Five siblings, catapulted into chaos.
Striving hard to create a grounded foundation amidst a cruel world, hoping that building walls will protect them against the hungry hands trying to tear them into pieces. They only ever wanted to love and be lo...
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"You want me to what?"
Carla stared hard at the camera, almost as if the object would jump up and bite her. Her fists clenched, her tongue darted out to nervously lick her lips. Her skin tasted salty with cold sweat. When she looked back up at Kyle, she studied the seriousness in his expression. But the smirk that pulled lightly at his mouth made her stomach churn.
"Nothing too explicit," he explained with an air of nonchalance. As if they were merely discussing business, casual business. "You don't even have to include her face if you don't want to."
Carla felt weak in the knees, she held onto the edge of the table to keep the world from spinning. "You're asking me to ... to – " she couldn't even say it.
Kyle leaned forward, his calloused hands folded. "You're thinking too much."
She laughed. A dry, humorless sound at the back of her throat. "This is my fucking daughter we're talking about, of course I'm gonna think too much about it. Do you even realize what you're asking of me?"
"It's just a picture."
Carla had to sit down. Her eyes closed as she ran both her hands through her hair. She drew in a long breath. "I can't do it."
"Think of the money, Carla. I know you can't refuse this deal."
"I already have a deal with Charlie," she snapped. "We're doing fine just trading clothes for money."
"How much?" he questioned, studying her closely.
Carla refrained from squirming under his intense gaze. "Enough."
"How about more than enough?" Kyle tapped his fingers against the surface of the scratched-up table. "I know you like the sound of that."
She dropped her head in her hands, focusing on her breathing. In and out. In and out. She was going mad for even considering his offer. But the money ... nothing ever sounded more appealing to her. She had to fight to get the things she had, nothing ever came easy to her. What if this was her ticket into the life she truly deserved?
Kyle cleared his throat. "Charlie's business involves drugs. I thought you wanted to stay away from that shit?"
"I'm not using it," she defended herself, ignoring how weak her resolve sounded.
"Right," Kyle chuckled. "Resisting temptation never was your strongest suit. C'mon, Carla."
She picked up her head, staring him down. "What are you offering?"
"No drugs involved this time ... just pictures in exchange for a good sum of money."
Her teeth trapped her bottom lip, biting down until she drew blood. "How many pictures?"
He shot her a slow smile – the cold kind, the one that filled you up with dread. "As many as you want. Until you collected all the cash you need to buy a better life for you and your family."
