Finding erin

Finding Erin America Leigh.
Finding Erin
A true Identity Novel
By
America Leigh
Copyright © 2014 America Leigh
1

Synopsis.
Have you ever been so lost, that’s there nowhere to turn?
Nowhere to hide?
Nowhere to run.
How about not knowing anything. Waking up to find, you don’t even exist.
That your memories are lost, forgotten or even insignificant that no one knows
who you are?
That’s me.
The girl with no past, the girl with no future. They say to know where
you’re going is to know where you came from. But what if that’s your biggest
obstacle, that one tiny detail, to know who you truly are?
I’m Erin, or so they tell me. That’s the name they gave me when they found
me alone, unconscious with no name, no records and no family to take me in. I’m
Erin Frost, the girl with no past and no future, until something changed and now
I’m hiding from both, but to truly find myself I have to face the darkness of my
past and the light of my future has both have the potential to destroy me. What
would happen if you had no clues, no ties and no connections? That would be me.
Edward Vance had everything, encrusted in a neat and pretty package of
wealth and power combined with being the son of one of the most powerful men in
the world. Eddie on the other hand couldn’t care about what people thought or
even said about him. He’s spent the last ten years searching for his other half.
Turning the once shy and withdrawn young man into the tyrant of the business
world that he is today. Eddie’s world crumbled when his soul mate was snatched
from him leaving him empty in side. Making him hard and determined in return, to
find what was rightfully his. A cold trial finally leads him to Maggie, but she’s not
Margaret Montgomery anymore. She’s Erin Frost now and a whole different kettle
of fish to contend with, as Eddie battles with the past and trying to save their
future. They have to learn to lean on each other once again and discover that the
only person they can trust is each other.
2

Prologue.
Eddie. 2004
“Rinnnnnng, Rinnnnnng, Rinnnnnng”
I listened to that same tone for the last five minutes and panic was starting
to set in. The echo of the rings were puncturing my heart like a sphere, slowly
bleeding out. This was the second day she hadn’t answered my calls or the
countless texts I’d sent her. This wasn’t like Maggie.
My Maggie.
She always answered, unless she was in class or her dad was around. She
would have called me back. But two days, was so unlike her. I checked the phone
again, making sure I was actually calling the right number. I swiped to end the call
and slipped it back into my pocket. Looking around my dorm room, trying to figure
out what the hell I was going to do next. I could call her mother and ask where
Maggie is? But that would be a conversation I really didn’t want to torture myself
with. I could call my mom instead, but every time I mentioned Maggie’s name. I
got the safe sex talk and the ‘be careful, she’s only fifteen’ discussion. I wasn’t
stupid, I’d been in love with Maggie before I could even remember, even before I
really knew what love was? There’s only three years between Maggie and I, but
because I’m eighteen and a lustful, unruly boy. My mother’s words not mine. I’m
automatically going to corrupt my fifteen year old best friend into my best friend.
Who by the way, I would die for. Please! None of them really understand that I
could in fact, be one hundred percent in love with her and not just want in her
pants. It’s not that I don’t want to, I’m only human after all, but she’s so much
more than that. Her honey coloured hair drops in waves around her waist and
those hazel eyes that call me from hundred miles away remind me of luscious
chocolate that make my mouth water.
I started to pace the room, there wasn’t much room in here but it was clean
and mostly tidy. Unless you count Adam’s collection of clothes on the floor or the
porn stuffed under his bed that you can blatantly see. He was secretly hoping his
mother came by and shocked the shit out of her. Every step I took, my anxiety
climbed. Ready to shoot through the roof like a rocket ready to combust. God, this
is not like her to make me worry like this. I ran my sweaty palms down the front of
my trousers. We had made a pact when I left for university. She would call me
every day and text when she could and I’d sneak to see her every couple of weeks.
Which was working out quite brilliantly, I might add. Well that was until I called
about this coming weekend and the silence had began. Pacing the room was not
helping at all, I had to stop myself. I stood in front of the mirror like a pansy
berating myself to just pick up the fucking phone and call her mom and have done
with it already. I really should have these pep talks with myself more often to kick
3

myself up the backside. I smirked at myself in the mirror. Maybe that would work
when I had papers due too.
“Hey man, what’s up” Rafi asked, sweeping through the dorm room, running
his fingers through his dishevelled black hair. He looked like he had been out for a
run, but I knew better than that. Lucky Bastard. He hadn’t made it back last night,
no doubt he was getting friendly with the female population on campus. He shot
me a questioning look, knowing something was seriously up, he noticed me pacing
the room. Rafi stood over me at six foot three, sizing me up. He stood back with
his arms folded, waiting for an answer.
“Maggie hasn’t called in two days”
“So call her mamma, if you’re that worried” he quickly retorted back with a
‘just do it look’ on his face.
“Alright, alright, I was just thinking of that”, I answered through gritted
teeth. A feeling of uneasiness washed over me.
“Sure you were” Rafi added in that sarcastic tone he was prone for, raising
his eyebrows in response.
I blew out a frustrated breath, here we go again. Ringing Marilyn
Montgomery was never a chore I enjoyed. Apart from the mediocre tone of her
voice and the pure contempt she has for me, she could make you feel like you’re
not worthy to even hear her voice. Which is ironic, as her daughter is the complete
opposite of both of her parents combined. Maggie’s kind, sweet and so caring that
everything she does is never for herself, just the opposite in fact. Rafi just stood
there, waiting for me to snap into action, I slipped out my iPhone from my jeans
back pocket and dialled Marilyn.
“Marilyn Montgomery speaking” she answered sharply after only one ring.
She sounded nervous, on edge a little. Which wasn’t unheard of, but
characteristically unusual for her, especially when speaking to me. The uncertainty
in her voice couldn’t be denied. What the hell was going on? Something had
happened, I could feel it deep down in the knot that had quickly formed in my
stomach. I just needed to know where the hell my Maggie is?
“Mrs Montgomery, it’s Edward Vance, I was…. Just wondering where Maggie
was?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and smooth when dealing with Marilyn.
The break in my voice made it clear I was practically losing it by this point.
“I can’t seem to get hold of her” I added. I could hear a lot of sound in the
background, people being hushed and asking questions around her. The Paddock
was a closed house, only Maggie and her mother lived there full time now. Chris
lived in London to manage the company, only travelling to Kent at the weekends to
see Maggie. This is why our sneaking off to see each other, wasn’t always easy to
do.
4

“Mrs Montgomery” I asked again with a slight shrill in my tone. My patience
had worn thin over the last couple of days and I couldn’t hold my tongue anymore
as the line was still silent.
“What the hell is going on? Where is Maggie” I blurted down the phone as
anger took a hold of me like a glove squeezing me until there was nothing left. I
needed some answers. I started to pace again as Rafi stood near me to offer his
support. I was trying to grasp what Maggie’s mom was playing at. I really didn’t
care about anything else. I just needed to know what was going on and why Maggie
wasn’t answering my calls. We hadn’t had an argument or a tiff, unless her parents
have tried to intervene again. That can’t be though, Maggie wants to be with me
as much I want to be with her. That thought kept circling through my mind. She
would never leave me. She loves me too. So why was I suddenly questioning myself
now. I shook the thoughts away. Until I got some answers I couldn’t assume or
predict Marilyn’s silence as anything, not yet anyways.
A sob came loud down the line and echoed through the entire room. My
heart sank. In all the years I had known Maggie’s mother, she had never once
sobbed or even shown the slightest emotion of being upset. This was throwing me
through a loop because if she was sobbing, it had something to do with Maggie.
My Maggie.
“I don’t know where she is,” she whispered, her voice sounding strained. As
if she was on the verge of breaking down from all the emotions clogging her
throat.
“She’s gone” she added, when another sob ran through the line, I couldn’t
even register what she was saying. I looked over at my bedside table where
Maggie’s picture stood, smiling up at me. Maggie’s eyes held mine for a moment.
How the hell could she be gone?
“What the hell do you mean? By. Gone” I shouted down the line. I was
starting to get pissed and the anger was seeping into my veins. I just wanted a
straight answer. Had she run away? Had she been hurt? Had someone taken her?
Every scenario was running through my mind. My world was collapsing in front of
my eyes. Without Maggie, there was just no point anymore. I felt sick. My breath
was at the back of my throat trying to escape but trapped by my thoughts of
Maggie.
My Maggie.
I tried to rain in my emotions, but that was proving to be difficult. I wanted
to ask so many questions. I finally found my calm voice and asked what I feared
most. Confirmation.
5

“What do you mean by gone, Marilyn?” I asked as quietly and calmly as I
could, trying to hide my contempt for her. Her sobbing finally subsided into
quieter sobs as she took a few breaths and answered as calmly as she could.
“She’s just gone, her stuff, some money, but there was blood in the drive
way Edward……. they think she’s been kidnapped” choking on those final words
that made her start to sob again.
I had no words. I just stared into space. I didn’t know how to answer. Or
how to feel. Maggie was everything to me. The way she smiled. The way she
laughed and her little quirky ways of soothing me. I couldn’t lose her. I wouldn’t
lose her. Not now. Not ever. I was stood by her picture now, running my fingers
over the glass that held her face. I looked into her eyes dancing in the picture and
promised her then and there, that I’d find her. I’d always find her. My emotions
were all over the place, but Maggie is what drove me forward. I had known that
since we met. She was light to a moth, I couldn’t stay away. She guided me, led
me through the dark and made me want her, love her, need her. I wouldn’t stop
until I had her back where she belonged. With me.
“I’m on my way” I barked into the phone and flicked it off. Slamming my
fist into the closest wall. Smashing my knuckles again and again until the pain
registered. Anger, frustration coated my entire body like a new skin, one that I
would need to face her parents and actually find out what the hell was going on.
Rafi was waiting patiently for an explanation with a concerned look, that held
sympathy, but more than anything else, concern for Maggie.
“Let’s go, if I drive I can get us there in fifty minutes” he offered quickly,
skirting through our room for his keys and wallet while he slipped on his trainers
and jacket. I was glad he was here, when I made the call to Maggie’s mother and
for the support he had just offered. Rafi was the only friend I trusted with knowing
about me and Maggie. Other people just didn’t understand what our relationship
meant. It was complicated for sure, but nothing worth doing is ever easy. That’s
what my gramps always told me anyways. Rafi had decided to apply to Cambridge,
the same as me. I didn’t get the choice but at least we could dorm together. He
had gone against his mother’s wishes of him attending an American university. At
least Cambridge fitted the criteria that Rafi’s mother had expected. Heritage.
Prestige. Rafi didn’t fit in a gilded cage like the one is mom wanted him to fit into.
I was thankful at this moment that he had gone against her. He had always had my
back, but when it came to Maggie, he loved her just as much as me. We had grown
up together. He understood why I would want to belong to her and her alone. We
had this dynamic when growing up. Rafi was from the same town, even though
mine and Maggie’s parent’s lived in ostentatious homes with numerous staff. Rafi
came from good stock, money and prestige but as our families were all for show,
his family were inseparable both at home and at business. Making Rafi feeling
pressured and isolated. Rafi followed me through University and into business
6

because he knew I wouldn’t force him to do anything he didn’t want to. Just like
my parents, Rafi’s didn’t seem interested in what he wanted either.
Erin - 2004
My head hurt, pounding like a jack hammer was busy at work in there. I felt
strange, dizzy in fact. A mist of fog settled over me like I was half between sleep
and being awake. The light was beckoning me forward. I smelt an unfamiliar scent
of sterile cream and a disinfectant smell strong like bleach. It infiltrated my
nostrils and tugged them with force. It was unpleasant. I wanted to stay wrapped
up in the warmth and peace that had me blanketed. I tried licking my lips, but my
mouth was dry, too dry like I hadn’t drank water in a few weeks or months even. I
kept my eyes tightly shut, but I was aware of the sounds around me and the
constant beep of a machine that was in perfect rhythm. The soothing sound was
familiar and a sense of calm and peace washed over me. My body ached and I was
sore all over as if I’d been in a fight or something. I opened my eyes slowly as the
light from the window was blinding. My eyes took a few seconds to come into focus
as I glanced around the cream room and noticed the machine that was emitting
the beeping noise I recognised. The wires were attached to my chest, a heart
monitor I thought, reaching up and placing my hand over the monitor wires making
the noise muffled. My thoughts were unclear though, out of focus.
Where was I?
It looked like a private room with cream blinds hanging along the large
window to the right of my room. There was a table at the bottom of the bed with
a jug of water on and a chart. My chart, I thought.
“Look who’s awake” A slim women stated as she entered the room,
surprising me. She wore a green smock with a name tag on positioned to the left,
saying Molly in bold letters. She wore her blonde hair scraped back into a bun with
a hint of brown underneath. She reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t quite put
my finger on it.
“Where am I?” I asked. My voice cracking at the end making my throat ache.
I reached up and stroked my throat gently. It felt like I had swallowed shards of
glass that cut every inch instinctively.
“Here hunny” Molly offered me a glass of water that I quickly took. I gulped
at the cold refreshment that soothed my throat but didn’t quench the thirst I
seemed to have
“More” I asked trying to catch my breath. I coughed hard as the water had
trouble slipping down my throat.
7

“Easy there, sweetie. Take it easy, you’ve been out for a couple of weeks.
Your body won’t be able to take too much liquid, not just yet” Molly informed me
softly, patting my shoulder.
I’ve been out two weeks?
What did she mean by out?
I didn’t understand?
I searched the room for something familiar, but couldn’t place anything.
The room was very plain. I checked myself over. I didn’t seem to have any injuries.
My dark blonde hair was tied at the back and hung around the side. Everything
seemed to be in working order. I noticed a large round ring with a large brownish,
orangish stone on my third finger of my left hand. I stared at the pretty colours
that reflected the light around the room. It was beautiful, but where had it come
from? I couldn’t remember anything. Remembering what the nurse said, I turned
towards and asked.
“I don’t understand, what do you mean out?”
“You’ve been in a coma for two weeks. Your body was repairing itself.
Sometimes the mind shuts itself down so it can repair the damage and recover
before it allows you to become conscious again. This is a lot to take in, just rest
for now and I’ll go find the doctor for you” Her voice held concern, setting my
body on edge. What the hell happened to me if I had to recover for two weeks?
The doctor better have some good answers because I sure as hell didn’t.
“Don’t look so worried, everything’s fine sweetie” Molly added trying to
reassure me. The concern was still etched on her elegant face. I could tell that she
wasn’t telling me everything.
I was a blank slate, whatever happened I couldn’t remember what it was or
how it happened either. I looked over my body again. I looked ok under the thick
blankets swaddled around me. Nothing felt broken at least, but my entire body
ached and longed for rest. My eyes felt heavy and I relented to close them, as I
drifted back to sleep again.
8

Chapter One.
Eddie - Ten years later.
The room was still dark when I suddenly woke sweating and panting. This
had been the first nightmare I’d had in over a month. The sheets were soaked and
my body felt heavy with a thick blanket of sweat. I dreamt of Maggie's sweet face
most nights, tugging me into her sweet body and telling me everything would be
fine. This one had been so real and more intense than the last one. Chains and
gags surrounding her tear stained face. Her dark blonde hair falling limp around
her shoulders, with her shoulders slumped forward. Someone was standing behind
her. I couldn't see their face, I never could. Only the smug smile that made me
want to wrap my hands around their neck to squeeze every ounce of life out of
their body. I reached for her. Holding out my hand every time, wanting to grasp
onto something, anything. To make sure she was alive, but there was no reprieve
from this. I woke up every time with damp sheets wrapped around my legs,
grasping at some kind of outer reality, where my Maggie was back. In my arms and
safe.
My mornings were pretty much the same. A long cold shower to douse the
ache that was the constant reminder of Maggie. The walk through my apartment to
grab coffee and my keys. Making a mental note to ask Lucy to come round and tidy
round this week. The late nights and early mornings meant that I was hardly ever
here, but the takeout food and the bottles could get out of hand on occasion. I
tended to get someone in to take care of my mess. Lucy was a quiet girl with dark
blonde hair that reminded me of Maggie. She was the daughter of a friend of
mothers. That was all I saw when Lucy came around, was Maggie. I think I'll remind
her to come while I'm at work again, I thought. The truth was it hurt to even look
at someone who reminded me of Maggie. It was better this way. No
misunderstandings and no visions of Maggie in my home, where she should have
been all along. I needed to get my head together. After everything had gone down
at Maggie’s house after her disappearance, I was left broken and bitter. The fear
and anger drove me for the first few years, but now I’ve become so good at the
façade, no one questioned it anymore.
The drive to the office was done on autopilot, as much as everything else
these days. After Maggie had gone, I couldn’t even acknowledge the fact that she
may be gone permanently. I had to believe she was out there somewhere. I poured
all my efforts to finish up school and go in search of her. It’s funny how the plans
you have can suddenly change. I finished up school and it wasn’t long after that,
me and Rafi built Vance Media from the grown up. My father was after moulding
me into this corporate tycoon version of himself and Rafi’s family was no better.
Their money and connections had us fighting to gain control of our own futures for
a chance at a future we wanted. Vance Media was one the fastest growing Media
9

companies in Europe and was becoming globally recognised with our advanced
prototypes that were changing the face of Media alongside the likes of Virgin
Media and Sky.
After ten years I had realised that, Maggie may never be coming back to me.
That big part of my soul may never be restored and wasn’t that just the shitiest
thing imaginable. I was destined for a life of solitude. The lift had brought me out
of my thoughts, noticing that Rafi was already at his desk, hard at it. I crossed the
entry way of our combined floor.
“Morning sunshine, was it a late night or an early start?” I asked teasingly.
He scowled at me and threw me the finger. I take it was an all-nighter. Asshole.
Laughing.
The new American acquisitions were messing with Rafi’s ability to actually
leave at a reasonable hour or even leave the office at all.
Noticing he had finished up on the call, Rafi’s lousy mood was suddenly making my
nightmare filled dreams, drift away in my amusement at him.
“Was that the delightful Adrianna or the scrumptious Annabella I heard?” I
asked, openly mocking him now as I leant against his desk. His anger was rolling off
him in waves. I shouldn’t really be riling him up after the late night or early
morning he was practically pulling, but Rafi had always been too easy to torment.
University wasn’t much fun for either of us after Maggie went missing. I was in
constant darkness. The nightmares came shortly after that, reminding me that I
would never see or hold her again. That fact alone was tearing me apart slowly,
stitch by stitch. My life was unravelling, but Rafi had stood by me and slowly
pieced me back together.
“Asshole” Rafi muttered under his breath as he got up and knocked my
shoulder, nearly sending me fucking flying off his desk.
“Jesus man, what the hell?”
Rafi stood by the full glass windows. He was staring off into heart of
London. I looked out at the crisp morning sunrise, that’s when I noticed it. The
trembling of his left hand and the strain in his body.
“Ah, Hell no!” My heart sank. I rushed over to the window, putting my hand
on Rafi’s left shoulder to steady the trembles.
“Have you took your pain meds?”
“Fuck No, that shit sends me loopy and you fucking know it Eddie” Rafi’s
accent nearly evaporated at his anger at me. His whole body sagged against the
window now and I was the only thing keeping him standing.
“What did Marley say about the tremors restarting?” I questioned him.
10

Rafi remained silent. The tremors resided and his balance returned, but I
was worried. How long as this being on for? Rafi suffered with a hereditary
neurological disease that didn’t process his functions correctly. The pain
medication had stabilised it for years, but there was no cure for it.
“I’ll take the fucking silence as you haven’t spoken to Marley” I barked at
him with his back still facing me. I walked over to Rafi’s desk and picked up the
phone.
“Get me Marley on the phone Now, Elaine” I said before hanging up on my
assistant. It had only taken a minute when the phone was ringing again.
“Marley, its Vance. Yes, I need to bring Rafi in for an immediate consult.
Today” I listened for another minute while the doctor briefly questioned me on his
symptoms and when he could fit us in. I shot Rafi a stern look. His face was ashen
and his grey eyes were flashing anger at my interference. I sat back in my office
chair whilst finishing up the call. His whispered words shocked the hell out of me,
“Prego non.” I put the receiver back down and gave him a pleading look. Rafi’s
head bowed. “Prego” I pleaded with him in Italian. Rafi sighed and nodded.
“Two o’clock and Rafi” raising my eyes up towards the door, noticing that
Rafi was existing.
“Yes?” He turned to face me before he reached the door.
“Take the fucking week off. Marcus can finish off the American contracts”
He was going to argue, but I was worried about his health. Obviously he hasn’t
been taking proper care of himself. He looked like he had lost weight. To think of
it. We both have been running ourselves into the ground. With the new contracts
that we had acquired recently with the new software we were introducing into the
mainframe as of next week, we would be stretched. I shot him a challenging look
and he left his office. I sat at Rafi’s desk in utter silence, feeling that things were
spiralling out of control. The nightmare this morning and now Rafi was having
tremors again. Could my day get any fucking worse?
* * *
“Sabine is in your office, Mr Vance” I winced. My day could get worse.
I pushed my office door open. Sabine’s long auburn hair sat precisely in waves
down her back. Her black silk suit was fitted around her petite frame. Sabine sat in
my leather up-holstered chair and turned on her charm.
“Edward. I wondered where you had gotten too.” Sabine purred seductively.
“What are you doing here Sabine.” I demanded with a tone Sabine should
have been accustomed too. She was has false as her hair and nails. She gave me a
wink.
11

“To fuck.”
“What makes you think I would want you.” I stated. Sabine sucked in her
bottom lip and released it with a pop.
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“You know that answer. It is the same one I gave your father.”
“Baby, don’t be difficult. You know what Daddy wants. He wants to make
me happy.”
“Leave.” I threatened through my clenched jaw.
“I can give what you need.” Sabine boasted, running her manicured
fingernails down my chest and resting just above my pants.
“I would rather not take sloppy seconds.”
“Ouch, baby. That hurt.” Sabine mocked.
Before I knew what she was doing. Sabine was on her knees, unzipping my
pants.
Her mouth was warm and welcoming. Sabine’s moans around my cock had
me envisioning a set of caramel eyes and waves of dirty blonde hair. Maggie took
over my every thought. I pistoled my hips into Sabine’s mouth, unrelenting. My
cock thickened making my spine tingle when my balls tighten. I emptied my load
into Sabine’s mouth, making her swallow every last drop. I stepped back. I tucked
myself back inside my pants and fixed my clothes. Sabine knelt there waiting for
something.
“Leave.” I told her firmly. Sabine got up and stood expectantly in front of
me.
“How about you return the favour Eddie.”
“You got what you wanted Sabine, to feel empowered and wanted. You
should have negotiated the terms if you wanted more. Lucky for me, you’re as
naïve as you are conceited.
“You are crueller than they give you credit for you know.”
“I know.”
“They call you the tyrant.” Sabine gloated.
“They don’t know the half of it.” I told her sarcastically.
Sabine huffed out of my office, slamming my door in response to my
dismissal.
* * *
12

“How about a week in the Caribbean?” I asked, standing at Rafi’s office door
studying his pale face. The top floor of Vance Media had been divided into areas
that we each could concentrate on our particular tastes in design or technology,
before the other departments came and made the idea marketable. His office was
to the left of the lift and mine directly opposite on the right.
His eyes found mine. He was exhausted. Why hadn’t I noticed this before? I needed
to get him out of this office and make him relax or I was going to lose my best
friend and that was not an option, loosing Maggie nearly broke me and Rafi. I
couldn’t lose him as well.
“You serious?” he asked with a shocked expression on his face. His eyes had
brightened up at the mere mention of a vacation. He lounged back into his chair
and began weighing my offer up. He shuffled uncomfortably waiting for me to
answer.
“Yep, sun, sand and sex” I said wiggling my eyebrows at him. Making Rafi burst
into laughter at my lame attempt at humour. He ran his hand through his almost
black hair and shrugged his shoulders at me. Weighing my proposal up.
“We can’t this week, we have that conference for the Mackenzie account on
Friday”
“We can. What’s the fucking point of us owning the company, if we can’t
play hooky once in a while?” I shrugged my shoulders in return. Elaine took that
precise moment to enter the office, saving me from Rafi’s further excuses.
I had her taking down everything that needed to be done while we were
away, not giving Rafi the choice or room to argue. By the end of play that day, we
were booked on the seven forty five to the Bahamas from Gatwick.
* * *
“How you feeling?” I asked nudging Rafi feet has I passed his sun lounger.
The water had cooled me off briefly. It was over an hundred degrees today and the
pure white sand of the hotel was soothing beneath my feet.
“Good, better than good man. I think I need to move here permanently”
Rafi chuckled with his eyes closed.
“Don’t be getting any ideas, our agenda is packed solid for the next year.
No immigrating to foreign countries, Raf. Come on, I saw two red heads going into
the Jacuzzi” I commented, getting to my feet to follow them.
Rafi gave me a knowing look.
I hated that look. He knew me better than anyone. I couldn’t escape the
facts of the last ten years. The façade was easy to maintain, even in a different
country. This had become the norm for me now and Rafi knew that that wasn’t
13

going to change. Both of us picking up woman to find a release, just for the night.
Quick. Easy. Painless. Anything more than that, had already been taken from me
ten years previously. My Laptop pinged at the arrival of incoming mail. The subject
header read Urgent, all I could read was NEW LEAD. My heart was slamming into
my chest.
Oh dear God. Maggie.
The idea of everything else ceased.
* * *
“Rhodes, have you found her?” I asked after he answered my call on the
first ring.
“I’m not sure Eddie, but I’ll be damned if she doesn’t look like her” That
made my pulse race. What if it wasn’t her? It has been ten years. This is all I had
thought about since that day. Had anyone been found after being missing for ten
years? The possibility seemed unlikely, but that didn’t stop my mind wandering to
the possibility of seeing Maggie again.
“I’ll be back in the morning, I want a full brief in my office first thing” I
demand, ending the call. I searched Rafi’s face who stood astutely in front of me.
His face had darkened and his body was tense.
“You ok man” I asked, assuming he had heard my entire conversation with
Rhodes. Rafi just shrugged his shoulders. This wasn’t a good sign. Rafi had never
dealt with emotions very well. The older he got, the stricter he got with himself.
Everything had to be in order. Now this and the tremors from last week, made me
wonder if Rafi was strong enough to deal with the fact that we might have found
Maggie. Then there’s the disappointment if we never did.
Chapter Two.
Erin - Ten Years Later.
The keys on my laptop had been sweeping at a steady pace. My latest blog
was taking a little more work than normal this week. I had been inundated with
emails, tweets and phone calls about the impending purchase of the blog. The
repetitive messages of excitement over the sale and the future of the blog had
kept me extremely busy all week. I had been staring at the same screen for the
last twenty minutes typing and then deleting it, leaving just the intro for the blog.
It had been the same intro for the last eight years, when I had first started. The
words were so familiar now that I could recite them by memory. It wasn’t just the
words that made me stare at the screen. It was the reminder that after ten years I
was still no nearer to finding who I truly am.
14

Have you ever been so lost, that’s there nowhere to turn? Nowhere to
hide. Nowhere to run. How about not knowing anything. Waking up to find,
you don’t even exist. That your memories are lost, forgotten or even
insignificant that no one knows who you are. That’s me. The girl with no past,
the girl with no future. They say to know where you’re going is to know where
you came from. But what if that’s your biggest obstacle, that one tiny detail,
to know who you truly are?
Time had passed quickly, but I could still smell the hospital room and the
fear of not knowing who I was. I leaned back into my chair and looked around my
office. The cool browns and creams ran throughout the house, but this had been
my favourite room when me and the girls had moved in. The soft furnishings I had
bought sat purposely around the room, a cream vintage lamp and the antique
cream desk that housed my laptop and the endless supply of work piling up. My
view caught sight of the photos on top the sideboard. The smiles on Faith, Peace
and Justice’s face were warm. That picture had only been taken last month at the
lake. We had spent two days swimming, taking the boat out and lazing in the sun.
The stress of work slowly crept back and reminded me that I had a blog to finish
and a meal to prepare. It was my turn to cook tonight, as the others had either
late class or a late shift. What was I feeling today? I thought. Well…I wanted to be
back at that lake seeping back into my subconscious, instead of writing about how
I was feeling. My alarm brought me out of my melancholy state. This time of year
always sent me into a tailspin, as soon as June was done, July was here. The
reminder of when I woke up alone, all those years ago have been swimming around
my thoughts for days now.
I got up and headed for the bathroom, it was time for my injection. Opening
the cabinet remembering I had to take it at the exact same time each day to keep
my epilepsy under control. I haven’t had an attack since I was admitted to
Sheffield Memorial on the Kennedy Ward. The sharp scratch to my right side was
another prick to my frail consciousness.
“Erin” I heard Faith call from downstairs. I shoved the empty needle into
the trash safely and hurried down the stairs.
“Hey, I thought you was on…” My words dying in my throat, when I saw
Faith’s ashen face.
“What’s wrong” I asked, rushing over to her. She was shaking her head at
me now. If it wasn’t the fact that Faith was shaking, it would have been the black
in her eyes that had darkened from her naturally brown eyes. Faith pulled me into
her arms. Stroking the back of my hair. I found comfort in her touch, even though I
wasn’t entirely sure what had Faith in such a state. I leaned back and looked at
her again. This time, she had managed to school her features. I wasn’t sure if this
had been for my benefit or her own. Faith and I had been friends throughout
school, to be honest, all four of us had been friends since I was fifteen. Faith was
15

the quietest one in our little group. Her long blonde hair was slick and straight and
she was tiny in that quirky kind of way. She looked up and gave me a hesitant
smile.
“Someone has been checking into our personal files. I got a call from Cassie
at the social services office. She told me that someone had asked about our
connection to each other and where we lived and how we all met. Cassie had
thought it was strange and gave me a heads up” Faith finished rambling. She let a
long and frustrated sigh out, she pulled at her hair, it was messy now. I hadn’t
seen Faith this worked up since her exams a few years ago to qualify as a nurse. I
rubbed her shoulder in small circles, calming her down. Faith looked exhausted.
“How long have you known about this?” I gave Faith a questioning look.
“A few days” she added, looking sheepish, “Peace and Justice also
mentioned a man asking locals about our connection….to you” Faith looked down
at the floor, trying to hide the concern she had over this new information. “I
didn’t think anything of it until they mentioned that this morning”
“It’s probably nothing” I shrugged my shoulder at her, getting up to make a
start on dinner. Faith just stood there, expecting something more from me maybe I
should have been worried, but I wasn’t the type of girl to panic over the littlest
things, anymore. Especially since I’ve learnt that worrying never accomplished
anything. I turned round and looked at Faith, giving her a soothing look.
“It’ll be fine, trust me” I told her, giving her wink that had her giggling at
me. These girls were my life. When I had walked into social services with my
escort form the hospital. I noticed the three girls, around my age sat close but
weary of each other. My escort had left me standing near the door way to fill in my
paperwork. I had spent three weeks in that hospital bed alone. Faith sat there with
her fine blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her neck. Her dark
blue jeans and black vest top hung to her every curve. To her left sat Peace. Her
pure black hair curled down her back in long swirls that reminded me of liquorice
wheels. She had jeans on that were a size too big and an oversized sweater on.
Peace was breathtakingly beautiful in a very natural sort of way. On the right side
of Faith sat Justice, her bright red hair and red lips were striking but her clothes
were as load and surreal as her hair. I looked over at her with interest, I had never
met anyone has comfortable in her own skin as Justice was. It was in that office
that I had met my best friends and I thanked whoever it was looking down on me
that gave me them.
“How about a drink?” I motioned towards the kitchen.
“We got red or white?” she sarcastically replied.
“Both” I giggled, letting the prospect of people watching me drift away. I
would deal with it eventually if the occasion rose, but I turned to look at Faith and
16

wiggled both my eyebrows at her, while holding a bottle of red and white in each
hand. It was Faith’s turn to giggle now, giving both of us a little sense of relief. For
now.
Justice and Peace arrived not much later than Faith had and they helped us
finish off the wine I had opened. I could sense their unease, but they never
mentioned it.
We sat there joking about one of Faith’s patients trying to flirt with her
whilst she was stitching him up. Faith had blushed scarlet at the mere mention of
her going out on a date with him. She shrieked in laughter at us. We all busted out
laughing at her disapproval of an innocent date. The night drew on and the
potential danger grew fainter as our laughter engulfed the whole house. We all
would be suffering in the morning with the amount of empty bottles on the coffee
table.
As it happens, the light through my bedroom window felt like knives piercing my
eyeballs with flames. Last night it had been a very good idea to open the wine and
forget that someone was snooping in all of our personal information. I cracked an
eye open staring at the ceiling and was ready to harm myself for drinking the
house dry. Faith, Justice and Peace looked even worse than me as I entered the
kitchen making me feel slightly better. The late shifts they were on were a
blessing in disguise, as they each had surfaced with either black rings around their
eyes or a pounding head. I had both.
“So what are we going to do?” Peace asked the table, frowning. We had all
danced around the issue last night, but the cool harsh light of day brought our
situation back into full focus.
“Nothing”
“Nothing” Justice challenged me.
“Yes nothing, we don’t even know if there is anything for us to worry about
yet”
They all mumbled in agreement. My lack of concern made them give me a
cautious look. We all finished off our drinks and tided around the living room, we
all slinked off in our own directions. My weekly blog was still overdue and the
buyers were coming to audit the files, equipment and contacts at the end of the
week.
It wasn’t until I checked my emails a couple of hours later, I started to panic.
INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH THE BUYER TOMORROW AT 2PM. My agent casually
sent over. Fuck a duck. What the hell. They were supposed to be coming on
Friday. Sally couldn’t see the problem with having an extra meeting to introduce
17

her to the buyers personally. I had never heard of the company, let alone who
Edward Vance was. I had always dealt with Alex since the very beginning.
“Have you ever heard of an Edward Vance?” I asked the girls as I re-entered
the kitchen. Their shocked faces spoke volumes.
“Errrrr, yeah Erin. Have you been living under a rock” Justice teased.
“Why, what am I missing?” I gave each of them a puzzled look. I didn’t have
a clue who he was, I’d never heard of the man. It was Faith’s turn now to smile at
me, somewhat mockingly.
“Have you heard of Vance Media” Faith questioned, giving me a knowing
look. Shit. A. Brick.
“Exactly” Faith added, now in full gloating mode at my epic fail.
“So… like…Edward Vance of Vance Media” I asked again, knowing full well
that I was right.
“Ere yeah, Erin” Justice said in her sing song voice. They were taking full
advantage of me asking that question.
“Why?” Peace asked, suddenly sobering up to the question I had initially
asked.
“’I’m meeting with him tomorrow at two, apparently” I said with a grumble,
looking down at the coffee mug faith had just handed me. When the contract was
discussed for the blog, there was never a mention of an introduction to the owner
of the company as I still remained in control of the blog but came with a range of
resources and contacts at my disposal.
“Holy Shit!” they all said simultaneously. I jerked my head back up, to see
their shocked expressions.
“What?” I exclaimed.
“Isn’t he in the Caribbean?” Faith asked Justice.
“Yeah, that’s what the gossip mags have been saying. Vance and his Vice
President went together” Justice replied, with an implied tone.
“Together. Together” I asked, naively.
“Yep, apparently they grew up together and they’ve been inseparable since.
School. University. Business. Home.”
“Well that’s something” I thought out load. Hoping the others wouldn’t
question my comment. If I was honest, he sounded like the sort of man who had it
all and I felt kind of jealous, that I still had no clue who I had been before.
18

“What do you mean?” Peace enquired. No such fucking luck, I thought
silently this time.
“Just that…he’s gay….They’re gay….so it won’t be awkward” Peace’s
scrutinizing gaze softened and she smiled softly at me.
“It’s ok Erin” Peace confirmed even softer this time and swiftly changed the
subject to how much wine we had all consumed the night before and who’s turn
was it to restock the fridge.
Chapter Three.
Eddie.
I was sat pensive in front of my head of security. Rafi was pacing the full
length of the board room, ever since we arrived back from the Caribbean an hour
ago. Rhodes was silent and brooding with his large frame positioned in front of me
with his arms crossed. This man had found Maggie and he was still on high alert.
Soon after me and Rafi took the company global, we had searched for the best
security team we could find. With mine and Rafi’s family pasts, we couldn’t be too
careful. Especially where my father was concerned. My family name provided me
with enough advantage to get the contacts I needed to climb my way up the
entertainment market. It had been one of my Grandfather’s old rookie’s that had
recommended Rhodes. He had served in the military before I was born. Rhodes had
been a Master Sergeant under Garratt’s command at the time, just about to be
retire from American service. He was an Ex-Marine. A damn good one. He had
remained a constant in the last five years. His short military cut made his dark
brown hair look nearly black and his build would put wrestlers and muscle men to
shame. It was his fierce nature to protect that gave me hope that one day I would
find Maggie with the help from Rhode’s tracking skills.
“So….” Growing impatient. I knew he had found her and she was safe, but
the tension in Rhodes frame suggested there was more to come, and I definitely
wasn’t going to like it.
“So” He repeated after me, his voice thick. Showing hesitation at what he
had found.
“She doesn’t remember a thing” Rhodes quickly said, as if pulling a plaster
off. His tone thick with his accent. I looked at Rhodes expression. It was
apprehensive and troubled. The man never worried about anything. He had never
been faced with a mission he couldn’t accomplish or bend to his will.
“There’s one other thing. You have just bought her company from her”
“Wait. What?” I was taken back by that last part.
19

