Chapter 1My best friend sold me to a casino to cover her gambling debts.
I was her offering to the most dangerous man in the city.
He'd been hunting for a woman with a crescent-shaped birthmark on her stomach.
I had one. The only link to my real parents.
When I saw my childhood drawing hanging in his office, I finally understood:
He wasn't looking for a lover.
He was looking for his DAUGHTER. Missing for sixteen years.
My "friend" caught on fast.
She slashed my birthmark. Drugged me. Left me to DIE.
But as I lay there bleeding out?
I screamed my birth name.
He came running like a man POSSESSED.
Now everyone who betrayed me, sold me, hurt me—
They're all going to BLEED.
I'm Holly.
The daughter he spent sixteen years searching for.
Not some prize to be traded.
And I'm DONE being anyone's victim!
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My gambling-addict best friend suddenly invited me to Vegas. "Sarah! I hit it BIG! I'm booking us a suite at the Bellagio—my treat!!"
But the second we landed? She dragged me straight into some back room at the casino. "I lied—I didn't win, I lost FIFTY MILLION! They'll sell me to traffickers if I can't pay! But the casino king wants a girl with a crescent moon birthmark. Find her, debt's gone. You have one—on your stomach—I saw it!" Her voice shook. "I'm sorry, Sarah. But it's you or me."
Four guys pinned me to the couch. I fought back—then froze. A kid's drawing on the wall. Crayon scribbles. I made that. Week before I was kidnapped. Dad said he'd treasure it forever. My heart stopped. Then started pounding. A laugh bubbled up in my throat. Oh, girl. You have NO idea what you just walked into.
By the time I realized something was wrong, it was too late. The door was locked. "Sarah, listen—"Vicky's voice cracked. "FIFTY MILLION dollars! I could work my whole life and NEVER pay that back! But that birthmark on your stomach—the crescent moon—that's MY WAY OUT!" Fear grabbed me by the throat. I couldn't breathe. "Vicky... Did you just sell me? We've been best friends since we were TWELVE!" My whole body shook. "And you're selling me out for MONEY?"
"NO! You don't GET it!" She grabbed my shoulders, nails digging in. "The casino king who owns this place? He's FILTHY RICH! And he's obsessed with one thing—women with crescent moon birthmarks. EXACTLY LIKE YOURS! For a girl like that, he'll wipe out ANY debt. Don't you see? If he picks you, you'd be SET FOR LIFE!"
The image hit me—a predator with dead eyes and hungry hands. My stomach turned. I shoved her hard and bolted for the door. "Then YOU do it. I'm leaving!" Something hard exploded against the back of my skull. "Sarah, you're forcing me to do this!" The room spun. My legs gave out. I hit the floor.
She leaned down and ripped the pink bead from my pocket. "Don't think I don't know why you really came. You're hunting for your birth parents. Well, clear my debt, and I'll help you find them. But if you run..." Her voice turned venomous. "You'll NEVER see them again."
Pain exploded through my skull. I tried to speak, but despair swallowed the words whole.
I was five when they took me. The traffickers panicked—terrified someone would recognize me. So they stripped me naked, shaved my head, threw away everything. Everything except this one tiny bead with my nickname carved into it. I kept it hidden under my tongue for hours until they finally stopped checking. Sixteen years later, I can't remember the way home. Most of my childhood is just gone. This bead is all I have left. My only link to my parents. Without it, every hope of finding them dies.
Chapter 2
"Smart girl." The second Vicky finished, the door slammed open. Several dangerous-looking men walked in. The one in front didn't even glance our way. "You Vicky Carter? Heard you brought payment." Vicky practically threw herself forward, jabbing a finger at me. "Mr. Kane! The casino king wants a girl with a crescent moon birthmark, right? That's Sarah! She's got one—right on her stomach! So about that fifty million—" Kane didn't look up. He pulled out a chair and dropped into it. "We check first."
His men moved fast. Before I could react, rough hands grabbed me, slammed me down on the couch, and tore off my jacket. One of them reached for my shirt. I kicked him hard in the knee. "Get the hell OFF me!" "You little bitch—" He spat and cracked me across the face. The second hit made everything go white.
