The Devil's Good Girl

Serarphina's POV "Five million euros plus interest" The words cut through our kitchen like a blade, and I stood in the doorway with textbooks held against my chest while staring at my father bleeding on the cracked tiled floor. Three men in expensive suits surrounded him, and they looked at me like they'd been waiting. "Miss Morel," the man said. I should have been scared. Instead, I felt detached. My books slipped from my hands, pages scattering across the floor and soaking up blood. Dad's watch—the one that cost more than rent shoned red under the kitchen light. “Sera, run,” Dad coughed. I didn't run. I'd been waiting for something like this since he started gambling again after Mom died. Since he sold everything we owned, piece by piece. "Your father sold information that got our people killed," the man continued, his voice clinical and cold. "Payment's due.” Dad used to work for the government before cards became more interesting than keeping a job, and I always wondered what secrets he kept in his head. From down the hall, Evelyn's violin began playing something soft and sad. She always played when things got bad. Music was easier than dealing with whatever mess Dad made this time. "I can get the money," Dad said while struggling to sit up. "I just need more time.” "No more time." The man checked his watch. "Mr Blackwood doesn't wait.” My chest tightened, because everyone in Prague knew stories about Damian Blackwood and what happened to people who crossed him. Dad's eyes found mine, calculating even while bleeding. "Seraphina's smart and she speaks three languages so she's worth more than five million to a man like Blackwood.” The room went cold "Take her for five years," Dad kept talking with desperation bleeding into his voice. "Whatever you need, but just don't touch Evelyn.” Even dying he was still protecting her first and throwing me away. "What information?" I asked quietly The man's gaze shifted to me "Your father's intel killed three of our men so he owes blood money". Dad wouldn't meet my eyes. "Sera, these men would break Evelyn but you're strong like your mother." Strong like what was supposed to make this better. "Your sister takes ballet Tuesday at four on Rue de la Paix," the man said with his voice dropping to a whisper "Pretty girl and she looks fragile" The violin stopped. "Don't touch her," I said "That depends on your answer" He straightened his cuffs "Mr Blackwood likes things simple". I looked at Dad in his expensive shirt, bought with Evelyn's modeling money while I worked three jobs to pay for my own textbooks. I remembered when he used to care about both his daughters. "You'd really sell me," I said "It's temporary," Dad insisted "Just until I figure something out" "Figure out what?" My voice stayed steady. "You sold the house and Mom's jewelry and my college fund so what's left?" Nothing and we both knew it; "Miss Morel," the man said patiently, Do you accept your father's offer? I looked around our apartment,with its broken furniture and water stains and Evelyn's expensive violin case by the door that cost more than my entire semester. "Fine," I said "I'll go" Because Evelyn was nineteen and had never worked a day in her life, because she didn't know how to survive without someone taking care of her and I'd been taking care of myself since I was fourteen. "Good choice," the man said. "We leave in an hour.” I walked to my room and threw clothes into a bag. My hands moved automatically—jeans, sweaters, the few nice things I owned. Behind me, I heard Dad crying in the kitchen. I didn't go back. An hour later, I stood in our doorway with my single bag. Vincent waited by a black Mercedes. Evelyn appeared in the hallway, violin still in her hands. "Where are you going?" she asked. I looked at her—nineteen, beautiful, completely unaware that Dad had just sold me to pay for her safety. "Away," I said. The car door slammed shut behind me.