“We bought her company?” I was repeating everything Rhodes was saying
like a parrot. When Rhodes had called me in the Caribbean I expected something
more elaborate of a scheme for Maggie to have been away from me for over a
decade. I never thought it would be possible for her to be only a couple hundred
miles away and selling her business to me.
“Yes Sir”
“And?”
“And I have arranged for an introductory meeting between the two of you
under the pretence of you buying her company.”
I nodded, satisfied with his initiative.
“Exactly what is her company?” I asked, wondering why I hadn’t heard of
this purchase before now, unless Rafi had been overseeing this one.
“She owns and runs ‘Finding Erin, its a Blog’ sir” Rhodes admitted looking
uncomfortable at the last bit of information he had just supplied me with.
Wait. What was that about ‘Finding Erin’?
“Finding Erin?” I questioned making Rhodes cringe outwardly at my request.
“Yes Sir. Her identity as changed since her disappearance. Her name is Erin
Frost.”
I had heard that name before. The blog had gained a quick following, for
the girl with no past and no future.
Oh Fuck! That can’t be Maggie. My Maggie.
Can it?
“Are you sure it’s her, Rhodes”
“Yes Sir” giving a curt nod. “I did background checks and ran full clearance
on her and her three roommates as well. There is something strange about their
records though, Sir” Rhodes questioned out load, as I listened intently at his
theory.
“Strange?” repeating his observation.
“Yes Sir, the reports suggested interference, but the documentation was not
a forgery or altered in any way. This type of structuring would have had to come
from the highest ranking possible or an outside contract with some serious
contacts.”
“There was also the fact that these four girls with no identity, no paperwork
or records and no traceable documentation were held in the same social service
section at the exact same time. They went through both school and college
20

together and now they all live together.” Rhodes thoroughly admitted his
suspicions.
“The meeting will clarify any remaining doubts of her identity, Sir. But as
far as I can assess, Erin has no memory or recollection of her life before waking up
in a Yorkshire Hospital after being unconscious for two weeks.”
“I need to know what the hell happened to her Rhodes” My heart slamming
into my chest and I couldn’t breathe. Rafi’s concern was rippling through the
boardroom along with air conditioning and even Rhodes who was still sat across
from me looked uneasy. His grey marl eyes held a fierce protection that I hadn’t
seen before. I gained control over my thoughts and tried to concentrate on the
upcoming meeting with Maggie. No. Erin. I thought. I can’t call her Maggie. She
wasn’t my Maggie anymore. She was someone else. I was going to find out why or
who had taken her way from me and then I was going to make them pay.
“We need to keep this confidential” I told Rhodes and Rafi nodded in
agreement from behind me, still pacing the floors in a stringent pattern.
The rest of the day held nothing significant to register my interest, nothing
but the waves of caramel and the hazel of her eyes, of Finding Erin.
* * *
The hotel restaurant was quiet with only a few tables taken. The smell of
strong coffee and chocolate cake laced the lounge in pure indulgence for an
afternoon. I saw her blonde hair before I realised I was searching for Maggie. The
intrinsic waves of dirty blonde hair fell down her back, it was fuller and thicker
than before. Glimpses of sun streaked hair peaked at the side’s making me crave a
better look at an older Maggie. My feet instinctively took strides towards the one
thing I thought I would never see again. I stood directly behind her now, taking in
all of Maggie. Her hair was lighter now I had closer look, her shoulders held back,
strong and fierce. She looked like my Maggie, but I knew that was impossible.
According to Rhodes Intel Maggie was different, alive but completely different.
The small sigh came from her lips, barely audible to the other guests, but had my
body hard at the response. Maggie rubbed the length of her skirt, the sweet scent
of ivory soap and lilies wafted around me. The familiar scent sent shivers down my
spine and made my nose flare at the delicious fragrance. God, she still smelled like
my Maggie. I wonder if she acted like my Maggie too. I looked around the large
room once more, taking in all the patrons and nodding to Rhodes in the far corner
of the dining room. He nodded back, taking a seat at the table near the kitchen
and the entrance.
“Miss Frost” I asked from behind her, clearing my throat at the same time to
gain her full attention. Maggie spun around and gasped at me. Her reaction had
heat entering her cheeks. I had made her flustered, this was good. I couldn’t help
the little smirk that touched my lips, some things didn’t change and Maggie’s
21

initial reaction to me hadn’t either. She quickly recovered and jumped up out of
her chair to introduce herself properly. Her dark jeans clung to her tight ass as she
turned and her white tank top made her breast’s perk out of the top. Her golden
tanned skin ran along for miles reminding me of miles of silk. Pure, perfect and
unblemished.
“Mr Vance, I presume” Maggie asked, giving me a thorough inspection whilst
giving me her hand. Her feather like fingers grasped my hand and I swear to god it
was like coming home. The heat from her touch made me feel hot and bewildered,
even after ten years a simple touch or smile from her, sent my heart rate
rocketing through space and set every nerve inside my body a fire. Time just stood
still, I continued to stare at Maggie and her body was tense and alert. I would bet
my company that she was thinking the exact same thing as I was. Her eyes were
wide with emotion and maybe a little bit of shock entered them but her hand
remained inside my grasp and I revelled in the touch and contact I had been
craving, for what has seemed like a lifetime. Maggie finally cleared her throat,
trying to control her reaction to me. The intrusion made me remove my hand from
her warm touch and suddenly my whole body felt the loss.
She stood there waiting for my confirmation. I lingered there a minute
longer, taking in all of Maggie. Her body had changed little apart from the
impressive chest she had grown into. The curves of her slender frame were similar
to the younger Maggie, but it was the confidence of the woman that stood before
me was what had me speechless. She raised her eyebrow and cocked her head side
to side trying to figure my reaction out. I had to act professional or I was going to
scare her off before I even had a chance to explain what we shared in our pasts.
“Edward Vance” I pronounced, suddenly offering my hand again, but
Maggie’s hesitation confirmed that she wasn’t quite ready for another reaction
from either of us.
“Nice to me you Mr Vance, I’m Erin Frost” she replied, taking her seat
across from me.
“Can I enquire why I am suddenly meeting with you and not continuing my
business with Alex? Is there a problem with the arrangement?” Maggie cut to the
chase. The doubt in her tone suddenly entered Erin’s body and her shoulders
slumped slightly while trying to remain professional in front of me. The thought of
her ever doubting herself over me made my chest tighten.
“I like to finalise all sales within my company” I lied.
That seemed to appease her for now and her mood shifted back slightly.
Enough to stay. The waiter approached the table offering to take our order for
drinks, Maggie ordered a coke so I did the same. I was more a whisky drinker these
days, but I didn’t want to give Maggie the idea that I drank every day. It wouldn’t
be far from the truth, my business reputation I sustained was powered by influence
22

and the knowledge of me being a tyrant came more easily with a couple of Jack
Daniels down my throat. The waiter smiled down at Maggie, his eyes lingered on
her white tank top and leered at her pretty golden eyes. Anger burst through my
veins as if a dam had broken and became unleashed like a wild beast raging on
nature. His eyes clashed with mine and his face fell. The colour draining from his
face in panic. He obviously knew who I was. Good. The bastard can sniff
somewhere else. Maggie was mine. My body was on fire as the need to control and
domineer Maggie into submission was riding me hard. I had never felt jealous or
possessive over anyone before, but Maggie had always been the one to possess me
and time hadn’t changed that either. The waiter scurried off quickly. Maggie
looked at me quizzically, but didn’t air her curiosity.
“Well ok then. What can I do for you then Mr Vance?”
“Please call me Eddie” I asked making Maggie’s eyes flash amber.
“Ok” Her voice suddenly turning gruff and shaky.
“Are you Ok?”
“Yes, yes of course. The name seems familiar that’s all” The weight of
Erin’s simple statement was as heavy as a bomb dropping on my fragile heart. That
was Interesting. Very Interesting. Did she remember me?
“Familiar?”
“I don’t know” Her eyes were searching, something that was hidden so
deep. Maggie had been the one to shorten my name and it had kind of stuck.
Maggie didn’t like Edward, she said it was too formal not like me, Eddie was laid
back and carefree. I reached over the table and put my hand over hers to give it a
squeeze.
“It’s ok” I soothed, keeping my hand tightly over hers.
“Sorry” Maggie added and shook her head.
“I’m here to finalise our business arrangement and familiarise myself with
how my company is going to market and expand your blog but keep you at the
reigns to oversee the entries and responses” I admitted and withdrew my hand
away from hers.
“Oh and by the way, I will carrying out the inspection at the end of the
week on your equipment and I can introduce any other equipment that may
enhance you’re production.” I waited for her reaction to that bit of information,
but Maggie remained in full control.
This Maggie seemed stronger somehow. Guarded. Not surprising with what
Rhodes had told me about her losing all her memories.
“That all seems fine, Mr Vance”
23

“Great. So can you run through what your blog is about and your vision for
the future and your opinion on what direction you would like marketing and
further communications to go”
“You don’t know what the blog is about, Mr Vance. Isn’t that bad for
business” Maggie teased me. I couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh at her
comment.
I sat there for over an hour listening intently to Maggie outline her dream
for ‘Finding Erin’. It was surprising how determined and ambitious this Maggie was.
She not only successfully owned and developed her site, but she put herself
through a psychology degree too. My Maggie had always dreamed of becoming a
vet. She had horses at the stables at her home in Kent. It was the Yorkshire accent
that had surprised me most though. The shy and quiet presence that I had
expected from Maggie was replaced by the strong willed Yorkshire lass that filled
the void.
“Mr Vance” Maggie’s voice penetrated my thoughts.
“Yes, sorry, what was that?”
“I was saying, our appointment for inspection is Friday at noon, is that still
convenient for you?” she asked, fiddling with her iPhone in front of her, waiting on
my affirmation for the inspection. My thoughts swirled around my lust filled brain.
All I wanted to do was pull Maggie into my arms and seep the warmth from her
golden skin.
“Of course” I said when my phone started ringing. I pulled it out my jacket
and hit answer as Rhodes name flashed on the screen.
“We have a serious problem, Sir” Rhodes voice was fierce, sending me on
high alert, looking around the restaurant. Maggie face studied me with concern.
“Is it contained?” I asked, hoping to god I hadn’t just put Maggie in danger.
“We need to discuss this now, Vance” Rhodes tone was stern, turning him
into the Master Sergeant I admired. His use of my name made my palm’s sweat and
my stomach churn.
“I’m posting surveillance around her property as we speak and three of my
best men will be positioned around her house twenty four seven until we can
decide on a plan of action to avert this security threat”
“Keep me updated. Ten minutes.” I barked into the phone, before returning
to Maggie’s concerned look. Her body sighed. I couldn’t read what she was
thinking, but the defeat that entered her eyes suggested she had something of her
own plaguing her mind and that thought put my teeth on edge.
24

“Is everything ok?” her warm smile and gentle tone hit a cord in me that I
hadn’t realised could be struck any longer. I wish I could tell her every little detail
right this instant, but Rhodes had already warned me not to overload her this
quickly. She would need to be told gently to avoid permanent damage to her mind.
I had took Rhodes word for it, he had seen enough trauma to span three lifetimes.
“Yes, just business. Running an empire can be rough” I smirked. Maggie let
out a small giggle.
“Yes it much be tough, being a billionaire” Maggie teased.
“Yes it is, I am extremely important” feigning innocence as I placed my
hand over my heart. This made everything lack in significance, our familiar banter
made me want to protect her with everything I had. I stood and made my way
around the table, standing in front of Maggie. I had to go and get briefed by
Rhodes. Maggie stood in front of me, her hair slipping around her face framing her
beautiful smile. I reached up and tucked the strand of hair behind her ear and
caressed her cheek. I was probably going to hell for this, but Maggie’s touch would
always be worthy of any kind of punishment imaginable.
“Stay safe Ma…Erin” I corrected, before heading to the front of the
restaurant. I handed the waiter my card, telling him to take care of whatever Miss
Frost desired. His knowing look satisfied my caveman desire to claim Maggie. When
I saw Rhodes stern face with his arms folded across his chest. I knew whatever he
had to tell me, would change everything, possibly testing my possessiveness over
Maggie even further.
Chapter Four.
Erin.
I had sat at the restaurant table for over ten minutes now, waiting patiently
for the Edward Vance, media mogul. The Regent was quiet this afternoon,. It
wasn’t as if I attended the place regularly but when I passed through town it was
one of the busiest restaurants in Sheffield. I lived about fifteen minutes away on
the outskirts of the city surrounded by the countryside.
I still didn’t understand why I was meeting with the owner of Vance Media.
Alex had been a delight to work with, her quirky personality made me smile with
her flame red hair. She was like dynamite at under five foot, telling me what
worked and what didn’t. Alex was barley older than me but I could see why she
had risen through the ranks at Vance Media, she was absolutely fierce. I was
disappointed when she rang to say that Vance was taking over my account to
complete the sale of the blog and help me transfer to Vance Media’s control. I still
had reservations about selling ‘Finding Erin’ but the opportunity of growing my
business had been more important than keeping sole control over it. This way, I
25

could earn a decent profit on all my hard work, grow the blog with the help of
Vance’s marketing and still receive a wage to oversee the content of the blog. I
was nervous. It was silly really, Justice had talked me through what to expect from
Edward Vance and with the girls telling me he was gay with his best friend seemed
to ease my reservations.
My emotions weren’t has bad as they normally would be when it came to
men. I was comfortable in my own skin when it came to life and living it how I
wanted, but men had never fitted into that same bracket. Head high, sit up
straight and no slouching, Faith had told me. The girls had even pick out my
clothes for this meeting. I had gone with the tight black jeans and a fitted white
tank top. I felt smart but comfortable and paired those with my favourite black
leather jacket gave me the edge I liked to dress with. My palms were sweaty,
rubbing them gently on my jeans. I took another deep breath.
“Miss Frost” The strong timbre of his voice and the clearing of his throat set
my pulse racing. What the hell was that! His presence had shocked me. When I
quickly turned around and his dark brown eyes held mine completely. The pools of
warmth and desire made me want to dive in and take a warm swim. He seemed
familiar, which was odd considering the doctors had told me that I would never
regain my memories from before I was fifteen and I knew without doubt I had
never met him before now. The way he looked at me with such admiration held a
familiarity that I had never witnessed before. He stood tall. Even if I hadn’t been
sitting down, his large frame made me feel very small at this particular moment. I
shook the thoughts from my mind and quickly stood and rushed around the chair to
greet him properly. I hadn’t made the professional impression I had hoped for.
Frost 0 – Vance 1.
Those eyes of his made me stop and blink. I wasn’t entirely sure why?. I had
the nagging feeling that I definitely knew this man.
“Mr Vance, I presume” I asked, offering my hand. Edward’s thick fingers and
callused hands made my fingertips tingle with the effects of his touch. I wasn’t
entirely sure why my body was reacting quite this way to Edward, but I knew one
thing for certain, was that I was never going to complain. The heat from his touch
made thinking impossible, my nipples became hard and I couldn’t stop him from
noticing. We stood there for a few more minutes, palm to palm, skin to skin.
He wasn’t what I had expected. He looked like he should be on the front
cover of a GQ magazine with his dark brown hair spiked at the front and his long
dark lashes surrounding the most beautiful dark brown eyes. The looks I had
expected, even though I hadn’t searched him on google like Justice had suggested
me to do the night before. What I hadn’t expected though was the tight black
jeans that showcased his physical physique and the designer black shirt rolled up
to his elbows. I expected a business suit perhaps or something professional from
26

the multi-billionaire, but this was casual and it disarmed me significantly. The
black ink that peeked out from his left shoulder was intrinsic and woven into his
skin. I wondered how far down it went and what the design entailed. I cleared my
throat trying to clear my wandering thoughts of a very tasty specimen of a man
before me. Instead of clearing my thoughts I felt the loss of his warm palm. His
distance gave me the chance to really study him. This man was more than
gorgeous and worth billions, he held a mystery I wasn’t sure existed before. The
boys I grew up with were mediocre, either immature or total geeks. I never had a
serious boyfriend. I had always felt something missing inside of me, not knowing
who I was held me back from letting someone get close to me. I stared at Edward
Vance, still waiting for him to talk, wishing he wasn’t gay after all. That was new!
I never wanted to date anyone before.
I blew out a depleted breath. Just my luck.
“Edward Vance” he said, offering me his hand again. I hesitated, not sure if
I could take another reaction to this man. My body was still humming from his last
touch. It would be so easy to surrender to his hot touch.
No.
I needed to remain professional and close this deal. It wasn’t the time to
think about my stupid hormones. At least I was finally opening up, the girls would
be proud of me, feeling something for any man was a step forward. I wasn’t a
prude, I dated occasionally in college, but I never felt comfortable with anyone.
“Nice to meet you Mr Vance, I’m Erin Frost” I replied, controlling my voice
and taking my seat again.
“Can I enquire why I am suddenly meeting with you and not continuing my
business with Alex? Is there a problem with the arrangement?” I notice the panic
that had entered my tone. I really wanted to go ahead with this deal. What if they
pulled out? What would I do? The blog couldn’t grow without Vance Media’s help,
his company could take my business to a whole new sphere that I could never
contend with.
“I like to finalise all sales within my company” He answered plainly. A tall
waiter approached the table asking what we would like to drink, I ordered a coke
with Vance ordering the same. The waiter smiled at me and then turned to Mr
Vance and his whole body tensed, averting his eyes from my view. What the hell
was that about?
“Well ok then. What can I do for you then Mr Vance?” I asked, trying to get
back on track.
“Please call me Eddie?” He answered, giving a quick smirk. His face was full
of humour. He looked young and carefree. I wondered how old he was. Faith had
mentioned his reputation of being the tyrant of the business world, but I hadn’t
27

seen any sign of that side of him. He was further from the billionaire mogul I had
pictured this morning, he was cute and flirty. No. No. I can’t start thinking of him
in that way. The way he said his name, seemed so familiar, like I had heard
someone say it like that before. My body felt limp and strange.
“Ok” finding it hard to find my voice.
“Are you Ok?” I wasn’t sure if I was, everything about this meeting seemed
overly familiar and my reaction to him, well that was another matter entirely.
“Yes. Yes of course. The name seems familiar that’s all”
“Familiar?” Eddie questioned.
“I don’t know” I answered honestly, suddenly feeling lost. I wasn’t even
sure I knew anything anymore. Eddie’s face softened and gave me a sincere smile.
“It’s ok”
That wasn’t the answer I was expecting from him.
“Sorry” Shaking my head repeatedly to try to clear it.
“I’m here to finalise our business arrangement and familiarise myself with
how my company is going to market and expand your blog but keep you at the
reigns to oversee the entries and responses” He replied finally getting back to
business and away from my body’s reaction to our meeting. I was relieved for the
reprieve.
“Oh and by the way, I will be carrying out the inspection at the end of the
week on your equipment and I can introduce any other equipment that may
enhance your production” I hadn’t expected that either. Edward Vance was
definitely not what I had expected.
“That all seems fine, Mr Vance” I answered him as strongly as I could
muster. I really didn’t want him knowing how I reacted to him.
“Great, so you can run through what your blog is about and your vision for
the future and your opinion on what direction you would like marketing and
further communications to go”
“You don’t know what the blog is about, Mr Vance. Isn’t that bad for
business” I teased, making Edward laugh.
The next hour went so fast. I told Edward all about what the blog meant to
me and the readers that made it what it was today. The feedback and promotion
of what I had to say and how they supported me through the day to day,
experiencing things for the first time and sharing these experiences through my
blog. I sat their spilling my most private moments face to face to a man I had
never met. Other than the girls, I never spoke to other people about waking up and
28

not knowing who I was or where I came from. His face was intent and intrigued at
my story, it was humbling to watch. He was lost in thought when I had finished off
what I was saying. I looked at his wishful face. Whatever he was thinking about he
was back looking carefree again, something told me this was not something that
occurred very often.
“Mr Vance”
“Yes, sorry, what was that?”
I shrugged at him, not sure why I interrupted his thoughts. Curious maybe,
nosey definitely. Edward Vance intrigued me and I wasn’t about to deny it, but I
wasn’t about to admit it out loud either.
“I was saying, our appointment for inspection is Friday at noon. Is that still
convenient for you?” Checking on my phone that I had the correct information for
him. His brown eyes flashed black. Edward watched me with an intense and
smouldering look on his face. This was…he was gay….wasn’t he? Justice had said he
was gay. The tabloids and the gossip magazines had all said he was gay. Was he bi?
God knows. How the hell would I know, I had less sexual experience than Faith,
Justice and Peace combined. This was serious. I could be in trouble, if I keep
thinking of Edward like this. The ringing brought me out of my panic filled state.
Edward was on high alert as he spoke fast into his phone, glancing round the
restaurant looking for something. I caught the look he gave one man at the far end
of the restaurant near the kitchen doors, the man was speaking intently on the
phone, just as Edward was. I swear they were talking to each other, but that
would be crazy. Right.
The worry in his eyes and the stance he took after the stern words he had
just received put me on edge. I heard him bark orders into the phone and use
words like contained and updated. I saw the transformation from the carefree
young man I was enjoying having a drink with, into the feared tycoon I had heard
Justice talk about the night before. The sudden mention of contained and
updated, reminded me that someone was snooping about in my personal life trying
to find out about my past. Were we in danger? I didn’t know, but I’d be damned if
I let my friends get hurt if someone is looking for me. If they knew something, why
not come and find me and ask and that’s why alarm bells were ringing. My
attention returned to the gorgeous man still barking orders into the phone.
This side of him made me nervous. I should have been scared of this
dominant man, but I was surprised to find that this side of him excited me and the
little winks and smirks made him that more appealing.
Help me God!
29

“Is everything Ok?” I asked quietly, suddenly concern tugged at my heart.
His body tensed, his mind racing in a flurry to answer my question. Obviously
something was up and he didn’t want to talk about it.
“Yes, just business. Running an empire can be rough” he said, changing the
subject. I giggled at his teasing tone and made him smile. His delicious mouth
smirked again, sending ripples of desire through to my core. I was a puddle of
emotions when it came to this man. What the hell was going on?
“Yes it must be tough, being a billionaire” I teased. Edward didn’t seem like
the typical billionaire, but it wasn’t like I met one every day.
“Yes it is. I am extremely important” Edward replied placing his hand over
his heart looking wounded. My giggling suddenly turned into fits of laughter that
made Edward smile even wider. The carefree look he had sported for the last hour
had returned and made my heart sore. He moved quickly around the table,
standing in front of me looking down into my eyes. His brown locks were out of
place after the strained telephone call and his body still held the tension but as he
looked at me I forgot about his panicked look and the threat that could potentially
come after me and my girls. All I could do was stare into his gorgeous face and
forget about everything else. I wondered why he felt so familiar. Another life
maybe? His large hand reached up and gently tucked a strand behind my ear and
moved down to my cheek. The faintest touch from this powerful man had me
reeling in shock.
“Stay safe Ma…Erin” he whispered, his breath tantalising my face in
response. He turned and headed straight for the door, when I noticed the same
man from before waiting on his arrival. He didn’t look very happy as they both
stormed out of the restaurant. He was a giant of a man and compared to Eddie’s
impressive physique and height. This man looked like six and half foot of solid
muscle and strength. He looked European with his dark tan and short dark brown
hair. He looked a force to be reckoned with. I hope this man was on Eddie’s side
because if not then he was in trouble.
I signalled the waiter, still in a daze from the meeting.
“How can I help Miss Frost” he asked in a polite but guarded manner, very
different from his first introduction to me.
“Can I have the check please?” I asked curtly, just wanting to get the hell
out of here. Today had been more confusing than waking up with amnesia.
“Mr Vance left his details for the check Miss Frost and told me to charge
anything else you would like to his card.” The waiter smirked at me now,
confirming my suspicions that he thought that me and Eddie were together. I
Laughed.
30

“That’s very kind, but…” I stopped. Maybe I should take advantage of Mr
Vance’s generosity. I looked up at the waiter and gave him a wide smile. “Do you
do that chocolate fudge cake with the triple layer of fudge in the middle with
extra cream” I asked, drooling from the image of the lush cake Justice had brought
me a few weeks before. Peace, Faith and I had devoured every crumb from the
cake box Justice had offered us.
“Why, yes we do” The waiter smirked with a knowing look. He offered a
small chuckle at my indulgence.
“Could you box four large slices to go please?”
He gave me a devious smile. “Why don’t you take a full cake Miss Frost? Mr
Vance is paying and I’ll box extra cream up for you to takeaway” he offered. I
suddenly liked his attitude towards my favourite cake and I looked down at his
nametag. What a coincidence I thought. I didn’t get the Alex I thought I would be
seeing today, but a different one entirely and he was giving me cake and extra
cream.
“I think I’ll just do that Alex” Nodding my agreement to his suggestion.
“Great, give me two minutes and I will be back with your order”
Alex returned with a large box offering to help me to my car with my takeaway. I
thanked him and made my way to the car. I headed towards home. I had so much
to tell Faith, Justice and Peace. Where was I going to start? The fact that he had
seemed way to familiar to be an utter stranger or the fact that my body sang for
the multi-billionaire. I went for the meeting worried that the deal was going to be
rejected or postponed, but now I had so much more to worry about.
Stupid hormones.
Why couldn’t my body react more appropriately than to my gay boss?
* * *
“You’re shitting me right” Justice burst out in fits of laughter, with half her
mouth still full of chocolate cake. When I got home, I had texted all the girls to
meet me at the house, within fifteen minutes we were hovered around the full
chocolate cake Alex had deviously suggested I take and I was telling them about
my meeting with Edward Vance.
“No” I whispered, embarrassment creeping into my cheeks.
“Wait. Let me get this straight, not only did you get all hot and flirty with
Mr I’m all hot and surly but you think you knew him from before. I thought the
doctors said that was impossible?”
31

“They did” I admitted, stumped at my own suggestion.
“I’ve never known you to talk about a guy full stop, never mind have a full
on lady boner after meeting one,” Justice chuckled out. Her face was has red as
her hair.
“Justice” we all admonished instinctively, filling the kitchen full of
laughter. I never got old of Justice’s potty mouth. Sometimes she still could even
surprise me. I held my sides. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard.
“Seriously though. Is this for real?” Peace asked warily. Out of all of us,
Peace worried the most. She was the quiet and sensitive one that was always
careful. It was one of the many things I loved her for.
“Yeah, I think so. I really don’t understand my reaction to him, but I have
this niggling feeling that he’s familiar wouldn’t leave me. I’ve never had that
before. With you guys, I have this strong bond that became stronger over time, but
my reaction to Edward was off the chart as soon as I saw him. When he asked me
to call him Eddie, I nearly fainted.” Shaking my head “I just don’t get it” I
admitted, my body sagging in defeat. I realised my rant had silent tears flowing
down my face in full force. The forlorn looks on the girls’ faces made me cry
harder. They huddled around me, giving me their strength and support.
I wiped my tears and swallowed hard. The girls sat back, waiting for me to
talk. Maybe I was being silly and exaggerating the feelings that Eddie brought out
in me. His gentle touch had set my body alight and even though I was trying to talk
myself out of what I had just told the girls, I stood by it. Eddie was different,
absolutely, completely and dramatically different. But what did I do with that?
“So what do I do?” I asked. All three of my best friends looked up in
surprise. They looked at each other, scared to even suggest anything. This was
major, feeling something beyond the reality of waking up with no memory was
huge and all four of us were feeling the repercussions of it.
Justice smile broadened and simply said “You embrace it, honey” As if it
was that simple, cocking her eyebrow at me. Justice lived life to the full and
everything was at full pelt. Her hair, her clothes, her attitude, that’s why we love
her. She is the one who makes us live our life to the full, instead of hiding behind
our pasts.
“And wither in pleasure beneath him” Justice added, in a husky voice full of
innuendo. “shppppfttt ughughugh” I heard Faith gasp as coffee spurted all over the
place. I chuckled. Faith’s face had turned blotchy and red. My heart lifted. This
was why I loved these girls so much, they made me smile when we didn’t have
much to smile about.
“Justice” I scolded. The smile on my face didn’t chastise her like I had
intended it to. Instead I could feel my face flushed and hot with embarrassment.
32

Justice winked and chuckled at my response. I couldn’t believe she just said that.
Jesus. I wasn’t sure if I was more shocked at her suggestion or the fact that my
slutty mind had already navigated down that route. I couldn’t help it. His broad
shoulders and muscles that were hidden by his fitted shirt screamed for me to see
what was underneath. I wondered if he tasted as good has he smelled.
“Come on, we all know you were thinking it. It’s written all over your face
honey. All the hot and glory details can be read in those innocent cheeks of yours”
Justice mocked well naturedly. She was right, but I wasn’t about to admit it. The
way I feel about Eddie was like a blast of cold water shocking me to my core.
Whatever this was, I knew I wouldn’t walk away from this familiar feeling. I just
had to find out what the hell that meant for my future and if that had a
connection to my past. Justice gave me those fierce violet Eyes, challenging me to
deny what she already knew. I frowned at her.
“Fine” I said petulantly. I screwed my face up and sighed in defeat. “I may
have thought of Eddie that way”
“Pleassssse” Justice retorted. “Your body is still humming from your
reaction to him, I can see it zipping off you like roles of electric ribbons” Her
words held a sincerity that was new for Justice, her snarky humour cloaked by the
size of her heart. There was longing in her tone. We all felt reluctant to let anyone
anywhere near us, to form any kind of emotional connection with the baggage we
each held. That was one of the reasons we became so close. We protected each
other from what we each feared.
“She’s right, Erin” Faith admitted. “Something has changed from when you
left the house this morning to coming back in this afternoon. Whatever Eddie is
doing to you, is a good thing in my book. Maybe he’s who you’ve been holding out
for” Faith admitted and then wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at me. What the
hell had gotten into these girls? I looked over at Peace, who was sat with a sullen
look on her face. Peace’s quiet nature had scared me when we were younger. I
couldn’t always read her moods back then, but ten years had done wonders for
reading her expressions. Peace hated change more than the rest of us, she always
reverted back into herself when things went south. Even if it wasn’t a bad change,
it didn’t matter. I knew little about Peace’s past. I knew she had been neglected
and left broken by something that had changed her life forever. I looked around at
the girls that were closer than sisters could ever be. I would be lying if I said we
knew every little secret we each possessed, but that didn’t matter. We stood side
by side, just as families did, but this was by choice.
I reached over to grasp Peace’s hand, squeezing it lightly. She gave me a
tight smile. I knew words wouldn’t change any of her doubts or insecurities, so I
didn’t give her any, I gave her my support instead. The silence was deafening. We
each worried over what my reaction to Eddie meant exactly.
33

“So what now” Faith asked quietly.
“Nothing”
“What do you mean nothing?” Faith asked looking bewildered.
“I will not worry about something that may or may not happen” I admitted,
shrugging my shoulders at Faith. I suddenly loss my appetite, looking down at the
half eaten piece of chocolate heaven. All of this talk of things changing were
setting my nerves on edge and I wasn’t the only one. I looked over at Peace who
was staring down at her feet.
Chapter Five.
Eddie.
The large black table creaked under the pressure, the indentation of ware
and tare were apparent and becoming more noticeable every day. The additional
two hundred and fifty pounds of hard muscle that held his six foot four frame
made the table cry out in protest. Rhode’s large hands dug deeper into the oak
with every passing minute. This current threat was becoming increasingly more
frustrating for Rhodes. Just the week before we had cleared every possible threat
and misdemeanour to fully protect Maggie from our past. The problem is, that we
weren’t really sure if it was the past or the present threatening to attack her this
time, but I wasn’t going to take any more chances. I had already placed enough
security on Maggie fit for the queen. The easier option would be to tell her and
then remove her from this other life she had and lock her up in an ivory tower. I
had to smart about this. Maggie would have never allowed me to do that before
and I’m sure to hell that the Erin I met earlier wouldn’t let me either. I would
probably get a couple of black eyes and a groin injury for my troubles. Erin was all
spit and fire sizzling under the surface and the specs of caramel that ran through
her eyes burned with passion, desire and unadulterated lust. The attraction
between us was undeniable.
“Quit breaking my fucking table Rhodes and clue me in. Is she in danger
again?
“Have I put her in danger?” I asked again. My voice cracking at the end.
What if I caused this latest threat and endangered Maggie. I was supposed to be
protecting her, not bringing the threat closer and potentially getting her killed. I
couldn’t last another ten years without her in my arms, feeling the warmth and
caress of her under my palms. I had to know she was safe in my arms.
“Asshole” Rhodes mumbled under his breath. This was the worst part of
being friends with the people you employed because there was a fine line between
work and personal, especially being a Vance. Maggie was personal, this threat was
34

personal. Me, Rhodes and Rafi had searched for the last five years for Maggie and
now we couldn’t even decipher a simple threat to protect her. The feeling that I
was powerless had followed me since Maggie had gone and now that Maggie was
back, I felt even more powerless than before.
“A computer virus was sent to Social Services database to corrupt and
disable the protocols of the documentation held on previous charges of state.
These files consist of all data prior to being released as an adult into society. The
thing is, this file consists of their habits, blood type, state of entry into the system
and other indicators that could enable social services to find a decent and stable
home for a child, especially one at this late stage of adolescence. “
“Has any files been leaked, can we confirm?” I asked cutting Rhodes off mid
flow.
“No sir, the firewall bounced the feedback through the virus it had already
created and couldn’t fully implement any changes to the database. This is not
saying that they didn’t receive any additional accompanied files that were
essential to the assessment of these young girls. The slightest detail could lead
anyone of them to Maggie and then we would be pissing in the dark” Rhodes
admitted on a growl.
“What exactly are you getting at Ellerson” I spat between gritted teeth. The
uneasiness of the situation made me want to tear someone apart. The anger was
pulsating off of Rhodes and my interference was making the situation more severe.
“You know what the hell I’m saying Eddie. Surveillance. Wires and security
and backup” Rhodes said in a sharp tone, standing up and folding his arms across
his solid frame. His dark hair was dishevelled and his grey eyes held a darkness
that I hadn’t seen since he came back from war. This breach of security had him
on edge. We were in the dark and until we could figure out what the hell was
going on we had to protect Maggie at all cost.
“Do whatever needs to be done Rhodes. I mean anything to keep Maggie
safe. I can’t lose her again”
“I will.” Rhodes walked over and squeezed my shoulder before leaving my
office. Rhodes wasn’t one to show emotion like most men, but I put that down to
the marine in him.
What the hell do I do now?
I stared at my computer screen. I was waiting for Rafi to return from his
meetings to tell him about seeing Maggie.
“Mr Vance, I have your father on line one” Elaine’s concerned voice came
through the intercom.
“Put him through.”
35

“What do you want old man?” I said into the phone, not bothering with
pleasantries. The laboured breathing on the other end of the line was the only
indication that the line had connected.
“Well? What do you want dad?”
“Your mother wanted me to remind you of the gala next Friday. She wanted
me to make sure you were still going to attend as planned.” He said in a non-committal
tone.
“Why didn’t Mom ring me then?” I asked, rolling my eyes into the phone. My
father never made a call if he didn’t have a hidden agenda. One thing I have learnt
about my father over the years is that he hated to lose control over his assets and I
came under that distinction. I was a pawn to his power game. His communication
company was one of the largest independently owned corporations worldwide.
When my business started to take off, he tried to sabotage my client base and
contact list. He just made me work that much harder. After losing Maggie, he was
determined to mould me into him, trying to use my loss to bring me into the fold
and keep me in line. The more he demanded control over me, the more I rebelled.
His persistence was constantly biting him in the arse.
“Well?” I was growing impatient of his bullshit.
“I wanted to talk…”
“No.” I cut him off.
“My decision to your offer to buy the communications division is not up for
discussion and will never be. Anyways, that’s Rafi’s department and you know how
he is with his possessions. He’s worse than you and I combined.”
“This your final word on that matter?” he asked, returning to the harsh
businessman that I’ve always been subjected to. His motto was to be the best.
As soon as I had uttered the word Yes, the line went dead. It’s funny how he
only calls when he wants something in return. He can’t even have a normal
conversation with his own son. Ridiculous but undeniably true.
I quickly dialled my Mom’s number and waited.
“Hello dear” she answered with a happy tone. My mother had several tones
she reserved for phone calls. Her happy tone, as I called it, was when she was
acting as if we were one big happy family. Her bullshit had become as patronizing
as my father’s, consistently trying to reign me in. I suppose you could say my
family was old fashioned. They believed if you were born into money then you
should act that part and takeover the family business when necessary. As if we
were born superior than other people, even though they never asked me if that’s
the life that I wanted. They didn’t have the first clue about me. What I wanted or
needed. After Maggie was taken from me, no one could use her as leverage
36

anymore. My relationship with Maggie was Edmund’s constructive ploy to keep me
loyal and pliable to his will, but when Maggie had disappeared I had nothing left to
lose. They supported our relationship at the start, as long as it kept me in line with
their plan for me. I wanted to show them all, I was so much more than just a
Vance.
“Don’t dear me, Mom. Why did I just receive a call about the gala, when I
had already told you I would be attending? I won’t be a pawn in your game mother.
I already told you I didn’t want him calling me again. He only calls me when he
wants something from me. You do the same for one of your little social functions.”
“Edward, don’t use that tone with me” Her light and airy tone turning into
the stern tone I remember from my childhood. She was another pawn in my
Edmund’s game. She had natural blonde hair and pure green eyes compared to my
dark looks that matched my fathers. My dark eyes didn’t resemble either of my
parents.
“Don’t Mom. I’m sick of this pretence. Next time you want something just
ring my assistant or send me a frigging email because I’m done with this bullshit. I
will maintain my appearances for the Vance charities but apart from that. I’m
done, do I make myself clear. I’m done. You and Edmund can go and toy with
someone else’s fucking life.”
I was breathing heavy by the time I hung up on her. I hated I had to play this
game with them. My relationship with either of them was difficult. I have kept my
distance from both of them for months and as soon as Maggie comes back into my
life, so does my parents. This gala had come at the worst possible time. The gala
was the biggest function for the elite of the business world that supported the
Melody Foundation. It was the only function I was fully committed to. It supported
children like Molly with a life threatening heart condition that either cut their life
short or restricted their living. I sighed in frustration. I had thought things were
turning a corner and then something reels me back in, keeping me in their invisible
restraints.
“Mr Vance, your two o’clock is here”
“Send them in Elaine”
The rest of the afternoon flew by, one meeting turned into another. I tried
not to think about the gala or the ramifications of actually being in the same room
as both my parents. I thought of Maggie and her long flowing hair and the curves
she tried to hide under those skinny jeans and figure hugging tank. The shape of
her perky breasts and the sliver of skin just above her jeans kept peeking out when
she moved. Just thinking about her made me hard. Her supple lips were soft and
screamed for me to kiss them, possess them, and take them over and over again.
37

