me Kent's share along with it!"

Butch cursed at her. "You've still got the nerve to ask for money? This woman only had a hundred grand in her account! And she was pretending to be the boss's sister! She's got a death wish!"

"Decent-looking, though... My wife's not around, so let me have a taste first, then you can take whatever's left."

Mila was quiet for a moment, then lowered her voice. "Do whatever you want with her! But her designer bags come to me!"

"That little bitch, always acting so high and mighty. It took Kent months to reel her in! Thought she was so pure, and turns out she's just as shameless behind the scenes!"

"But she's got to be rich! Her scholarship alone is five hundred thousand—how could she have nothing! Search her again!"

My heart went cold in an instant.

I'd always thought Mila had been fooled by Kent, and that was how she'd gotten pulled into dragging me into this.

I never dreamed she was the mastermind.

I'd treated her like a real sister. I'd even planned to give her half my scholarship to pay off her student loans.

I'd been blind.

Right then, the rope finally snapped.

I'd barely started to breathe again when the lock clicked and the door opened.

I quickly gripped the broken rope and shrank back into the corner, pretending I was still struggling.

The door swung open and Butch came grinning toward me. "Little beauty, don't bother. Not even a fly could get out of here."

"How about you take me as your sworn brother? Stick with me and you'll eat and drink well, and that eight hundred eighty thousand gets wiped clean. How about it?"

As he spoke, his filthy hand reached for my waist.

I spat in his face. "Pah! You're not even fit to carry my shoes! And you want to be my sworn brother?"

Before I finished, he clamped a hand around my throat. "Think I'm going easy on you? I'll give you one more chance. Think hard before you talk!"

I clawed at his fingers, and just before I ran out of air, I squeezed out a few words. "Let's... let's talk this out..."

He let go, smug. "That's more like it. Ready to go with me now?"

I coughed until tears streamed down my face, and suddenly I saw a fat woman walk in through the door.

It was Butch's wife.

I immediately screamed at the top of my lungs, "Butch, your wife's so devoted! And you're still keeping a mistress?"

"How can you face her? Aren't you afraid she'll tear you apart?"

A flicker of disgust crossed Butch's face. "Don't bring up that tigress. Fat as a pig!"

"Not like you—young and fresh..."

Suddenly he flinched, glanced back, and his face changed. "Honey, let me explain..."

His wife had already slapped him across the face. "Butch, you bastard! Fooling around behind my back the second I'm gone!"

The two of them tore into each other.

I took the chance to fan the flames. "Butch! Beat your wife and I'll go with you!"

"A man who can't even beat his own wife—what kind of man is that!"