Hanging up the phone, I felt a strange mix of emotions. My mother had sounded grateful to this man, which only made my stomach twist with worry.
What if he isn’t here to help me?
What if he’s just another person trying to take advantage of my situation?
The fear crept in quickly, dark thoughts unraveling in my mind. What if this man wanted to buy me? What if he planned to take me, turn me into something worse than what I was enduring here?
I gripped the phone tightly, my pulse racing.
And then—
Grrrrrrrrowl.
The loud, unmistakable growl of my stomach echoed through the room, making my entire body stiffen.
Then, almost immediately, the other feeling hit me.
My gut twisted violently, sending a very clear message.
Not now. Not here.
I shot up from my seat, shoving the phone onto th