“You’re screwed you know that right” Rafi’s voice drifted from the
doorframe. I looked up at the smirk on his face. His body was relaxed and he
looked more in control than he had last week. His dark jeans and his favourite blue
t-shirt clung to his still thin frame but fitted better, he was obviously eating better
than before our break.
“Hello to you to?”
“Don’t give me that Eddie?” Rafi chuckled at me.
“Give you what?” I asked innocently.
“You know full well?” shooting me a sceptical look.
“Do I?” I challenged.
“Yes you do, so stop with the bullshit and dodging my fucking question?”
Glancing over at Rafi’s frustrated face. I decided to take pity on him. “Yeah
I am totally screwed, I do know that. But I knew that at fifteen so it doesn’t really
matter, does it? I knew that I would only love her and only her forever. That hasn’t
changed and I don’t think it ever will. She is the only one I have ever wanted. I
looked at her today and my body hummed at her just being near. I need her to
breath. I need her to live and I need her to give me my life back.”
Rafi stood there still. I think he knew all this before I emptied my soul. His
shoulders relaxed and his smirk smoke volumes.
“That’s more like it”
“I’m glad you’re pleased” I replied sarcastically. Chuckling at his
amusement.
“I am. So…..is she the same?” Rafi asked peering down to the floor, looking
uncomfortable at asking something personal about Maggie.
“I can’t wait for you to see her. She looks exactly the same. She’s
absolutely beautiful, her hair is longer and she’s a little curvier than she was when
she was younger. Her eyes have changed their more distinctive now. The browns
circle her eyes like caramel pools of chocolate. Then she opens her mouth and
she’s nothing like the Maggie I knew. She speaks with a strong Yorkshire accent
and is blunt. So she’ll love you” I winked at him. Rafi grunted at me, causing me to
laugh out loud. “She could have had me on my knees at any time she wanted, but
she’s oblivious to it now”
Rafi’s frown turned into a chuckle. “Like I said, you’re fucking screwed” He
held his stomach while he laughed harder.
“I loved Maggie before, but I can tell she is going to be amazing now. What
are they calling her now? Is it Erin?”
38

“Erin Frost. All I see is my Maggie. A very grown up version of what she was,
but Maggie all the same.”
“So what’s next?” Rafi asked me, but I didn’t have the answer so I just
shrugged at him.
“I don’t know. Rhodes says security, wires and surveillance.”
“I agree,” he said with conviction.
“How are you?” Rafi turned eyeing me with suspicion.
“I’m fine. Honestly Eddie. Don’t worry so much.” How could I not, he was
family.
“I’ll try, but promise me something?”
“Anything”
“See Marley. Just to keep me sane”
“Please” I added.
Rafi’s shoulders slumped, but he nodded anyway. I was thankful that he was in an
agreeable mood. I knew that his condition was a sure subject. Even though I knew
he could manage his disease. I was all he had. His family was more condescending
than mine. My family were influenced by society and the demands of the Vance
name. Rafi’s family was the opposite, true Italian blood. Family first and
tradition’s must be obeyed, rather than making your own path. Rafi’s disease was
hereditary and this strained his relationship with his father when he was diagnosed
at twenty. He saw it has a mark against his heritage. His only son carrying an
illness.
“So….. How was your clients today?
“I’ve only had two conference calls and one Skype call all day, nothing too
taxing. I just confirming the limitations and expectations of our products. I expect
Matthews and Farley’s to sign any day now”
“At least that’s something we don’t have to worry about for the time being.
By the way the Gala is next Friday and you’re on the guest list thanks to mother.”
“Aww shit”
“Exactly” I groaned. I wasn’t happy about the timing of this gala either, but
the foundation was important to all of us, Molly was still an important part of my
past.
“You ok about this?” Rafi asked, motioning towards me. I knew what he was
asking, so I just nodded. I didn’t really want to have this discussion.
Not now.
39

“Have you talked about Molly yet?”
“No” I quickly answered.
“Eddie”
I shook my head, hoping Rafi would leave it alone.
“Eddie” Rafi repeated again.
He stared at me, his gaze penetrating my senses. This wasn’t something I
wanted to talk about, not today. After having to deal with all the turmoil of seeing
Maggie again and now I have to deal with the repercussions of Molly. This gala was
a sure fire way of bringing the past back to haunt me. I wanted to live in the
present, but the past had a way of coming back to bite me in the ass. Maggie’s
reappearance had be jumping through hoops trying to find out why she had been
taken from me in the first place. Now Molly’s memory was being pranced around
me. I exhaled harshly. No More.
“Please talk to someone. Especially with Maggie coming back, your demons
need to be put to bed.” Rafi said in a resonate tone. The prompt in his tone was
subtle, but true to Rafi’s Italian roots he always made his point. The older he got,
the more frustrated I became.
“Yeah okay” I submitted. Why did everyone think I needed to talk to
someone? I was fine. I had found Maggie and everything would be perfect. Rafi
stood there waiting for me to argue with him, but I was too exhausted to fight him
on this any further. I needed to forget about the last ten years.
“I need a drink” I said, motioning towards the door. Rafi nodded. I left the
office, hoping I could at least drown out the incessant cries of the past that
seemed to haunt my dreams. Maybe I’ll dream about the curvy blonde that has
invaded my thoughts since I saw her again.
Chapter Six.
Erin.
The exotic smell of wild flowers swam around me bringing me out my daze.
I opened my eyes, taking in my surroundings. The lush valley of wild flowers
encased me under a gigantic willow tree. The tree was overwhelming at its sheer
size, but I recognised it from somewhere, the soft sway of the leaves made my
heart flutter in its response. The array of colours made me want to swim through
the stages of nature embracing the freedom of it all. I could just about make a
small building out behind it. I heard a faint noise behind me. I turned around and
found him standing there with his hair swaying in the light breeze around us. It was
longer and messier than I remembered. He held out his hand and I took it without
40

hesitation. I looked at him again, now he was closer I realised his features were
softer than what I remembered. His broad shoulders and bulky frame was less
defined and he stood there with a gentler presence. He was different, he looked
younger.
"What are you doing here, Eddie" I asked, slightly confused. I looked around
again. It wasn't only his presence that had me confused, but where we were
baffled me. I recognised the place but couldn't remember ever coming here.
"Don't you remember, baby. This is our place" his comment had me off
balance. Baby?
Where the hell did that come from?
"Our place?......but I've never been here" I admitted, my body hummed with
nervous energy.
"Sure you have." Eddie said confidently. His eyes were filled with emotion I
didn't particularly understand. A smile tugged at his beautiful lips.
"You just need to dig deep enough, I'm right here beneath the surface" he
whispered when he placed his palm over my heart, making me shiver in response.
What the hell did that mean? What was beneath the surface? His rugged breath ran
down my neck and made me shudder in recognition.
Remember.
Remember.
Remember what?
I thought as I jerked awake, panting hard. Shit. I rubbed my eyes hard and
saw Faith, Peace and Justice huddled around the bed.
The concern was etched into each of their faces. They stood motionless.
"What the hell was that?" Justice bellowed into the darkened room. I
decided that it was best to keep my dream to myself for the time being. I didn't
want to give them anything else to worry about. Now I just needed to figure out,
what exactly Eddie meant.
"Bad dream" I lied, licking my dry lips. Justice eyed me suspiciously. I looked
away, finding it hard to talk under Faith scrutiny.
"I don't believe you" she said quickly. I was surprised by her tone. Faith just
stood back with a disappointed look on her face. I hated lying to them, but how
could I explain anything about what I just saw under the willow tree and not sound
certifiable. There was no other choice. I knew deep down that I had to keep
finding Erin to truly find the answers I craved. I just hope that when I do, they’re
the answers that I want and not fear.
41

* * *
The next few days passed by quickly. If it wasn’t for the nightly dreams that
clung to me like smoke after a fire. The sense of the willow tree actually being
real, kept me in a constant state of panic. When Friday morning came, I didn’t
want to face the fact that these dreams could represent more than I even
considered when my body reacted to Eddie on Tuesday. My body could be telling
me one thing, but combined with my subconscious. It seemed a viable possibility
that Edward Vance held the key to a past I knew nothing about. I laid there in bed,
staring up at the ceiling and panicked at the prospect at having to actually face
Eddie in a few hours and confronting the fear that he actually knows more about
me than I do.
Chapter Seven.
Eddie.
I looked down at my watch for the tenth time in the last ten minutes. I was
petrified at seeing Erin again. The image of Maggie had held a place in my heart
since I was ten years old. Now the image of Erin haunted my reality. There was a
possibility that I have loss Maggie forever. What if Maggie is gone? There was no
guarantee that she would ever recognise me or want me in that way again. It’s
ironic really. Out of all the woman I have slept with over the last ten years. I have
never wanted anything more than the casual release that they provided me with,
but now I’m faced with the possibility that I could live without Maggie or Erin for
that fact, was inconceivable. Rhodes walked into my office looking utterly pissed
about something. I have learnt over the last few years with Rhodes, was if he was
pissed about something, it was a big fucking deal. This man was meticulous at his
job. The man himself was as legendary as his career was. The checks I carried out
on his past would shock some people, let alone hire the marine. He was exactly
what I needed. That kind of passion and determination didn’t come without some
kind of discrepancy on your record over pissing someone off at some point in your
career.
“We need to talk?” Rhodes finally said, in a clipped tone. Hell, this was bad.
“Ok” I replied slowly.
“There’s been another breech.”
“Through the mainframe” I asked.
“Yes and no” he replied cryptically.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean” I demanded, standing up from my
desk to address the situation. This wasn’t merely a coincidence, it was too precise
for Vance Media to be targeted simply because of our telecommunications
42

business. Unless my father had something to do with this. No, he wouldn’t breech
the company’s firewall, he wasn’t that stupid. He knew that I was good at business
and not stupid enough not to backup the mainframe. Why was someone trying to
gain access?
“What were they trying to retrieve?” I asked.
Rhodes gave me a wry smile, knowing exactly how my mind ticked when it
came to my company. I wasn’t a computer genius or anything, Rafi was a wiz at
tech compared to me, but we understood the logistics more than any other
business in the market today. That was one of the main reasons we had grown
considerably over the last five years.
“Information on your major communications business associates that make
up the majority of the communication fraction of the company”
Shit! That was not good.
“Did they get anything?”
“Yes, but nothing case sensitive. The breech didn’t infiltrate your current
contracts. So we need to be smart when it comes to stepping up security.”
“Ok” That wasn’t too bad. A full breech of protocol could cripple the
mainframe and it takes twenty four hours to successfully reboot the systems to set
second protocol into place. Rhodes mood haven’t shifted. I looked directly into his
eyes and cocked my eyebrow at him. Obviously there was something else we had
to discuss or he would have dismissed himself and left.
“Spit it out Rhodes”
“That wasn’t the only breech Eddie” That made me take notice. I whipped
my head back up.
“What else is there to breech apart from the mainframe?”
“The company’s internal communications”
“What are you getting at Rhodes?” I barked out in frustration.
“They targeted the entire company’s email and communications to all
clients and personal enquiries.”
“What exactly did they get?”
“This cannot be confirmed yet, but it looks like they could have gained
information on Erin and her roommates.”
“Are they in danger?” my frustration dissipated and was replaced with fury.
“Not at present, Sir” Rhodes paused and looked worried at the prospect of
another breech especially when it pinpointed Erin. “I have full surveillance on all
43

four of them, but you need to be prepared for what may come next. If these
people are searching for information on Erin, she could be targeted quickly to hit
you hard” Rhodes whole body radiated with anger and frustration. This threat had
just become very fucking real and we still didn’t know why they were after Erin
and if there was a connection to Vance Media or me personally.
“What’s our strategy?”
“Your meeting is at eleven. We go and assess the potential threat of her
home and then decide what we do after that. I’m going to be blunt though Eddie.
“Why break an habit.” I interrupted him. Rhodes gave me a cautious look.
“I want her out of there, all of them. They need full time protection and
the only way I can do that is to have them under one roof. So I can protect them
all. Until we can determine what exactly this threat is.”
“Let’s move then”
“Sir” Rhodes confirmed and took out his phone and started reeling off the
requirement for the security team to expect when we made our visit to Erin’s
house. I had a bad feeling about this, what if I was putting Erin in danger by
involving her in my business. How can I be sure of that though, what if she is the
target and I leave her alone and something bad happens to her? I couldn’t leave
her to be sacrificed for being connected to me. I loved her too much for that.
“Are you going to tell her?” Rhode asked, as if an afterthought had
occurred. Nothing Rhodes did was an afterthought, he was always two steps ahead
in the game.
“Yes” I answered quickly, with no explanation or hesitation. She needed to
know and sooner the better, because later may not be an option we have any
more.
* * *
“Is everything in place?” I asked Rhodes, who was sat in front of the black
SUV next to the other members of his security. He was the newest recruit. Rhodes
had gone territorial when we located Erin and I was thankful he knew exactly what
he was doing. I knew deep down that he would keep Erin safe, but there was still a
real possibility that this time I could lose her for good.
“Yes Sir”
Now I just needed to see how Erin reacted to the fact that she wasn’t just
Erin Frost anymore.
“She’s too out in the open.” I observed.
Rhodes puffed. His chest strained under the weight of Erin’s safety.
44

Rhodes came round and opened my door looking for any possible threats. I
jumped out and gave Rhodes a nod and walked briskly to Erin’s front door. I
knocked twice. My palms sweaty. I waited for Erin. I never expected to see
another beautiful girl standing there.
“Mr Vance” The red head acknowledged me, holding out her hand. “I’m
Justice, I’m one of Erin’s roommates. Please come this way, she’s expecting you.”
“Don’t worry lover boy. We’ll be gone before you know it.” She sniggered at
my expression.
I was silently hopeful to spend some time alone with Erin. I entered the
house and made my way through to the front room, where Erin’s other roommates
sat drinking coffee by the looks of it.
“I didn’t know I was receiving a welcome committee” I said with a chuckle.
The girls laughed with me. I noticed all of these girls were extremely
beautiful, but all were strikingly different. The girls sat side by side on the sofa.
The red head was first with ruby red lips that held a knowing smirk. The second
had sleek blonde hair swept back into a ponytail. She had the most memorising
blue eyes I had ever seen. They were pure as the Caribbean Sea. The last girl on
the sofa had beautiful black curls that swept down her back. She had her head
down. If I was to make an educated guest, I would say that she is the quiet one. I
suddenly looked over to the other door at the back of the living room and my body
tingled in anticipation. I could feel her presence before she even entered the
room. Erin stood there with a smile that could light the empire state building and
send me to heaven all at the same time. I ran my gaze up and down her slender
body and that same need that hit me on Tuesday returned. A glint of metal had me
looking down at Erin’s hands and that’s when I noticed the large smoky quartz ring
sitting on her left hand. I took in a shuddered breath. She still wore it. It had been
a surprise for her fifteen Birthday. I had planned to wait and give her the ring with
the pendant I was waiting to be finished at the jewellers, but I couldn’t wait to
have something of mine on Maggie. It was a promise of the future we both wanted.
A lifetime together and it sat sparkling where I had put it ten years before. I had
to prise my eyes of the ring that meant so much to me and continued looking at
her, like it hadn’t been only three days since I saw her last. Erin’s hair was pulled
into a messy bun on the top of her head and tendrils had escaped down her back
and at the sides of her beautiful face. Her eyes were darker than normal and the
slight darkness under her eyes told me she wasn’t sleeping either. She was still the
most beautiful thing I had ever seen. There was humour there as well, as her eyes
swept over her roommates and back over to me. I chuckled to myself. Obviously
she had felt the connection between us and brought backup.
“Good morning Mr Vance” Erin purred at me in that sexy voice of hers.
45

“Good morning Erin, I hope you slept well?” I asked. Innocence pouring of
her incredible body. She wasn’t wearing anything sexy like last time, but it didn’t
matter.
“Yes, thank you” she replied, but her voice sounded strained and pensive.
She caught herself quickly and schooled her features to the professional I had
glimpses of during our first meeting.
“I hoped you enjoyed the chocolate cake?” I asked seductively. My eyes
hadn’t left Erin’s since she had entered the room. I was in tune with her every
movement. I could feel our attraction from across the room like a traction beam. If
she thought filling the room with other people were going to diminish that, she
was deluding herself. This connection between us had remained and she still
reacted to me like she did when we were teenagers and nothing and no one could
ever change that. Erin’s face blushed red and those high cheekbones flushed a
deeper crimson was sexy as hell. This woman would always own me. Even if she
knew it or not. I would never need or want another woman if I had Maggie or Erin
by my side, because they were one in the same. Maybe a little bolder and feistier
now, but underneath there still laid my sweet and determined little Maggie.
“Busted” I heard the red head beam at Erin. We all bust out laughing. God I
missed the sweet sound of her laugh and by the looks of the woman beside her,
they were the reason that she hadn’t fell apart.
“As long as you enjoyed it” I said still not containing my laughter at Erin
being embarrassed at taking the full chocolate cake home for her and the girls. I
wouldn’t tell Erin this, but when Rhodes had called me telling me see had been
coerced into taking a full cake from the waiter I had warned off. Rhodes had
laughed for at least ten minutes and then rang Rafi to inform him that our little
Maggie had indeed grown a back bone. Ever since then, they have both enjoyed
the fact that I had truly met my match with this new and improved side of Maggie
because Erin would definitely not be talked around or handled like I could Maggie.
That is for sure.
“It was delightful” she said with a wink in my direction. She’s going to
seriously kill me.
“It is delightful to meet you all, but I thought the inspection was with you
alone Erin.”
“It is Mr Vance, but the girls don’t have work or class this morning and I
couldn’t kick them out of the streets. Now could I?” Erin replied, batting her
eyelashes at me. I knew exactly what she was doing, but two could play at that
game.
46

“It’s ok. I can wait” I retorted with a shit eating grin. Her face was shocked
and bewildered. I was unnerving her. If I was going to tell her about the past, I
needed to knock her off balance.
“I think you’ve met your match Erin” Red practically sang at Erin with a
smile that matched mine. This one was definitely a handful.
I was just about to tell her that she was right, then all I heard were loud
noises coming from outside and Rhodes large frame filling the doorframe and
barking orders at all five of us to GET DOWN!
My ears were filled with white noise and all I could think of was to get to
Erin. I heard gun shots cascading through the windows and heading for the girls.
The sound of glass breaking and everyone trying to get some kind of cover. The
destruction of the front room rang loud throughout the house, it was deafening.
Shit. No. This cannot be happening.
I. Will. Not. Lose. Her. Again.
I ran over to Erin and dove in front of her. Her small frame was shaking as
my body covered hers with force. What could I do? I just needed to protect her. I
could still hear shots around me and screams from the other girls coming fast and
furious, but all I could feel was Erin’s warmth from underneath me. Her eyes were
full of fear and I gently ran my hand down her face to try and soothe her. “I got
you, baby” I said firmly. I would never let her go ever again. I had to keep her
safe. Erin’s face flashed recognition, but I could sense the turmoil boiling under
the surface. She wasn’t sure what I meant to her yet, but she knew deep down
that I did. Now I just needed to convince her that she belonged with me and I
could protect her from whatever was shooting at us. The noise quietened
considerably, but all I could do was stare into Erin’s eyes trying to reassure her
that everything would be ok. She started to wriggle under the weight of me and I
had to swallow a groan down with her luscious movements underneath me. This
was not the time to get aroused. We have a major security problem and I needed
to fix that now. I gently moved my weight to my arms and lifted myself off of her.
I didn’t get to my feet because I wasn’t sure if the threat was over or not. I got on
my knees, trying to assess if Erin was hurt. I ran my hands over her abdomen and
down her legs, checking every inch of her. Erin’s gaze was formidable and I
realised when I was touching her she was holding her breath.
“Rhodes”
“Here” he answered groggily. I could hardly see him through the rubble.
“Wrap this up and get us the fuck out of this house. NOW” I ordered, never
taken my gaze off of Erin. I hear Erin call all the girls one by one. Faith, Justice
and Peace. These girls were something else. It couldn’t be a coincidence that all
47

four of these girls lived together and each held a name that had a true meaning to
each other. This was bigger than me and Rhodes had anticipated.
Chapter Eight.
Erin.
I couldn’t breathe. Eddie was covering my entire body. It wasn’t from the
weight of him. It was the fact that I wanted to grind my body into his and seek the
heat that he emits every time we are in a room together. This wasn’t the time or
place to start fantasying over his body. I heard him ask Reynolds or Rhodes or
something or other if he was ok. I started to panic about the girls. As soon as Eddie
lifted his weight off of me I called each of their names out. Their small voices
came back quickly, but the panic I had moments ago about losing anyone of my
sisters still remained. Eddie finally stood up and held out his arm to help me up. I
heard sighs of relief from around the room. Why in hell had my house been shot at
and did this have anything to do with the people that were asking questions about
me. I didn’t have time to ask. Eddie was steering me out the door and into a large
black SUV with tinted windows. This was something out of a movie. The car was all
sleek and reinforced. What did I expect really, Edward Vance was a freaking
billionaire for god’s sake? Of course he would have security and expensive
transport. Typical.
We all climbed in. I sat on the back row with Eddie and the man from the
restaurant, Reynolds I think his name was. Justice was huddled next to Peace, who
was shaking like a leaf and Faith just sat their holding each of my best friends
tightly, making sure we were all in one piece.
I cleared my throat. “Can someone please tell me what the hell is going
on?” Eddie exchanged a concerned look with Reynolds. Reynolds remained stoic.
The car remained silent. It was unnerving.
“We don’t know” Eddie sighed “We had a breach of security this morning
and feared that an attack may occur, that’s why I brought more security with me”
Eddie replied softly whilst rubbing circles on my palm. My head begged for relief
when it pounded in anguish. Letting go of Eddie’s hand, I rubbed my temples in
search of relief. This was like stepping into a movie where people get shot and
killed, but that was make believe, this was terrifyingly real. The journey was
short.
We pulled in front of The Hilton Hotel in town. It was only a short ride from
my house on the outskirts of Sheffield. The SUV doors opened as soon as we
stopped, as if by magic. There was security surrounding the door. The driver and
Reynolds were there and two other tall and formidable men blocked everything
except the entrance. They rushed all of us through the entrance and into the
48

elevator before I could even blink. Everything was blurred as if I was travelling
through a fog. By the time I realised we were all in a large suit and everyone
turned to look at me. I realised my breathing had escalated. I tried to control my
breaths but it was too late for that, I was on my way to having a full on panic
attack. All I could concentrate on was trying to not freak out and gain some sort of
control over myself. I felt a firm hand on my back and then another on my neck,
heat seeping through the gentle touch. The familiar scent of the outdoors and soap
seeped into my pores and washed away the anxiety and filled me with a sense of
peace. I knew it was Eddie that had me enveloped in his arms. I took quick and
fast gulps of Eddie. I licked my lips after my breathing had subsided some. I moved
my gaze from the comfort of his neck up to his face, taking in his gorgeous face. I
had never seen this possessive side of him, but I realised I kind of liked the way he
looked at me, with such passion and possession. The way he held me had my
emotions soaring to new heights, but how could I react to someone that was
obviously gay. If it was so obvious to everyone in the world, than why did my body
betray that simple little fact?
“I can’t do this” I rasped out, backing out of Eddie’s arms. My body felt the
loss instantly. I wrapped my hands around myself, trying to calm myself.
“What can’t you do Erin?” Eddie asked. His gaze was intent and focussed
solely on me.
“This” I whispered, motioning my hand between us. The room was quite
now and what I could hear, the others had moved to the corner of the room to give
me some privacy.
“Why?”
“Because it isn’t right, finding solace in your arms, when I shouldn’t”
“Why is that? I want to comfort you. I want to protect you and keep you
safe” That last comment did it, why the hell did he feel the need to protect me.
“Why? I’m not your responsibility, Mr Vance.” As soon as I said those words,
they cut my flesh like a knife and Eddie winced at the same time, as if he was
feeling exactly the same.
Eddie closed the distance between us and as quick as lightening his hot and
luscious lips crashed on mine. I couldn’t even think about the fact that I was
letting a gay man kiss me, but the fact that I didn’t want him to stop. The warmth
of his body was pressed tightly against my breasts and my core and they screamed
for him to take control and throw me down and show me how much he wanted me.
I couldn’t let this happen, I would regret this afterwards. I pushed at Eddie, who
was enraptured in this moment as much as I was. I pushed again and managed to
tare my lips from his.
“No”
49

Oh god I shouldn’t have let that happen.
“What exactly are you saying no to Erin? The kiss or your body’s reaction to
me?” Eddie challenged.
“Both” I said breathlessly.
“Why?” Our whole interaction was filled with questions that I simply didn’t
have any answers to. When I took another look at Eddie’s face, the softness from
earlier had been replaced with a smug smile pulling at his lips. I wanted to smack
him in the face and demand that he stopped playing this game with me and let me
leave.
“There’s a whole list Mr Vance and I would rather not discuss that with you
right now. I would however like to gather my friends and go home or somewhere
away from you” I said vehemently. My professional manner slipped.
“I would love to hear that list Erin” Eddie replied. He thought this was
funny. He raised his brow and let a hearty chuckle escape his perfect lips and
made his handsome face crease in laughter. He was gorgeous, completely and
utterly de..lic…ious. I shook my head and let the anger consume me.
“I don’t fucking think so” I seethed through gritted teeth and turned on my
heels and stormed into the other room where the girls sat together holding each
other tightly.
I heard his heavy steps stalk after me like a predator after his pray.
Irritation prickled at my skin. I swung round and looked Eddie directly in the eyes.
His face was slightly shocked at my reaction. His body stilled and became slightly
hesitant at what I was going to do.
“I said I want to leave.”
“And why would I allow you to do that?” His words sent another bolt of
anger zip through me and I couldn’t control my reaction to his comment. My hand
shot out and smacked him across the face. “I. DO. NOT. NEED. YOUR. PERMISSION”
I turned and looked at the girls shocked faces. “We are leaving now” I told
them, turning to head for the door. Eddie’s firm hand snaked around my wrist and
stopped me dead.
“That is not an option Erin. If you haven’t realised by now that someone is
trying to kill you and take you out of my life. So no you aren’t leaving this room,
until I take you home.”
“Good, so when can we go home” Relaxing at his admission. This was good.
“When Rhodes gives us the all clear. We will be on the road for three hours
and then we can figure everything out from there”
50

My head whipped round at his words stopped me cold. Three hours away?
Where the hell was he taking me?
“Road? Three hours. What the hell are you talking about Eddie” I practically
screamed at him. My words were practically inaudible as I rambled my thoughts
out.
“I’m taking you to my house” Eddie replied firmly, there was no mistaking
his tone. He meant business. I exchanged looks with the girls, catching Peace’s
solemn face. Was he taking me away from the girls?
“No”
“I’m not going anywhere”
“Yes we are” Eddie gave me a stern look, warning me not to challenge his
authority. I had a feeling I would lose that particular battle anyways.
This insufferable man was starting to really piss me off with his caveman
tactics. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Why the hell did he think he
had some sort of control over me? He didn’t, my body maybe, but not me.
“No we’re not. You’re not my keeper”
“Maybe not now, but I was,” he whispered so I could only hear, his voice
thick with emotion. What the hell did that mean? He was? What? I pinched the
bridge of my nose and sucked in a shaky breath. The anxiety had returned and now
instead of needing Eddie’s soothing touch, I needed to get as far away from him as
possible.
I stormed around the room to put some distance between me and Eddie, but
I had realised since the shots had fired into the house. Eddie wasn’t going
anywhere without me at his side. “What the hell do you want from me?” I said
with a frustrated sigh, letting my hands fall to my side. He was gay, what the hell
did he want with me?
Eddie stalked right in front of me, leaving little space between our bodies.
“You” He shouted, “I want you.” Eddie’s eye’s flashed with need. The
determination and resistance in his tone, told me he was telling me the truth.
“Why would you want me, you’re Gay for god sakes” I rushed out in a bated
breath and then froze with fear at my admission. I wondered where this
conversation was going. I looked up at Eddie. He looked shocked and maybe a little
mortified. Oh god. Why the hell did I just say that? The entire room stood
absolutely still. Eddie still hadn’t moved or replied to my comment. A hearty laugh
rolled around the entire room, bringing everyone out of their shocked states. I
turned around and saw Rhodes doubled over in laughter. It was hilarious, but quite
alarming. I’ve never seen anyone laugh that hard before.
51

“That was priceless” Rhodes deep voice interjected through the room. His
tone thick with his American accent. It wasn’t pure American, I could hear a slight
British tinge at the end of his words. He was still laughing at what I had said. What
in the hell was so funny about me saying Eddie was gay.
Unless… Oh shit. No. My face fell and I instantly felt sick.
“This gets better and better, look at her face. She honestly thought you
were gay, Eddie. The tabloids publicise your sexuality all the time and never
deterred anyone, but the one girl you want, believes it. Well isn’t that ironic”
Rhodes practically snorts his words and finishes on a chuckle.
So if he wasn’t gay, what the hell did he mean about wanting me. That
can’t be right, what the hell did a billionaire want with a girl from the north. I
heard Eddie mutter un-fucking-believable as he ran his hand through his hair.
“Knock it off Rhodes” Eddie warned and the room returned to its silent
state.
“Everyone out” No one battered an eyelid when Eddie ordered everyone
out, even the girls did as he requested. They each gave me a concerned look, but
left grudgingly. Eddie motioned towards the big white sofa. I sat down timidly,
after the embarrassment of what had just happened. I don’t know if I’ll ever be
able to look Eddie in the eyes ever again.
What will happen to my business deal? I sighed, as my hopes and dreams
were deflating around me.
“Why the sad face?” Eddie asked tipping my chin up to meet his eyes.
“I made a complete and utter fool out of myself and you are my boss Mr
Vance. I don’t want to lose the contract I have worked hard for.” Eddie smiled in
understanding.
“You won’t lose the contract, but there are some things that need you need
to know. I need you to promise me one thing before I tell you everything” I nodded
at his request, I couldn’t find the words.
“Don’t run away from me.” He stated matter of facilely. His eyes pleading.
I nodded again, I didn’t understand anything that had happened in the last
few hours, but I was intrigued to what Eddie thought I needed to know.
“Ok” Eddie said slowly, studying my face intently. He let out a slow and
serene breath that coated my face. I closed my eyes and shuddered as my pulse
raced at the innocent action.
“Do you remember anything before you woke up in the hospital?” Eddie
asked softly. Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting.
52

I shook my head. “No, why? Do you know what happened to me or where I
belong?” I replied nervously. I wasn’t sure why I had said that. Why did I feel the
need to belong somewhere? This conversation was turning into something that had
my stomach twisting in knots and my head running off in a thousand different
directions.
“You belong to me” He said simply, no hesitation, no qualms. I looked up to
see love and affection pouring from Eddie as he watched me closely. I don’t know
how I didn’t see it before. It was there for all the world to see. He leaned in and
kissed me with such tenderness had my insides coiled like a spring.
Chapter Nine.
Eddie.
“You belong to me” I heard myself say. When I had heard Erin utter those
simple and innocent words ‘where I belong?’ Had my insides screaming at my
possessive nature to claim her and demand she stayed with me forever. I never
realised how possessive I was of Maggie until she was gone and now I had her
sitting beside me asking where she belonged reminded me that she belonged to
me. I kissed her tenderly and moved back after briefly touching her lips.
The shock radiated off her at first. Erin’s face went from shock, relief,
bewilderment and then to anger.
“What was that again?” Erin asked incredulously. Her face was a mask of
emotions.
“There’s no time to tell you the entire story. I can tell you though, under no
circumstance that I am letting anyone take you away from me again. I will protect
you with everything I have.” I said with every ounce of passion I had for her and
there was no denying that I meant every word. “Ten years ago, you were taken
from me and I have searched every day to find you. To bring you home, to me.”
As the words poured out of me, it was like I was tearing a bit of my soul out
and giving it away freely. The pain of losing her was something that would haunt
me forever, but now I was determined that I would never have to face another day
without her in my life or my arms. Erin sat quietly, taking every word in and
digesting what they meant to the life she has lived without me. It wasn’t my
intention to guide her to choose this life or the life we barley shared when she was
fifteen, but now it was more than just giving her a choice, because now could
potentially mean life or death.
“Just answer me one question.” she whispered, hiding those pretty brown
eyes.
53

“Anything” I said quickly. There was nothing I wouldn’t give this girl I
thought. She tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. I would move
mountains if it kept her with me for longer.
“What is my real name?” Erin looked up at me, hidden under her long lashes
and waves of silky blonde hair. This was one of the question I have dreaded, ever
since I decided to come clean. Erin’s eyes were silently searching mine.
“You don’t want to tell me, do you?”
“It isn’t that simple. It isn’t that I don’t want to tell you, it’s complicated”
“I know. I can see it written all over your face. Please Eddie, I’ll do anything
you ask, just tell me, please” Erin begged. Maggie owned my soul since we were
kids. Nothing had changed. If this is what she needed until I could insure she was
safe, I would.
“Your name was Maggie. Maggie Montgomery.”
Erin’s face wound tight with concentration, taking in the real her.
“That name sounds familiar?” she asked, titling her head back with a
confused look on her face. Eddie frowned.
“The story was in the news for months. The media made it look like a
conspiracy that either your father or mine had removed you from being with me”
I sighed “Now you know. Whatever is happening here, this is bigger than you
or I. I don’t want to scare you baby, but we have to go and we have to go now”
Erin’s gaze never altered when I told her we had to leave, but her cheeks heated
when I called her baby and a hint of recognition crossed her face. Interesting.
Maybe there was hope for me yet. Maybe Maggie would come back to me one day.
“Ok” Erin said in a resigned tone. This was breaking my heart that she was
yet again, being torn from her life, but her safety was all that mattered at this
precise moment. I would make it up to her later.
* * *
The drive back to Kent was uneventful, apart from the warmth of Erin’s tits
snuggled up tight next to me. I thought my jeans would evaporate into shreds. The
estate I bought a couple of years before stood on a few hundred acre. It always
reminded me of a house out of a Jane Austen book. When I looked round the cream
walls and stone staircase I fell in love with it. It was something that spoke to me as
if Maggie was silently giving her approval. I had bought it with her in mind,
determined to get her back. The pillars at the front stood large and obscene, but
the insides were delicate and subtle compared to the outside. When I saw Erin’s
eyes as we pulled up the long drive that was surrounded by endless acres of
meadows, I knew I had made the right choice.
54

