Matthew's Adam's apple bobbed.
Before she could react, he was in front of her.
He grabbed her long black hair and growled in her face.
+You're getting on my nerves, little one. Way too much."
He held a knife flat against her left collarbone.
Diana's breath stopped from fear.
-"Don't…"
She gasped.
A five-centimeter cut now marked the skin below her collarbone.
Bright red blood trickled slowly down her left chest.
The wound wasn't deep, but it burned like hell.
+"Next time, it's your tongue that gets cut. When you can use that tongue for other things, why waste it on talking? Hmm? It's too soon to lose it."
He sat back down on the couch.
+"Start talking.
She had no choice. She took a deep breath, trying to push back her tears.
-"It's been about a year… working at that restaurant. The pay's okay. They gave me food every day too. But after paying bills, there wasn't enough left to cover rent. The cheaper places in rough neighborhoods were too far, and I'd have to spend what little I had on getting there."
"James… one day, James said a friend of his had a place nearby. Two streets up from the restaurant. He agreed to charge low rent, but since it was so close, I had to come in earlier than everyone else and close up at night."
Her voice cracked.
-"I had no choice, so I agreed. I always felt James's eyes on me. I thought maybe it was because I'm a girl, that's why he stared so much. But after a while, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I didn't want to lose my job or cause trouble with the other workers, so I said no. I explained it to him, thinking he'd let it go."
"But a few days later, he came back. He said… he said I could sleep with him. No one would have to know. And he'd double my pay."