Chapter 2. 5 Years Earlier

I hear the door. Moving quickly, I stand up and hear his footsteps, watching the doorway he walks through a moment later.

"Here." His voice is loud, my body shudders, and I step towards him. "Shall I let the information slip through?" I go to shake my head, but he continues. "Do you have any idea how many others would want this chance?"

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not! I give you one week Evaline. One week to go home and see your family, you took longer. I had to come and get you!" His hand swings, and the back of it hits me.

Stumbling back, I try to steady myself, but the next hit comes too quickly for me to do anything, and I fall to the floor.

"Clearly, you want that information out there. It's sitting there right now on my desk. Anyone could find it." His fist swings and hits me. Before I could recover, his foot flew forward, catching my stomach.

Groaning, I turn to crawl away. His hands grab and pull me back, flippi