“So beautiful” she whispered in awe. This moment right here in my
driveway made me fall for Erin that little bit more than when she was my Maggie. I
wish I could have captured that moment and stayed entwined within its depths
instead of the reality that was playing out in front of me.
“Can’t you say anything else but no” Faith screamed at Rhodes, who were
stood at loggerheads in the living room of my three story home. The heat and
passion that zipped through the pair was surprising. I wonder if they even realise
how they react to each other.
“Fuck, No” His accent drawled off his lips has Rhodes smirked at her. Shit.
Faith’s face was hard and red. These two were like dynamite.
“I want to go home” Faith pouted, stamping her foot.
“No. Until you start talking, it’s never going to happen” Rhodes glared at
Faith. He had been trying to gather as much information from the girls ever since
we returned to Kent. But they were all tight lipped about their pasts. Erin couldn’t
provide us with anything because of the amnesia and the others were stonewalling
Rhodes. I wasn’t sure if I was anxious of what they were hiding or the fact that
their pasts could potentially hurt Erin in the process.
“My past has nothing to do with what’s happening here, so I don’t
understand why we can’t leave” The passion within her was impressive, out of all
the girls I hadn’t expected the delicate one to be standing up against Rhodes,
openly arguing with him and not backing down. The smirk on Erin’s face confirmed
that Faith’s slight stature was just a front and she was tough underneath that
delicate little package.
Rhodes squared his shoulders and stalked up to Faith. “Because no one is
telling me the fucking truth and no one realizes how fucking serious this is” He
barked. “And all three of you have received untraceable calls through your cells.
So until you start telling me what the fuck is going on, my answer will be no”
Rhodes admitted. His breathing was rough by the time he had finished and his
cheeks red with exertion.
“They are private calls” Faith quipped back, folding her arms in protest.
“That’s bull shit and you know it. The only possible reason you could be
hiding something from me, is if you are feeding someone information about Erin.
So let me repeat myself slowly, Shorty. Who are the calls from? And are you
putting your friend in danger?” Rhodes demanded with no intention of backing
down. The blood drained out of Faith’s cheeks and I saw the raw emotion hit her
delicate features. Her lips trembled and when her eyes suddenly glistened with
unshed tears. I knew Rhodes had overstepped the mark. Oh shit. Erin was going to
rip me to pieces for letting Rhodes accuse her of leaking information to whoever
was behind this. “Holy shit” I heard Rafi from behind me, where the hell did he
55

come from? The room dripped with tension. Faith’s quiet sobs and light footfall
descended the room. Rhodes stern features never faltered, but I knew deep down
he was a good guy trying to keep us all alive. He stalked down the hall way and out
of sight.
What bugged me about this is why he was so hell bent on confronting Faith
and not the other girls? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know what that exactly meant.
When I caught a glimpse of Rhodes carrying Faith in his arms later. I wondered if
there was more to their relationship than I originally thought. The tension between
them has been strife since Rhodes barged in Erin’s house and demanded we get
down. Something seemed off.
Chapter Ten.
Rhodes.
“Holy shit!” I heard Rafi say behind me. I heard the numerous voices going
off, but all I could hear was Faith’s sobs. She ran from the living room trying to
cover her face with her shaking hands. Her meek voice was clawing at my
overprotective nature to hold her and tell her that everything would be ok. This
wasn’t just Erin’s safety I was considering now but it was also Faith, Peace and
Justice’s. Faith was hiding something and I needed to know what that was? So I
could protect her. Protect them.
I took quick and urgent strides to follow Faith’s sleek blonde tresses hide
behind one of the en-suites on this floor. The fire in her usually pale blue eyes had
turned dark navy with anger surprised me. No, it shocked the fucking hell out of
me. Faith had already caught my eye weeks before when I was assigned to watch
over them. She was smaller than I was usually attracted to, but everything about
her drew me in on a different level than just lust. I couldn’t cross that line with
her. I needed to keep her safe. This wasn’t just a job anymore. Both I and Eddie
knew it. That went for all of us, this was personal and I couldn’t let Faith distract
me with her delicious ivory skin and gorgeous blue eyes.
Stop.
This can’t happen. I demanded my body back under control and took quick
deep breaths when I reached the door Faith had disappeared behind.
Aww shit. I groaned internally. I could hear Faith’s muffled sobs behind the
door. I silently tried the door handle and could feel her weight behind it. I was
mentally kicking my own ass for causing her this pain.
“Faith” I asked quietly. “Faith, let me in” I told her, putting some authority
behind my tone this time, gently nudging the door with my shoulder. I could
demand her to let me in with the authority I once possessed in the marines, but
56

force wasn’t going to get me anywhere with this girl. I knew that. I nudged the
door again, not putting much weight behind it, I didn’t want to scare her. If she
had any sense, she would stay away from me and not give me those lustful looks
when she thought no one was looking and tempting me with that innocent body of
hers.
The door eased open reluctantly. I squeezed my large frame through the
space she allowed. Faith moved back to the door. I turned around quickly and I
nearly dropped to my knees with the sight of Faith dishevelled on the bathroom
floor looking distraught.
Aww Fuck! What have I done? The need to comfort her overwhelmed me. I
bent down and picked Faith up instinctively. She was light as a feather. I could
feel the heat radiating off of her tiny frame and I felt large and possessive with her
in my arms. The way she snuggled up and started breathing softly into my neck
made me hold her even closer to my chest. The sweet waves of her breath hit me
at full force making me concentrate on only her breathing and the way she craved
my touch as she clung to me in comfort. At the point I was too far gone to put her
down and step away. I could vaguely see Rafi and Eddie out of the corner of my
eye looking gobsmacked at the gentleness I was showing Faith. Their expressions
didn’t falter, but I could see they were wondering if there was something going on
between us. Well they could just fucking wonder, because whatever happened
between me and Faith, would stay between me and Faith. Was that me hoping or
wishing for her to want me as much as I apparently wanted her?
Before I could even think of what to do next. I had made my way into my
room at the front of the house, closing and locking the door behind us. Faith’s
gaze was filled with lust and passion.... Full of need. I had one of the larger guest
rooms on the second floor, so I was positioned before the girls on the third floor.
My entire surveillance ran from this room. I placed her on the bed. I sat beside her
in silence, willing her to reject me or still be angry with me for my harsh words but
her eyes held understanding and her body hummed at my closeness.
"I'm sorry Faith, I shouldn't have shouted at you or asked you about your
past"
"You were in your right"
"You deserve your privacy. Erin’s word should have been enough."
"I've had to keep things hidden for a long time, an old habit hard to break"
Faith admitted on a sigh. She bowed her head to hide her face from me. Those
words physically punched me in the gut. I was an asshole to make her feel guilty
when all she was doing, was protecting herself. I understood that better than
most. Some things were better left alone, but Faith’s secrets had to come out. I
have protect them, yesterday had been a close call. Too fucking close. I looked
into Faiths eyes and I knew now, that losing her or any of the others wasn't an
57

option. I bent down and brought my face close to hers, cupping her cheek’s. I said
I was sorry again, but all Faith could do was stare at me with desire in her eyes
and licked her lips as if she could already taste the desire I had for her. The need
to touch her and taste her was consuming me whole. I gently brushed her lips with
mine, tasting the moisture from her tear’s. As soon I had that little taste, my body
clamoured for more. I roughly grabbed her neck and slammed my lips back into
hers, this time with the desire and passion I was feeling for her, holding nothing
back. I should have been more careful with this small woman in front of me, but
her soft moans stopped my thoughts. All I could feel was the soft laps of her
tongue against the harshness of my own. This gorgeous and gentle woman was out
of my league, but the taste and smell of her invaded my senses with urgency.
Lavender. I pulled away suddenly feeling ashamed of my lack of restraint. I knew I
had to stop, even though every nerve in my body was taught. I moved off the bed
to put some distance between us.
"That shouldn't have happened" I choked out, trying to get my breathing
under control. I looked over at Faith and she looked like I had physically slapped
her. God damn. I sighed in frustration. I could never do or say anything right when
it came to Faith. She tied me in knots. I realised maybe this would be for the best.
I was no good for her, she deserved so much more than the hollow ex-marine that I
am.
"Why?" Faith asked quietly. She had recovered quickly and now she wanted
to know why I changed my mind.
"This is my job, Faith" I said simply, leaving out that I wasn't worthy of her
desire or her body. I would never deserve to be loved by a woman like Faith.
“There’s something between us. I knew the second I laid eyes on you in the
hospital” The mere mention of our first meeting had my thoughts in uproar.
“Don’t.” I warned.
"I know that. I would never make you choose Rhodes. I know this is your
career and you care about Rafi and Eddie. I would never make you choose” Faith
repeated the last part again, bowing her head in sadness once again. Every vessel
in my heart was aching with the need to sweep her in my broad arms and claim her
as mine. Claiming her meant giving her everything she ever needed. I would never
be that man.
"Ellerson" I corrected.
"Excuse me?" She asked, confused by my comment.
"My name is Ellerson, not Rhodes. In the marines they use our last names.
Eddie used the same.
"So should I call you Ellerson or Rhodes" Faith asked in a challenging tone. I
found myself chuckling at her response. Fucking A. Faith wasn’t what I expected
from the glimpse I had of her in her file.
“Both” I admitted, I would answer to either. Her challenging smile, turned
into a frown. Did she want me to ask her to call me Ellerson? I should have kept my
58

mouth shut. Our relationship had to remain purely professional. Before I could stop
myself, I heard the words fall out of my mouth to call me Ellerson. Deep down,
where the knots had taken a firm hold of gut, I knew I wanted to please her. If I
was being completely honest with myself, I wanted to lay her out on my bed to
touch and taste every inch of her ivory skin. The vision of her naked curves and my
body pressed tightly against hers made me groan inwardly.
Shit.
I felt my cock spring to life. It hadn’t had much reprieve since yesterday
when I dived in front of that bullet for her. The full force of her sweet curves and
delicate smell made me want to grind my nearly hard shaft into her core and fuck
the consequences. Literally. I had lost sight of the threat. My need for her took
over. All I wanted was to bury myself as deep as I could inside Faith. The man in
me wanted to fuck the consequences but the marine in me, was screaming danger,
get the fuck off that territory. I must have hesitated too long. I could hear her
sweet voice in the background as static filled my ears. I was fucking mess when it
came to Faith Adams.
Faith sighed, getting my full attention. She pushed her body round and up onto her
feet. She stood tall in front of me. Her shirt pulled tight and her hair swung to the
side. She looked directly into my eyes. I saw a flicker of sadness there, but that
was quickly masked by pride making her back straighten. This girl was a lot
stronger than I gave her credit for.
"Don’t worry Ellerson, I would never make you choose. You're right, we
should forget this ever happened. I'm better on my own anyways, I've never been
worth putting first. I was always the one left behind."
Her last comment sliced into my flesh making my heart constrict in pain.
She reached up cupping my cheek like I had just done to hers. Faith turned around
and headed for the door, not giving me another look. A little part of me didn't
want to get mixed up with any chick but the rest of me, was screaming for Faith to
turn around and realise I was worthy. I was seven shades of fucked up from combat
and I damn well knew it. This was best. That's what my head was trying to tell me
but my heart had followed Faith out of the door.
Chapter Eleven.
Faith.
My chest was heaving when I leaned back on the closed door of Rhodes
room. Ellerson's room. It suited him, it was strong and powerful just like the man
himself. A smile tugged at my lips. I was sunk. His face was stricken with his
indecision. I truly believed what I told him. I would never make him choose
between me and his career. I would never give up on my own career, so I couldn't
59

do that to him. Our type of jobs were vocations, a calling. Ellerson's was to protect
and mine was to heal. What I need to do now, is forget about the dark and
formidable ex-marine and move on. I needed to get out of here and back to my
safe job and safe life I had built. Pathetic. I can’t do that….. The sound of Katy
Perry's Roar danced through the air. I pulled my phone out quickly before Ellerson
came out and asked what I was doing still stood in his doorway.
"Hello" I whispered into the handset.
"Why the hell are you whispering Faith? And while you're at it, you can
explain to me why your picture is splashed all over the news this morning, with
your roommates in tow" Ray’s harsh breaths rushed down the line with his words
and I held my breath wondering if I could ignore those two questions. Apparently
not, as Ray cleared his throat again.
"I’m whispering because you are calling me while I'm in the middle of a
frigging shitstorm, Ray. So I would appreciate you not shouting at me. This wasn't
my fault. Erin’s past came back to find her and the threat that were attached to
it. This is why I'm holed up in a house with the girls and three frigging gorgeous
strangers, who happen to be billionaires for fuck sakes" I finished sharply, blowing
out the frustration that built whilst dealing with Ellerson.
"Ok. Ok. I'm sorry, but this is going to be bigger than a shit storm Faith, if
we can't get this under control"
“What the hell do you suggest Ray. There isn't an easy fix to this situation."
Ray was quiet, considering something. Probably how he was going to spin this
scenario. It wasn’t the first time we have had to do this.
"I need to tell them" I told him, in a resigned tone, but I already knew what
his response would be to that.
"You know the answer to that, Faith. This can never come out, we will risk
your safety and your friends as well. If your photo is recognised, you know what I
will have to do"
I did. Didn't mean I liked it though.
"I'm not fifteen anymore Ray" I told him, rolling my eyes at the phone and
getting inpatient with having to factor in every little detail to keep my secret. I
hated it and I'd had enough. It was Ray’s turn to sigh "I know that cupcake, but you
also know the consequences. Keep a low profile and I'll call you in a few days"
Ray’s tone had softened considerably. The nickname he had given me at fourteen
held so many memories. I wasn't sure I wanted that old life of fear and denial that
was attached to Ray being back in my life.
I made it up to my room without seeing anyone. I knew deep down that the
girls would give me the space I needed and then rally round later when I needed to
talk about whatever was going on between me and Ellerson. What was going on
between me and Ellerson? I didn’t even know? So how the hell was I going to
explain this one to them? I laid on my bed and thought about the past. Meeting
Ray, being thrust into the system, meeting the girls and then meeting Ellerson. I
60

knew deep down that I wouldn’t change my life, especially the people in it, but
there was that small part of me wondering what it would be like to have a normal
life. No secrets, no betrayal. Just a little piece of happiness. I curled up into a ball
and cried myself to sleep. I haven’t felt the need to since I was a kid. I didn’t
know if I was crying for the life I lost or the life I couldn’t have.
Either way. I was never getting what I want.
Chapter Twelve.
Erin.
“What the hell was that about?” Justice practically screamed out to an
almost empty room. After everything we have been through over the last twenty
four hours, watching Faith explode in front of us all had alarm bells ringing.
Justice was the volatile one, but watching Faith rip into Rhodes like he was a piece
of meat, made me realise that things were shifting. We were all falling apart
under the pressure and the cracks were showing.
I turned and frowned at Eddie, who was standing back overseeing the
performance. “We need to talk” I said to Eddie “Now” making my demand. I
needed to know what the hell was happening and how this was going to keep
affecting Faith, Peace and Justice. Eddie’s face was pale and drawn, but he
followed me down the hall into one of the other rooms on the ground floor. All of
the bedrooms were in the top two floors with the boys on the second floor and us
girls on the third floor.
I marched into the room and spun around, giving Eddie no time for excuses.
“Why was I taken?” I asked confidently. Eddie froze.
“I don’t know”
“Who am I?” I asked, starting at the beginning.
“I already told you that part. Your real name is Margaret Montgomery, who
was kidnapped ten years ago. The police found forensics to suggest you were
taken.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know” Eddie replied, shrugging his shoulders.
“What the fuck do you know, Eddie?” I asked, throwing my hands up in
frustration. He wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t know already. I walked up in
front of him and raised my eyes to meet his. “Let me tell you what I know. I woke
up alone in a hospital bed in a strange place over ten years ago. No one looked for
me and no one came for me either. I was shuffled off into social services and given
a name. Then was shipped off into foster care until I was old enough to stand on
61

my own two feet. If it wasn’t for them girls in there, I would have given up years
ago.” I took a few sharp breaths, still pointing in the direction of the living room.
Eddie ran his warm palms up and down my arms in quick and soothing strokes. His
breath coated my face like a balm of strength. “Breathe, baby” Eddie whispered
over and over, his soothing rhythm continued with each calming note he spoke to
me. Eddie’s ministrations continued and I closed my eyes to see that familiar
willow tree and Eddie telling me to breathe. I didn’t understand the full impact of
what Eddie meant to me, but I did realise that Eddie and I were tied. Both the past
and present were colliding for a reason and my memories resurfacing at this
particular moment had to mean something compared to the darkness I have been
embroiled in. I could feel Eddie’s breath on my neck, slowing breathing in and out.
His breath hitched when I heard him take a sharp intake of breath and his hold on
me tightened in response. His hard plains of his physique made me want to find
solace in the intensity of his embrace. Eddie’s whisper rendered me immobile. “I
fell in love with you the moment I saw you. You wore a baby pink dress with your
hair in pigtails that curled at the ends. The caramel in your eyes rendered me
speechless ever since then. You called me pretty after that and you had me in the
palm of your hand to do what you willed. The path we shared wasn’t always easy.
Your father thought that my father and I, would use you as some kind of pawn to
try and gain some kind of leverage against him. Against his company. I told him
time and time again, that all I was interested in was you, but his greed for power
had him convinced that I didn’t care for you at all.” Eddie paused, looking deep
into my eyes. “You have to understand Erin, we planned a way so we would be
allowed to see each other without any interference from any of our parents” Eddie
paused again, hesitating at what he was going to tell me, trying to gauge my
reaction. “I negotiated a deal with my father to invest in the company in exchange
for a contract”
“What type of contract?”
“The contract….it was….”
“What was the contract for, Eddie?” I asked, challenging him. The
vulnerable look on his usually confidant face, had me wondering why all the
secrecy.
“The contract was….a marriage contract” Eddie’s voice descending into a
mere whisper. A marriage contract….does that mean….I was bought.
“It sounds worse than it is,” Eddie countered.
I whipped my head round at his comment. “And how do you make that out,
Eddie. You didn’t buy me from your father to save my father’s company, because
it sounds as bad as it can frigging get. For Christ sake. I’ve entered the frigging
twilight zone and woken up to a Hollywood blockbuster where guns and marriage
contracts are given out like sweets in a candy shop.” I quipped sarcastically. Trying
62

to present anything, but the vulnerability and fear I felt. Eddie raised his brow in
response and sighed. “No. We decided this together. We had to try and stop them
from ripping us apart, this was our only choice”
“It can’t have been that extreme Eddie. This isn’t Romeo and Juliet.”
“Please listen to me.” Eddie asked breathlessly, looking solemn. “They tried
to take you from me, three months before you were taken. The trip to Paris, was
an attempt to enrol you in a Parisian boarding school and separate us for as long as
possible. The contract was the only way I could guarantee that they couldn’t part
us or use either of us against one another. I thought I was doing what was best. I
just wanted you with me.” Eddie’s words rushed out, laced with regret and
remorse. His shoulders slumped. His hands dropped to his sides. He ran his fingers
through his hair again. I looked at the man that had fought to find me for the last
ten years and felt vulnerable at the thought. How could I be angry for him wanting
to protect our relationship from our parents? As soon as we had arrived at Eddie’s
house, Justice had scowered the internet for Maggie Montgomery and my parents.
What little information Justice found, was far from stellar.
“So…this was partly my idea?” I asked quietly, processing what Eddie was
telling me.
“Yes. I was enrolled at Cambridge before we decided on a contract. You
were adamant that we had to do something, so we could see each other at the
weekends. Once your father had signed the contract, he had no choice but consent
to any demands we had regarding your spare time outside of school. Basically
baby, you belonged to me.” Eddie chuckled at the end. I had to smile at the
carefree humour of his admission to the contract. His reaction wasn’t of a man
that had to force commitment onto an underage girlfriend, it was of a young man
trying to protect what was his. A weight lifted.
“So….”
“So…”Eddie repeated, wrapping his arms around my wrist bringing me in
close.
“Does that contract still stand?” I asked shyly. I wasn’t entirely sure why
that question was important, but when my pulse accelerated, I realised I wanted
nothing more to belong to Eddie. What the hell was I thinking?
Eddie smiled as he looked down into my eyes. “Yeah, baby. It still stands,
by law you’re practically my wife. All the documentation supported our claim to
each other in all respects to our lives.” I shook my head. I didn’t understand what
Eddie was getting at. “What do you mean?” I frowned and turned away from him.
Eddie’s smile was wide. “Erin, listen, don’t freak out. We signed contracts
to give each other power of attorney over property, money and rights over every
63

part of each other lives.” His words weighed heavy on my shoulders. I stood stock
still. Did he mean? Does that make me? Aw shit!!!!
Eddie ran his palms up and down my arms in a soothing rhythm, just like
before. Eddie had a knack at calming me down, I was secretly loving that little
fact.
“Yes” Eddie whispered tenderly into my ear.
“Yes what?” I asked confused.
“Yes, you own everything I do.” Eddie admitted. The smile he had moments
ago spread even wider. I had expected him to be concerned by the fact that he
could potentially lose billions if I held him to that contract, but the shit eating grin
that was plastered over his entire face suggested he was pleased by my realisation.
This entire fiasco was too psychotic to even be considered true. This had to be
some kind of wind up. There was no way on earth that Eddie would freely sign a
contract at eighteen and saddle his gorgeous self to me for his entire life.
“Was there a get out clause in this marriage contract?” I asked, sure that
this scheme was some kind of hoax. Eddie’s face drained of colour has he
processed my question.
“No. The contract was valid until death and there was a no divorce clause
added to protect us both from intimidation.” Eddie added casually.
“I bet you’re glad you didn’t marry me after all” I chuckled. Eddie wouldn’t
want to be stuck in a marriage with me for the rest of his life. I bet he was glad
that I had been taken. The mere thought of Eddie not wanting me, made my blood
run cold.
“The contract still stands, Erin.” Eddie stated. His features remained as
impartial as if he was talking about a business acquisition.
“It can’t be. I’m not Margaret Montgomery anymore’ I informed him, raising
my eyebrow to challenge him. I wasn’t playing this kind of game with him, he
could forget trying to treat me like one of his acquisitions.
“I can change that, a simple DNA test would determine that, baby” Eddie’s
smarmy smile was laced with his arrogance and filled my throat with bile.
“I am not an acquisition” I informed him and turned to storm out the room.
An arm gripped my wrist and I was frozen in fear. The flashes of darkness and the
memory of a bag being over my head had me sobbing and slumping to the floor.
Eddie’s grip became feather like and concern pulled at his drawn face.
“Erin, talk to me, please, you’re scaring me” Eddie’s words drifted through
the fog. He was frowning down at my slumped form. My limbs were heavy and
64

ached under the strain of the hard stone floor. I licked my lips over and over
trying to gain control over my dry mouth.
I swallowed hard. “I…I” I was suddenly lost for words, what did I say. I
didn’t have any answers for him, even if Eddie asked for one.
“Breathe, baby. I’m right her” Eddie soothed in a gentle tone. The soft
words pulled me out of reality and back to the words that constantly rang through
my mind. "You just need to dig deep enough, I'm there right beneath the surface" I
had heard those soft textures of Eddie’s voice before. I knew deep within my soul
that he had been telling me the truth, but my mind had been locked under the
strain. I glanced up and found Eddie’s penetrating gaze and leaned into his warmth
and took deep breaths.
“Did we sit under a willow tree?” I asked, my voice groggy from the sobs
that had overtaken my body minutes before. I heard Eddie sharp intake of breath
and instantly knew the answer. I had remembered something from my past. Our
past. Eddie’s body slumped in my arms. I was overwhelmed with the need to
soothe him and protect him from any more pain.
“I dreamt of you under the willow tree” I told him, making him forget all
the bad and hurt of what he had been through trying to find me. Eddie’s eyes
gleamed with unshed tears. He held a lifetime of pain and I wanted to take every
ounce of misery from those soulful brown eyes. “It was a summer’s day and the
tree stood tall in front of me and then I hear you approach from behind me. I
asked what you were doing here and you told me that this was our place. I was
confused, but you looked into my eyes and confidently told me that i just needed
to dig deep enough, and you were right beneath the surface. I didn’t understand
what you was trying to tell me, until you told me to breathe. I can’t explain how it
works, Eddie, but you’re underneath my skin and all this craziness reminded me of
that.”
“Is the amnesia gone?” Eddie asked, trying to hide his excitement. The pulse
in his neck quickened.
“No, it was just a dream. I can’t remember anything else.” I reached out
and touched Eddie’s arm when he blew a long and frustrated breath out
dramatically. I touched his arm tenderly and made him look at me. “The way I
reacted to you in the restaurant and at the house, I knew that we were connected
somehow, even though I can’t mentally link the connection, I know its there.”
He nodded silently.
Eddie’s body relaxed and leaned into my embrace. My words had placated
him for now, but I had the worse feeling that my inability to remember could hurt
Eddie and I feared that more than the threat that was trying to kill me.
65

Chapter Thirteen.
Eddie.
Erin sagged into my embrace and I was silently glad of it. I wish I could have
told her our past without the gory details, but if she dug deep enough she would
find the truth and I wasn’t going to risk losing her all over again. If she was going
to trust me, than I had to be completely honest with her. The niggling feeling that
the amnesia was here to stay filled me with dread. What if I couldn’t make her
happy with her just being Erin? Maggie had been woven into my core since we had
been kids. What if I couldn’t be enough for Erin? What if she decided that she
wanted someone else? Could I really stand back and watch someone else love her,
make her happy and have children with her. Oh hell no. My heart squeezed at the
mere thought of someone else making love to her and watching her fall apart
beneath them. I could never allow that.
“Marry Me?” I blurted out. I paused at the thought, maybe my brain was one
step ahead of my body, because that wasn’t a bad fucking idea. If I made Erin
officially mine, no one could take her away from me again. She would be forever
mine.
Erin didn’t even flinch, she pulled her head back and looked deep into my
eyes. “Are you asking Maggie or Erin?” She whispered.
“Both. I loved Maggie then and I love you now. You are one in the same and
I don’t care if I call you Maggie or Erin because both of you hold my heart and you
always have. The very first moment I saw those caramel eyes. I was completely
and utterly yours. I could never love anyone like I love you Erin and I may be
rushing you because I’m scared of losing you all over again, but that doesn’t take
away from the fact that I have lived for you since I was ten years old” I admitted
truthfully.
Erin’s tears silently fell. I didn’t want her to ever question my love for her,
if I called her Erin or Maggie, to me she was both. She may be an older version of
the girl I once loved unconditionally, but that didn’t ever change the fact that
when I closed my eyes and looked at my future, she was all I could see, anyway I
could have her.
“I don’t know what to say” Erin swallowed hard, her body was shaking in my
arms now. I wish I could make her see that she was everything to me. I
remembered I had brought something that would help me convince her. I walked
into the bedroom and left Erin stood in the middle of the living room. I quickly
grabbed the box and returned to her side. Erin looked sceptically at the tatty box
and silently asked what it was. I shook my head and tried to remain calm. This box
had travelled around countries and anywhere else I had lived over the past decade.
It remained close to my side, praying and hoping that I could finally reveal the
content to Maggie.
66

“Here” I said, passing her the box. “I have carried this around with me since
you were taken, I had planned to show you when you turned sixteen, but you were
taken a few weeks before I had the chance”
Erin studied the box has if the contents could psychically scare her from this
day forward, if I was being completely honest with myself, they would. I had kept
every little thing to show her that she was the only one for me. Erin opened the
box with a gasp. Her eyes lit up with the trinkets that linked the pieces of our
past.
“What is all this?” She asked, with awe in her voice.
“Our past” I said simply. I didn’t have to explain anything more to Erin. Her
eyes held an understanding that if it had been anyone else I wouldn’t have
understood it, but Maggie had always had a knack at reading in between the lines.
Erin remained silent. Her nimble fingers were clung to a velvet box that I had
forgotten I had put in there.
“What’s this” Erin asked innocently. I cocked my head at her stunned face.
“What do you think it is?”
“Oh God, you wasn’t joking were you?” Erin’s face paled and her mouth
hung open while she processed what I was telling her against the proof she was
holding in her hands.
“Open it?” I said simply, more than ready to prove to her that I had every
intention to make her my wife at sixteen as I do at twenty five.
Chapter Fourteen.
Erin.
I swallowed what seemed to be the hundredth time in the last sixty seconds.
I stared down at the little notes and letters wrote in what seemed like my
handwriting. I was moaning at being left alone while Eddie had gone to university
and begging him to take me with him. I could feel the pain that my younger self
had been feeling and fell that much deeper into the reality that I belonged with
Eddie. Everything was totting up. Arguing that I once was Margaret Montgomery
and I loved Edward Vance was no longer an option. The last line of one of the
letter caught my eye. “I'm there right beneath the surface, always with you baby”
The words that he had told me underneath the willow tree had made me wonder if
Eddie and I was connected on a deeper level. Those words were repeated letter
after letter. A red velvet box sparkled under the now dimmed lights of the hotel
room. The time had passed more quickly than I had realised. I grasped the box and
ran my fingertips over the exterior of the box and looked at Eddie. I was being
ridiculous, this couldn’t be an engagement ring. Eddie had told me he had filled
67

the box for my sixteenth birthday, he couldn’t have been planning to ask me to
marry me then, could he? I shook my head of the insane thoughts of marriage and
commitment, when Eddie told me to open it.
My curiosity had got the better of me. I popped the box open and saw the
most exquisite diamond ring I had ever seen. The diamond was a large square
stone with smaller blue stones surrounding the outer edge. The ring looked like an
antique, but sparkled none the less. “It’s …beautiful” I stuttered breathlessly.
“It was my grandmothers. When I was sixteen she sat me down and asked
me if I was serious about you. I had no hesitation when I told her that you would
be a Vance in the near future and I would always love you the same way that my
grandfather had loved her. Completely and undeniably forever. My grandmother
loved you, she probably loved you more than me at some point” Eddie chuckled at
the memory. “She told me that if I was lucky enough to find a love like she had
with my grandfather, than I could give you her ring. I can’t promise we won’t
struggle, but I can promise a life full of love” Eddie stared down at the ring that I
held tightly between my fingers. I was scared of what this meant for our futures.
“No matter what life throws at us, you are all I ever want to be” Eddie closed the
gap between us and ran his lips up the side of my neck and made my body tingle
with need at his warm and caressing breath washed over my body. “Your Husband”
He whispered as he continued to torture me with his small pants of breath and the
feel of his teeth tasting me. I shuddered at his words. Husband. Was I ready for a
husband? I had never had a relationship before and nothing about eddie and I was
conventional. I had only known him for the last week or so and now I was
considering consenting to his marriage proposal. My entire body hummed in
recognition at Eddie’s presence and all the other stuff melted away and seemed to
make complete sense.
“Say it again” I muttered, caught up in the moment.
“Husband” He practically sang with pure and utter lust in his voice. Eddie’s
lips gently pressed on mine and his teeth nipped me lightly. I completely
surrendered to him. His mouth continued to devour me willingly. Could I trust the
fact that I was ok with giving Eddie my future without much thought?
We stood there embroiled in each other’s embrace for what seemed to feel
like days. It soothed the uneasiness of the marriage proposal he had just sprung on
me. I was at complete and utter peace in Eddie’s arms.
“My answer is yes. I’ll marry you, on one condition.” I had to trust my
instincts on this one. “Name it.” Eddie begged. His eyes were dilated. He sucked in
a shaky breath. “You have to tell me everything.” This was something I had to
know. I needed the pieces to fit. Eddie nodded, but I saw the fear in his eyes.
“Ok.” I said simply.
68

“Are you sure?” Eddie asked, needing reassurance.
“Aren’t you?” I asked confused by his sudden indecision, making me frown in
return.
“No baby, I’m one hundred percent sure, but I don’t want to pressurise you.
I want you to be completely and irrevocably mine” Eddie’s words sang to
something deep inside me and I wasn’t sure if I would ever be the same after this.
I wouldn’t call myself a romantic. When Eddie whispered those sweet little
nothings in my ear. I liked it.
“Yeah, I’m sure” I nodded. Eddie’s smile made my insides ignite in a way I
had never known before, but I did know that I wanted to make him smile like that
at every opportunity. Eddie took the velvet box from my shaking hand and gently
took the ring from my other. He gently removed the onyx ring that had sat on my
finger ever since I had woken up and slipped his grandmothers ring on my left
hand. The ring was perfectly sized and gleamed under the soft lights of the living
room. This moment was perfect, unexpected but absolutely perfect none the less.
I reached up and ran my fingers through his shaggy hair and surrendered to what
fate had in store for me.
* * *
The room was silent. I had actually stunned the living shit out of all my
friends. Even Justice was speechless and that never freaking happened. I chuckled
at the absurdity of it. Peace’s eyes were has round as saucers and Faith smirked in
a way that suggested that she knew well before I did that we would be having this
conversation eventually.
The silence was interrupted by Justice’s fits of giggles. God I loved her. Her
hysterics were infectious and I held my stomach whilst giving in to the laughter
that coiled in my gut and sprang to free itself. This kind of thing could only happen
to a group of dysfunctional misfits, couldn’t it? I sighed, trying to get my breathing
back under control. I wiped the tears that had escaped in the madness of the
moment and peeked at my best friends to face up to what they had in store.
“Please tell me he’s not pressurising you into this?’ Faith asked quietly. She
nervously wrung her hands as she waited for my reply.
“No” Shaking my head in reply. “I can’t explain it or even understand it, but
on some sort of level I can feel it. I belong with him. I always have. I just didn’t
know he was what I was missing.”
Faith sighed dramatically. What the hell was up with that? Something was
going on with her. She was hiding. Maybe this thing with Ellerson is making her
realise that she can’t keep herself shut off forever. Justice and Peace’s faces
softened.
69

Was I ready to be someone’s wife? When I don’t even know who I truly am.
My stomach fluttered with the excitement from Eddie asking me to marry him and
realised that fate had a plan for me and this was it.
My destiny.
If that involved Edward Vance, then I would trust that. I would trust that I
woke up alone to eventually find where I belonged.
“Are you having a long engagement?” Justice asked full of excitement. I
could practically see all our outfits picked out for the engagement party, hen party
and the wedding. If I let her loose on this, I would be tied in dress fittings for the
next twelve months.
“No. Eddie thinks it best to make it official as soon as possible and I agree. I
will be more protected as his wife.”
Justice mouth was wide open and she was actually speechless. Again. I’m on
a freaking role.
“Are you sure about this?” Faith asked. Her eyes flitted around the room.
“Yes”
“But you don’t…”
“I am”
“You need to….”
“Stop it” I practically shrieked. “This is me. I never do anything I don’t want
to. This is no different.” Justice and Faith exchanged worried looks until the door
practically crashed to the floor in a whirlwind of strength and power. Rhodes stood
alert in full marine mode. His muscled frame pulsated underneath his black crisp
suit jacket and the heat from his lavender eyes consumed Faith’s instantly. Holy
Shit! No wonder Faith was having a hard time getting herself together. I was
practically humming with the sexual tension in the room. If it wasn’t for the small
fact, that Rhodes just broke my freaking door. The interruption distracted me from
Faith’s attempt to talk me out of it.
“What the hell?” I bellowed at him. Rhodes finally pulled from his
distraction and looked down at me, looking shamelessly sheepish. Neither of them
realised how infatuated they were with each other. It was that obvious to
everyone else but them.
“Oh my god” Peace gasped.
“Unfucking believable. We could be host to Cupid. Everyone’s getting gooey
eyed and going soft” Justice snorted and folded her arms tightly around herself.
70

Faith’s face had turned red. Faith leapt to her feet and ran out the broken door.
Ever since we left Yorkshire, everything had gone to shit.
“You better not be just standing there, Rhodes. Go after her” Justice
chastised him.
Peace shook her head gently and started shaking. “This is ludicrous. What
the hell is happening to us? One minute we are all normal and living insignificant
lives and the next thing, you’re marrying a billionaire and Faith is falling for
G.I.Joe over there” She raged, pointing at the empty hallway. I wanted to reassure
Peace that nothing would change, but that would be a big fat lie. We never lied to
one another. Peace was right. This is ludicrous. Everything was changing. I would
be marrying Eddie and trying to evade whoever was after me and them. Faith was
falling for Rhodes and she was slowly letting her walls.
“It’s ok” Justice added softly, taking Peace into her arms and holding her
with everything she had. I was at a loss. This was supposed to be good news and
now I feel like I just dropped an atomic bomb. I slowly turned around and silently
walked down the hall and up the stairs to our floor and threw myself down hard on
the bed. I stared at the ceiling for what seemed to be a lifetime and realised that I
hadn’t felt this alone since I woke up in the hospital as clean as a blank slate. Shit!
What was I going to do? I barely heard the rap of knuckles on the door, when
it silently opened and closed. His quiet footsteps were barely audible. If it wasn’t
for my body’s reaction to Eddie than I would have been clueless.
“You awake?” Eddie asked in a whisper, skimming my arm with his lean
body. Oh god! His slightest touch sets me off, as if fireworks were being silently
unleashed.
“Yeah” I breathlessly answered. He was too close. Eddie’s body sat right
next to mine now. This was stupid. I was marrying this man. That I was one
hundred percent sure of, there was no doubt in my mind, even after the girl’s
reaction to the news. I have never reacted to someone like this before. Would this
response continue or would it fizzle out just as quickly as my body reacted to him.
If I was into gambling, I would bet no. There was something deeper that linked
Eddie to me. I just hope it was tangible enough to survive all the drama we seem
to evoke around us.
“You ok?” He asked sweetly.
I sighed deeply, trying to find the words that didn’t rip my entire heart out
of my chest. “No” I choked out.
Eddie pulled me over to face him.
“I’m right here, baby. Right here.” Eddie told me with such confidence that
I was beginning to realise that he meant with everything he had. His palm laced
71

over my heart. Those words he had spoken only a few times, held a cord to my
memories. It was if those words were linked to me somehow. Just like the willow
tree had reminded me of Eddie being just under the surface. Maybe we were tied
together on some kind of cosmic level that I never even realised existed, I just
hope he could handle the thread between us carefully and not push for something I
couldn’t quite give him yet.
The smell of the outdoors and mint had me thinking of surrounding myself
in his embrace and taking things to a level I wasn’t sure I was ready for. The
problem with having no memory of the past, is that you’re scared of anything that
could create a future for yourself. Now I was in Eddie’s arms I wish I had more
experience being with a man.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Eddie tilted my chin up to look into his worried eyes.
“Nothing” I stuttered, a little too quickly as Eddie’s intense gaze zeroed on
my hesitation.
“I love you Erin”
“I…”
“It’s ok, baby. You don’t have to say it. I just need you to believe it.”
I silently nodded. My response seeped into Eddie and his tense frame
relaxed into his hold of me.
“Can I stay?” He shyly asked. “I won’t try anything I swear, but can I…. just
hold you?” Eddie’s hazel eyes looked everywhere else but at me. Even through all
the drama we had been through in the last week, I had never seen him so nervous,
as if my answer could physically harm him. The tyrant was gone and the fragile boy
was there in his replace.
“Just to hold me?” I naively asked.
“Yes. I need to hold you tonight. Is that ok?”
“Yeah” I gulped in response. “Will we be sharing a….?” I stopped myself
from asking the one question I wanted to ask. I wouldn’t go down that path and
sound like the inexperienced adolescent I truly am.
Eddie remained silent. Maybe this marriage would be one of pretence? All I
knew for certain was that I couldn’t ignore the connection Eddie and I possessed. I
sank into his arms a little further and wondered if I was setting myself up for
heartbreak or a lifetime of happiness. Only time would tell.
Chapter Fifteen.
Eddie.
72

