MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

I felt my stomach twist. I knew this wasn't about the money. I had seen the way Mr Callahan looked at me, the way he always found a reason to touch my hand or lean too close whenever we met. He had hinted more than once that I could "pay" him in other ways, but I had always ignored it.


"I'm doing the best I can, Mr. Callahan," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "I will make another payment soon."


His voice turned cold. "Well, you better do it fast, or I'll drop the case. I have better things to do than waste my time waiting for you to figure out how to pay me. Noah's not my priority, Bella. He's yours. So, if you don't get your act together, don't blame me when I move on to something more profitable."


Before I could respond, the line went dead.


Chapter 60 - Going out