The Bound Between Us

Chapter 819

It was a knife.

Pressed hard against Alisa's waist-a knife, cold and sharp.

The man who'd been shadowing Monica was the same one now threatening Alisa. If Alisa hadn't walked in at the wrong time, Monica would've been the one cornered.

Alisa caught a heavy whiff of fish, raw and pungent. Her stomach twisted in fear, but she kept her voice low, pleading, "Don't kill me, please. I don't have any money. If it's cash you want, that woman from earlier-she's rich. She's got plenty."

People always think robbers want money or worse. You watch enough true crime, you know how these stories usually end.

The guy wasn't tall-maybe five foot tall, about Alisa's height. Unremarkable, really. He looked like the man Monica had seen by the river, except for a tiny mole at the edge of his brow-easy to miss if you weren't looking.

He leaned in, his voice like gravel. "You know what I hate most? Women who live off men. I heard everything you two said. Lazy, spoiled-women like you deserve what's coming."

"Herman, please let me go. I'll do anything. I have a daughter, she's just a kid. I can't die, not now. I didn't have a choice. Jason did this to me-he ruined my life, killed my husband," Alisa lied quickly, desperate to shift the blame. "And that woman from before? She's the real problem. She's got money, looks, and she scams men-she's the one you want."

She was smart. She'd picked up on what set him off-women who take advantage of men. Maybe he'd been burned before.

He sneered, "If it weren't for you, I'd already have taken care of her."

Alisa felt a surge of hatred and something darker. She squared her shoulders and faced him, voice trembling but determined. "If you want her gone, I'll help you. I won't

man's eyes narrowed behind his

"So you're Alisa? What's your connection to

must have overheard her

ruined me. I hate him. I hate that woman too. If it weren't for them,

guy's relationship to Jason was, but she had to make it clear-she was no friend

then, here's

echoed, her voice shaking. She was terrified, but her

straightened, cocky and unbothered. "We'll

care if she called the cops. He just tucked the knife away and strolled off,

frozen, heart pounding, until her fear finally ebbed. Then she took off after him,

"Wait!"

let her

me fifty thousand. The debt collectors are eating me alive. You give me fifty grand,

for a second, then raising

only

dared

second person who's ever to ask me for

revealing the same face