Erin’s soft and even breaths sang throughout her room. Her body had
relaxed into me and all I could think about was grinding my cock into her sweet
little body until I exploded from the tortious joy I felt at this moment. When Erin
had started to ask if we would be sharing a bed, my cock had stood to attention
instantly. My horny body instantly shouted, fuck yeah, but I remained silent. Erin’s
response to me may be primal, but her hesitation spoke loud and clear. She wasn’t
ready for that kind of intimacy, even if we were engaged or not. Having her in my
arms, safe and sound made my heart sing. I finally felt at peace after a decade of
searching and fearing the worst. I finally had her in my arms and having her
delicate body encase my senses and let myself have the intimacy I never
experienced before.
* * *
I woke up in pure heaven as Erin’s sweet little body was pressed firmly
against my morning wood. Jesus! I wonder what it would feel like to finally get to
taste that sweet little pussy and sink deep inside her. Shit! If it was anything
compared to this pure torture, it would be like touching heaven and staying there
forever. Erin’s little moans brought me back to the present as she squirmed against
me. She was trying to fucking torture me. I was in fucking hell. “Aww baby” I
moaned unintentionally. Shit. When she made those little noises they vibrated
straight to my cock and gave him full control of my body.
“Eddie” Erin sleepily moaned. Oh god, this was agony. I needed to wake her
up and go and take a cold shower.
“Please” she begged.
“Erin” I groaned.
“Please” she asked again. She didn’t know what she was asking for.
“Erin” I said again, but was cut off by Erin’s body grinding back against my
now pulsing cock.
“Eddie, Please” she begged again and my restraint snapped.
“What do you need, baby” I asked desperately. Hoping that she would snap
out of her dream filled lust and tell me no.
“I need to…. I need to ...” Erin groaned, unsure what she needed.
“You need what, baby?”
“To come,” she pleaded, as she continued to grind backwards.
“We need to…. Are you sure?” There would be no going back after this, if
we had sex or not. Once I had touched her, tasted her, she would be mine forever.
There would be no going back after that.
73

“Yes” Erin practically screamed.
I slid my hand round to the front of her panty’s and eased my fingers into
her wet pussy and pushed open her folds to find her soaking wet. Fuck! Erin
unrelentingly grinded against me, over and over again, in a torturous rhythm that
made me want to come then and there. If she kept up this pace. I would be coming
in my pants before I could make her come. I started to move two fingers in and out
gently. I picked up my pace as Erin’s body was withering in front of me. Aww god!
The smell of her sex and her body’s response to my touch had me climbing to new
heights. Erin’s body shuddered against me and I could feel my control snap as I
moaned out Erin’s name and moaned in pure ecstasy. Our breathing subsided and
we remained tangled in each others arms. I could feel Erin tense. I gently removed
my fingers from her tight pussy and sucked them clean. The taste of her exploded
on my tongue. I promised myself that I would be tasting all of her very soon and
turned her over to face me. The nervous look on her face had me feeling like crap.
Had I gone too far?
“Did I…I didn’t hurt you, did I? Shit, I’m sorry. I took that too far. I should
have made sure you were sure. I just…. I needed to feel… I just need to feel you
come apart in my arms. I couldn’t stop myself.”
Erin shook her head and pressed her fingers against my lips to quieten me.
“That was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced. Thank you”
Erin’s pure words affected me more than I could have anticipated. I had been so
confident that Maggie held my heart all those years ago. Laying with Erin in my
arms made me realise that this girl was so much more than the schoolboy crush I
held for Maggie.
Erin’s face spoke a thousand words. Her caramel eyes were as dark as a
lustful storm was descending over us.
“Did you just?” Erin shyly motioned towards my now wet and sticky shorts.
Shit, I had forgotten about that. I suddenly felt like a horny teenager coming in my
pants. What Erin and I had just shared as literally blown my mind.
“Yeah” I chuckled. “You make me feel like a lustful teenager again.” I
admitted. It was if time had stood still and returned us back to the days under the
willow tree when my cock couldn’t control himself.
“Touché” Erin giggled. This side of her made me want to wrap her up
against me and never let her leave my side.
“What do you want to do today?”
“Surprise me?” Erin softly spoke as she rested her head over my heart and
closed those pretty eyes.
74

“Want to go sightseeing” I asked.
“Sightseeing?” she asked bringing her head up off my chest to look at me.
“I thought we could take a trip to London”
“Ok. What do you want to see?” Erin innocently asked, curiosity creasing her
forehead.
“It’s London. Windsor Castle, Parliament, West Minister Abbey and a
church.” I reeled off.
Erin’s gaze suddenly snapped back to mine. “Church?” She was the most
beautiful thing I had ever seen and the surprised look on her face told me that I
would do about anything to keep her happy.
“Marry Me?”
“I thought we had already done that?” Erin teased.
“Marry me tomorrow?”
“What?” The shock on Erin’s face set my teeth on edge. I was practically
throwing grenades at her, one after another.
“Marry me and become my wife” I pleaded.
“Why?” Erin questioned. “What’s the hurry?”
“I could lie and tell you that the only reason is that I love you, but a part of
me needs you tied to me in every possible way. I need you to belong to me, so no
one can ever take you away from me again. I couldn’t survive that again. I need
this. I need you to take my name and let me protect you from whatever is after us.
And I will promise that I will strive to make you happy from this day forward.” I
needed her to understand that I could never survive that again. Erin’s vision had
become blurry and delicate sobs exited her.
“Yes” She whispered through the sobs. I tilted her chin and looked deep into
those pools of caramel and gave her a sexy grin and sealed our fate with one hell
of a kiss that had Erin’s legs shaking in response.
Chapter Sixteen.
Erin.
Eddie’s breath hitched at our close contact. This man was fast becoming my
reason for living, not the blog, not the girls, only him. If I questioned my sanity I
would have probably been sectioned there and then. I would trust my instincts.
This was me trusting myself completely. Eddie scooped me into his and kissed the
hell out of me.
75

I stopped us before it got out of control and ran for the bathroom to quickly
get dressed. When I came back out, Eddie had redressed in his pants and sweater
from the night before. He grasped my hands and threaded his large hands with
mine and led me to the door. As soon as we left the room, we ran into the girls.
The pure shock flashed over their faces as fast as lightening.
“Rhodes” Eddie bellowed into the hallway.
“Sir” Rhodes answered promptly behind me. Jesus! How the hell did he do
that, he seemed to lurk around us. Eddie strummed his thumb over my palm. His
slightest touch calmed me.
“We’re moving out” Eddie ordered him.
“Yes, Sir” Rhodes immediately answered. I saw his instinct to salute Eddie
before he quickly shielded his response from the others. Rhodes easy smile covered
the marine in him. I had noticed over the last few days that he was guarded more
than the girls and me combined. I wondered if that was purely a marine thing or he
hid from a past that wouldn’t stay hidden. Just like my amnesia, I could feel that
it was just waiting for the time to come to the surface and shatter everything in its
sight.
“Whoa” Faith shrieked and motioned for Rhodes to stop. What shocked me
the most, is that he actually stopped. Mr Mercenary was taking orders from Faith.
Holy Shit!
“What?” Rhodes dark gaze swept over Faith’s. Rhodes stood his ground.
Faith stood there silently challenging the six and half foot god. My body stilled
hummed from Eddie seductive touch. Maybe this was our path all along, I would
reconnect with Eddie and Faith would fall for Rhodes.
The chemistry between them was as pure as gas and as explosive.
“We are not moving out Ellerson” Faith screamed. “I want to go home”
Faith pouted out her bottom lip. Rhodes smirked, but looked away. He did a pretty
good job at trying to hide his emotions.
Ellerson?
His face softened. “You have half an hour, shorty.” Rhodes nodded down at
her and then whispered something into her ear that the rest of us couldn’t hear.
Whatever Rhodes had said, it had Faith blushing.
“Let’s go” Rhodes commanded and the house set into action. No wonder
this man was high ranked in the marines. I wonder why he left?
“Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Peace’s pale face had
turned a nasty shade of red.
76

“Sightseeing” I lied.
“What?” Everyone in the room said in sync. They turned back to face me.
“I’m taking my fiancée to London to show her everything she cant
remember and I don’t plan on leaving anyone without Rhode’s surveillance. So that
means we all go. Understood?” Eddie demanded. His tone was all business.
* * *
The drive down from Kent was eerily quiet. I had searched every day for a
part of my past. I had built my business on that. I could feel the foundations that I
had clung to for so many years, start to crumble beneath my feet. I concentrated
on the view and how different it was from Yorkshire. Rhodes was driving as usual,
something I was quickly getting used to. It seemed that Eddie didn’t go anywhere
without Rhodes by his side and I couldn’t say I blamed him. Eddie held my hand
tight whilst he checked his emails on his phone. The girls sat silent behind us. They
barley acknowledged me since I announced my engagement. I couldn’t say I
blamed them. I couldn’t sit still in the leather seats with trying to see everything.
The buildings were huddled together with exquisite design and flare. I felt like a
little girl discovering something new for the first time and couldn’t get enough of
it. The length and breath of Yorkshire had sprawling fields that ran for miles, but
London was worlds apart. I could see the masses going for the various tube stations
along the way and the pavements crammed with people. I knew now that I wasn’t
a true northerner, but Yorkshire would always be home. London was exhilarating.
Eddie was smirking at my obvious excitement of seeing London for the first time. I
was excited about seeing London, but I was more excited that in less than 48 hours
I would be Mrs Erin Vance.
Holy Shit!
Rhodes was fiddling with the radio. A familiar song came on. I had heard it
before. “Turn it up” I shrilled, scaring the shit out of Rhodes and Eddie. The
speakers suddenly blared out the sultry beat that coated my body in goose bumps.
The song spoke to me. Birdy singing about love for the rest of our lives penetrated
my memories.
* * *
“You aren’t taking her away from me.” Eddie’s voice was clear. His
aggression surprised me.
“And who is going to stop me, may I ask?
You. You may be worth billions Edward, but I will protect my daughter with
everything I have and more”
“No” Eddie grunted at the other man. The voices seemed so real, but they
were distant as if they were trying to tell me something.
77

“This is not your decision. Margaret is not old enough to make these kind of
decisions and I’ll be dammed if I let you or your father dictate to me how I raise
my daughter.”
“You won’t keep me from her” Eddie told him moving towards the other
man. “Maggie is mine and the sooner you and my father realise that, the better.
One thing you should understand about me Mr Montgomery, is that I protect what
is mine. Maggie has been mine since I was ten years old. I will not let you take her
from me and If you want to fight me on this, do your worse. I’ll never give up on
her or fail her. Never.
* * *
“Erin?” Justice’s shrill broke me out of the torture of the past.
What the hell! Eddie was sat watching me. I concentrated on the song,
instead of the memory I had just had. I rummaged in my bag for my phone. Justice
rolled her eyes towards me and sighed deeply. “Aww no” Peace and Faith moaned
in sync. I was revelling in the fact, that I was reaping what my girls had sowed,
they would be tortured by my love of music. This drove them up the wall. Payment
was a bitch.
“Erin, you can’t do this to us again.” Faith whined that instantly made
Rhodes chuckle in the front seat. Rhodes froze and then looked back at the road.
Faith scowled at him through the mirror. It seems my best friend held all the
power. That was an interesting little fact.
“This is what she does. She’ll listen to this song over and over and over
again” Faith protested like a spoilt child, looking over at Eddie. Justice started
laughing.
“You’re interrupting my song” I pouted. Justice dramatically turned and
gave Eddie a devilish grin “Good luck with that, Lover boy” Justice practically
cackled at him. Shit! The way each of my girl’s smiles turned into shit eating grins,
I knew I was in trouble, big trouble. The look of sheer horror on Eddie’s face had
my heart racing at a million miles a minute and I knew that every minute with
Eddie would be an adventure. One that I would relish.
Chapter Seventeen.
Eddie.
My girl could not sing for shit. Well at least some things don’t change. I
smiled. Erin rustled about in her purse, searching for something. Justice rolled her
eyes towards Erin and sighed deeply. “Aww no” Peace and Faith moaned in sync.
Am I missing something? As soon as the girls were protesting at something. A
smooth feminine voice sang about having wings. My girl liked this song, apparently.
78

“Erin, you can’t do this to us again.” Faith whined that made Rhodes
chuckle in the front seat. Rhodes immediately silenced himself as Faith scowled at
him through the mirror. My friend was in deep, deep shit! Just like I was. That
thought should have frightened the living shit out of me. Instead it set me free.
The thought of tying myself to Erin permanently made my whole body hum in
anticipation.
“This is what she does. She’ll listen to this song over and over and over
again” Faith protested like a spoilt child, addressing me. Justice started laughing.
“You’re interrupting my song” Erin pouted. Justice dramatically turned and
gave me a devilish grin and told me ‘Good luck with that, Lover boy” Justice
practically cackled in my face. This girl was trouble. The way each of the girl’s
smiles turned into shit eating grins, I knew I was in trouble, big fucking trouble.
“There’s a story behind that, isn’t there?” I asked. I studied each of them.
They performed for Erin. I could see the love behind each of their actions.
Erin grinned.
“You bet your ass, there’s a story.” Justice boasted.
I kept quiet.
“We have this thing on Friday nights. We watch movies, drink wine and talk
boys. Faith rented a romantic. Not usually my thing, but Colin Farrell was in it.
You can’t not watch a film with him starring in it. It was a love story of how two
people belonged together and how fate had a path for them to follow. This song
floated in and out. Erin listened to the words over and over.” Faith looked
between us. “I think I understand why now.” Faith admitted. I could see the
emotion behind the ice blue in her eyes.
I turned my attention back to my emails and set on clearing everything what
was urgent. I looked back up when all the girls joined in. I had to smile at that.
They groaned about Erin listening and then joined in anyway. The juniors would
have to take the load, whilst Rafi and I were away from the office. A message from
my mother popped up instantly. Shit, what the hell does she want now?
“Edward. Just to warn you. Your father is attending the Gala and so is
Christopher Montgomery.”
Fucking great. How could I attend the Gala now!
Rhodes sharp eyes caught mine in the mirror and familiarity entered his
intense gaze. Rhodes knew my moods as well as Rafi did. The smirk that tilted his
lips informed me that if there was a fight to be had, Rhodes was always ready for
War. He lived for this shit! Conflict and battles were his speciality. Whatever was
to come from these threats, I knew I had Rhodes standing with me. Always.
79

“So Mr Vance. Where exactly are you taking all of us?” Justice asked
confidently, but I could see the question in Peace’s delicate eyes, begging for an
answer. It was easy to see that Peace was the quiet one, she baffled me. There
was something fragile about her that made me want to protect her as well as the
others. I hadn’t felt this possessive since Maggie was with me. Molly suddenly
intruded my thoughts. Why can’t the past stay where it is.
* * *
Our arrival ran has smoothly, thanks to Rhodes. I sat in our joined suites in
the heart of London. The Savoy was as extravagant as ever. I could have taken Erin
and I to my apartment on the other side of the River. I wanted Erin to be happy
and hiding her away in my bed wouldn’t accomplish that. Though it would make
other parts of my anatomy, very very happy. I didn’t want Erin ever regretting her
decision to marry me. This would always be her decision.
“You ready for this?” Rhodes voice boomed from behind me.
“I was always ready for this. Did you send that paperwork over for the
license?”
“Yes” Rhodes answered without hesitation.
“What’s on your mind?” I asked, cocking a knowing look at him. “Come on
spit it out.”
“Are you even going to tell her friends or Rafi what you have planned? He’s
your best friend Eddie. He is going to be devastated when he finds out you lied to
him over this”
“I haven’t lied to anyone”
“That’s fucking semantics and you know it. You marry Maggie like this. It
will break Rafi and your friendship. And that’s not even considering what it would
do to your partnership” Fucking hell. When Rhodes went for it, he takes you by the
balls. He was worked up. The veins in his neck were throbbing. I am surprised I
couldn’t hear them contracting in protest.
“I have to leave that to Erin. I won’t pressurise her into a big affair if she
wants to do this quietly. Ok?”
Rhodes nodded and turned sharply out of the room. His silence spoke
volumes. He agreed with what I was saying, but he didn’t like it.
All the paperwork had gone over before our arrival, plus the signatures they
needed to make the licence official before the small ceremony in the morning. I
was looking forward to waking up with Erin has my wife. I had to keep her this
time.
80

* * *
“Erin, are you absolutely sure about this?” I asked with a solemn feeling
inside my heart. I wanted to marry Erin with everything I had, but I didn’t want
her alone through her special day and regret it afterwards.
“I can’t explain it, but I need this to be just you and me. This feels full
circle.” Erin shook her head and cringed. “Maybe I’m not making much sense” She
added clearly confused with everything. I lifted her chin to see those beautiful
golden eyes. “You make perfect sense because I feel that too. This is something
that we need to do together, something that binds us, away from our pasts, our
present and our futures.” As I spoke those soothing words, I realised that I believed
them. This was our chance to unite together without anything getting in the way.
“I love you. If you want to do this alone then I completely understand. I will
always stand behind you, support you, and encourage you. And I always love you.”
“That sounded like wedding vows Mr Vance”
“Maybe Miss Frost.” I shrugged, giving her a small smile. I suddenly felt
vulnerable with letting Erin see so much of me. It was her turn to comfort me has
her delicate hands wound around my waist and breathed deeply in rhythm with
me. She calmed me, and there was the difference between everything I had before
and Erin now. She is what I needed.
“Mr Vance” I heard a sharp, but professional voice behind us. I turned to see
the registrar waiting and gave him a curt nod. I looked down at Erin and she was
absolutely breath-taking. We hadn’t gone all traditional with the ceremony being a
quick affair. Her simple, but exquisite white lace dress looked as if the fabric had
been painted onto her smooth ivory skin. Her caramel locks spiralled down her
back and her entrancing brown eyes were framed by the smallest amount of
makeup, but fuck she looked like something out of an Austen novel. “You look
beautiful by the way.”
Exquisite.
“You ok there?” Erin teased, placing a hand on her waist. A hint of humour
in her smooth voice.
“Yes, come on wench before I change my mind about marrying you” I
mocked whilst bustling her down the hall to the registrar’s room. Erin chuckled in
return. Her face was bright and happy. The way she looked made me feel ten foot
tall.
I turned and pinned her with a serious look. I needed to make sure she
understood what we were exactly planning to do in the room in front of us. I had
the urge to keep checking. Erin was smart. I knew that. When she took my name.
She was mine.
81

“You sure?” I asked with a strong voice. Underneath the façade, I was
screaming for her to not change her mind. Please god, let her want me as much as
I want her. Ever since Erin had come back into my life. I had turned into a fucking
pussy.
“I’m right her” Erin whispered and placed her left hand over my heart. I
gulped with the emotion I suddenly felt clawing up my throat. My grandmother’s
engagement ring caught my eye and I knew deep down in my soul that both Erin
and Maggie belonged to me. I just needed to man up and go into that room and
claim them.
* * *
I had been waiting for this moment for over ten years and now Erin and I
was walking out of the registrar’s office officially man and wife. I could finally
take a deep breath. The shouting behind us, made me focus on the incoming chaos
that would taint our celebration. How the hell did they find out!
Rhodes.
I swallowed down the anger that was threatening to unleash its raft on my
head of security and friend. They all looked pretty pissed if I was honest, but the
hostility that Faith was directing into Rhodes direction made me reconsider firing
his sorry ass. Faith’s punishment would be far worse and a delight to watch. The
air stifled around me as I felt Erin’s breathing falter. The air in my lungs ceased to
facilitate to my requirements and dread entered my heart once again. Erin’s body
sank to the ground and I faltered to try and catch her. I heard shouting and
screaming around me, but I couldn’t even register what they were saying.
“Eddie” I heard Justice scream at me. I was suddenly brought back to the
moment and acknowledged Justice’s panicked cry. “Yeah”
“Focus.” Justice told me. “Did Erin have her shot this morning?” Justice
asked desperately. Shot? What shot?
“Shit. She didn’t tell you. Did she?” Justice ran her trembling fingers
through her flame red hair and sighed. Faith was giving Erin CPR and constantly
checking her pulse. I pulled my gaze away from Erin after registering Justice’s
words.
“Didn’t tell me what?” I cried in desperation.
“She takes a shot every day to manage her epilepsy. She’s never had an
attack though, Eddie” Justice’s voice cracked at the end of her bleak words. Erin
wasn’t having a seizure though, I quickly thought. Was that a good thing or not?
“Move” I barked, reaching down to take Erin into my arms and barrelled
down the corridor to find a car or someone who could save my wife. Wife. I hadn’t
even had time to process that Erin was now mine. Officially.
82

As I stepped down the last step, an ambulance pulled up outside the old
stone building. Where the hell did that come from?
“Can you tell me what happened, Sir?” The paramedic asked, quickly
accessing Erin’s condition. The words escaped me. I stared blankly. Justice
stepped in front of me and told them how Erin suddenly collapsed and that she
takes daily shots. Just at that moment, Erin’s body convulsed under my fingertips
and I dropped to my knees, both psychically and mentally.
Shit! I’m going to lose her again. No….No…. I can’t. Not again!
“Sir. Let her go, so I can prevent any damage occurring” The paramedic said
in a precise and controlled tone. I placed her as gentle as I could on the floor and
became no use to anyone. Other than watch my beautiful wife convulse over and
over again. Every time Erin stiffened another part of my soul was torn off.
“What’s her name?” The paramedic asked. I heard Faith tell them her stats
and all her information at warp speed. Faith was the calmest of all of us and
focussed on getting Erin stabilised.
“Erin Vance” I muttered under my breath. Three very angry pair of eyes
were mentally castrating me as I spoke. I had pissed off the three most important
people to Erin. Maybe, we should have considered how it would affect our friends.
I needed to fix that, but I would never apologize for marring the girl of my dreams.
That thought suddenly hit me. I stepped forward. “Please save her. I can’t lose
her again” I pleaded.
“We need to move her now” The paramedic barked to the people who had
started to gather around us. The sirens echoed through the fog.
“Ten ml’s of Diazepam. Stat.” The paramedic administered on route.
Erin’s body finally slumped on the gurney after thirty minutes of seizures. I
had thought it would never stop, seeing Erin’s petite frame rigid like that would be
forever etched onto my mind.
“We have her stable for now, Mr Vance” The bald paramedic sighed with
relief. Her chest rose up and down, gently. “Mrs Vance is still critical” The
paramedic continued with a frown.
* * *
I sat in Erin’s room for the three days and her eyes hadn’t opened once in
the last 72 hours. I was starting to panic. The doctors tried to reassure me, that
Erin was just resting from the over exertion of the seizures she had suffered. It
wasn’t enough.
We had only been married for three days and the separation was more than
I could bear. I silently promised her that I would always keep her safe, that I would
83

never let anyone take her from me ever again. No I sat idle at her bedside unable
to change what fate had in-store.
“Please come back to me baby. I’ll be a better man. I promise. I’ll tell you
everything about our pasts. I just want the chance to love you. To be with you
every minute of every day. To watch you flourish into the woman I had always
dreamed of, and spend our future under the willow tree where I fell in love with
you. I cannot take it.” I ran my hands through my messy hair and placed my head
in my hands. I closed my eyes and bowed forward, wishing time to rewind.
“Eddie. You need to go home.” He begged me. His face was etched with
worry. I shook my head vehemently. “No” I told him harshly. “I can’t.”
“I will not leave her,”
“She has always been my responsibility Rafi. I couldn’t walk away then and I
will not walk away from her now. Do I make myself clear?” I told him, turning into
the tyrant that my reputation had thrived on.
“Go” I continued, with a vengeance in my voice that I hadn’t realised I had
within me. I would never leave her. I couldn’t. That vision I had of her underneath
our willow tree before everything changed, encroached my mind and reminded me
of the way I felt about her at the age of eighteen. Now that I was a man, the
feelings I held for Erin were nothing to be trifled with.
Chapter Eighteen.
Erin.
The light was blinding. I tried to move my arm to cover my eyes, but I
couldn’t move. I heard whispers around me, as if they were floating above my still
body. I could hear Eddie telling me to come back and never leave him. He was my
entire world. I wanted to run my hands through his gorgeous brown hair has he
slept on the edge of my hospital bed. I looked down at the weight on my hands.
Eddie.
“Eddie” I whispered. My throat felt like shards of glass had run right down
the sides of my windpipe.
“Eddie” I repeated, this time with a bit more strength. Eddie raised his head
in surprise. His sleepy gaze had disappeared. “Oh God! You’re awake. Oh baby,
thank god” He finished with a deep breath I saw relief on his face. I looked down
at my body, accessing myself. Eddie eyed me suspiciously.
“What are you looking at, Eddie?” I asked with a pout and fluttered my
eyelashes at him. The shock on his face held recognition and something else.
Surprise, maybe!
84

“How you feeling?” He asked cautiously, but tentatively.
“Good. I think. Come here. I need you to hold me” I ordered, playfully.
Eddie’s face went has white as a sheet. Eddie stood froze to the floor. What
surprised me most was that he was still stood there, not doing as I asked. He had
run after me since he was ten years old, it seemed strange that he wouldn’t do as I
asked now.
“Erin?” Eddie asked hesitantly. As if he was trying to prepare himself for the
effects of what he was asking.
What did he just call me?
“Eddie? What did you just call me?” I asked quietly, scared of what he may
say in return. I was suddenly frightened by the way Eddie was looking at me. His
eyes bore into me. Oh God! Eddie’s eyebrow nearly disappeared into his hairline.
“Maggie” He asked, his voice breaking in the middle, emotion suddenly
clogging my throat has I dreaded the consequences of the next thing out of Eddie’s
mouth.
I nodded my head.
“Oh God” That did it. I felt tears run down my face. Eddie sighed as he ran
his hand through his beautiful brown hair. That’s when I realised that he was
different, he looked….. Different…older? I started to shake my head, but I wasn’t
actually sure what I was protesting to.
I reached out to take his hand and ran my thumb over his hand. “What’s
going on, Eddie?” I asked seriously, pinning him with a look that I hoped told him I
meant business.
Eddie eyed me suspiciously and bowed his head. This was bad, whatever this
was? This was really, really bad.
“Maggie?” Eddie said again, as if he was testing out my name for the first
time. Eddie’s expression was void of anything I could read. That’s when I glanced
down to my left hand and saw the diamond ring on my finger, but not only that, it
was sat against a solid white wedding band. I was married? But to who? Eddie saw
my line of sight and gulped again and gave me a pained look. Oh god. I was
married to someone else?
“Eddie?” I asked in a silent question.
“It’s ok” Eddie replied soothingly. He moved closer to the bed. “I need….I
will have to explain a hell of a lot to you, but you need to promise me something”
Eddie’s gaze held my intently. He sat beside me and grabbed my hand tightly.
85

“Anything” I answered quickly. Then we were interrupted by the knock on
the door and then a large group of people entered the room. I didn’t recognise
anyone. No wait. Is that Rafi? He looks a hell of a lot different, more so than
Eddie. My chest eased a little.
“Thank god” The red head with the fullest red lips I had ever seen
announced. She was gorgeous, I wonder if she could teach me some tips how to
look like that. I giggled at my silly thought. She stood there fiercely. The way she
looked at Eddie reminded me of when my parents fought.
“Please don’t frighten me like that ever again” The petite blonde added
whilst reaching down to give me a deep hug. Wow. This woman smelt fantastic,
but who the hell was she? And the other two girls? They each stood protectively
around me.
“Faith, let her breath” The timid one finally added, keeping her emotions in
check, but she was obviously effected by me being in a hospital bed. She looked
down at the floor more than she looked at me.
Who were these women? And how did they know me?
“Guys, you need to give us a minute?” Eddie asked looking anywhere else
but me, he couldn’t look me in the eyes either.
What the hell was going on here?
The red head shook her head in response and scooted Eddie out of the room
and closed the door behind firmly him. Obviously these girls held some kind of
weight with Eddie that I didn’t know about. Eddie looked furious but he made no
move to stop the red head.
“What the hell happened” The red head started pacing at the bottom of the
bed. “We had to find out off Ellerson, that you were getting married, without us,
not to mention, but in a freaking registry office. You are worth more than a
registry office, sweetie” She finally said on a pant. She finished her rant, but I
could see the unshed tears in the corner of her eyes and felt connected with her
somehow. The urge to reach out and touch her overwhelmed my usual response to
avoid emotion. My body obviously knew better because it hid behind my walls, well
aware that I didn’t know these woman.
“We all made a promise that we would stand side by side, together, always.
You broke that promise.” The dark haired beauty admitted, bowing her head in
disappointment at me. The hurt in her eyes cut deep.
“I don’t understand?” I said, weakly.
“Understand what?” The petite one questioned. They each looked at me
curiously.
86

“Who are you?” I asked. As soon as the words left my lips I regretted them,
has confusion, hurt and realisation filtered through their features one by one. The
feeling of dread sank deeper within my bones and made me shrink to a small part
of myself. They looked at each other.
“No” The red head’s anger bubbled towards the surface.
“It can’t be?” another added. It wasn’t until the petite blonde searched my
eyes and asked curiously. “Maggie?” I nodded again, just like I had done for Eddie
only minutes before.
“Fuck no” The red head fumed as reality sank in. I wasn’t sure exactly what
she was realising, but I knew that whatever conclusion these women were coming
to was monumental for them. I had a feeling that included me too.
Tears ran down everyone’s face. I couldn’t determine what exactly I was
crying for, but the girls sat in front of me were feeling the pure effects of loss.
That feeling had hit me harder than I could even consider. I was in the dark, but
their pain cut me deep like razor blades.
“What do you remember, Maggie?” The dark one questioned. What a
peculiar question.
“I was in my bedroom and I heard noises downstairs. I thought it was my
Mum, but then I suddenly felt cold and then black. That’s the last thing I
remember.”
“How old are you?” The red head questioned more fiercely than the other
one. This one held a fire that I had never seen, I had never had many girlfriends I
could trust, so I wasn’t entirely sure how girls were supposed to act around each
other.
“I’m…I’m fifteen.” I told them. The shock radiated from them, but I was
still at a loss and I was still in the dark.
“I’m losing someone else.” The blonde one cried and fell to her knees in a
heartbeat. The door flew open and the doorframe was replaced with a shield of
muscle and height.
He was hot!!! Like poster boy hot!!! He looked down at her and whisked her
up quickly and silently into his arms and left the room as much as he had entering
it, without admission. Rafi came barrelling in. He was surprised I was awake. He
was leaner and taller than I remember, but there was sombre glimmer in his eyes.
He looked like… like he was ill. I held my hand out for him to sit beside me. The
other girls watched us closely.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. His grey eyes were as dark as a storm, until they
calmed and he relaxed.
87

“How did you know?” Rafi asked on a whisper, not even denying something
was up. He looked around the room, checking if anyone had heard him.
“Your eyes. I could always tell when something was going on with you.” I
stated. Rafi sat there and an ease settle over his body that I wasn’t sure if it was
the familiarity of him and I or something else. The other girls in the room just sat
there and watched me, as if they were waiting for something to happen.
“Rafi” I whispered. He looked down at me. “What’s going on” I asked,
directing my gaze over to the strangers in the corner. “And where’s Eddie?”
Rafi’s face dropped and dread entered his gaze as he studied me. The door
opened again, but this time it was Eddie and he was upset.
“Everyone out!!!” Eddie shouted into the room. His voice was hard. He
stood there unlike I had ever seen him before. The room emptied without another
word.
“Eddie” I began, but he held his hand up to stop me. This was not my Eddie.
This man was a stranger. A swift knock resounded around the room as Eddie got up
to answer the door. A doctor came in and smiled down at me. He fidgeted under
Eddie’s possessive gaze.
“You must be Maggie” The doctor addressed me gently.
“Yes” I answered quietly, nodding my head in admission.
“We need to run some tests Maggie and then we will discuss what will
happen after that.” The doctor told me gently.
“Wait” I said holding out my hand to stop the doctor. “Discuss what? I don’t
even understand what’s happening or why I’m in this room. Running tests for
what?” I asked bewildered. “Everyone is coming in here as if someone has died, I
don’t understand.”
“Don’t worry, everything will work itself out.” The doctor assured me whilst
patting my hand. Eddie growled.
The doctor nodded and smiled warmly at me and walked carefully past
Eddie and left the room. There was no explanation and I was no further to being
told the truth. I opened my mouth to ask Eddie something? Anything? Eddie just
shook his head, anticipating my questions.
“You need to listen to the doctor Maggie and then I will explain everything.
You need to trust me on this. Ok.” Eddie told me firmly. He always protected me. I
had to trust that. I nodded without hesitation. Eddie was the only person I could
trust after what my parents tried to pull. That reminded me. “Where is mom and
dad?” I asked, but I was met with silence once again. The tension in Eddie’s
shoulders told me not to ask any more questions.
88

Chapter Nineteen.
Eddie.
This was even worse than losing Maggie in the first place. I let myself fall for
Erin. A very different version of my Maggie, but Erin crept into my heart without
any warning and now fifteen year old Maggie was back and I was sat here wishing
for Erin. This is fucking screwed up. I lent down and cradled my face. My heart was
aching for the woman I had just vowed to stand behind, support, encourage and
love always. Now I was faced with the prospect of having to find a way to love
Maggie without Erin being there at all and I was finding that pill hard to swallow.
“Fuck” I seethed through gritted teeth. “I can’t do this again.”
“Yes, you can.” Justice’s calming voice penetrated my dire thoughts. “You
will because whoever is laid in that bed, is one in the same. No matter if she
answers to Maggie or Erin, you love her anyway.” Justice’s words sank in. I
searched for Maggie and found Erin and that hadn’t mattered because she was a
part of Maggie. Now I would just have to readjust and take a part of Erin instead,
because Maggie was back.
“What if Maggie can’t live with the fact that I loved and married Erin and
not her?” I walked further into the room and sat.
“Well if she doesn’t, then you fight like hell for her and you don’t take no
for an answer, because Eddie.” Justice paused.
“Yeah”
“A love like yours and Erin’s has survived amnesia and it will survive a
seizure too.” justice patted my knee and got up. She walked to the door and I
heard her words before she walked over the threshold. “You don’t have a choice
Eddie, she’s your wife. You don’t give up on your wife, you hear me.” Then she
was gone. I hadn’t expected justice to try and comfort me. She was the one I had
expected to pull me up by the balls and tell me to man the fuck up. I just had to
get my head on straight.
I pulled my phone out and searched for anything about amnesia, could
someone have it and then suddenly wake up without any memories from that part
of their life. After dredging through hundreds of sites, I was no nearer to anything
concrete to explain what was happening to my wife. I felt useless.
I went back to Maggie’s room to find her sleeping. Faith was sat beside her
bed, watching her intently. Faith had dark red rims around her eyes, she had
obviously been crying. Rhodes stood defensive behind her.
89

