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Prologue

I thought you’d be worth“After all of your blustering and bullshit, I really thought you’d be worth more”

Jeremy Briar jerked in the chair, but there was nowhere for hio His hands were bound to the ar into his wrists, and his legs were taped to the legs of the chair A blindfold covered his eyes, casting hiarettes burned his nose

“L-letto drink or to eat in, Christ, how …” Just to get me back

Laughter Dark anddime”

The ice in his chest froze his heart “No!” The tape bit into him “M-my father, I told you, he is—”

“An idiot” The voice was still low, drifting through the darkness “I gave hi is, Jeremy boy, the assle just couldn’t follow them”

Bile rose in his throat “N-no…”

“Not like I asked for that much Just four million for you Four damn million” The shuffle of footsteps More than one set Someone else was here

“The bastard has that er simmered in that tense whisper

Jereht His father owned half the city He had that much money in the bank, easy What the fk? Jeremy’s mouth was so dry He’d screamed and he’d screamed before, but no one had come for him

No one had helped him

“Your father thinks it’s a joke” Jereht Fingernail?

The point pressed into his flesh

Jesus A knife A whimper broke from his lips “L-let me talk to him… I’ll make him see—”

No fking joke That blade was too real

“I told hiainst his ear, and Jeremy shuddered “Told him when to make the drop Told hi, and if he’d just followed my instructions, you would’ve been home by now”

The blade sliced into his shoulder

Jeremy pissed his pants “Pl-please…”

“Rich boy, is this the first tied?”

His head jerked in a nod He knew tears streamed from beneath the blindfold He couldn’t stop theut, and he knew, he knew that his father had left him to die

Always disappointingyour ass out of another mess You’re on your own

Those had been the last words that his father spoke to hiotten busted with pot Did he deserve this?

Don’t let me die

“Beg some more” The blade sank into his shoulder

And Jere because he wanted the fire in his shoulder to ease He wanted the pain to stop He wanted to go home

Bad dream Just a bad dream I’ll wake up, I’ll—

The knife pulled froging back, but the blade followed hirazed over his jaw, traveled up his cheek, and then slipped right under the edge of the blindfold