My CEO 413

413 Desperate Dealings

413 Desperate Dealings

(Cass)

The alley stinks of rotting garbage, stale beer, and desperation. My heart races as I wait, shifting from foot to foot, clutching the small bag of pills in my hand.

It's quiet in an eerie way, the kind of quiet that prickles at your nerves and makes you second-guess every decision that led you here.

This used to be my life a long time ago. I swore I'd never be back here again. I promised Mom. I argued with Winona that I could take care of myself. Now here I am.

I glance at my phone. The screen is cracked, just like everything else in my life, but it flashes the time anyway. It's been twenty minutes, and every second feels like a razor blade on my nerves. Someone is supposed to be meeting me here.

I never thought I'd be selling drugs to save my own ass. But unloading this stash will get me out of the debt I owe these dealers. Enough to keep them from rearranging my face or worse. Then I'm never, ever doing this again.

I'll get clean. I might even have some money left to start over. Just this one last deal and I can stop.

The laughter and music from the club down the street drift over, taunting me. This place used to feel thrilling when Mia dragged me out on our wild nights, both of us dressed to kill, high on life or maybe just high.

I thought she was a friend, thought she genuinely liked me, but now I see she was only using me. There's a lot more to Mia than anyone knows. I feel it now. But it's too late. I have to find a way out of this mess.

pang of loss follows. He seemed different, seemed like he actually cared, but now he's

a train wreck

and

not someone I recognize, but his presence makes my skin crawl. He's dangerous-slicked-back hair, hard eyes, and

keep my hands from shaking. I've done

the pills. A beat passes, then

wouldn't matter. "It's-it's what Mia gave me,"

the wall. "You

he pulls out a gun, and my entire body goes cold. Oh, God.

1/2

413 Desperate De

is

missing gear? Trying to take a cut for

from us."

barrel hard

try to shake my

rings out, sharp and commanding. "Hey, what the hell's going

your business." The thug turns the gun on the man. "Time to

don't-" I start,

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