I stared at Maggie. Since the wedding our relationship had shifted from
business over to personal. We both seemed to be standing protective over the only
thing that held importance. I looked down at mine and she was sleeping
beautifully.
Rhodes nodded at me.
“Eddie.” Faith started, “What are we going to do?”
“We carry on.” I shrugged, “There is no other choice. This is still our girl, it
doesn’t matter if we call her Erin or Maggie. She’s family for all of us, we just
need to remind her of that.” I told her with a smile. I could see the reservations
Faith had, but just has Justice had just reminded me earlier, we had no choice.
What will be, will be? “We just have to have a little faith.” I told her with a
chuckle and gave a wink. Faith clasped her hands together and gave me a sincere
smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re right”
* * *
“Mr Vance.”
“Yes” I turned around to the doctor standing by the door with his hands in
his white coat.
“Can I talk you in private” The doctor asked, waving his hand over towards
the door. I glanced over to Maggie, who was sleeping gain. She had done that a lot
since the seizures that put her here.
“Is there someone to watch her?” The doctor asked cautiously, careful not
to say anything to set me off. Let’s just say I haven’t exactly handled my emotions
very well. My mother would be disgusted with my behaviour, but I couldn’t give a
fuck.
“I brought more security in. My head of security cleared it with the director
this morning.” I informed him, not comfortable with this line of questioning.
“I would have suggested it anyway, after what I have just discovered.” The
doctor continued giving me a cautious look.
I nodded and followed behind him. He led me to an office and offered me a drink,
which I declined. I wanted to get this over with and return to Er..Maggie has
quickly as possible.
“Well, Mr Vance. Over the last 72 hours we have closely monitored Maggie
and analysed the dosage she was prescribed for her epilepsy. I can’t say this is
going to be good news.” The Doctor took a sharp breath and continued. “Maggie
was taking daily shots for her epilepsy or so it seemed”
What?
90

I gave the doc a puzzled look. “Maggie was given these daily shots has a
cover so that she remained under the effects of the drugs that they administered
into her system in the first two weeks they had taken her. I have spoken to Faith,
Justice and Peace and they filled a lot of the blanks in, when it comes to Erin’s
behaviour and medication. They have described the signs of long term drug use,
even though she was still happy and focussed, her behaviour could become erratic
and unpredictable. Long-term use of Benzodiazepine’s can affect your system on a
cellular level, even though they didn’t administer enough to affect her daily. The
drug has caused some damage and we cannot be sure of the overall effects that
these drugs have caused.”
“I don’t understand?” I asked, cutting the doctor off before her could finish.
“The drug that was prescribed to Erin was called Midazolam. It is commonly
used to sedate patients before surgery. Long-term use can cause amnestic
properties. This dose combined with an activating drug was pumped into her
system at a high dosage shortly after her disappearance. The drug was
continuously being topped up by the daily dose. She was told to keep her epilepsy
in check. In effect keeping the amnesia in effect. That is why she couldn’t
remember anything before she was taken.”
“If she has been this way for over a decade, then why did she collapse
now?” I asked fiercely. I needed answer. Why the hell would someone want to drug
her for this long?
“The drug had reached a critical point. I don’t have a clinical definition for
you Mr Vance. Erin’s body rejected the intrusion of this drug and collapsed at the
sheer volume it has received. This initially caused the blackout and then her
immune system started to shut down and that is why the seizures began. Then the
paramedics administrated a similar drug to the one she had been taking for so long
and had an adverse reaction and made her convulse even more, that was until
fluids and antibiotics penetrated her system enough to cease the seizure. The
diazepam basically just fuelled the fire, but no one could have prepared for that
Mr Vance, because we were under the illusion that Erin was taking epileptic drugs,
not Midazolam.”
“So what are you telling me Doctor? Will she regain her memories of both
Erin and Maggie or will she remain the Maggie she woke up as? Because I will tell
you Doc, I didn’t marry the fifteen year old Maggie that is in that room. I married
the twenty five year old Erin.”
“I’m sorry, but there isn’t a simple answer. She could wake up tomorrow
and remember everything and be both Erin and Maggie again or she could just
return to Erin. I have spoken with other specialist’s in the country and they
recommend rehabilitation for the next six months. They have seen a difference in
their patient’s memories through this course of treatment. I must stress though Mr
91

Vance, you may never see the results that you hope for. In regards to her
rehabilitation. Maggie will stay here for now and then you may take her home, but
she will need monitoring and physiotherapy and counselling to prevent any more
damage being caused.”
“How do I tell her? That she was her and then she wasn’t and now she is
again, but she may revert at any moment back to Erin. How the hell do you explain
that she’s a ticking time bomb?” I blasted my rage towards the Doctor. I wasn’t
making any sense. The doctor stood firm, with a sympathetic look on his face. I
winced. I had to get out of here. I couldn’t breathe. I tried to suck in as much air
as possible, but all I could take in was my sterile surroundings. I ragged my fingers
through my hair and felt the urge to pull it and feel some kind of pain. I wanted to
feel something other than the excruciating pain of losing another part of Maggie.
How did I find it in me to forget that part of her and love the old part? I didn’t
know if I had that in me.
Fuck!
My breathing was laboured and I barged past the Doctor, who shouted after
me. I was half way down the staircase and the silence descended. My throbbing
heartbeat broke even the miniscule second I had to just breathe. I dug my mobile
out and hit dial. “Entrance. Now” I barked abruptly into the phone and thrust it
back into my pocket. The car screeched at the entrance.
“Get in!” Rhodes shouted at me. I climbed in and panic hit my throbbing
body at full force. I shook with such a vengeance that Rhodes had to pull over to
restrain me.
“This will all be ok.” Rhodes assured me, but how could he make those kind
of promises when he had seen more devastation at war than most men did in their
entire lifetimes.
“You don’t know that.” I said in a bitter tone. No one could ever promise
me that.
“I can’t do this again. How can I keep her safe, if she doesn’t even really
know who I am? Erin accepted who I was, with no explanations, no apologies. She
just accepted our bond, that fate had a reason for bringing her back to me. Maggie
isn’t Erin. She won’t be able to love me for me anymore.” I rambled.
“What are you most afraid of Eddie? The fact that she won’t be able to love
the harder version of you or the fact that she may see how far you had to go to
keep her in the first place?” Rhodes questioned pinning me with a serious gaze.
“I… I…”
“That’s what I thought. The past is the past, man. If you keep letting it
interfere with your future, you are setting yourself up for failure and a lifetime of
92

indecisions. The one thing I learnt from the Military is you have to live everyday as
your last because if you don’t, you are living a half-life and trust me, that isn’t a
path you want to consider, it’s cold and lonely.
“You’re one to preach. So are you planning to tell Faith how you feel about
her?” I directed a pointed look into Rhodes direction and half snorted when he
snarled in return.
“That’s what I thought.”
“Talking of shorty, that’s what you call her isn’t it? Where is she? You
haven’t left her side all week?”
“Faith is sat with Erin.” Rhodes told me. His words were like a dowse of ice-cold
water. Faith was sat with my wife because I couldn’t handle the fact that she
may never be what I had grown to love. She would be forever more, a distant
memory of finding Erin.
The cold truth of the matter was that Maggie was here and unlike before I
had a chance to love her, in any way possible. That was all it took. I knew what I
had to do. I had overcome worse over the last ten years without knowing where
Maggie was, so I’m sure I would survive without that little bit of Erin. I just had to
be patient.
“Pull Erin’s file and get me her medical records. I want to know who was
administering her medication and who held her files before her coming of age and
afterwards. Pull Faith, Peace and Justice’s files as well. I want to know everything
about them. I don’t want to be in the dark Rhodes. If something comes after us or
one of our girls.” Rhodes nodded and smiled at my instructions. “I want to be
ready.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Another thing, Rhodes. Make sure you tell Faith how you feel, because if
she is anything like Erin, you need to keep Faith.” I told him truthfully, meaning
those words both psychically and metaphorically.
“Take me back” I ordered. I sat in silence for the rest of the drive. Rhodes
had said all he had and left me to digest what they meant for Maggie and I.
“Sir” Rhodes spoke softly as we pulled back in front of the Hospital.
“Yes” I answered, not realising where we were.
“Yes.” I started for the door and turned back to Rhodes.
“I want checks on everything over the last three months. Accounts. Sales.
Staff and everything you have on both our parent’s financial, business and personal
transactions. Be thorough.” I demanded sincerely. If I was going to protect my
93

family, I was going to have to start thinking clearly and that meant treating
everyone with suspicion, even our parents.
I felt the vibration first. I pulled my phone out and I started to tremble
again when I saw the withheld number. “Vance”
“When?” I yelled. Shit. Why was this happening again? I looked over at
Rhodes stern face whilst he was gripping the steering wheel in frustration.
“We need to move.” Rhodes was out of the car before my orders had been
spoken.
Chapter Twenty.
Rhodes.
“Master Sargent Rhodes calling for General Mather’s.” I stated my orders
down the phone to the private on the other end.
“Master Sargent Rhodes. General Mather’s is in a briefing at the present
time. I have been told to request you to call back, Sir.” The private’s New York
accent drifted down the line. It may have been five years since active duty, but I
was still a highly ranked marine, enlisted or not.
“Private. The general will take this call. Rhodes, master Sargent, 1st
Battalion, 1st Marine Core, Recon Division, Special Ops.” I heard the sharp intake of
breath from the private. “That was an order, Private.” I barked. As soon as I pulled
rank and position, I heard another voice on the phone.
“Rhodes, Is that you causing an uproar in my office” General Mather’s
chortled down the line and his Texas accent was as thick and smooth as the whisky
he drank.
“Yes, Sir. I don’t seem to have much weight these days, without out ranking
the sons of bitches” I chuckled in return. The General joined in again and I sighed
with content at the familiarity of it all.
“What can I do for you Sargent Rhodes? I know this isn’t a social call, as all
our communication is carried out securely on another feed.” The general
admitted. I knew what communication he was referencing to, but I wasn’t about to
confirm or deny my involvement with the US government, even to him. I laughed
at his blatant attempt to gain classified information from me. “Nice try, General. I
need clearance to assess US files as the Agent who has interfered with this
documentation is either US government or CIA.”
Mather’s swore under his breath. “You know what you’re asking, boy.
You’re asking for clearance to classified information. You may be a Marine,
Sargent, but you are a retired marine or have you forgotten that.”
94

“You know I have clearance at top level, General.”
“Shit. I should have phones Forbes.” I said out loud. I remained quiet until I
heard the Generals frustrated breath ease down the line like a coating of
surrender.
“Son of a bitch. This better be important Rhodes or they’ll have my balls for
this.”
“It is Seth.” I reassured him solemnly. I couldn’t divulged anything about
Eddie or Erin over an unsecure line, but I had to protect them at all costs.
Especially now that I knew Faith’s past was somehow entwined with this whole
mess. “I swear.”
“That’s good enough for me son. The codes and access will be sent securely
from our mainframe, but remember Rhodes, this information will be confidential
and secure, but If I feel that I need to know what the hell you are up to over
there, don’t think I won’t pull rank son and breech security to protect my own ass.
Are we clear on that?” The General stated with a level of authority I would never
gain officially, but on the other hand I held more responsibility with the six people
under my surveillance than I ever did within the marines.
“Crystal”
“Done” The General commented and the line went dead. The access I was
about to receive from the US Government could lead me towards who was
responsible for kidnapping Maggie. I hoped for Eddie’s sake that it wasn’t someone
he trusted. I have seen first-hand what that kind of betrayal does to a man and the
end result aint pretty.
The codes were practically sent the minute Mather’s hung up. That was the
easy part, now I had to rely on another to decode all the correspondence I could
gain from the Intel. I wasn’t positive I could rely on him, but I had little choice on
that matter.
“Bailey. I have it. This is top priority.” I chattered down the line.
“So the Marine needs my help now. I thought I was a jackass, a
uncontrollable and selfish bastard that had an ego the size of Texas.” Michael
rattled off sarcastically. This was a bad fucking idea, the fucker. Michael’s amused
tone made my temper rise quickly and I needed to focus on the mission at hand,
not throttling this ass.
Faith.
I had to think about Faith!
“I need you to decode the files I specified last week and I need them ASAP
and don’t forget Michael this is classified material and if anything illegal happens
95

containing any of this information you will be charged with treason against the
United States Government. Am. I. Clear” I threatened down the line to one of my
oldest acquaintances, but the last one I would trust with vital information
regarding Erin and Faith. Lucky for me, I had something Michael wanted in return.
If this information was as good as I think it is. Eddie would be willing to give
Michael anything he wanted in return. A lucrative contract that will make Bailey
millions.
“Remember our deal, Rhodes.”
“You’ll get the contract. I guarantee it.”
“Good. This will prove to Vance that I can access any information delicately
and that I can be trusted.”
“You have to back that up with action too.” I added.
“Give me forty eight Sargent.” Michael confirmed and the line went dead.
What I really needed was a name, so I could track down the fucker and eliminate
the threat.
* * *
The hospital was eerily quiet. The white walls and the sterile smell that
clung to the place was something I was becoming familiar with. This was one of
the few things I missed about the states, English hospitals were informal and cold.
American facilities were run more like businesses instead of a crippling NHS. This
one was a hell of a lot better than the ones I’ve been scowering to find
information about Erin’s medical past. I neared the door and pushed through the
heavy doors and looked down the hallway. I saw Faith sat quietly, with her head
slumped in her hands. My knees trembled in fear. What was this girl doing to me?
Faith made me feel everything.
“What happened?”
“Erin…. She had..” Faith’s words clogged in her throat. Her small sobs came
hard and fast.
I wrapped her tiny frame within my grasp and pulled her tight up against my
chest. Her warmth soaked into my scarred skin and I felt another one of my walls
fall down at her feet. This was dangerous game I was playing and I godamn knew
it. I knew Faith from our sparring this week that she was stronger than I gave her
credit for. In this moment she was fragile.
We didn’t speak another word. I just held her for as long as I could without
panicking about how in such a small amount of time she had become everything. It
scared the life out of me. The last time I trusted someone, I was screwed over and
given an honourable discharge.
96

Chapter Twenty-One.
Eddie.
“What the hell do you mean, when you say you don’t know why she had
more seizures Doc? What the hell do you know?”
“This is a complex case, Mr Vance. As I told you before, there is no simple
answer, nor is there a quick fix.” The doctor sighed and left the room. This has
been the pattern since I got the call. Over the last 36 hours, Maggie’s had four
more seizures and stopped breathing twice. The doctor and I have had this
conversation several times now. The longer this was going on, I was losing all hope
that she would ever come back to me entirely. Maggie had briefly woken. Her
speech was slurred. Maggie’s slender fingers wrapped around my arm and brought
me close. “Stay with me” She asked. Her accent was a mix between Maggie’s
society repertoire and Erin’s Yorkshire slang. Both of my girls were in there
somewhere. I was praying to god that they came back to me. “I’m right here.” I
told her, looking into those beautiful caramel eyes that had lured me into her trap
in the first place. “But are you here?” she asked, placing her delicate palm over
my chest and hers in sync. Her slightest touch made my entire body shake with
need. A need to protect her. A need to love her unconditionally and a need to be
anything and everything she needed me to be. I nodded because there would be no
one else but her for me. Maggie and Erin both held my heart forever. “Always” I
bent down and ran my lips delicately over hers and promised myself, that I would
get the bastard who tried to take her from me and make them feel the loss of
losing someone so precious that held your soul.
Rhodes walked into the room looking more confident than I had seen him in
the last two weeks.
“Done” He said in one syllable. The effects that could unfold from that one
word could define everyone’s futures that held ties to my beautiful wife. I would
protect her no matter what. Fuck the consequences!
* * *
The seizures finally stopped after two days of pacing the hospital corridors.
I have never hated hospitals more than I did at this very moment, but the doctors
were optimistic about Maggie’s recovery. They stabilised her and were pretty
confident that there would be no permanent neurological damage. All I wanted
was to take my wife home and make her better. The doctors had sedated Maggie
to try and restore her brain activity as the seizures had made her nervous system
shut down temporally. I watched as the doctors started withdrawing the sedation
and the extra tubes that were in her arms. They weren’t exactly sure when Maggie
97

would wake, but they were confident that she would. Her brain activity had
returned to normal and the effects of the seizures were minimal.
Faith, Justice and Peace stood a vigil outside the door. They wanted to be
in here when Maggie woke, but the doctors feared that if Maggie saw anyone she
didn’t recognise could cause a relapse. No one wanted that, so they begrudgingly
paced the hospital corridors until they could see her.
The covers twitched under Maggie’s silent movements. Her body was
lethargic and adjusting to her body waking up. Her pale face had gained a little
colour, but I was focused solely on her features, waiting patiently for those
beautiful eyes I longed to see.
Maggie fluttered her eyelids a few times, before she decided they would
fully co-operate. Her eyes darted around the room, as if she was searching for
someone.
Me. Let it be me?
Our eyes connected and everything in the room froze. Nothing else in that
room mattered at that moment. A small smile tugged at Maggie’s lips and I
smirked in return. She could always cause a reaction out of me. Our bodies were so
in-tune with each other. I swear I could feel her, before I could see her. She had
been made for me and I was getting another chance. This time, no one would get
anywhere near her.
“Eddie” Maggie said, her voice croaky from the sedation.
“Its ok baby. I’m right here.” I spoke softly, walking over to be closer to her
and placing my full palm over her heart. I wanted to make her see that I belonged
with her. My place in this life would always be beside her, nothing would change
that.
“I dreamt about you.” She told me in a sleepy voice.
“Rest, baby. We can talk later.” Her eyes had fluttered closed before I had
finished talking. Her lazy smile and her small nod told me everything I needed to
at this moment. She was back.
Chapter Twenty-Two.
Erin.
My whole body ached. I moved slightly and felt the pain radiate up my legs
and penetrated my head. My head throbbed with the insistent pulse of pain that
sat right behind my eyes. I squeezed them shut a little tighter. I just needed
another minute. I heard his chuckle before I could see Eddie, but I knew he was
98

there. The light in his tone infused my body with relief. Eddie was here. Thank
God!
“Open your eyes, Baby” Eddie coached, still chuckling softly.
“No” I tried to shake my head, but stopped with the pain. I pouted and
repeated, “No”
Eddie laughed once again. His beautiful voice filled the room. I peeked
through my lashes, wanting to see him again, but not aggravate the ache between
my eyes.
“Come on baby. I need to see those pretty eyes of yours” Eddie asked
playfully. I had never seen him this happy, maybe that had something to do with
me? Maybe? I never questioned the connection between us. The ultimate question
was, did he want me too?
I opened my eyes fully and froze still. Where was I? I looked over to see
Eddie and what looked like doctors in long white coats and stethoscopes drooped
around their necks. They were watching me closely. They studied my movements
like I was an experiment.
I looked straight over to Eddie, “Wh..What’s going on?” I stuttered, as fear
and pain ran through my aching bones. Eddie’s face fell and a hard look replaced
the playful look he had just had. Did I do something wrong?
“Get out!!” Eddie ordered the doctors. I was prepared for the doctors to tell
Eddie to leave, but they nodded and exited the room. What the hell was going on
here? I looked around the room. The room was mixtures of creams and gold’s and
was furnished in expensive looking chairs and throws. It was beautiful. It didn’t
resemble anywhere I would be allowed into. I glanced over at the window and it
looked like early morning if I would chance a guess. The view still reminded me of
London. Were we still in London? Had Eddie changed his mind about the wedding?
I remembered the Savoy and the registry office. No. I shook my head. I
looked down at my hands and my rings remained. Thank God. I thought I was
dreaming. The marriage and Eddie were all real.
“What do you remember?” Eddie asked cautiously. His eyes searched me
intently. His eyes were dark. He looked like he had been up for days.
“I remember you taking me to London and us getting married. Everything
after that is a blur.” I rushed out.
“Fuck.” Eddie swore loudly. He paced the room purposefully. His hands
were fisted as he paced and the indecision was plastered all over his body, like a
canvas.
99

“What happened?” I asked when Justice barged in the room. Eddie
continued to pace, blinded by whatever anger he was dealing with internally. His
gaze remained blank.
“Justice” I cried. Her face flashed with something I couldn’t quite
understand. Justice moved quickly to envelope me in one of her bear hugs and
literally climbed on the bed with me. I laughed with nerves. As if on cue, the
others piled into the room demanding what the hell was going on. Even Peace’s
voice raised an octave or two, which was an achievement for her. Justice babbled
something incoherent to the other girls and they all piled on top of me, crying and
laughing in return. I felt pure joy in my heart. The girls encased me with their
warmth.
Rhodes marched into the room and the marine stopped abruptly making Rafi
barrel into him from behind. The looks of pure astonishment were priceless. I was
just in the dark on why they were all looking at me like that.
I cleared my throat as gently as I could. My throat was still sore. “Does
someone want to clue me in or are you all gonna gawk at me?” I questioned. Their
stunned faces remained. I blew out a frustrated sigh and ran my hands down my
legs through the covers. Faith followed my movements.
“You collapsed and had several seizures, but Erin… you…you woke up…”
Faith fidgeted with her dress and swallowed hard. I had never seen her this
nervous. I could have said that about every member of this room. Each and every
one of them were looking everywhere expect for me.
“Eddie” I shrieked and started to remove my covers. I needed to get out of
this bed and get some answers, because obviously no one wanted me to know what
was going on.
“Calm down, Maggie” He cooed. I whipped my head up to meet his gaze.
What did he just call me? Eddie hadn’t worked it out yet, but I had. I was back,
but for how long?
My entire world was falling apart and my husband calling me Maggie just
confirmed it. The darkness swept me into its arms and slipped me into the peace
and quiet. “Shit” I whispered and fell to the floor surrounded by the darkness.
* * *
“Erin. Please come back to me. Don’t leave me again. You have to fight
baby, fight for me.” That familiar tone was so near but felt like worlds apart. After
I collapsed, I realised a few things. One that I had obviously woken up as Maggie
after all the seizures had happened and two, was Eddie relieved or saddened by
the fact that I was back instead of his precious little Maggie. I knew I wasn’t ready
to hear that particular answer. So I kept my eyes tightly shut and my head in the
preverbal sand.
100

I heard a few voices float in and out of my subconscious. I couldn’t seem to
hold on to them. The darkness beckoned me once again.
* * *
“There you are?” A quiet voice asked.
“Who are you?”
“You already the answer.”
Was that? It can’t be? Molly?
“Come on Maggie. I need you to concentrate, so I can get you back to my
sweet little Eddie.” Molly said with a smile. A smile full of love and regret.
“Where are we?” I asked whilst I glanced around the darkness.
“You’re sleeping in your bed, baby. Eddie’s there with you, but I need you
to remember what happened that last day before you were taken. It’s important.
Remember Maggie. Remember Erin. You have to remember, you’re both in
danger.” Molly’s voice pleaded with me. I needed more answers. The darkness was
disappearing and the light was pulling me back.
No.
What did she mean?
“Danger from what?” I screamed into the darkness. Fear crawling up my
spine and my body was coated in sweat.
“Not from what? You need to ask who?” Molly’s whispers swept around my
subconscious until I was staring at four pale and frightened faces.
An array of doctors pushed my husband and family out of the way, much to
Justice’s annoyance, who was sending daggers towards the doctors around the
room.
“How are you Miss Frost?” The handsome doctor gently questioned, giving
me a warm smile. He checked my reflexes as he spoke and assessed me for
damage.
“Mrs Vance.” Eddie’s scowl skittled over the room before I could correct the
doctor. Eddie was grinding his teeth and stood with his arms crossed and his chest
puffed out. Fucking hell. He was jealous. Well unbloody believable, it only took a
seizure for me to see this side of Eddie. I kind of liked it. He was all hot and
bothered. I could feel my cheeks flush involuntary. Eddie’s smirk sent another
wave of hot arousal through my core. Eddie chuckled softly. Well I was glad I was
amusing my husband, while I was under the microscope.
The doctor quickly resumed his duties and then quietly left the room.
101

I was mortified.
“Well I’ll be dammed. Miss little sweet and innocent over there nearly
undressed her husband and laid him down right in front of the good doctor’s.”
Justice mocked.
“I wonder what position Eddie could teach us, eh Just?” Faith challenged. I
knew what they were playing at, trying to get a rise out of us. It wouldn’t be me. I
smiled sweetly. Rhodes low growl sent chills through my bones though. Rhodes
reaction made Faith jump and spin around to see Rhodes standing there glaring
down at his little firecracker. I laughed silently. Rhodes was going to get a rude
wakeup call if he thought anything with Faith was sweet or innocent. She may be
the shortest of us all, but she held more backbone than some men I had known.
I giggled again and Eddie pinned me with a stern look. What the hell had I
done now? I have had enough of this. Faith and Rhodes had already left the room
obviously to get things straight. I needed to do the same.
“Guys, could you give Eddie and me a minute.” I asked sweetly. Justice
looked between Eddie and I and smirked and gave me a sly wink. Justice knew me
better than I did myself sometimes.
I waited for the door to click shut and I wanted to rip into Eddie, “What the
hell is your problem?” I blasted. His mouth dropped open in shock.
“Nothing” He stuttered, at a loss for an answer.
“Nothing?” I repeated through gritted teeth.
“Nothing” Eddie said again, silently challenging me.
He moved closer. The way he looked at me was if a thousand volts of
electricity were being pumped into my body.
The minute I moved in the bed, Eddie was at my side. I was breathing
heavier now. I hated the fact that he held this much power over me. One minute I
wanted to grind up against him like a Cheshire cat and then I wanted to throttle
the life out of him.
That was my first mistake as understanding flickered across his hazel eyes
and his mouth took mine with such passion and possession that I fully surrendered
to him. Eddie brought every ounce of passion to the surface and I wanted to
explore that, with vengeance. His tongue slipped into my mouth gaining full access
to everything I had to offer him and his greedy hands pulled my hair by the scalp
and pleasure rippled through me. I could have come right there and then. “Eddie,
Please” I moaned into his mouth. I was in pure ecstasy. I just needed more. I
needed to feel him inside me, pulsing inside me until he claimed me forever. I
needed that. I slammed our bodies together and couldn’t get close enough. Our
position was awkward. The burn wasn’t enough to set me off. I just needed….
102

“Baby” Eddie moaned into my ear.
I continued to thrust my hips to meet his frame. He was completely on the
bed now. I hadn’t realised Eddie had climbed on and covered my aching body
completely. Oh god! Yes this is what I need. Eddie making my insides burn.
“Erin” Eddie tries again, but I was deep within my lust fuelled coma. I was
screwed when it came to this man.
Eddie pulled me back and held me at length. I whimpered at the loss of his
lips.
No.
“Don’t pout baby.” Eddie chuckled playfully.
“I want… I need…” I didn’t know what I was asking for, but I did know that I
needed him more than my next breath. My breathing was eractic. I panted.
What the hell was Edward Vance doing to me?
“I know baby. Me too. But this isn’t the time or the place. When I lay you
down to make love to you for the first time. I will take it slow and easy so I can
savour you and claim what has and always be mine. No one will ever taste what
belongs to me.” Eddie told me seductively. He leaned in and ran his nose down the
side of my neck and started to whisper, “Then when I’ve taken you slow. I’m going
to devour you and take your hard and fast over and over again.” When Eddie had
finished talking, I shook with need.
“Fuck” I said breathlessly, not meaning to say it out loud.
“I would love to.” Eddie chuckled, “but I would like to take my wife home
first.” Eddie finished on a whisper.
“I will murder you in your sleep.” I joked. “But I agree, so please take me
home.” I conceded.
Eddie nodded, still laughing at my witty comeback. The last few days had
been a complete blur. I knew deep down that Eddie would explain what happened
after my seizures, but for now I wasn’t ready to take that kind of emotional
baggage. I wanted to take my husband home and make love to him.
When I woke up, Molly was the first thing I remembered. The look of fear
and panic on Eddie and the girl’s faces made me keep what I had remembered to
myself for now. I could piece together fragments, but nothing was clear. I was a
jumble of pieces trying to find their place. One thing for sure, Molly held a
connection with both Eddie and I. Her words rang clear in my mind, we were in
danger. This was so much worse than waking up alone. I had a nagging feeling that
someone wanted Eddie and I apart, permanently. First the shooting and now the
seizures.
103

After the hospital discharged me, Eddie took me home. He carried me
upstairs to the room I had before we left for London. The memories of our last
time together made this blow even bitterer. My mood plummeted. He was
distancing himself from me. I could feel it. We had been married exactly four days
and fifteen hours and he was already trying to put walls between us.
“Pouting doesn’t become you?” Eddie mocked in a posh English accent.
“Too bad.” I spat back. My accent getting broader the angrier I got. His cool
exterior was starting to piss me off. I wanted the Eddie who made me come just
with his hand and who could set my body on fire every time he was near. I didn’t
want this preserved and distanced version of him. At least he had the nerve to step
back as if he was scared of my response. I knew Eddie well enough now, to know
he did it to give me space. He could no doubt take me with one touch or a kiss
from those luscious lips. I could feel my knees shake at the mere mention of
something that could get me wet!
“Is that so?” Eddie baited me.
“Yes it is, because I will do what I want Mr Vance and nothing will ever
change that.”
“Well I would disagree with that statement Mrs Vance” Eddie chuckled when
I whipped my head up to stare him in the eyes. My body was on fire with rage.
How dare he?
“So I’m Mrs Vance now?” I snorted and climbed down from Eddie’s tight grip
trying not to devour his tight hot body with my eyes. Shit! What the hell was up
with my hormones? There was definitely something wrong with me. This was
nowhere near normal behaviour for a woman my age. I started to move further
into the room and Eddie gripped my wrist. He was breathing heavy. He was trying
to gain control over his feelings or was it anger I saw flash through his eyes.
“Don’t ever question my need for you. I need you to breath. I always have.
You are my everything.” He whispered at the end, before crushing his lips against
mine with a passion I had only felt once before.
The willow Tree.
Silent kisses and secret touches underneath our Willow tree.
“I need you now, Eddie. Please tell me you want me because I can’t take
this anymore.” I moaned into his mouth. My thighs rubbed up against Eddie in all
the right places. If I just moved half and an inch to the right, I could get myself
off. Where the hell, did that come from? Edward Vance was turning me into a
wanton creature and I kind of liked it.
104

Shit! Justice would freaking love this. My inner seductress was obviously
taking lessons from her.
Eddie wrapped my legs around his waist and walked us into his room. The
friction from the sudden movements were hitting the right spots. Oh Yes! Right
there, I silently thought. I needed to take this ache away and I knew only Eddie
could give me that. Eddie laid me gently on his king sized bed. “Strip” Eddie
ordered as he stood back to watch. His eyes were wide with lust and excitement. I
was in so much trouble. I slowly stripped out of my sweats and laid there letting all
my inhibitions float away. Eddie’s gaze never faltered, sipping me in slowly like an
expensive wine to savour me completely. I licked my lips in anticipation that I
would finally get to see Eddie’s glorious body and explore that mysterious ink that
caught my eyes the very first time I met him. I had a glimpse of the man I married
the night we shared a bed. Having him look at me as If I was his next meal made
me want to come before he had chance to touch me.
“Eddie” I sighed, “Please” I begged. I needed him to touch me more than
anything else.
“I’m coming, baby”. He laughed.
I rolled my eyes in his direction. “You won’t be if you don’t touch me. For
fuck sake.” I threatened, blowing a frustrated breath in his direction. He was
perched between my open legs sat back studiously. He was fully dressed. Eddie
moved as fast as lightening and he overwhelmed my senses. His soft and urgent
hands kneaded my breast’s until they screamed from pain and lust combined. His
greedy mouth trailed the length of me and I completely surrendered to his touch.
Eddie removed my knickers and grinned seductively at me. This man had a
mischievous side and made me feel at ease, only Eddie could make me smile when
I was anxious and nervous. What if I wasn’t any good? That thought suddenly
overwhelmed me. Why I hadn’t thought about this before I dragged him to bed. Oh
god! Eddie must have sensed my panic because he crawled slowly back up my body
and placed his hand over my chest and whispered, “I’m right here, baby. This is
just you and me.” Eddie’s words were gentle and soothed my fragile nerves. “Ok” I
said breathlessly. Eddie was right, ever since he had found me up north, he had
been right here, where he belonged, bedside me. Eddie continued slow,
continuously checking if this is what I wanted. The need penetrated my gaze as
much as his cock was grinding up against me. Eddie flexed his taut body and
settled in between my legs gently nudging my wet folds. His hot breath ran down
the pulse of my neck and I shuddered right down to my core. I growled with need.
Where did that come from?
I wanted that connection with him. I wanted to feel him deep inside me,
stretching and filling me. “Please” I begged.
105

“Not yet my love, I need you shaking with need.” Eddie smirked back at me.
Shit. He was going to torture me. Literally.
“Eddie” A guttural cry left my lips and my vulnerability returned at how
much power and control Eddie had over my heart and body. Eddie eyes shot up
with concern and softened instantly.
‘Please.” I told him again.
“What do you want Erin. Do you want my rock hard cock claiming you?
Making you mine?” He pinned me with a stare. The lust transformed into a
possessive one.
“Once we do this. There is no going back. There is no changing your mind.
Once I taste heaven, I cannot go back. I won’t give you up for anything. Do you
understand?” I gulped hard afraid I might swallow my own tongue. I nodded. My
throat tightened again with need and emotion.
In one swift movement, he eloquently slid into heaven and took me with
him. Eddie stretched and tightened every muscle I had and some that I didn’t. The
hint of pain curved around my spine and into my belly. I froze. Eddie stopped
before he entered me again.
“You ok?’ He asked, his voice thick and breathless. The control he had was
impressive. I knew guys could rarely stop once they started. Well that’s what
justice had told me.
“Yeah. Just don’t stop.” I pleaded, thrusting my hips gently. The pain had
turned into red hot passion and my movements became needy and rushed, but I
couldn’t stop. I needed Eddie more than my next breath. Eddie kissed down my
neck and up again. His tongue darting out to meet my skin. Ever so gently teasing
my senses as we moved so fast we were climbing in a frenzy. Oh God! Eddie
slammed into me over and over. He hit something that shot fireworks up my spine
and made my vision swim with stars. I met his every thrust, not wanting to loose
this rush of adrenaline and passion. I needed to get closer and take him. Eddie
movements became frantic. Once, twice and I felt Eddie empty himself deep
inside me. Our breathing filled the room with the smell of sweat and sex. That
was… Magical. Eddie lifted his weight off of me and withdrew himself. The
emptiness hit me first, but Eddie walked quietly to his bathroom and shut me out.
I was such a fool. I practically threw myself at my husband and he fucks me and
then leaves me like a cheap whore. I looked around for my pants, but they were
nowhere to be seen. I gathered the sheet off the bed and climbed quietly down. I
had been through enough embarrassment for one day.
I was done.
I turned the handle. “Going somewhere?” Eddie asked lightly, but dark
storms were brewing under those chestnut eyes. He was propped against the
106

doorframe looking like a Greek God with a bare chest. The muscle on his abdomen
were impressive, but not compared to his shoulders where that tattoo twined
around Eddie gorgeous physique.
“My room.” My voice shaky and uncertain.
“This is your room, Erin. I warned you, didn’t I baby. There was no going
back.” Eddie stated, giving me a look of warning. I didn’t know if I should concede
or challenge him back?
“Try telling yourself that Eddie. I didn’t just walk away from you without
not as much as a word and locked himself in the bathroom. I don’t deserve that. I
may be inexperienced and not very.” The words caught in my throat. I had no clue
what I was about to say. Did he enjoy himself like I had?
“First thing. I love it when you’re all fiery and fierce. This passion is sinful
Erin Vance. I plan to explore that with you soon baby.” Eddie practically purred
down at me. “Second. I would never walk away from you. Jesus Erin. You have no
idea what I have gone through.. What I’ve done to get you…..” Eddie sighed
loudly. Tearing his gruff hands through his shaggy hair. “I needed a minute or I
would have climbed back on you and made love to you over and over.”
I loved that idea. My eyes flashed with need as Eddie watched me closely.
“Don’t look at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“We have to wait, baby.”
“Don’t you want to?”
I growled. “You need to pay attention baby.” I told her and placed her hand
over my cock to feel it thicken and strain underneath her gentle touch.
“Oh.” Her cheeks blushed. She had that look. It was the one she had when
she didn’t realise what effect she has over me and is utterly shocked that she can
cause. I needed to teach her that my need for her would never falter.
“Will you hold me?”
“That I can do.” Eddie laughed and led me back to bed. We both climbed in
and he pulled the cotton sheets tight around us both.
* * *
I laid their sated in Eddie’s arms and melted into the secure feeling of
finally belonging to someone. He had woke me up several times during the night. I
wouldn’t complain. His breathing was steady and even as he held me tight. The
comfortable silence stretched out for I don’t know how long, until I heard Eddie
speak. “Would you come to the gala with me?” He asked has nerves shook his
107

voice. He had nothing to be nervous about I quickly thought. I would follow him
anywhere. Rafi had mentioned the gala in passing, but Eddie had ignored his
interference. Rafi had kept his distance since I had changed back. I wondered what
had changed his mind. “Of course.” I told him confidently. I was his wife after all.
I would stand beside him, united. He gulped hard, making his Adams apple move in
protest. “There will…” Eddie started, then stopped, looking more anxious now.
“What Eddie? You’re making me nervous now. Have I done something wrong?” I
asked, suddenly feeling inadequate and fragile compared to just a moment ago.
“Don’t ever say that.” Eddie warned, grabbing my chin to look at him. “You
are everything, do I have to keep reminding you of that. You are my only concern
and that’s why I need to warn you that my parents will be at the Gala.”
“Ok, I get it.” I whispered, still feeling that bite of disappointment that
Eddie didn’t want me to accompany him to the Gala. If that was the case, then
why would he have asked me in the first place?
“No, I don’t think you do. My parents won’t be the only ones I need to
protect you from. Your parents will be there too. Our parents won’t be best
pleased that we are married.” Eddie told me, sick with nerves. His palms were
clammy and his usually confidant demeanour was pale.
“Why? I thought they all knew about the contract?” I asked puzzled.
“Yes, they did,…but there is some bad feeling between the families. Don’t
get me wrong they tolerate each other’s company in society, but I think something
happened between Edmund and Chris to fracture their relationship before we were
even born.”
“What kind of bad feelings?” I asked, but I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to
know the answer to that particular question. Whatever happened in the past,
could stay there. All that mattered now was Eddie and I.
“I don’t know.” Eddie answered honestly. I could see the questions behind
those hazel eyes and trusted that if he knew the truth, he would tell me.
“Then whatever happens doesn’t matter. If you want me to come to the
Gala, I would be honoured to go with you.” I smiled happy.
“Thank you.” Eddie whispered, relief washing over his body. “Whatever our
parents say or do. You are Erin Vance, there isn’t anything anyone can say or do to
change that. Ok.” Eddie reassured me with steel in his voice. I had seen Eddie
acting possessive a few times before, but the look in his eyes told me that I hadn’t
seen how possessive he could be, if pushed. I prayed to god, I wouldn’t have to,
but I had a feeling that our parents were going to test his restraint.
“When we attend the Gala. If you don’t want to talk about Maggie, then you
don’t have to. You may look like Margaret Montgomery, but you only have to be
108

yourself. So don’t feel pressured when people see you because we may be entering
the lion’s den, but I promise that no one will force you to talk about the past.”
“Why are we going then?” I asked directly, unsure if I was going to like his
answer. What if he wanted to cause trouble with our parents or he was just using
me against them. To get his revenge for how they treated us back then. The last
thing I expected was the one word that affirmed he would always protect me.
“Molly.”
“Will you tell me about her one day?” I asked quietly, searching those
distant eyes. I wanted Eddie to open up to me about her, but I didn’t want to force
him either. I already knew she held a connection with our past, but who was she to
Eddie?
“Not today” He said, as he ran his hands up and down my bare back. That
familiar tingle of arousal and protection curled up my body with a reverence I
would have to start getting used to this. I had never needed anyone in my life, like
I needed Eddie and that need burned deeper than I could possibly imagine. Eddie
continued to hold me tight until I started to drift off. I dreamed of Eddie and I
holding our baby, until Molly’s pale face sifted into my dream and scared the shit
out of me. Her words rang through as if a bell was being rung inside my head. As if
time was running out.
“You have to remember. You’re both in danger.” Her pleading voice
repeated over and over again.
Chapter Twenty -Three.
Eddie.
Erin’s petrified face terrified me more than her screams that penetrated our
bedroom. Her eyes held a haunted depth to them. Had Erin remembered
something from our past? I don’t want to even imagine her suffering or someone
hurting her.
“Erin” I whispered soothingly. “What is it?” I had wrapped my entire body
around hers to stop her from shaking. I ran my fingers gently up and down her
arms. I read a journal once saying that a calming touch can soothe far greater than
being talked to. I prayed to anything that was holy, that I was soothing her and not
causing any more damage.
“You.” she muttered, her words barley audible. Why was she upset? Erin
had taken me to heaven and back and one taste would never be enough.
“I was dreaming about you and I was…” She paused.
“My belly was round”
109

