She’d been there for what felt like weeks, but was only in fact a few days. Stupid girl! What did you expect! She’d had plenty of time to think about her decision to come back since she’d arrived. She still believed it had been the right one, though, despite being locked in a room with no way out. Even if she died trying, her heart wouldn’t have let her do anything other than try to find her daughter.
Chapter One
She’d expected a welcoming committee when she’d flown into Heathrow airport and she hadn’t been disappointed. As soon as she’d cleared customs and walked into the main terminal, she’d spotted Joey waiting for her by the barriers. She’d known that going back wasn’t going to be easy, but as soon as she saw his face, the reality of what she was doing hit home and her resolve had briefly deserted her. There had been no mistaking the look on his face which had brought to mind what she imagined a lion might look like before devouring its prey.
Taking a d eep breath and reminding herself why she was there, she followed him out of the terminal and into the dark garage where he had parked the car. Getting into the back seat with her carry-on bag, she felt his eyes on her as they left the airport.
It felt strange to be back i n London again. Looking out of the car window, the sights and sounds so familiar, she felt like a stranger, felt she had been away a lot longer than the six months she had actually been gone.
The person who had left, who had run away from it all, was not the same person who’d flown back. That woman had appeared to be strong, to be able to cope with anything life had thrown at her. But the truth was she had built a protective wall around her core so that nothing could penetrate it. Deep within that core had been a woman who believed that she would never be loved, would never deserve more than she was getting out of life.
The woman s itting here now, though, was strong on the inside. Being with Kyle had taught her that she could do anything, that she didn’t have to be a slave to her past. And she now knew that a life without love, without hope, was not one that was worth living. Whatever Sergei did to her, he would never be able to take that away.
As the car rolled into the parking lo t and slowed to a stop, the sight of her old flat surprised her. She had expected to be taken to see Sergei immediately and couldn’t help but wonder if he was inside waiting for her.
Though she’d lived there for years, she felt like a stranger seeing it through new eyes as she walked up the steps and in through the front door. She’d barely made it inside before Joey grabbed her and pushed her down the hall and into her old bedroom.
She slowly sat down on the bed, glancing around the room that now seemed so foreign to her. Her eyes strayed to the window, and she instinctively went over to it, her palm resting on the cool glass.
“Don’t even think you’re going anywhere, Tara,” Joey growled, grabbing the purse she was still clutching tightly.
Emptying the contents on the bed, he grabbed her cell phone and threw the empty bag on the floor.
“Make yourself comfortable,” he said over his shoulder, closing and locking the door behind him with a laugh.
She’d kicked and sc reamed until she was hoarse to no avail for what seemed like hours. Eventually, she’d given up, she was left completely alone. Apart from when he’d brought her food, she had not seen another soul and had not left the room since she’d arrived.
She knew he couldn’t keep her locked up here forever. It was only a matter of time before Sergei showed his face and she needed to be prepared, needed to be ready to plead and beg if that was what it was going to take to see her daughter. Remembering what Sergei had said, that her daughter wanted to see her, she believed he wouldn’t just kill her outright. She clung to this hope now, sustained by its comfort.
But i t had been three days now and her
Chapter One
She’d expected a welcoming committee when she’d flown into Heathrow airport and she hadn’t been disappointed. As soon as she’d cleared customs and walked into the main terminal, she’d spotted Joey waiting for her by the barriers. She’d known that going back wasn’t going to be easy, but as soon as she saw his face, the reality of what she was doing hit home and her resolve had briefly deserted her. There had been no mistaking the look on his face which had brought to mind what she imagined a lion might look like before devouring its prey.
Taking a d eep breath and reminding herself why she was there, she followed him out of the terminal and into the dark garage where he had parked the car. Getting into the back seat with her carry-on bag, she felt his eyes on her as they left the airport.
It felt strange to be back i n London again. Looking out of the car window, the sights and sounds so familiar, she felt like a stranger, felt she had been away a lot longer than the six months she had actually been gone.
The person who had left, who had run away from it all, was not the same person who’d flown back. That woman had appeared to be strong, to be able to cope with anything life had thrown at her. But the truth was she had built a protective wall around her core so that nothing could penetrate it. Deep within that core had been a woman who believed that she would never be loved, would never deserve more than she was getting out of life.
The woman s itting here now, though, was strong on the inside. Being with Kyle had taught her that she could do anything, that she didn’t have to be a slave to her past. And she now knew that a life without love, without hope, was not one that was worth living. Whatever Sergei did to her, he would never be able to take that away.
As the car rolled into the parking lo t and slowed to a stop, the sight of her old flat surprised her. She had expected to be taken to see Sergei immediately and couldn’t help but wonder if he was inside waiting for her.
Though she’d lived there for years, she felt like a stranger seeing it through new eyes as she walked up the steps and in through the front door. She’d barely made it inside before Joey grabbed her and pushed her down the hall and into her old bedroom.
She slowly sat down on the bed, glancing around the room that now seemed so foreign to her. Her eyes strayed to the window, and she instinctively went over to it, her palm resting on the cool glass.
“Don’t even think you’re going anywhere, Tara,” Joey growled, grabbing the purse she was still clutching tightly.
Emptying the contents on the bed, he grabbed her cell phone and threw the empty bag on the floor.
“Make yourself comfortable,” he said over his shoulder, closing and locking the door behind him with a laugh.
She’d kicked and sc reamed until she was hoarse to no avail for what seemed like hours. Eventually, she’d given up, she was left completely alone. Apart from when he’d brought her food, she had not seen another soul and had not left the room since she’d arrived.
She knew he couldn’t keep her locked up here forever. It was only a matter of time before Sergei showed his face and she needed to be prepared, needed to be ready to plead and beg if that was what it was going to take to see her daughter. Remembering what Sergei had said, that her daughter wanted to see her, she believed he wouldn’t just kill her outright. She clung to this hope now, sustained by its comfort.
But i t had been three days now and her
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