Page 153 of Embriagado
“Everything I have, from my apartment down to the last piece of clothing hung in my closet, is all his.” He fisted his palms. “My very own life belongs to him.”
I tensed on the spot, anger already steaming through my blood when he locked eyes with me.
“It’s what I need the money for. To pay my debt and break free.”
It was the most honest he’d ever been with me, and while shocked to learn it all, I still had many questions. The first being—
“How much?”
“Ten million dollars.”
His words drained all the air from the room, and it felt as if a heavy weight was dropped on top of my head. If I felt this way just from hearing how much money he owed, I could only imagine how he felt. No wonder he’d been so determined until now. I mean, all this time, a rope had been slowly tightening around his neck.
“You’re serious?”
He showed me a pitiful smile. “Sucks, doesn’t it?”
“Are you close to paying it off?”
“I was once.”
I wanted to ask what he meant by that when he brushed his hand along his jaw and went on.
“But then someone beat me to a pulp, and I was bound to my bed, unable to work. In those six months, the interest made my debt double in size, and since then, I’ve been chasing it for no use.”
It was like a punch to the gut. My throat closed up, and with the sex all but forgotten, I forced myself to keep cool. No wonder he hated me this much, when I was the one to put him in this place.
“But don’t worry. I don’t blame you,” he said, catching my attention. “Only myself.”
“Ariyan—”
“Don’t sweat it, Mr. Rivas.” He flashed me that fake smile again. “I already forgave you, don’t you remember?”
Forgiveness? Is that what you seek?
His words from back then returned to me at once. Those were our original terms, right? Five fights in exchange for his forgiveness. Now, I realized how stupid I must have sounded. Fisting my hands, I strode toward him, closing the distance between us in a few steps.
His head jerked back, his eyebrows creasing together after I grabbed both his hands and held them tight.
“What are you—”
“I’ll help you.”
At first, he looked skeptical, but then the tension between his brows subsided, morphing into something else, relief, maybe even hope. But whatever it was that his eyes held in that moment, it was soft, so fucking tender, it made me even more sure of my decision.
“I’ll fight and win for you until you’re free.” I looked him straight in the eyes, making sure to remember the priceless expression he had on until the day I died. “I promise, Ari. I won’t quit until you pay off that last fucking dime.”
40
ARIYAN
Love is a slippery slope.
It starts innocently enough.
Warm smiles, stolen glances, simple words of affection.
Suddenly, everything feels significant, and before you realize it, you find yourself craving someone’s attention, obsessing over every action, whether big or small.