Erin continued, looking uncomfortable. What did she mean her belly was
round?
Then it suddenly dawned on me. Erin was dreaming of us having children.
The image of her beautiful body changing with the life we would create together,
had me forgetting her screams of pain.
“Why were you crying then?” I was perplexed. How could she be so upset
over her carrying my baby? Unless she didn’t want children? I never thought of that
possibility. I just presumed that was something that would develop into our
futures.
“You don’t want that kind of future with me?” I asked crippled with fear. I
already knew the answer, her sobs were enough of an omission for me.
“No” Erin spoke breathlessly through her sobs. “That is something I want
with you, more than anything.” Erin admitted. Her sobs finally ceased. She wiped
her tears with the back of her hand and looked up into my eyes. “I wasn’t crying
about us. Molly…’
Molly?
What the hell?
“When I was in the hospital. Molly came to me. She told me to hurry back to
you because you were waiting for me. She called you her Eddie.” Erin looked down
and I waited patiently. My heart was beating out of my chest. What the hell had
Molly said? Could she have really seen Molly?
“She told me I had to remember that last day before I was taken. That I had
to remember both Maggie and Erin and that we were both in danger.”
“Danger from what?” I asked. Erin’s head whipped up to meet mine, shock
filled her pale face.
“She said not from what. But from whom?”
Tears flowed down Erin’s face and I didn’t even attempt to stop them. This
was not what I thought my life would turn into when I found a little part of my
past. What the hell was I going to do now? My selfish need to see her again had put
her back into danger. What if this time, they not only take her away from me, but
they finished what they had started.
* * *
“Have you told her everything?” Rafi questioned.
“I told her… bits and pieces… I didn’t want to scare her.” I admitted.
“Bullshit. You only told her what you wanted to”
110

“No” I threw back instantly, but I knew I was lying to myself. I should have
told her about the threats and how both our parents were against the contracts
from the beginning. I came from family with money. Edmund believed that I had a
duty to form ties with influential people. By disobeying my father’s wishes of
marrying Sabine for someone who wasn’t born into money had been the final
straw. Erin was in her own right, wealthier than I actually was at this point in my
life. I had heard through associates that there had been bad blood between both
our families since Maggie and I were babies. How can I admit to the one person I
care about what she thinks of me that I made a unthinkable deal, to get that
contract legal and binding. No. I shook my head vehemently. Trying to stop those
harrowing thoughts of the past. I had to keep Erin from finding out about the deal I
had made with my father and get some fucking answers from the only person who
could give me some. Maggie’s father.
“Are you going to?” Rafi asked softly. He looked worried.
“I don’t know” I told him truthfully. “I don’t want to lose her again. She
dreamed about Molly” I admitted feeling defenceless. Rafi stiffened. “What did
she say to her?” Rafi asked solemnly. I took a deep breath and sighed. “That she
needs to remember both Maggie and Erin and we’re both in danger. She told Erin
someone was after us.” He stood side by side with me for a while. There was no
need for words. He patted my back and quietly left my office. Rafi was right. I had
only told Erin what I had wanted her to hear. I wanted to feel that connection,
that understanding we had between us. The thread that tied us together all those
years ago. I wouldn’t threaten snapping that tie to admit how low I had sunk to
keep her in my life. I wasn’t ashamed of what I did, but Erin wouldn’t see it like
that. She would feel betrayed and abandoned, by both me and her parents. I just
couldn’t do that to her. Maybe I was being selfish. I was. I admit it. When it came
to Maggie, I was undeniably consumed. I always have been and that instinct has
drove me towards finding Erin. What I didn’t know, was how much Erin could take
of my control issues. Erin may look like the angel I had once loved, but she was full
of fire and warmth too. That scared me more.
I looked across the streets of London. It was lit by thousands of street lights.
These streets and my office represented something new and fresh for me now.
Erin’s ability to bring everything to life had me convincing myself that it would be
ok lying to my wife.
I loved that.
My Wife.
Finally, she was mine.
I knew I would have to tell her eventually, that everything wasn’t as black
and white had I led her to believe. My need to protect her overshadowed my need
to be absolutely truthful with her about our pasts.
111

Chapter Twenty Four.
Erin.
One of the advantage of being married to a billionaire. Is that he has the
ability to spoil me rotten, even against my will. I had my own money. My business
had done pretty well over the years, but Eddie had insisted on spoiling all four of
us with everything we could possibly need to attend the Gala tomorrow night.
When Eddie had asked me to go to the Gala with him, I was nervous at the thought
of people recognising me as Maggie. When Faith had rushed into the living room
screaming like a little girl, mumbling about going to the Gala. I knew Eddie had
invited them to reassure me that what he had said the other night mattered.
“I was the most important thing to him.”
I was beginning to realise Eddie meant exactly that, has I traipsed around
London’s shops with Faith, Justice and Peace in tow. Rhodes trailed slightly behind
us. Rhodes watched tentatively ready to protect me at all cost. He showed no
weakness as we looked around London’s most expensive shops. Even Faith was
giving Rhodes or Ellerson has she calls him, a wide berth. I could tell by the pout
on her naturally full lips and the scowl she was sending his way, they have had
words. Faith had mentioned that Ellerson liked to keep his priorities separate,
work and personal life in different compartments. I couldn’t wait to see if that
would last. If I know Faith, she will test his restraint to the very limit and he will
be forced to put her first. Faith doesn’t know any other way to be. She can be
distant and segregated, but she craves attention and affection. Which is ironic in
its self, as she never wants to let anyone in. Once Faith has opened that guarded
heart of hers, there is no going back, but to keep Faith.
Eddie had handed me his credit card and given me full access to his
accounts, so I could always have access to his funds. That thought weighed down
heavily on me. I never had someone give me that kind of trust and that prospect
terrified me. I milled around each store with no intention to spend his money.
Justice was in her element. She browsed the entire shop as if it was Christmas
morning. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, when she spotted rows and rows of
red dresses. It was official, we had lost Justice. I smiled wide and chuckled softly
to myself. Faith and Peace were the same, embracing the allurement of the
exquisite dresses on display.
I stood in Harvey Nichols and immediately felt out of place. I tried not to
put myself down, but I felt cheap. When I looked around at the high class fashion
and the price tags that matched them. I felt out of place. I glanced down at what I
was wearing and sighed. I wasn’t made to be a billionaire’s wife. Who the hell was
I trying to kid.
112

“We’re not leaving this department store until you have purchased a dress.
Do I make myself clear?” Ellerson stood behind me, broad, with his arms folded
against his massive frame. An unmoveable force. A week ago I may have been
intimidated by the sheer size of him, but now I was use to his brisk ways. The
smirk that tinged his lips, didn’t help his attempt at scolding me. I burst out in a
fit of giggles and the weight that I hadn’t realised was weighing me down quickly
lifted. Ellerson was quickly making himself a fixture in my life and I didn’t mind
that at all.
“Ok, Ok. Put those guns away big guy. I’ll find a dress.” I admitted with a
grunt. Ellerson smirked and instinctively searched for that flurry of blonde hair. His
face lit up like a Christmas tree when he caught a glimpse of Faith. I reached on
my tiptoes to look. Faith was laughing at justice strutting her stuff up and down
the crowded shop. I wondered if Eddie looked like that, when he looked at me.
That would be something, wouldn’t it?
“He does.” Ellerson whispered into my ear.
“What?” I shrieked and jumped back. Ellerson chest rumbled with laughter.
“He does. Eddie looks happier than I’ve ever seen him. When ever he looks
into your eyes. Don’t ever doubt his love for you.” Ellerson admitted and looked
down. He was internally debating to say something more. “He never stopped
searching for you, Erin. I searched with him for the last five years. Having you back
in his arms was his only wish. I have never seen anyone so determined in his
mission to find you. And I’ve seen more than most guys should. Eddie was battling
his own personal war when he lost you.”
“Thanks for telling me that.” I said softly. I knew that cost him more than
he realised.
“It’s the truth.” Ellerson said, shrugging his shoulders as if those words
didn’t mean anything at all, but to my fragile heart they filled it to the top and
threatened to burst free.
I should check on ‘Finding Erin’ and all my equipment was damaged in the
shooting. “I need to look for a laptop after this.” I told him, blurting out my
thoughts. At this rate I would need a filter.
“Eddie has a couple at the house.”
I pulled out Eddie’s credit card and laughed. “Well what would be the fun in
that?” I mocked. Sticking my tongue out at him.
Ellerson laughed gruffly and the sound made me smile even more. “You got
a problem with that.” I added trying to tease him. I was unable to control the
tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks. Ellerson gave me a wink and laughed
113

again. “No ma’am” He drawled in a fake southern accent, but damn he was good,
no wonder Faith had fallen so quickly for him. He was perfect for her.
“Thanks, Ellerson.”
Ellerson whipped his head around and did a double take. “Did you just call
me… Ellerson?”
“That’s what Faith calls you. Isn’t it? I thought I better start calling you by
your proper name seeing has you’re in love with my best friend.” I stated, waiting
for his reaction. I watched him closely. Ellerson didn’t leave me disappointed
either. His cheeks turned pink and panic filled his eyes. He scrambled to find
words, but Ellerson stood there flustered. This was a different side to the no
nonsense Marine he tries to act.
“Don’t worry big fella.” I patted his chest. “You are definitely not ready to
tell her that yet and neither is she. But you will be Ellerson and then you will have
to face every fear you and her hold inside. The only thing you have to remember is
keeping Faith.” I paused to let those words sink in and I was relieved to see
Ellerson was nervous, but not daunted in the slightest by the prospect.
“Just like Eddie did. When finding Erin didn’t matter anymore because when
you find the one you love those barriers just melt away and nothing else matters.”
I spoke with conviction. I wish I believed them myself. If he wanted to keep Faith,
he would have to fight.
Ellerson’s brow’s furrowed. I knew that he would be everything Faith
needed and more. I had no doubts about that.
“Come on let’s find the girls and spend some of Eddie’s cash.” Ellerson
laughed and followed astutely behind.
Chapter Twenty Five.
Erin
The gala fast approached. I was pampered to perfection. I had found the
perfect dress with a gentle nudge from Ellerson. For a man, he had damn good
taste and all the girls agreed with me. Faith hadn’t taken her eyes off of him,
since he had come into the living room all suave in his tux. Eddie walked in just
after him acting all casual, but my mouth went dry and I couldn’t help but stare at
my husband. God damn, he was gorgeous. I was so lucky to have someone like
Eddie standing right beside me, being right here. I held my palm over my chest.
His hot gaze was unnerving and scorched a path straight for me. Eddie just poured
sex appeal and the way he was looking at me right now. It was like he was ready to
strip me bare. Eddie strode across the room with purpose and looked down at my
dress. His eyes swam with desire and love. Everything stood still has if time had
114

stopped with one look at each other, a frozen frame in time. Eddie gave me a
smirk and I melted into his willing arms. “Can we just skip the Gala?” I whispered.
My voice thick with lust and the thought of having Eddie in between my th….”
Eddie chuckled. “Sorry baby. We have to go.” He groaned with his own need and
grasped my hand and pulled me towards the front door.
Eddie opened the door and I gasped at the sight of the black limousine in
the drive way. I covered my mouth in shock.
Shit!
Would I ever get use to Eddie’s lifestyle? Justice on the other hand was
loving the change in pace. Her violet eyes were round as saucers when she saw the
limousine. “Oh my god.” She shrieked, trying to contain her excitement but failing
miserably. Eddie smiled and laughed at the show she was putting on. Justice
stepped out of Eddie’s traditional home and quickly stepped down the steps
towards the limo. She held her full length red dress with care, but her eagerness
to get to the Gala couldn’t be ignored. It was my turn to smile at her antics.
Justice looked beautiful in the strapless dress with a delicate diamante trim
around the top. She always did suit red. The image of her red top as we sat waiting
for our new life to begin, fluttered through my mind. A lot had changed since we
sat in that Social Services Office. I promised myself here and now that I would not
let the past ruin our futures. The future I was building with Eddie and the girls.
Eddie gave me a tug with our joined hands and led me down the stone steps. We
waited until the others had joined us. Faith was dressed in a pale blue baby doll
dress that matched her eyes perfectly and fell just short of her knees. Ellerson
watched her intently but kept a professional distance, as usual. Eddie had invited
him to the Gala as a guest, not has his employee but he refused to be completely
off the clock. He had convinced Eddie that he needed to be there in case he
needed to intercept any bad feeling between us and our parents. Ellerson’s
devotion to Eddie made my nerves ease a little. I was glad that we had him
watching over us. All of us. Peace left the property last and looked like she was
ready to bolt at any minute. Peace looked breath-taking in a peach dress with an
ivory sash tied around her tiny waist. Her curls had been tamed and sleeked long
down her back. Her face was another matter entirely compared to the rest of her.
She looked pasty as if she could be sick at any moment. We had all been through
so much over the last few weeks, but Peace had felt the tremors more severely
than the rest of us. She always did. I untangled my fingers from Eddie’s and held
my hand out to Peace as she made her last steps. I gave her hand a light squeeze
and smiled reassuringly. I wish I could erase the fear in her eyes that clung to her
very essence. Sometimes, we carry the past no matter how far we run from it.
* * *
The Gala was being held at The Dorchester to maintain that quintessential
Gala atmosphere that the charity embodied. I googled it.
115

The ballroom was exquisite. It was larger than any room I had seen before.
The grandeur the room represented was out of this world, with gold chandeliers
draping from each point of the room. The tables were adorned with fine china and
wine glasses, ready for the Gala dinner. The room was full of people dressed to
impress. Their dresses were adorned with diamantes and the woman were draped
in diamonds and tiaras. I felt like Dorothy in Oz. I definitely wasn’t in Yorkshire
anymore. I was in the throes of the rich and famous. Eddie held my hand with a
force that reassured me. Eddie leaned in and ran his nose against my ear and
whispered, “I’m right here, Baby” motioning towards my chest. I nodded and
smiled. I knew exactly what he meant. I just needed to concentrate in getting
through the Gala and hoped that no one recognised me.
* * *
I was surrounded by the people I cared for most, whilst we walked through
the ballroom. I ran my free hand through the tight curls the hairdresser had
managed to put in my normally wavy hair. I had naively thought, that if I styled my
hair differently no-one would know I had been that missing girl. The way people
noticed me on Eddie’s arm were putting my nerves on edge and convincing me that
I couldn’t run from the past. I ran my thumb over my engagement and wedding
band and took a deep breath. I would always belong to Eddie and he would never
let anyone take me away from him again. I took another deep breath and smiled in
Eddie’s direction, following him further into the ballroom. Eddie handed me a
chilled glass of champagne and took a large sip to calm my nerves. I watched the
other guests mingle and the next thirty minutes passed without incident. A few
had said a few pleasantries to Eddie and looked at me with curiosity. The woman
were less welcoming than the men, they merely scowled in my direction. I was
starting to realise that people weren’t looking at me after all, it was the fact that
I was with Eddie, not because I was Maggie. That was a relief. I started to relax
into the function and enjoy the music and the grand ballroom.
Chapter Twenty Six.
Eddie.
“Rhodes….” Erin trembled with the intrusion. “Is that you Ellerson?” A deep
voice said behind us. I turned around and it was Edmund’s public relations
director.
“What the hell?
His usual forlorn look held a mischievous grin now. Hell. I had never seen
this man smile. Ever. I knew he was Norwegian from what I had been told in
passing. He was nearly has tall as Rhodes and broad. They both had a little
116

tolerance for bull shit. I knew by now, it was the Marine in Rhodes. What was
Ecklund’s excuse?
“Son of a bitch.” Rhodes claimed under his breath. His tone suggested he
was half shocked and the other half weary. He shook Ecklund’s hand and stepped
back.
“What are you doing in Europe?” Ecklund asked Rhodes. Both Faith and Erin
were looking between the two men. Rhodes had a faint smile playing on his lips.
Rhodes was cagey about his personal life. The only personal things I knew of him
were from his security clearance and that hadn’t given much away.
“Working.” Rhodes said in a clipped tone. Ecklund took no notice of Rhodes
behaviour and looked around the other guests. His gaze lingered on Faith a little
longer than I liked. Then he noticed me.
“Mr Vance, I didn’t see you there. How are you this evening?”
He was a brown noser. An arrogant one. No wonder he had got so far so
quickly. People may call me the tyrant, but Edmund was ruthless when it came to
business.
“Very well, thank you.” I countered as Frosty as Rhodes had. I looked at
Rhodes and the waves of uneasiness rolled off of him. There was a history between
them. I wondered?
“Excellent.” Ecklund clapped his hands together and gave everyone a wide
smile. He looked around expectantly.
“Rune Ecklund. Rhodes you know presumably. May I introduce faith Adams
and Erin Vance.”
Ecklund scrutinised Erin. His gaze was intense. The transformation from the
smarmy executive that was Edmund’s right hand to the hungry vulture that eyed
Erin suspiciously.
“Vance?” Ecklund questioned. The smile that transformed his suspicious
gaze unnerved me.
Erin stood forward and offered her hand. Her ivory dress clung to her body
perfectly. Her movement made her look even more elegant in her dress, than
when I walked into the living room earlier this evening.
“Erin Vance.” She greeted him. Her cheeks were flushed. Her engagement
sparkled with the movement. Ecklund’s eyes caught that movement. His eyes
bulged.
“Does your father know of this?” Ecklund questioned us. His executive head
returning.
117

“No.”
Chapter Twenty Seven.
Rafi
“Darling, is everything ok?” I heard Justice’s words before I could register
her delicate fingers thread around my waist. The lower part of my body was not as
slow at catching her gentle touch. I searched her eyes, shocked at her boldness in
front of my parents. Everyone in our circle treated my parents like royalty, for
god’s sake, that’s what money bought I suppose, respect. The only thing Justice
was focussed on, was me. I would be fucking lying if I didn’t say that didn’t feel
good. I nodded. She gave me a dazzling smile. Then turned and gave them the
same.
“Red, meet my parents. Rafaele and Sophia Riveria.” I introduced her using
the nickname I used. I smirked and winked at her. I watched as her cheeks flamed.
“Mamma e Papa. May I introduce Justice Thames. My……” I hesitated. I gave
Justice a bewildered look. What did I introduce the girl I wanted to be mine, but
would not make her a widow before we were old. I would not do that to her. The
silence stretched out and I felt Red’s hand in my pocket that made me think about
little else. The delicate ministrations of her fingers held my attention.
“I’m his fiancée. It is very nice to meet you.” Justice said, holding her hand
out to welcome my parents. Mamma stared at her hand as if Justice would
contaminate her. It wasn’t until Papa noticed Nonna’s ring on Justice’s finger that
all the blood drained from his face. Papa had given me the ring a few days before
preparing me to select an Italian girl to marry from the dozens they had invited to
tonight’s gala. I had brought the ring to tell Pappa that I would not be forced into
anything like marriage, for anything less than love. Justice had thwarted their
plans of finding me a wife. Now justice had slipped on Nonna’s ring. I watched
Justice closely. I realised I liked it there. I grasped Justice’s hand away from my
Mamma’s cold gaze and entwined our fingers tightly. I gave her a weak smile and
turned back to my parents.
“I hope you are pleased Mamma. You wanted me to choose a bride. I have
chosen Justice to do me that honour.”
“Marriage is for life, Rafaele.” Papa announced severely, gaining attention
from spectators around us. I could see several sets of woman trying to listen to our
conversation. They must be some of Mamma’s protégées from Italia to marry me.
“I am well aware of that Papa. Justice is all I want.” I admitted with
conviction in my voice, knowing deep down that I wasn’t exactly lying to him.
Justice was all I wanted. Sometimes you don’t deserve what you want, especially
not a feisty red head that set my world on fire. I was thankful that Justice had
saved me from Mamma’s raft, but I had to shield her from the heartache I would
118

eventually put her through. I would not break Justice’s heart, I just needed to
tame her and then set her free.
The conversation was strained form that point on. The animosity that both
Mamma and Papa were directing towards Justice made my blood boil. This girl was
one of the best women I have ever known. She was fierce, protective and stood up
for what she believed. I released a frustrated breath and felt the anger rise
through my body as if I was reaching boiling point and was ready to burn anyone
that would cross my path. I looked down to Justice and her fake smile spoke
volumes. Her beautiful body was slumped slightly under the strain of my parent’s
hostile behaviour. When Justice had entered the gala, she was breath-taking in her
long flowing red velvet dress. It had matched her hair, but it was her ice green
eyes that drew me in and entranced me as quickly as they had the first time we
had met.
“Enough” I shouted, stilling the unpleasant conversation happening around
me. My mamma’s mouth dropped open in disgust at being interrupted.
Well I didn’t care.
“Smetitila” I told them. Papa was furious at my raised tone. I could see him
looking around the room to see if people were watching us. Papa was Old Italian.
He believed that children should be seen and not heard and were born to follow
orders from the head of the family, with no exceptions.
Mamma shook her head. “a buon mercato po puttana.” As soon as I
recognised what she had just called justice in Italian. I felt the urge to protect
Justice from my mother’s disapproval. When it came to a choice. I chose to face
my parent’s disapproval to stand up and be the man that Justice deserved, even if
I didn’t want her to waste her life on a ticking time bomb like me.
“Non mi rompene I coglioni” I spat back at Mamma, going against all my
instinct’s to respect and love my mother. Mamma stepped back. Her face was
strained. I could not stand back and let her call Justice a cheap little whore.
Justice deserved respect, not this kind of behaviour and neither did I.
My father stepped forward to challenge me. I raised my hand and stopped
him. “tirarsi indietro” Papa hesitated at the harsh Italian I had spoken. I had never
acted in this way before, but I couldn’t idly sit back and let them slander Justice
like that.
My parents didn’t mutter another word as they absorbed my behaviour.
They wouldn’t change my perception when it came to Justice. Justice evoked my
instinctive nature and made me want to protect her for the rest of my life.
My father’s expression darkened and told me this wasn’t over, before he
muttered those exact words. “parleremo”. I agreed with my father on that one,
we would talk.
119

Chapter Twenty Eight.
Erin.
When I heard a commotion at the far right of me. I glanced around at the
noise and my eyes collided with a familiar pair of ice blue eyes. The woman was
fair skinned and perfectly put together with her blond hair high on her head, with
curls perfectly placed around her beautiful face. Her eyes continued to search my
face and shock froze her smooth face. I silently cringed and held my breath for the
chaos that Ellerson had warned me may happen. Eddie had noticed my line of sight
and groaned in response. I squeezed Eddie’s hand tighter and all I could think of
was his words under our willow tree. “I’m right here, baby. I’m right here” I just
had to hold onto that thought.
“Vance” The stern and steely voice curled up my spine and I shuddered at
the mirth in his tone. Eddie stiffened and turned his body to face the man,
shielding me behind him fully. I clung even tighter to Eddie.
“Christopher” Eddie addressed the older man, just abrupt as the other man
had.
“I didn’t think I would see you at the Gala this evening.” The man asked in a
suspicious tone. Something was really off about this guy. I couldn’t quite put my
finger on it though.
“I attend the Gala every year” Eddie replied dousing the rouse that this
Christopher character had attempted to come over here. Christopher’s brow
furrowed and his condescending gaze settled on me. I wasn’t sure who this man
was, but he definitely held a grudge against Eddie. The tension was thick enough
to cut with a knife. The woman stood back enough to look at me. I didn’t have to
ask Eddie to know that I was related to this woman, but I didn’t feel the
connection I thought I would feel when I met my parents for the first time. When I
was a teenager. I laid in bed at night, dreaming of being reunited with my parents.
This was definitely not the vision I had in mind.
Christopher looked between the woman and I. The penny had finally
dropped. Christopher tried pushing Eddie out of the way but Eddie didn’t even
falter under Christopher’s weight. He stood strong and determined. Ellerson
stepped up and looked down at Christopher furious face.
“Take your hands off Mr Vance or I will remove them myself”
I would have laughed at Ellerson’s military attitude if the situation was
different. Christopher quickly accepted Ellerson’s warning and backed off, but the
questions still loomed in both my parents’ eyes. They screamed this was far from
over.
120

Two weeks ago the most important decision I had to make was if I fancied
red or white wine with dinner and now I was faced with a past I had no memory of
and parents that seemed more cautious than concerned. That little fact begged
the question why had my disappearance been covered so much in the media, if
they didn’t care at all.
“It can’t be?” Christopher bellowed, making the room quieten at the volume
of his voice.
“Margaret?” Christopher asked with caution, not trusting his eyes.
“No.” Eddie stated in a calm voice. “Maggie is gone.” He continued, his
voice void of any emotion. I could see the transformation from the man I loved
into the tyrant he had become in my absence. I had read about it in all those
articles Justice made me read. It was impressive and scary at the same time. I
could see it was highly effective when dealing with people who were obviously
rude, arrogant and obnoxious all at once.
“She looks very much alive, Edward” Christopher challenged, his statement
laced with sarcasm. Christopher’s body strained under his inability to see me
clearly. I shook with fear behind Eddie. Eddie’s arm tightened around my wrist like
a security blanket.
“Where have you been hiding her?” Christopher blasted. His face turning
purple under the exertion. That got my full attention.
Excuse me?
“What did you just say?” Eddie’s voice was low and hard. His shoulders
straightened and his hand fisted beside him. Clenched.
This was a side to Eddie I had never seen before. As soon as I had that
thought, I saw a flash of something. Eddie was stood toe to toe with Christopher
silently telling him that we were going to be together, no matter what.
Christopher looked has mad now, has he had back then. But Eddie wasn’t the
young man he once was. He was harder, rougher around the edges and he
definitely wasn’t afraid of telling someone to fuck off. That unsettled feeling I had
before settled at the bottom of my stomach. I looked over at my parents and felt
nothing. The only thing I could feel was annoyance and betrayal at the way they
were treating Eddie right now.
“I want to know what you did to my little girl and why she is standing there
brainwashed and looking at us as if we are strangers?”
The room stood in absolute silence. Eddie had mentioned that his parents
would never make a scene in public, but obviously mine wouldn’t think twice
about it. The anger on my fathers face wasn’t one of concern for my wellbeing or
my return. It was one of distaste for the man that stood before him.
121

“I did not take Maggie from you.” Eddie practically spat his words at
Christopher. The smirk on the other mans face spoke volumes and my insides
churned.
Christopher wanted vengeance.
For what though?
“Not by my memory, boy. You blackmailed my wife and me to sign a
marriage contract to marry Margaret. I did so, purely to keep her with us longer
and then you took her anyway. We have lived the last ten years with that fact
hanging over us, that there was nothing we could have done to keep her with us.”
Christopher looked around the room for sympathy and gained it instantly. The
shocked faces and the contempt they were directing towards Eddie made me feel
sick. I wanted to blast them all, but Christopher’s words of blackmail stopped me.
Eddie quickly turned around and faced me.
“This is not what it seems. There are other factors to be considered. Please
Erin.” Eddie sounded so clinical. Our audience was silenced by another man’s
entrance into the ballroom. When he saw the hordes of people surrounding us. He
stalked over.
What now? This was suddenly becoming a nightmare.
“That is enough.” The mystery voice spoke as hard and has loud as
Christopher, but there was a depth of danger there, that scared me. He was a
brute of a man. He was tall with dark hair that flopped to one side and his broad
frame was larger than Ellerson’s. The sheer size of him was daunting, combine that
with his voice and the look of arrogance. He seemed literally dangerous. I saw a
glimpse of a woman on his heels.
“Christopher. I suggest you explain yourself quickly because I will not
tolerate you disrupting the fundraiser.” He paused, his dark eyes boring into
Christopher’s. “Or challenging my son.”
My feet shook. My legs feeling like jelly.
“What the hell is going on?” Justice stirred through the tension in the room.
She was angry. Her cheeks flushed with emotion. Then I saw Rafi sidle up next to
Justice.
Rafi stepped forward, before Justice stopped him with a gentle touch on his
sleeve and with a shake of her head, he retreated back beside her.
Well I’ll be damned.
“Son” I whispered under my breath. I had the nagging feeling that I had met
this man before tonight and if I was right, it wasn’t in a good way. Blast my
memory. Why can’t I remember anything, nothing makes sense anymore. There
122

should have been more confrontation and there would have been, if it wasn’t for
the announcer addressing the Gala and asking for Eddie to say a few words on
behalf of the charity.
Eddie sighed. He looked physically drained. He looked down and I could see
the fear and pain swimming through his pupils. He was afraid he would loose me
again. What Christopher had said was bad. I had a feeling that I would learn worse
before this was over, but I would give him the benefit of the doubt. I gave him a
weak smile and nodded. He gently turned.
“Do not leave her side.” He ordered looking back at our parents, “Not one
of them.” Eddie added moving his gaze over Faith, Peace and Justice. Rhodes
nodded, silently obeying Eddie orders and he made his way up towards the stage.
Justice nudged my side. I tore my eyes from Eddie’s. Peace’s eyes were
wide and Faith mouth hung open. I followed their line of sight. I saw the other
guests wait for Eddie’s presence on the stage. I studied the other people. I noticed
her hair first. It was sleeked back elegantly and made her look sophisticated. I
gulped down the ball in my throat. “Why is molly here?” Faith asked, then
Justice’s temper rose, “Why is she stood behind Eddie’s Dad?”
I reached for Justice’s hand. It was Ellerson’s that I found there comforting
me. His palm engrossed my smaller one and the gentleness he showed, calmed me.
Chapter Twenty Nine.
Eddie.
This was a nightmare. I had expected a heated discussion and maybe an
argument, but not a fucking confrontation in front of London’s high society.
Christopher Montgomery had aged over the years, but he was still an arrogant
bastard, trying to manipulate his way through any situation.
This charity had been a beacon of light, when I had lost everything close to
me. The Melody Foundation, that the Gala fundraised for was held in Molly’s
memory. I was sick of the pretence my life had become over the years. It was time
I stopped living behind my fear and insecurities. The past was about to become
very present. I peered down at Erin. I heard Justice’s voice boom through crowd
about Molly. What were they talking about? I hadn’t told anyone about Molly.
Her tiny frame stood behind Rhodes. She looked so fragile. It was time I
started with some truths, so Erin could believe in me again.
“Good evening. I just want to take a moment to thank all of you for
supporting the Melody Foundation’s Gala in memory of Molly Vance. I hope you
enjoyed our little show. I realised only a moment ago, that there are more
harrowing realities in this world than trying to bury the past. That is what I have
123

done for most of my life. I was afraid of losing reality and kept all of it buried so
deep that no one could use it against me, especially my father.” The guest gasped
at my speech, but I had just started. “At a very young age I lost more than I could
ever have imagined. I lost my mother.” Another gasp resonated from the crowd.
The guest’s eyes tuned directly to Eliza Vance.
“For a young boy to deny the truth was has fatal as knowing the entire
truth. I spent the next ten years living a lie and conforming to what was expected
of me. Apart from my little piece of heaven, which was Maggie Montgomery. That
was until she was taken away from me as well. Molly Vance was a brave woman,
she sat at the side-lines and lived a half life, watching another woman raising her
child as her own. You see, Molly was punished for following her heart. I watched
my mother slip away from me little by little, not truly understanding what I was
loosing or what that meant for me. I have learnt that love should never be forced.
It should never be promised. It should be real and whole and free, because that’s
the only way you can truly be alive. I am stood before you, not trying to gain
sympathy for my past but clarity for my future. I am tired of living the pretence
that I have everything I have ever wanted, when the only thing I ever desired is
stood right before me, where she belongs.” I motioned towards my wife.
“The melody Foundation aids people living with a hereditary heart
condition. The Foundation supports these individuals in living a normal and full
life. They also support them when the condition deteriorates and can no longer
support themselves. I stand here every year pretending that I am fine and living
the dream. That is there pretence, not mine.” I state solemnly, my voice steady
and even. The entire ballroom turned to look at Edmund and Eliza Vance.
“I thank you on behalf of my mother for supporting the charity, but I will
not support this farce any longer.”
I was done.
Chapter Thirty.
Eddie.
I walked into the living room in search of Erin. She had been quiet and
somewhat distant since the Gala. I didn’t like it! I knew when she found out that I
had blackmailed both our parents to secure our marriage. She would distance
herself. I had tried to give her the space to deal with all this chaos, but I couldn’t
work. My staff were walking on hot coals, waiting for me to explode next. I just
wished it didn’t hurt this much. I was silently dying inside and knowing that I
caused all of this myself ate away at me, even further. I looked around the
spacious room and found Erin sitting on one of the window seats looking out
towards the pastures. This was one of my favourite places in the house. The
124

outdoors reminded me of Maggie. Her face was pale and her eyes were glassy and
distant. She sat with her earphones in and clutched her iPod tightly. I heard a little
of the beat coming from her earphones. I couldn’t help but smile, she was playing
Birdy’s Wings. That was the first time I realised that Erin was truly mine. Nothing
else mattered. Not the amnesia or our differences, but seeing her passion and
excitement blew my mind. Now I was seeing a different side. The one that I had
caused. Even though it was unintentional, I still hated myself for it.
“She’ll come around.” Justice told me straight. Startling me. Her accent
was more South than North. I knew very little of my wife’s best friends.
She was sat on one of the small chairs, at the opposite end of the room from
Erin. No wonder I didn’t see her there.
“She just needs time to process everything that’s happened over the last
couple of weeks.” I nodded in return, not trusting my voice.
“Has she asked about her parents?”
“She hasn’t said much, but I get the feeling that they weren’t close. She
told us she felt nothing when she saw them. She expected to feel something for
them.”
I nodded in understanding, “Is she ok?”
Justice nodded, “Yeah.” She said automatically. She stared at the floor and
then looked at me again and then over to Erin. Whatever indecision she was
battling with she had conquered. “She always does that, when she needs to think,
you know.” Justice motion towards Erin listening to the music.
“Do what?”
“Listens to the same song, over and over again. It gets old quick, but that’s
how she deals.” Justice shrugs. “So I don’t knock it. My nana always said don’t
change what aint broken.”
I get it. We all do our own thing to cope.” I stated. A sudden thought drifted
into my head.
“Did Erin do that before?”
“Yeah, pretty much from day one. Why?” Justice asked giving me a sceptical
look. Justice cocked her head to the side, sending her flame red hair barrelling
over her shoulders.
“Curious that’s all.”
“Ok, then.” Justice said and went back to her book. I couldn’t leave without
knowing one last thing. I had to ask!
125

