Chapter 7 #2
For twelve months now, I’d been paying them three thousand dollars every week—money I could barely afford, money that should have gone to rent, groceries, Ollie’s school supplies.
But it was the only arrangement they’d accept.
It was either that or pay the full amount within the three-week time frame they’d given me when they showed up at my doorstep to announce my father’s debt.
“You know, I didn’t have the most responsible father, either. Similar to yours, he was an alcoholic. But instead of gambling, he chose theft. He ended up in jail more times than I could count until he eventually got killed during a robbery.”
Am I seriously trauma-bonding with a sociopath right now?
“It’s okay to hate your father, Leila. I did, too. And look where I am now.” He had the audacity to actually smirk. “Hate’s useful. It keeps you motivated.”
Yeah, because threatening children was clearly the pinnacle of motivation. What an inspiration.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that I need more time,” I said.
“Time’s up, sweetheart.” He pulled out his phone and showed me a photo that made my heart stop.
It was Ollie’s school—kids running around the playground during recess. But Ollie hadn’t gone to school today. It was Saturday. Which meant he’d taken this picture another day. He’d been stalking my son. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.
“See how easy it is?” he drawled, like stalking a child was some kind of achievement. “See how unprotected he is?”
“Don’t you dare—”
“Oh, I dare. I dare a lot of things.” He pocketed the phone with a cold smile. “You have one week, Leila. One week to get me my money, or I start taking payments in other ways.”
The threat hung in the air between us like a loaded weapon. I knew what he meant. I’d heard the stories about what happened to people who crossed the syndicate. What happened to their families.
“I can’t—” I started, but he cut me off.
“You can’t what?”
“For fuck’s sake, Blaze, where do you expect me to find ten grand in under a week?” The words exploded out of me.
Blaze’s eyebrows shot up. “Did you say ten grand?” he asked, his voice like ice. “Was I not clear about what happens when you decide to play hooky with your payments?”
And then it dawned on me. The horrible, crushing realization that made my stomach drop through the floor.
I wasn’t going to be paying just ten thousand.
I was going to be paying twenty thousand.
Double. The contract terms my father had signed stipulated that for every week a payment was missed, the interest doubled.
They called it the “inconvenience” charge.
Because apparently, financial terrorism came with convenience fees.
“I don’t have that kind of money,” I said desperately. “You know I don’t.”
“Then find it.” His words were final. He brushed past me as he headed toward the door. He reached for the door handle, then paused. “Oh, and Leila? I’m a lot nicer than the boss. Don’t make him crawl out of his hellhole.”
The door slammed behind him, leaving me alone with my terror and the echo of his threats. I stood there for a long moment, feeling like the life had been drained out of me, before I heard Ollie’s footsteps on the stairs.
“Mom? Can we make those cookies now?”
I turned to see his bright, innocent face, and my heart shattered all over again. How was I supposed to protect him from this nightmare?
“In a minute, sweetheart,” I managed to say, my voice surprisingly steady. “Let me just make a quick phone call first.”
I waited until he’d gone back upstairs before I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers. There was only one option left—we had to run. We had to disappear before Blaze or his boss came back.
The phone rang twice before my realtor, Marcus, picked up.
“Leila? This is unexpected. How are you?”
“I need to break my lease,” I said without preamble. “Immediately.”
There was a pause. “Break your lease? May I ask why?”
“It’s complicated. I just need to move. Tonight, if possible.”
Yeah, I was desperate. Blaze’s threats still lingered in the house like a toxic air freshener—except this version smelled, tasted, and felt like death.
“Leila…” Marcus’s voice was gentle but firm. “You know I can’t advise that. You’re already three months behind on rent. If you break your lease now, you’ll forfeit your security deposit, plus you’ll owe penalties that could run into the thousands.”
My chest tightened. “How much?”
“About fifteen hundred for penalties. Plus the three months you’re already behind—that’s another four thousand five hundred. And then there’s the cost of moving, deposits for a new place…”
The numbers swirled in my head, making me dizzy. I was already drowning in debt, and now he was telling me it would cost over thousands of dollars just to leave.
If I had thousands of dollars, I would have paid Blaze off!
“Leila, what’s going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Even if I told him about the debt, about Blaze, about the impossible choice I was facing—what could he do? He was a realtor, not a miracle worker.
“I’ll figure it out,” I said instead. “Thanks for the information.”
I hung up before he could respond and sank onto the couch where Blaze had been sitting just minutes ago. The cushions still held the impression of his body, and I shuddered.
I felt my eyes burn with unshed tears.
“Mom?” Ollie’s voice came from the stairs. “Are you okay? You look sad.”
I quickly wiped my eyes and forced a smile. “I’m fine, baby. Just thinking about work stuff. You ready for those cookies?”
His face lit up, and for a moment, all the fear and anger faded away. This was why I fought. This was why I’d find a way to get that money, even if it killed me.
Because losing him wasn’t an option.