I can’t even look at myself in the mirror without thinking about it. The weight of it presses down like a storm cloud that won’t shift.
And now…
The money.
The stem cell procedure for Kiera isn’t cheap. Add in the hospital fees, follow-ups, and aftercare, and it becomes a mountain. One I can’t climb with what I’ve got. I need serious cash.Fast.
Back home, Tyler, a guy I used to go to school with, told me about this betting app calledSportshark. Said it’s run by a guy named Vex, a bookie with reach. Tyler said sometimes you’ve got to take a risk if you want to win big. Bet on a sure thing with high reward, but high stakes.
So yeah, I’m taking a risk.
I know gambling isn’t the smartest idea I’ve ever had, but I’m not a dumbass. I don’t have an addictive personality, and this isn’t about chasing a high. It’s about flipping a desperate situation into a win.
I open the app and scroll through the latest odds.
Tyler told me ‘Trixabell’ is a horse that’s won seven of her last nine races. She’s fast, consistent, and reliable. A‘sure thing,’he called her.
Vex extended me a line of credit—twenty grand.
It’s reckless.
I damn-well know that.
But I hit the button anyway, placing the full twenty-thousand-dollar bet on Trixabell.
Double or nothing.
As soon as the bet locks in, a knot coils in my stomach. A whisper of doubt creeps in and settles like ice in my gut. If this doesn’t pay off, I’m in deep.Real deep.
I close the app, trying to shake the feeling.
What’s done is done.
No going back now.
Resting my head on my forearm against the rail, I let my legs dangle over the edge, staring down at the empty stage as a few crew members shuffle across the floor below, setting up gear for tonight.
My thoughts drift to Effa.
She was everything I didn’t expect when she figured out the truth about Kiera. Gentle, steady, absolutely no judgment, just comfort. I should have told her sooner. I wanted to. But the words, they’re hard to say. Still, she made it easier. Made me feel like maybe I’m not doing this alone anymore.
Effa’s become a light in my life.
And the last thing I want is to dim it.
“Mercs?” That husky, unmistakable voice floats up from below and my chest warms instantly.
I glance down and spot her weaving through the back of the stage, peeking behind lighting rigs and speakers, trying to find me.
“Are you here?” she calls, her voice curious, soft.
She looks so small from up here—tiny, determined, and gorgeous.
“Mercs… where are you?” she murmurs, more to herself than anything.
“You’re really pretty, you know that?” I call down.
She freezes, eyes darting around in confusion before landing somewhere close. Her lips curl into a smile, hands finding her hips as she tilts her head. “It’s rude to stalk people, you know.”
