However, Stuart gives me a pleasant smile and gestures for me to follow him to his office. I should have run at that point. But I was so stupid. I naively walked into the lion’s den without a thought.
Trepidation settles in my stomach as soon as he closes and locks the door behind me. Something tells me that I should leave, but I’m desperate. I can’t fail my dad.
“So, what brings you over here, Taryn?” Stuart stops next to me with a congenial smile. It’s a little creepy how nice he’s trying to be. I shudder at his proximity and take a couple of steps back. “I…I came because…I need money.”
Stuart leans his back on the desk and crosses his arms in front of his chest. “And what do you need money for?” He asks evenly.
I bite my lip and nervously wring my fingers before I reply. “Um, wel
