As I moved deeper into the room, his gaze dropped to my feet, and worked its way back to my face. I was wearing faded jeans, boots, and a snug pink Juicy T-shirt I got on sale at TJ Maxx last summer that said I’m a Juicy girl. “I bet you are,” he murmured.

What are you? A man with a rope? Ha-ha.

This isn't what I wanted. This isn't what I would have chosen. You must know that. It's important you know that.

Have you ever had one of those moments when time just freezes? You know, when the world suddenly goes deathly still, and you could hear a pin drop, and the squishing sound your heart makes is so loud in your ears you feel like youre drowning in blood, and you stand there in that suspended moment and die a thousand deaths, but not really, and the moment passes and dumps you out on the other side of it, with your mouth hanging open, and an erased blackboard where your mind used to be?

She's thirteen. Time will remedy that.

Truth hurts. But lies can kill.

Turn it off," Ryodan says without even looking at me. "You're distressing Dani. No one distresses Dani but me.