"I will never do anything to harm you or the others. I give you my word," Colby stated boldly.

For some strange reason, Maggie believed him. She needed someone who could help get Juju out of this horrible bind. She tossed the options around in her mind: trust Colby or...or nothing. Maggie realized that she didn't have anything to lose anymore by telling Colby the truth.

She took a deep breath. "Juju is a drug dealer. She's been selling since she was a young girl."

"Hmmm, that complicates things a bit," Colby mumbled.

"See? Exactly," Maggie responded, annoyed at herself for telling him.

"Maggie, chill out. I didn't say I wouldn't help you. All I said was that it complicates things. So what kind of trouble is Juju in?" Colby asked with a desire to help and gain Maggie's trust at the same time.

"Someone swiped five hundred bucks from her. When she told Rock she'd been ripped off, he cut off her pinky finger. Then he told her that she would lose one finger every day until she replaced the money. I talked him into giving us three days to come up with the money. Today was the third day, and she lost another finger," Maggie explained.

"Fuck! That's crazy," Colby stated. "I need time to think about it. It'll be OK."

"Nothing will ever be OK as long as we stay here. Tomorrow night, he'll come back and hurt Juju again. I can't take that chance. She's all I have, her and Seth. The three of us are the only family any of us has, and I won't let anyone destroy them without putting up a fight," Maggie stated bravely.

"I'll figure it out," Colby promised.

Maggie was surprised. "Are you saying you'll help us even knowing that Juju sells dope?"

"I'm saying I'll try my best. In my line of work, I spend time gathering information and feeding it to the appropriate authorities. But I think if you and I can agree to work together, maybe the agency would see the benefit in giving me the money you need," Colby said.

"Are you trying to buy information?"

"Well, technically, I guess I am. But it's more like a negotiating chip for me to use with the agency," Colby admitted.

"And you'll keep my identity a secret?" Maggie asked cautiously.

"Of course I will. I'm in the business of helping people, not hurting them. Besides, I've grown to like you a little," he ridiculed and put his strong hand over hers. "I'll have the money for you in the morning," Colby said definitively.

Maggie didn't look at him. She stared straight ahead at the wall in front of her. Colby could feel her doubt filling the room. She didn't believe him, and he knew it.

"Maggie?"

The sound of Colby whispering her name sent a delicious ripple of pleasure through her entire being.

"Maggie," he said again, gently placing his hand under her chin and turning her head to face him. "The money for Rock will be here in the morning. Please...I don't want you to leave. We have work to do together. We have other kids to save," he explained. Colby was avoiding the real reason he didn't want her to leave...he loved the sexual energy between them.

"What will I have to give you for the money?" Maggie asked.

"You don't have to give me anything. I just want to protect you. I want to keep you safe. All of you," Colby added, looking over at Juju and Seth, who were sleeping.

"Thank you," Maggie said in a strained voice.

"Then we agree that you're going to stay put for now. Right?" Colby confirmed.

"Yes, for now. But I can't promise for how long, Colby. None of us are really living. All we do is exist so that others can make their own lives better. And, after seeing what Rock has done to Juju, I know he is capable of doing worse things to any of us. I'm no different than a slave. I do the unthinkable. I sell myself, my body, and not because I want to. It's not because I choose to do it. It's because I feel like I have no way out of this shit," Maggie confessed.

"Do you know who your parents are?" Colby asked. He, too, wanted her away from this life.

"Yeah. I know, but it's been too long. So many things have happened. I could never face them. I'm too ashamed of the things that I've done-that I'm still doing."

"Maggie, your parents would understand. You didn't pick this life."

"I'm not so sure they would understand. Besides, Rock would find them and me. He would eventually kill all of us. He's told me he'd kill all of us, and I believe him. I know he would do anything to keep what he believes is rightfully his. If I went home, and anything ever happened to my family, I would never forgive myself. Anyway, I have Juju and Seth to think about too. I just can't..." Maggie's voice trailed off as the image of her parents stood boldly in her mind's eye.

Colby stood and reached his hand out to Maggie. She placed her long, graceful hand in his, and he gently pulled her up. They stood facing each other. "Someday, I hope to change all of this for you. I will do everything in my power to see to it that you're reunited with your family again. When we take Rock and his pack of lame-brains down, then it will be safe for you to return home," he promised.

Maggie walked Colby the few feet to the door of the apartment. He hesitated a moment before he bent down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Things will change, and I will be here for you when you need me," Colby whispered. Then he left, closing the door behind him.

Maggie stood perfectly still. She held on tightly to the feeling of Colby's warm, soft lips brushing her cheek. It had taken all of her willpower not to reach out and grab onto him. She wanted to hold him. She wanted him to hold her. Then, feeling foolish, she banished the sensation. A man like Colby would never be with a girl like me. I'm a hooker. He's just being nice. Don't over think his intentions, Maggie told herself.

But as Maggie lay on the floor that night, trying to sleep, the only thing she could think about was Colby.

Chapter One Hundred Twelve.

Maggie woke the next morning to a soft knock on the door. She eased her way up off the floor and stumbled as she grabbed the doorknob.

"Who is it?" she said softly.

"It's Colby. Open up."

Maggie opened the door and smiled. Her long, silky hair was disheveled, and her eyes were puffy from sleep.

"Good morning," Colby said softly. "I've brought coffee and doughnuts."

Maggie opened the door wider to let him into the apartment. Each of them took a seat at the small folding table they used as a dining room set.

"Ah, coffee. Just what the doctor ordered," Maggie said as she reached for one of the cups.

Colby didn't respond. He just watched her from the other side of the table. Maggie took a long slurp of the coffee.

