I had a baby at seventeen. A single mistake that forced me into a marriage with a man I didn't love. Right after we got married, we were a million dollars in debt. It felt like the end of my life. The husband who once loved me changed. He got hooked on gambling and turned violent. Of course, all that violence was directed at me, since I was always trying to protect our child. One day, while we were barely scraping by, my husband ran off. And just like that, all that debt became mine. At first, I denied it. Then, I accepted it. And finally, I just gave up. On everything. The debt. My husband. I tried to keep going. I raised my child and worked to earn money. But when *he* showed up, despair clouded my vision. He was huge, covered in tattoos. I was terrified. This must be the man my husband warned me about. Filled with fear, I squeezed my eyes shut and trembled. Then I heard a low, raspy voice, laced with an undeniable heat. “Fuck… you’re so beautiful.” Did I hear that right? I opened my eyes and looked up to see him staring down at me, the tips of his ears slightly red. Then, in that same low voice, he said, "...Ma'am. Pay up."