10 : Kill The Temptation -

The Dealer vanished into the shadows, his violet eyes fading like a dying ember. Elias stood in the rain, soaked and exhausted, but for the first time in years, he was entirely, beautifully present.

"Just one," Elias whispered. The Dealer smiled, a predatory tilt of the head. "The first one is always 'just one,' Elias. But this is a Ten. You won’t ever want to come back." 10 : Kill the Temptation

Elias looked at the chip, then at the photo of the daughter who hadn't spoken to him in years. The "Ten" offered a fake version of her love. The gray, cold alley offered the slim, painful chance of earning the real thing back. The Dealer vanished into the shadows, his violet

Elias took a step toward the Dealer. His lungs felt tight. He remembered the warmth of his wife’s hand, the smell of jasmine in her hair. The real world was gray, cold, and lonely. Why stay here? The Dealer smiled, a predatory tilt of the head