“No.”
“Don"t lie to me.”
Clenching her teeth, she let her head hang and sobbed, waves of long brown hair dangling into her lap. “I"m sorry,” she said, trembling. “Look, I just needed a little extra this month. That"s all.”
“Oh, is that all?”
Leo started forward with his hands in his pockets, keeping his gaze fixed upon the floor. “Well, if you"ve learned your lesson,” he said with a shrug. “I suppose I can let you off with a stern warning.”
She looked up at him, confusion evident in her expression. No one ever got off with a stern warning. You took from the communal pot and you suffered for it. Those were the rules. “Leo…”
He back-handed her across the chin with enough force to turn her face away. Gia stiffened, groaning. “You really are stupid, aren"t you?” Leo growled. “Let me clar
