Charlotte's voice broke the silence when Lorenzo didn't respond.
"It's painful to admit, darling, but I don't have all day to spend with you. Tick-tock."
Her lips curled into a sly smile. She was enjoying this, watching him break. Her eyes gleamed with cruel amusement.
Lorenzo trembled. His eyes were glassy, his chest tight, like something heavy was sitting on him.
How could he choose?
Be torn from Ashley.
Sleep with this monster.
Or rot in jail for a crime he didn't commit.
There was no right answer.
"Please," he choked out, sweat sliding down his neck. "I—I can't. Have mercy. Ask for something else. Anything else."
She didn't even look up. Her fingers tapped away on her phone.
He already knew what the best option was—what he had to do if he truly wanted to protect the people he loved from the monster's grip. But how could he abandon from Ashley? How could he trust this woman to keep her safe?
Fear coiled in his gut.
