’Philippe, are you kidding? I will NOT spend the night here on the same bed with YOU.’

Ria

She noticed that he had also draped a muffler around his face, in such a way that he looked unrecognisable. He was also sitting forward and his entire posture resembled an old man, bent with age.

The little car trundled along and then she could no longer hear the sound of vehicles driving, like bats out of hell, in the other direction.

After a while, he looked back and she sensed that he was relieved, if slightly. He let her sit up and as she opened her mouth to complain, he said tightly,

‘The Rudenkos are on their way to Erin Dorsey’s place; those were their cars.’

Ria stiffened and then her body slumped.

The same men who had kidnapped and almost sold her mother as a sex slave; the men who were responsible for her father almost dying? she thought in terror.

*

Her large eyes on Philippe were filled with fear. Without looking at her, he reached out and took her small cold hands in his, tugging her into the warmth of his body and this time she did not resist. The men in the front se