"Every nerve screamed yes and no at the same time."

The heat of his breath lingered against my ear like a brand, his words dripping with the false sweetness of poison-coated honey: Yield, and I'll make it worth your while.

Every nerve in my body erupted into chaos, screaming contradictory messages that left me reeling. Yes, whispered the part of me that craved recognition, that hungered for someone to see my worth and offer me everything I'd been denied. No, roared my pride, my sense of ...