Page 1 of Sold to the Investor

Chapter One

Sophia

Tick, tick, tick.

I glance at the clock above the kitchen table for the hundredth time. It’s past midnight, and Daryl isn’t home.

He does this all the time, coming home at odd hours or even disappearing for days. I shouldn’t be worried—heck, I shouldn’t wait up for him anymore, but he’s all the family I have left. No matter how terrible Daryl is, he’s my brother.

The door rattles, jolting me out of my thoughts. The sound is accompanied by a loud, rapid knock.

“Sophia, it’s me,” Daryl shouts, turning the doorknob impatiently.

I rush to the entrance and unlock the door. Daryl wrenches it from my hands, barging in and making me stumble back.

“Daryl, where have—” I let out a soft gasp. “What happened to your face?”

He urges me deeper into the small living room of our apartment and closes the door.

My brother’s face is covered in bruises. His right eye is swollen shut, and dried blood trails down his temple, stopping just above his chin.

He’s in trouble again.

He doesn’t answer, but drags me to the worn-out couch and sits beside me. “I need your help, buttercup,” he says, his eyes full of panic and darting all over the room.

My heart sinks at the endearment. The nickname he used so affectionately when we were kids has turned to a weapon meant to make me comply. But the truth is that he never really gives me a way out when he “needs help,” especially since he started hanging with a bad crowd and developed a gambling and drug addiction.

“What do you need help with?” I ask hesitantly as I take in his ruffled look.

“I owe some people, Soph, and they want their money back. I know I promised not to borrow from loan sharks anymore, but I had to pay some debt and now they’re threatening to kill me.” He gives me a beseeching look. “If you could just go with them as collateral, I promise to get you back as soon as I get their money.”

I stare at my brother in shock. “Collateral? What are you talking about, Daryl? You can’t possibly ask me to do that,” I say in disbelief.

He grabs my hands, gripping so tightly it hurts. “Please, buttercup. Do this for me. They’re going to kill me if I don’t give them something,” he says, his tone ringing with desperation.

I shake my head gently, overwhelmed and scared. I’ve never seen him quite this desperate. “I’m sure we can find something else…another way to pay them. Maybe—”

Daryl’s brown eyes turn crazed, as if he’s possessed. I jerk in place and my heart rate spikes as he shouts, “I just need you to do one fucking thing for me! Be useful for once!”

There it is, the demon in him. His words hit me in the chest, bringing on a familiar flare of guilt. Many times, I’ve considered walking away from him and not looking back. But then I remember all the times he’s taken care of me, before the drugs took hold, and I can’t bring myself to just leave him to his destructive nature.

Of course, there’s also the question of whether I can even survive without him.

You’ll come running back to me… You can’t survive without me…

Those are the words he throws carelessly at me when he’s in a nasty mood. I’ve heard them so much that they’ve taken root in my mind. I withdraw my hands from his, feeling hollow.

He sighs softly and rubs his face. “Look, I’m sorry, Soph. I shouldn’t have snapped at you, but I’m scared. These people are dangerous. Please, do this for me,” he pleads.

“They won’t hurt me, will they?” I ask, wringing my hands.

Daryl puts his hands over mine again, giving me what’s meant to be a reassuring squeeze, but it only adds to my anxiety. “No, they won’t. They just need something or someone valuable to hold me accountable. It’s just for a day, buttercup. I promise to get you back tomorrow, as soon as I get paid.”

“Are you sure?” I ask softly, trying to reason it out in my head.Maybe if I do this for him, he’ll listen if I ask him to get some help…

“Of course,” he replies, then springs off the couch. “Come on. We have to go now. They have a car waiting to pick you up outside.”

I let myself be dragged out, ignoring the heaviness settling in my heart. It might be a stupid idea to go with him, but I refuse to believe Daryl is leading me out like a lamb for slaughter.

---