"Could you drink any louder?" Colby teased. "Do that again and you'll wake up Juju and Seth."

Maggie giggled. "Yes, drinking quietly. Now that's not something they taught me in charm school. I must've been absent that day."

Maggie reached across the table, grabbed one of the powdered doughnuts out of the box, and took a big bite. "Mmmmm, I wove powder doughnuts," she mispronounced with her mouth full.

Colby couldn't help but laugh at the powdered sugar she wore from cheek to cheek. "That's a good look for you. I guess you missed charm school the day they taught how to eat doughnuts daintily too."

"Yep, I know. I'm a hot mess. You should see me eat spaghetti," Maggie teased.

"It would be my pleasure. Maybe we can go out to dinner sometime. I'll take you to a wonderful Italian restaurant in South Philly. Now, that's where you get real spaghetti," Colby stated.

Maggie wiped her mouth on her sleeve. Had Colby just asked her out on a date? What was she supposed to say?

"Don't make me any promises you can't keep," Maggie finally managed.

"I never do. I'm always true to my word, which is why I'm here."

Colby reached into his pocket and took out a wad of money. "This is the five hundred dollars I promised you. Now you can pay that asshole off, and we can move on."

Maggie's mouth dropped open. "How did you get the money? What did you tell the agency I'd do for it?" she asked, suddenly fearful of what she might owe.

"I didn't promise them anything. I told them I needed it so I could spend more time with you. That's what they want me to do...spend time with you so I can get information," he said, covering up his lie.

"Really?" Maggie couldn't believe something was actually going their way for a change.

"Really what?" Juju asked from the bed.

"Colby got the money we need to pay Rock. Look," Maggie squealed, rushing over to show her friend the money.

"What do we gotta do for it?" Juju asked skeptically.

"Colby said we don't have to do anything."

The two girls turned to face Colby, who nodded and smiled at them.

Seth was still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes when he noticed the wad of cash Maggie was holding.

"Aggie! You got the money. How?" Seth asked.

Maggie looked over at Colby, and Seth followed her gaze. The boy gave the grown man a quick nod of his head, and Colby responded in the same way. Colby stood and walked toward the door. He could sense that the boy was nervous about his relationship with Maggie. She was the only mother Seth could remember, and he was feeling threatened by Colby's presence over the last two days.

"All right, you guys. I have to roll. I'll catch you later," Colby said.

"Wait!" Maggie jumped to her feet and strode over to Colby. She reached up and gave him a hug. "Thank you. Someday, we'll pay you back every cent."

"Don't worry about it. Didn't charm school teach you that money grows on trees?" Then he got very serious. "You need to be careful with Rock today, all right? Give him the money and get out of there."

Maggie didn't know that Colby had used his own money to pay off the debt. Colby wanted her to trust him not only because he needed information about Rock's shady, corrupt businesses, but also because he wanted her to stay close to him. He couldn't deny the way he felt about her anymore.

Maggie nodded, and after Colby had gone, she turned back to her little family. "We did it! We got the money. I'm going to get dressed and go to see Rock."

"There's something else, too," Seth gushed. "Joey came back to school yesterday."

"Thank God! How is she?" Maggie asked.

"Joey's doing real good now. She said the doctor was so nice to her that she didn't want to leave and wished he would've kept her there so she didn't have to go back and live with Thelma and Rock," Seth said.

"Well, we're gonna keep a close eye on her," Maggie stated with a feeling of renewal.

Maggie felt joyful. Joey was safe, albeit still living with Thelma, and Rock would leave Juju alone now that she had his money. She felt a stab of gratitude for all Colby had done to help them out of their predicament.

On her way to see Rock, Maggie stopped at a small grocery store to grab a loaf of bread. Inside, she noticed a tall, blond-haired woman, almost instantly she recognized her. "Emma. Hey, Emma, what are you doing here?" Maggie asked as they hugged.

"I live in Kensington, Mags," Emma told her.

"Since when? Why didn't you ever tell me you lived here?"

Emma chuckled. "Because you never asked me where I live. I'm about a mile from here."

Just then, a beautiful little girl walked up and tugged on Emma's shirt. "Hey, sweetheart, I want you to meet Maggie. But I call her Mags," Emma explained.

The young girl looked up at Maggie. "Hi. My name is Izzy."

Maggie bent down to be at eye level with the child. "Nice to meet you, Izzy. You look exactly like your mom," she said, beaming up at Emma.

"No, Izzy is my niece," Emma clarified.

"Well, then, you look exactly like your aunt," Maggie declared.

A tender smile played on Izzy's lips. "Everybody says that. Right, Aunt Em?"

"That's right, baby," Emma said with deep affection.

"OK, I have to get moving. I'm on my way to see Rock," Maggie said.

Maggie grabbed the loaf of bread and headed toward the register with Emma close behind her. When the clerk told her how much she owed, Maggie reached into her purse. She fumbled around inside, trying to dig out her wallet. Finally, she put the purse up on the counter and looked inside.

Maggie began to quiver and she broke out into a cold sweat. Her heart was pounding, and she kept looking inside her bag, willing her wallet to reappear. All she could say was, "Oh my God. Oh my God."

"What's wrong, Mags?" Emma asked.

"My wallet is missing. It had all of my money in it," Maggie cried.

"No worries. It's only money, girl. Here, I can cover the bread," Emma offered.

But Maggie wasn't worried about the bread. She was worried about the five hundred dollars that was in her wallet to pay off Rock. In that moment, Maggie's whole world came crumbling down on her, and now she truly had no one to turn to.

Chapter One Hundred Thirteen.