Page 28 of The Pakhan's Sold Bride

I shake my head, not sure if I should believe this.

I press my lips together, my brows knitted tightly. “And you think I am going to give you children?” I ask carefully.

He snorts, a short burst of laughter. “When you first got here, I thought you were involved in your father’s schemes, Lara. But after today, I’ve learned a few things. I understand that you are in a serious financial sinkhole. You owe a lot of very bad people a large amount of money?”

Biting the inside of my cheek, I contemplate how much I want to admit. But at the end of the day, I’m so screwed already, and he clearly knows things, what difference does it make?

“The debts weren’t mine. They were my father’s,” I say.

“I’m aware. And your mother’s medical bills. I am sorry you had to go through that.”

There is no answer that can ease the pain I felt after losing my mom, so I stay quiet.

Nestor pushes off the wall and slowly walks around me. He lets his hand brush down my back.

“I have a solution,” he says.

I roll my eyes. “Please, I’ve had enough horrible offers from men today—"

He grins, looking down at me as he stops in front of me. “No. Don’t ever compare me to the men you’ve been dealing with this afternoon.”

Guilt stings me. He’s not like them. Even if he is hiding something, I know he’s nothing like Charlie. “Sorry,” I mutter quietly.

“My solution is this. And feel free to say no.”

“Mm?” I wait, tension building in my stomach.

“I will clear all of your debts with the bookies. I will also clear the debts with the doctors and the hospital. In exchange, you will live with me. You will stop trying to escape every day.”

“Live with you,” I murmur, not believing him.

My father has made so many promises to pay off the debt, or even just to help with some of it, and it’s never come through. But on the other hand, I literally have nowhere to go. I’ve been evicted from that horrible place. I never once managed to call home, but it was home in a way. Even if it was gross. I don’t even have that anymore. If I don’t accept his offer, I’m literally out on the streets.

“Fine,” I huff, with no other choice, and knowing that he won’t possibly really go through with his end of the deal. But at least it’ll buy me time to find other work and somewhere elseto stay. “Can I get my phone back? And not be considered a prisoner?”

“Of course, but the trust goes both ways. You won’t leave without permission, and you will always tell me where you are going.”

“Fine,” I say again.

“Good.” He smiles, and the wicked beauty of it has my heart racing in a totally different way.

I quickly look away from him, ignoring the desire building inside me.

“Um. I’m going to shower,” I say hurriedly, and push past him, up to my room.

***

The shower helps me feel less tainted by the horrible people I had to face today. I scrubbed hard to get the sensation of Charlie’s hand off my side. It makes me gag just to think about what he was asking of me. If Nestor hadn’t been there…

No.

Don’t think like that.

What you need to focus on is how you are going to pay off those assholes so that people like Charlie leave you alone forever.

I wrap a massive, fluffy white robe around my body and walk back into my room, my mind full of worry.

On my bed is my phone, next to a black box.

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