Stars burst behind my eyes. Then—BANG. The gunshot split the air. The guy screamed and went down, clutching his bleeding leg. Kane stood there holding a pistol like it was nothing, his expression dead flat. "Touch her before we verify, you're done. Clear?" He jerked his chin toward the door. "Drag him out. Don't bleed on the carpet." The others scrambled to haul him away, eyes wide with fear. The grip on me vanished. But I couldn't move. My whole body locked up. They had GUNS. If I fought again, that bullet would be mine.
Across the room, Vicky looked shaken—but her eyes burned with determination. "Mr. Kane, I swear she's got it! The crescent moon! Exactly what Boss wants!" Kane's cold gaze flicked to her. She shrank back instantly, trembling. "You four. Verify. Fast."
Four men came at me. I tried to back away—then I froze. There was a drawing on the wall. Crayon. Stick figures. A mom, a dad, and a little girl with pigtails flying a kite. And scribbled at the top in shaky kid handwriting—Holly. My breath caught. I drew that! The week before the traffickers took me! Mom stuck it on the fridge. Dad laughed and said he'd keep it forever. DAD! He's been looking for me too this whole time!
My heart slammed in my chest. I lurched forward, shaking, barely able to breathe. "Your boss—what's his last—" "Enough!" Kane cut me off, pressing the gun barrel cold against my forehead. "Girls who talk this much are usually scheming." His voice dropped to ice. "You. Shut it." He nodded at his men. "Strip her. Check the mark."
Chapter 3
My skin crawled. He'd just shot one of his own guys without flinching. What chance did I have?! Vicky was shaking beside me, whispering frantically: "Sarah, just let them check. Once they're done, I can leave. If you keep fighting, we're both dead..." Even now. All she cared about was herself!
I glanced at that crayon drawing one more time and forced myself to stay calm. Just get through this. Once they verified the mark, Dad would come. We'd recognize each other. Everything would be okay. I bit down hard and let them lift my shirt, choking down the humiliation. Right below my belly button—the crescent moon. Clear as anything.
"Mr. Kane! This one's legit!" Kane came over fast. The second he saw it, his expression shifted. He muttered something under his breath: "Holy shit. It's exactly like the one he drew..."
Vicky practically glowed with relief. She flashed her sweetest smile. "So, Mr. Kane, about that fifty million—" Kane didn't even look at her. He just waved dismissively. "Cleared. Now get lost." "Yes! Oh my God, thank you!" She spun toward the door. No! She couldn't leave like that! She still had my bead!
I threw myself off the couch and grabbed for her sleeve. "Vicky, WAIT! Give me back—" "Stop her!" Kane barked the order. The guy closest to me kicked me hard in the gut. I crashed backward. My skull cracked against the table edge.
Kane exploded. "Are you out of your MIND? I said don't touch her until Boss confirms!" The back of my head where Vicky hit me earlier was still screaming. Now something wet and warm trickled down my neck. I slumped against the table and touched my head. My fingers came back slick with blood. Everything started going fuzzy. My arms felt like dead weight. No. Not yet! I can't pass out. Not before I see Dad...
"Oh crap—Mr. Kane, she's bleeding!" Someone shouted. Kane's jaw clenched. "You two—get a medic. NOW. You two—find the boss. Tell him we found a match. Tell him to get down here. Everyone else—back OFF. If she's really the one and you idiots hurt her before Boss gets here, he'll kill all of us!" His guys scattered like roaches. A couple nearly knocked Vicky over on their way out.
She stood frozen in the doorway, staring. Finally she croaked out: "Mr. Kane... Boss just wants a girlfriend, right? Why's one girl such a big deal?" Kane's expression darkened. "You think he'd forgive fifty million for some random hookup? People have tried this before. Brought him women with crescent moon marks. But they didn't know where EXACTLY he wanted it. So they got some cheap tattoo artist to ink one on and thought they could fool him." His voice dropped. "He killed every single one of them."
Vicky went white as a sheet. Kane kept going: "You got lucky. Your friend's mark is in the perfect spot. Exact placement. Exact shape. So sit tight. If she's really the one, you won't just walk away clean—you'll be set for life riding her coattails."
Something ugly flickered across Vicky's face. Panic shot through me. I forced my mouth open, words slurring. "I'm... I'm his—" "Mr. Kane, WAIT!" Vicky lunged at me. Her nails stabbed into my thigh like claws. "That mark's a FAKE! I can't lie to the boss! I'll pay the fifty million back myself! I'm not doing this anymore!"