“Justice. Did Erin listen to any particular song after she met you?” I needed
to know if she had lost every sense of me after the kidnapping or was it just the
memory of me, she had forgotten.
“It was Ronan Keating’s when you say nothing at all. We use to have
sleepovers back then and one night we watched Notting Hill and she fell in love
with it. I think it always stayed with her because that’s her favourite movie. I’ve
watched that film more times than I can count.”
My heart swelled. I was speechless. Justice raised a brow.
“Me too.”
“Yeah it’s a great…. Wait.” Justice looked at me frantically. “Did she
watch that before… before the…” Justice words caught in her throat.
“Yeah.” I quietly answered. I wanted to give Justice more detail, but my
throat was thick. That part of my heart was sacred and I had protected it all these
years. I never spoke of my past with Maggie, not even to Rafi.
“Why?.... Was there a reason she liked that movie?”
“Yes. Maggie told me it reminded her of me. That I was right here, without
saying nothing at all.” I told her boldly, holding my palm over my heart suddenly
feeling vulnerable of how much I had just exposed about my past.
“Oh god.” Justice gasped and wiped the tears from her eyes before they
fell. The more time I spent with these girls I realised they were something more
than I initially realised. The question was, were they here to guide me and Erin
back to a path we should have been destined to follow all along.
“What is it?”
“Erin had….”
“Erin had what?” I needed to know.
“Erin said something similar. She told us that she couldn’t fathom why she
liked the movie so much, but it had touched her right there and she held her hand
over her chest. She had you with her all along. She will come around Eddie. How
could she not, you are a part of her, if she realises that or not.” Justice pleaded
with a sincere smile on her face.
“Justice, I want you to know that my only intention back then, was to
protect Erin. I made a decision that I regret, but If I had to choose between
fighting for her and walking away. I would make that same decision again. I could
have never walked away from her and maybe that makes me weak or fucking
stupid for stooping to my father’s level, but I would have gone to any extreme to
have kept her with me but I lost her anyway.” I bowed my head. The weight of my
words laid heavy on my heart. When I raised my head back to justice. She wasn’t
126

looking at me any longer, she was staring at a wide eyed Erin, who had obviously
heard my every word. A single tear slid down her cheek and her eyes softened
before she ran straight into my arms and into my heart. I had missed her with a
longing that I would never be able to understand.
Mine.
Forever Mine.
I looked back at Justice and she was already gathering her things.
“I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Justice told
Erin and gave her a reassuring smile and left. I think I just got Red’s seal of
approval. This was the first time in 36 hours that I was allowed to be in a room
alone with my wife and gaining Justice’s trust made my heart nearly jumped out
my chest with joy.
“I’m sorry I shut you out.” Erin’s apology rushed out of her mouth like a tap
unable to keep anything in. The glassy look in her eyes was nearly my undoing.
This woman could wound me with one look and make me want to rip the entire
fucking world to rights. Erin’s body sagged and I pulled her flush against me. I
placed my chin above her dirty blonde hair and took a deep breath of what could
only be described as Maggie. I knew I loved Erin something fierce, but there would
always be a part of me that craved them both. I would never wish that away for
anything, it is what brought me to Erin.
“Sssh. You didn’t shut me out. You needed time for everything to sink in.
The media may call me a tyrant Erin, but when it comes to you, I will be patient.”
I kissed her hair, “I will be supportive” another kiss, “and I will forever be yours.” I
lifted her face up to mine and captured those beautiful soft lips that craved to be
touched and slid my tongue gently across them, sampling everything they had to
offer me. The soft sobs quickly turned into hurried moans. Erin’s hands pulled me
in every direction. I loved this possessive side of my wife, as much as the gentle
and innocent one.
I pulled my lips away from Erin’s and shuddered at the intensity of our
kisses. She would be my undoing on every level and I didn’t give a damn. As long as
she was always mine. “We need to slow down.” I told her breathlessly, hating the
disappointed look on her face. Her golden eyes flashed an intensity I had forgot
she held and sighed. The confusion clouded the lust, then the disappointment
flooded her completely.
“Erin, we need to talk before I strip you with my teeth.” I blatantly told
her. Her eyes went wide and a hint of blush entered her cheeks. Well that was
something at least, I could still fluster this side of Maggie. That was comforting to
know, when dealing with Erin.
127

“Ok.” Erin whispered, trying to hide the desire that shone through them
beautiful shades of browns.
“Can we sit?” I asked. Erin nodded and gave me a cautious look.
I had to tell her the truth. I had to lay it all out for her to decide, if she
wanted me after everything I had done. I needed to be honest with her. She
needed me to be honest with her right now. Erin deserved the kind of husband who
would never be afraid to stand up and fight for her and a husband that was strong
enough to tell her the truth, no matter the consequences. “When I was little, I was
raised by my Aunt. She was a constant in my early life until my father sent me to
boarding school. That was a few years before you came along. I would come home
and visit when I could, but when my Aunt wasn’t at the house any more I started
to panic that she had left me. Edmund had bought her a little apartment near the
coast. My mother was gone most of the time. She went out to lunches with her
charity groups and benefit dinners throughout the year. It became a constant that
my mother had more impressing engagements. It was obvious that my Aunt cared
for me, in a way my mother never could. The months slipped by. I would visit her
through the breaks and we would write each other letters. We were pen pals of
sorts. She was my link to the outside world. It wasn’t until I turned up at summer
break unexpected, that I knew something was…. wrong.” The last word clogged in
my throat as if the pain of loosing Molly had resurfaced.
Erin gave me a worried look.
“I was the last to know that she was dying. She was in the final stages of
heart failure. She had a rare and aggressive form of heart disease that was
hereditary. It robbed me of having her in my life for longer. I refused to leave her
side. My mother and father tried to remove me from her side several times. I
wouldn’t leave her though. She was the only one that was there for me when I
needed someone. She taught me to stand up for what I believed in.”
“Aunt Molly was one of the strongest woman I ever had the privilege in
knowing or loving for that matter. That was until you. You remind me of her in so
many ways. How you never let anything beat you? You just kept on fighting
anyway. She would have loved you.” I kissed her again, needing that connection
before I told her everything else.
“I sat with her everyday. Every hour. I was angry that I was loosing someone
I loved and I hated that my parents had sent me away when I should have been
beside her, cherishing the time we had left together. Molly was weak, but she kept
smiling in spite of everything. Her apartment was quiet. My parents had left me
there most days to run errands and hated that they had to reschedule their busy
social schedules to accommodate me. The contempt in their eyes at having to
rearrange their neat little lives, so I could be with her, is something I will never
forget. It was omissible and now it makes complete sense, but to a nine year old
128

boy, it didn’t.” I paused, the burn in my throat felt insufferable. It had been
nearly twenty years and I still felt raw talking of Molly. “When Molly passed, I was
inconsolable. My mother sent me to dozens of doctors begging them to have me
committed. I was an inconvenience. If it was not for my father’s reputation. I
would have been.” It was hard to cover the sarcasm in my voice.
“Why did they keep you away from her? She was your Aunt after all?” Erin
questioned softly. Her innocence poured over her words. I wished the world was as
pure as she saw it, then I wouldn’t be as bitter and twisted as I am now. I
swallowed that thought and admitted to myself that if things were different than
the present would be very different.
“Yes, things were complicated though. All I could see for years after that,
was my hatred at being kept away from her for so long. It wasn’t all bad for me
because this little pot of honey burst into my life and made everything sweet
again.” I purred, making Erin blush in return.
“Maggie must have been all sweetness and light if she gave your life
meaning again” Erin admitted, jealously tinged her words.
“You are one in the same, baby. She was more confidant in herself, but you
have a stronger presence and an innocence that has me wanting to barricade us in
a white tower, so I can devour you over and over again. I missed Maggie. I would
never lie to you over that, but I crave you. When Maggie woke briefly after your
seizures, I was happy that I got to see that part of you again, but I mourned you,
baby. Like I told the doctor. I loved Maggie, but I married this version of you.” Erin
nodded, taking in my words. She raised her head and swallowed hard.
“What happens if I revert back to Maggie? There is a possibility of that isn’t
there?”
I froze at her words, but I knew there was only one answer.
“I will always be right here.” I told her with conviction. I swallowed the
emotion that had risen by the truth I had spoken. I placed my palm firmly over her
chest and never meant those words more than I did right in this moment. “No
matter what version that is. I. Will. Always. Be. Right. Here.” I punctuated every
word. I had murmured those words at every chance I got in the past, but I knew
deep down that whatever transcended in our future. I would be right here. Where I
belong, with Erin.
“What happened between you and your parents?” Erin asked, bringing back
to the present and facing the truth of our pasts.
“I got angrier and I rebelled like most kids when they lose someone. That
was until I heard my mother tell my father that I was too much like Molly to be
worth anything. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, until I went through her
things and found proof.”
129

“Proof of what?” Erin said, cutting me off.
“That I belonged to some one else.” Erin’s face screwed up and gave me a
confused look. She was beautiful, even with her faced screwed up. How the hell
did I get this lucky? I just had to convince her that I was a good enough man to be
with her forever.
“Molly was my mother, Erin.” I sighed. I didn’t like the heavy feeling in my
chest has I feel the lost of Molly all over again. Erin exhaled sharply.
“I don’t understand? If she was your mother than why did you call her
Aunt?” Erin spoke the questions that I had held in for over fifteen years. I had
mentioned it to my father only once before and was told in no uncertain terms
that Molly would never be discussed again. She was not my mother. I already had
one of them. Yes I did, but the cold and superficial one that I was exchanged with,
wasn’t the same as the one I had lost. “The letters I found after her death
explained why things between my parents never worked. She wrote love letters to
someone. She was given no choice by her father she had to marry Edmund.”
“Why would they do that to her?”
“Duty, I suppose.” Erin sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and bit it
gently with her teeth. This was a lot for her to take in.
“My father told me it was none of my business and threatened to disinherit
me if I didn’t behave like a good little boy. At that time I hardly ever saw them
and I had you and Rafi and staying with the two of you became more important
than challenging my father.”
“Why do I get the feeling that you sacrificed a lot for me?” Erin said on a
nervous chuckle. Her face lit up with uncertain joy. I knew that I touched her in a
way that no one else could.
“I didn’t. It wasn’t a sacrifice when I belonged to you already. I may sound
like a romantic fool but when I saw you at the garden party, I knew you were it for
me. You were dressed in a white dress with a bright pink sash with dark blonde
ringlets dangled down your back. You were the most beautiful thing I saw then and
now and nothing will ever change that.”
“How old were we?” Erin questioned.
“I was ten and you were seven.” I chuckled out loud.
“What’s funny?”
“It’s ironic really. You were the only leverage my parents had over me and
when you went missing they had no control over me anymore. They thought I
wouldn’t fall in line. I shocked the hell out of them when I went my own way, to
make a life for us, waiting for you to come back to me.”
130

“Why would your parents want to do that?” Confusion clouded Erin’s brow
once again.
“So I would take over the family business. I heard my father say once that I
held certain rights within the company that would prevent him from fully
operating his international company to its full potential.”
“What would they achieve with you out of the picture though, without you
sticking your nose into the business?” Erin asked calmly. Hell. Why had I never
thought about it that way?
“Shit. I have never thought about it that way?” Erin’s blunt words brought
everything into focus. I needed to find out though. Then I remembered I heard
Faith say something at the gala.
“What was Faith saying at the Gala?” I said urgently, suddenly feeling like
the pieces were fitting together as they should be. Erin’s sharp intake of breath
had my heart in my throat.
“We… She recognised Molly from the hospital.” Erin’s voice was a mere
whisper at this point of our heart to heart. Her voice shook as she tried to find the
words.
“Who is Molly?”
One Molly from our pasts was enough for us to deal with.
“The nurse from the hospital. She gave me my meds.” Has soon as Erin’s
words were out of her mouth, her eyes went wide.
“What did she look like?”
“She looked very elegant at the Gala, a lot different from the nurse’s
uniform she wears. She’s blonde, but different shades of gold. She has the palest
green eyes I’ve ever seen and her dress matched. It wrapped around her waist like
a sash but gathered to tuck in her waist.”
Oh Jesus Christ. I felt sick. I swallowed hard as my stomach rolled hard and
fast. I bent over in my chair and gasped for air. I stood there for a few minutes. I
calmed myself down enough to go over to the dresser. I took out some photographs
and made my way back over to Erin.
“This is Molly.” I told her. I showed her the last picture I have of her. She
wore a pretty white dress with a flower pattern embroiled all over it. She looked
so young and free on that picture. It was the way I remembered her. Her dark hair
was in natural waves around her shoulders and her piercing blue eyes smiled back
at me, for all the world to see. I looked so much like her, but Molly was much
more vibrant and loving than I could ever be. “My Molly.” I admitted to the only
person who mattered.
131

“She’s beautiful.” Erin’s words were small, but they held so much emotion.
My heart had a hard time telling my brain not to cry like a baby. “You look so
much like her you know. It’s the eyes. They shine so much alike, especially when
you’re happy.”
“At the wedding?” I asked.
“The Willow Tree” Erin murmured. I pulled her face gently towards mine
and kissed her again, as if there wouldn’t be another. I kissed her to remind her
that what I had felt under our Tree, I would always feel that way. I regained my
composure and pulled the other photograph I had took from the draw of the
dresser.
“That’s Molly” Erin’s voice peaked in shock. She covered her mouth with her
hand as if she was afraid of what words would come out of her mouth next.
“Erin. This is Eliza Elliot-Vance. My other mother.” I told her coldly. I feared
what I already saw on Erin’s face. My step-mother had something to do with Erin’s
disappearance and her amnesia. Why in the world would they try to pull something
like this? Kidnapping a minor was extreme to just keep me in check.
“That can’t be?” Erin stuttered. “Why?....Why would she?”
“That is exactly what I’m fucking thinking.” I shouted when I got to my feet
and began pacing the length of the room. My need for space had Erin sitting
patiently at the window as before. I knew I was possibly frightening her, but I
couldn’t seem to get a handle on my emotions. I felt restricted, as if my clothes
were too tight and I would burst out of everything that was holding me back. I had
kept a tight lease on my emotions over the years, but the thought that my parents
could have had something to do with me loosing Maggie all those years ago and
planned to keep it that way, made my body hard and tense at the reality of the
lengths that my parents would go, to get me to play their game.
“Eddie, calm down.” Erin’s words were calm and sombre. I looked slowly at
her worried face. She was still processing what this could mean for us. That we
might be up against a harder enemy than we initially thought.
My parents.
What the hell have I gotten Erin into? This isn’t right. My family were
putting her in danger. She was a part of my family now too, but I would sacrifice
anything to keep her safe. I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her again because of me. She
had already suffered ten years of darkness. I wouldn’t put her through that again. I
started shaking my head and my chest tightened. I would rather die than have her
go through anymore.
I pulled out my phone and swiped the screen. I needed to get out of here. I
need to let her live her life without me endangering her.
132

“Out front. Now” I ordered Rhodes. I didn’t even wait for his response.
I needed to get answers.
“I have to go.” I admitted and stood up and made my way towards the door.
“Why?” Erin’s one word made my heart crack open.
“I won’t put you in danger again.” I conceded. My hand rested on the
handle of the door, shaking.
Chapter Thirty One.
Erin
“I thought you loved me.” I admitted. My voice sounded needy. I hated that
he had made me like this.
“I do Maggie, more than you will ever know” Eddie’s voice broke under the
strain. He was so close now, I could feel the heat from his body as he lifted my
chin to look into his eyes. He had made his way back from the door and was toe to
toe with me.
“I’m putting you in danger just by being with you.” Eddie’s eyes were dark
and full of his own need to protect me. He looked defeated with no other choice,
but to let me go. My heart was clawing at my chest to comfort him, but he was the
only one making sense out of this madness I had been thrust into. I took a step
back and let my hands fall to my sides, clenching them tight. I should have just let
him go and distance myself, but my own words stopped me.
“You’re just going to leave me again” I choked out.
That did it.
He stormed over to me in two fluid strides and swooped me into his arms,
leaving me defenceless. His breath swept up my neck and then his soft but urgent
lips were on mine. Possessing me. Taking every ounce of warmth as he slipped his
tongue into my mouth, tasting, exploring and owning me completely. I sighed
through the haze. Both his hands ran up my body tantalizing me with his touch and
slowly slipped into my hair. He pulled and caressed me, trying to take the kiss
deeper. I felt a jolt of heat and impatience run through me. I ran my palms up
over his impressive abs, snatching at his shirt. I wanted to see him. I wanted to
taste him. Eddie cupped my ass and lifted me into his arms. My legs wrapped
around his waist instinctively and heat instantly pooled at my core. It wasn’t like I
had much experience at this, but I couldn’t get close enough. I had only been with
Eddie once. The way he made me feel made me forget everything else but his
touch. Every instinct in my body was clawing with need to find a release. I started
grinding and pulling at his body for any kind of friction. My body was on fire and
133

the heat in my stomach was burning me up. Eddie started grinding me back,
murmuring oh and Maggie and Erin and baby in a stream of unconscious moans His
words were my undoing and I took every bit of pleasure that he offered, even if we
were fully clothed. I called out his name in one big sigh of pure ecstasy. Holy shit.
Did I just…did I just have an orgasm? Eddie’s breath was harsh and ragged against
the curve of my neck. I was finding if difficult to come down from the euphoria of
coming in Eddie’s arms. I was juiced on the complete rush, he had sent me
plummeting into. I never thought it was possible to be sent to heaven and back
with the slightest touch.
“I need you now.” Eddie demanded.
He backed us up against the window seat where I had been sat in for most
of the day. He pulled me down onto his lap and began tasting me again. Eddie’s
warmth beckoned me to crawl under his skin and never leave the warm caress of
his tongue. I couldn’t seem to get enough of him. He shifted in his seat and pushed
his fingers deep inside my warmth. I squirmed on top of him. Oh god. The arousal
sent pleasure to every nerve ending within my body and all I could feel was Eddie,
consuming me.
My desire for him had never wavered from the moment he walked in the
restaurant and he reminded me where I belonged at our willow tree. I let his
stealthy fingers twist and turn in and out of me until I couldn’t take anymore. I
buried my face in his neck, taking a taste of my addiction. I would never get
enough of this man.
My pulse quickened has Eddie picked up his pace. I threw my head back in
the knowledge that he had me in his clutches and he had no intentions in ever
letting me go. That possession, that feeling of belonging made me love him more
than I already did. His magic fingers slicked in and out quicker and quicker until I
trembled from the intensity of it all. Eddie ragged breath hit my neck and we both
buried our faces in each other embrace and let the exquisite pleasure take hold. I
screamed Eddie’s name over and over again. The pleasure took over my entire
body and god help me I was done for.
“Eddie” I sighed in the afterglow of my orgasm.
Eddie shifted slightly and removed his fingers and sucked them into his
delectable lips. I felt my thighs clench. God that was hot.
“Baby” Eddie whispered into my hair and kissed the top of my head. I didn’t
want the magic to be broken and ignored Eddie silent plea. I couldn’t let him go,
maybe I was being selfish and naïve, but he is mine. He had been since I heard his
name roll of them plump lips. That connection we had, what I had been looking
for, was right in front of me.
134

“Maggie, please” Eddie words were out in a whoosh. My breath caught in my
throat and Eddie tensed.
“I didn’t mean…” Eddie trailed off.
“It’s ok. I’m ok with you loving both of us. I’m just glad that you fought for
me. That you fought for us.”
I giggled when I felt Eddie’s cock thickened beneath me. This man will be
the death of me. If I had to die right now, it would be from happiness and I would
totally be fine with that.
“I need you inside me.” I purred seductively into his ear. I could feel his
body hum with need and I felt that familiar stir that I could only associate with
being intimate with Eddie.
“I’m ok with that” He boasted arrogantly and threw my body over his
shoulder as if I weighed nothing at all. He made quick time, striding purposefully
up two sets of stairs until we were in our room. Alone.
“Eddie” I whined, followed by my giggles.
Eddie shut the world out behind us and made good on his promise.
Chapter Thirty Two.
Eddie.
Erin was laid out in bed, with a content smile on her face. She was
absolutely breath-taking. The small freckles that had just started to appear from
the late sun we were having in Kent were visible. It had nearly broke me, when
Erin whimpered that I was leaving her again. I could never leave her, but I had
something to do and I needed to keep her safe while I faced it. I softly clicked the
door behind me. I silently prayed that she would sleep until I returned.
* * *
I stood there stiff and uncomfortable, suddenly feeling the need to escape
the confinement of my father’s office. The view from his office in the business
district just behind parliament in the height of London, had always calmed me
when the confines of his presence had me sweating in my seat.
“Why wasn’t I told Margaret was back, Edward” Edmund Vance’s low tone
was deceiving, as the timber and congestion in his voice spoke volumes. This was a
bad sign when he used the professional voice he used to silently chastise me for
not living up top the Vance name.
“None of your fucking business” I spat out. The control I had when Erin had
her hands all over my…. “Maggie is not back.” I told him, cutting off my thoughts.
135

Shit. I did not want to be having this fucking conversation with this man
about the love of my life, especially when she had those delicate little hands all
over me only an hour ago. The only thing I needed was to know why? The
frustrating thing is that I still feel like that fucking little boy seeking his father’s
approval in life. It was something that would never come from Edmund or Eliza
Vance. Edmund’s nostrils flared in anger as he pushed up from his leather chair
and stood stoutly behind his large oak desk.
“I know what I saw Edward. Most of London saw her for that matter. Do not
insult my intelligence.”
“Margaret Montgomery is gone. You and Eliza made sure of that. When were
you going to tell me that you kidnapped and drugged her?”
Silence.
Edmund didn’t react. He stood there full of arrogance and pride. Why did I
expect any different.
“Don’t forget I still own you boy. You may have carved your own future
wealth, but I still hold all the cards. I have detailed copies of every conversation
we had about Margaret Montgomery and the investment you cohered me to make
to guarantee your marriage to Margaret. Going against your mother and Margaret’s
father wishes especially. That little detail doesn’t sound like it would be beneficial
for your reputation. You could say goodbye to your lucrative contracts with
Murphy’s and Stevenson’s for a start. If this got out.”
Well fuck me, he’s trying to fucking blackmail me. After everything I have
just found out about Eliza having something to do with Erin’s amnesia. I didn’t
think my own father could stoop any further down in my expectations, but this was
even a new low for him. My parents and Erin’s should be swapping notes because
this shit they’re spouting is priceless. The difference was, that all I cared about in
this world was Maggie and Erin and making sure she was safe and happy was my
only priority. Not the money and especially not my fucking reputation. Nothing
else mattered. I was lost in thought when the venom in his words made me blink at
his cruel words.
“Why did you do it Dad, because I know Eliza never acts alone?”
“The little slut is only after our money and now she’s going to take you for
every penny you have got. Stupid little prick, thinking with your dick. Didn’t I
teach you anything in life? That’s how I ended up with you” The anger that
pulsated off me, had me rushing Edmund up against the wall by his throat. I could
feel Edmunds breath rush out in slick waves that gave me a little pleasure in
seeing him weak.
“I will only give you one warning old man and I want answers.”
136

“Some truths are best left unsaid.”
“Tell me.” I growled through my clenched teeth.
“The deal was simple. You wanted to marry Margaret and I would have
control over the Christopher’s land. That was the deal. Christopher owed me that
much. Then he changed his mind. All of sudden he was concerned over his
daughters happiness, he was afraid that you do the same to Maggie as I did to
Molly.”
“What the hell does this have to do with my mother?” I snarled at him,
making Edmund flinch against my restraint on him. I added more pressure against
his neck. He squirmed against the wall.
“Eliza is your mother, not Molly.” Edmund choked out breathlessly.
“No. That’s what you like people to believe. Molly Vance was my mother
and she showed me more love and respect in those few years as a boy. Than you
and Eliza have in nearly thirty years.”
“That stupid woman nearly destroyed me with her foolish behaviour. She
should have kept her mouth shut. She had no right in telling you. If Molly had just
followed the rules, than none of us would be in this mess.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s right you don’t know, do you. Molly never told you that part.
Christopher destroyed Molly. He pursued her, even though he knew she was
promised to me. I had a deal with Molly’s father, just has you had with
Christopher. Christopher broke Molly’s heart and signed her death certificate. He
sings a different tune though, telling everyone that I stole Molly from him. Molly
was not the victim she made out, I am.
“How does this justify what you and Eliza did to Maggie?”
“Christopher broke the deal. I wanted the land I was promised when I
married Molly, but she had to go and give him what was mine. The little bitch.
“I am not playing games. You, Rafi and Christopher will give me control of
all your communications developments that you operate or I will destroy all your
pathetic little worlds. One by one.”
“What on earth, would make you think we would hand you control of
anything of ours.” I asked with a chuckle. Pathetic. He was gripping at straws.
“I have Maggie.”
“No. You don’t.”
“Want to bet her life on that son.” My father smirked, testing me.
137

I was too far gone to get anything more out of him. I smashed my fist in his
jaw. I released my grip on his throat and watched him sink to the floor. I ran for
the door. Not giving another thought to my father being bloody or his security
barrelling towards me. I threw more punches before I could register anything else.
I reacted. I would deal with the consequences after I got to Erin. There had to be
more to this than he was telling me?
Chapter Thirty Three.
Faith.
Every phone in Eddie’s house was ringing instantaneously. The fear in
Ellerson’s eyes told me it was judgement day, but for whom?
Me or Erin?
He stood there broad and unnerved, but his eyes were a whirlpool to his
most inner thoughts and fears.
“Rhodes” He commanded into the phone. He was impressive, when on
watch. Every muscle taught. He was talking fairly quick now.
“Are you sure Bailey?” Ellerson nodded. “Send me everything you have. If
the Intel is right, then we need to move NOW. Are the documents legit?” He
questioned the caller. Ellerson nodded again and his face fell. His brows knitted
together.
“Get your gear. We need to move out.” Ellerson’s features were hard and
the traces of his softer side were untraceable once again.
The marine was back.
Ellerson didn’t waste any time. He was scouting the room for anything we
may need, wherever he was taking us. I grabbed my backpack. I had been packed
since Eddie came into our lives and threatened my true identity.
“Master Sergeant Rhodes checking in. Victor, Alpha, November, Charlie,
Echo. Possible threat. Immediate backup. Potential abduction and casualties.”
Rhodes looked at me with a possessive look in his eyes after muttering those words
to the person on the other end.
Casualties.
Shit!
“Sir. Yes, Sir.”
The silence stretched out. I tore my vision from Ellerson over to my girls.
Erin’s face was screwed up whilst she gripped her phone tightly. She had hit redial
138

over and over. Eddie’s number was either dead or her couldn’t answer. I hoped to
god it wasn’t the latter because I wasn’t sure Erin would survive that.
Her head was bent down, making her blonde waves cover her tear tracks. I
was that concerned about Erin that I didn’t realise Ellerson was speaking at all. I
heard check and vehicle in that beautiful Californian accent. It curled around my
thoughts before I realised he was gone. I turned around to an almighty bang that
penetrated the entire house. I hit the floor. The windows shook in response. The
glare from the windows made it hard to see what was going on. The smoke cleared
and the SUV that Ellerson had driven all week was blown into pieces. The flames
pulsated around every corner of the car. Everything went quiet. All I could hear
was blood strumming through my ears and my heart beating out of my chest trying
to get to Ellerson.
He has to be ok.
I couldn’t lose him now.
Oh god. What the hell have I done to deserve this?
“You know” I heard that familiar voice in my head speak out.
Erin held her arms around my shoulders as tightly has she could to try and
calm my shaking frame. When I looked down at her, I hadn’t realised I was
screaming at the top of my lungs. It wasn’t just that. It was the fact were both
clawing at the same possibility that both our men were gone. I shut that thought
down immediately. Ellerson would be ok. He would fight to come back to me. The
alternative was unthinkable. He wasn’t even mine. That didn’t change the fact
that I belonged to him. If he wanted me to or not.
Peace was crying behind us. Justice was panicking about getting out of here
alive. We were all alone. Eddie left this morning he taking most of the security
with him leaving Rhodes to protect Erin. What would happen now?
A strong scent of tobacco streamed past my nose, followed by a repugnant
smell of cologne. It wasn’t a masculine scent that I associated with Ellerson. This
was most definitely not Hugo Boss. It was more like the strong disinfectant we
laced the wards with at the hospital. The tinge of alcohol, set my nerves on edge. I
could feel the toxins of the aroma engulfing me. I knew he was here before I saw
him behind us. The question was, would I escape him this time around and could I
save the people I cared most for?
I heard three very distinctive whacks around me and felt his repulsive
breath run down my neck.
“We have some catching up to do Jessie.” He warned. His words laced with
hatred for me. Those words were the only sound I heard until another whack above
139

me shattered the grip I had on reality and I hit the floor with the force that he hit
me with.
Silence fell.
Chapter Thirty Four.
Ellerson.
Eddie grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and handed the keys of
the other SUV we had, to one of my security team and told them to wait in the
car. Eddie had briefed me on Eliza’s potential connection to Erin’s amnesia and his
suspicion that his father had something to do with this. Maggie’s disappearance
and the security threats.
I wasn’t the least surprised that a man like Edmund Vance would threaten
his own son’s happiness. I had only met him a few times when Eddie had to meet
with him. The arrogance of the man was un-believable and the contempt he held
for his own son was astounding. What the hell was I thinking? My old man had run
off before I was even born. It was my grandfather who raised me until he passed. I
know how a father son relationship should work and Edmund and Eddie’s was non-existent.
“I have to go and have this out with him, once and for all.” Eddie admitted,
“Stay with Erin and the girls. Make sure they’re safe, Rhodes.”
I nodded, blowing the unnerving feeling of danger out of my lips. I stared
into Eddie’s eyes. I could see the indecision there and reassured him. He was my
boss, but he was more than that now, he was a friend. I gritted my teeth and ran
my hand over the buzz cut I had kept since I had joined the Marines and nodded
again.
Eddie left his property and slipped into the vehicle without another thought.
I watched the SUV pull-out of the driveway. My gut told me that things were going
to change after this. I hoped to hell that he wouldn’t be coming home in a body
bag.
* * *
When I left the house Faith looked overwhelmed. She was trying to comfort
Erin. I slipped out so I wouldn’t have to look at the fear and panic she was
throwing out at me. Her blonde hair was tucked behind her ears and she muttered
comforting words in Erin’s direction. Faith’s words slipped by as Erin’s vacant
expression continued. I couldn’t blame her. I had tried Eddie’s cell more than once
since Bailey had given me word that Edmund Vance was behind the security
breech. Eddie had given me direct orders to stay with Erin and now he was in
danger. If this was the other way round. I would want him looking after my girl. I
140

knew he would. He would lay down his life for me, as I would for him. This was
more than duty anymore. This was personal. Deep down in my gut. I wanted to be
there to protect him as well. I scanned the perimeter and looked around the
vehicle. Thank god I checked I had my firearm this morning. I squeezed my
shoulders together. I could feel both my weapons under my arms in my holder.
Something told me that I would have to shoot first and question my actions later.
Protect and serve first and then fight for the truth. That was the marine way. I got
into the black SUV that Eddie had bought last week. He had wanted something
sleek and modern and fully equipped for Erin’s security.
I took a few deep breaths and cleared my head. This is what I had trained
for, but seeing Faith in the middle of our own personal war literally kicked me in
the balls and made my body clench with fear. I reached for the ignition and
inserted the key. My thoughts kept switching to Faith. I held my fingers on the keys
and turned to look back at the house. The almost inaudible sound made my
instincts kick in. I froze. Listened. Then I heard it again. A click. Then another.
Son of a bitch.
I flung the door wide open and cleared the vehicle. The explosion threw me
a few yards from the vehicle and I hit the ground. Hard. The flames ignited once
again. The heat that pulsated from the bottom of my body should have had in a
state of attack. The numbness set in. The pain radiated from the fire trying to
climb my legs. I heard sniggering from behind me. I didn’t see who it was. I could
smell the whisky and some kind of odour that could strip paint off my beat up
truck back in the US.
“Amateurs. With all that money. You would think he would be smarter” I
heard the guy slur. My leg burned. I waited. I listened. There was no reason to give
this guy an advantage. I heard the crack of his boot, when I braced for impact.
* * *
The fire must have burnt out. I stayed still until I could scope my
surrounding out. I heard the reinforcements on the ground before I clocked them.
These boys were good. They would have blind sighted me if I wasn’t trained in this
shit. They rolled me over, accessing me for potential damage.
“Sargent?” The commanding officer addressed me. I saw his insignia before I
met his gaze. The embroidered red insignia with gold thread held a star in the
middle of the pointed insignia told me who he was before he formally introduced
himself.
“Sargent Major, sir.” I saluted. I was flat on my back, but that wouldn’t stop
me respecting a fellow marine.
“At ease, Master Sargent.” He told me, offering an arm.
141

“Thank You, Sir.”
“Go and see the medical officer and get that leg looked at. I want a full
briefing at sixteen hundred.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Rhodes.”
“Yes, Sir.” I asked, turning towards the Sargent Major.
“You better have something on Vance.”
“Understood Sir.” I walked painfully over to the medics who were waiting to
look at me. I heard the sergeant call for assistance. I looked over to the window of
Eddie’s house. The house was the same. Nothing had changed to someone who was
looking from the outside, but everything had changed. Faith was gone. I could feel
the knives in the pit of my gut that my girl was in trouble. If only she had trusted
me enough to tell me what she was hiding.
* * *
I spent the last ten minutes fully briefing the major of what had taken place
over the past few weeks. I had discovered that Faith was receiving calls from
secures lines. That meant only one thing. It was CIA or potentially Mi5, but we
couldn’t be sure. Our inter-corporation relationships were limited and subject to
command. So that was a dead lead. The access Bailey had to the US Government
database shed light on what I was dealing with, but didn’t tell me what the fuck it
was or who for that matter. The whole fucking thing reeked of a cover-up.
When it came to Faith, I had hit a wall. Erin on the other hand was
becoming clearer as the hours passed. This information seemed useless unless I
could get to her. Eddie needed me to protect her. I looked round Eddie’s property
and it looked more like a battle field now. It swam with military and police, all
mounting a rescue mission. To a civilian this scene would be exhilarating to watch.
For me it was another war I knew I wouldn’t be able to win unscathed.
“Do we have the documents that link Edmund and Eliza Vance to the
kidnapping?” The major asked, giving me a scrutinising look.
“Yes Sir. They are en-route now.”
“Good. We have grounds to hold them.”
“You may be right, sir. But that connection is tenacious at best. It gives the
Vance’s motive, but there isn’t proof to incriminate them. “
“Maybe so, but there are games in play that will soon square those details
away.”
142

“Sir. What is the military’s connection to this? Wouldn’t this be a English
matter not a US Military matter?”
The major chuckled, “I can see why you were top of your class, Sergeant.
You would make a damn fine major one day. You see the bigger picture unlike
many I have served with. It is a damn shame that you were screwed over.” He
praised.
“This is classified, son.” The major stated and motioned to come closer to
speak more privately. “The documents that are being sent over give one of the
reasons behind the suspected kidnapping, but I know the reason why the Vance’s
would take that risk. Vance signed several government contracts, very lucrative
contracts. Those contracts gave him sole control over communications through the
military and the British government. He practically owned communication rights to
half the population in the world. This is where it gets classified. Vance is using the
contracts he has accrued to dominate the countries that he is invested in. By
controlling these countries, he is trying to pitch one against the other.”
“What will he get out of that?”
Vance is one sick son of a bitch. He was bartering with national security
with maybe a dozen countries.
He was playing with fire.
“He can basically hold the countries to ransom. This isn’t about power
Sargent or he would have took the damn money the United States offered him. He
wants control and that’s not an option. The president wants this situation
rectifying and the British Prime Minister is united with him on this. The other
possibilities is that he is selling information to other countries to create something
bigger than you or I could ever comprehend.” The major tone was subdued.
Shit!!
“Have we located Eddie?”
“Yes” The major tone was low and he glanced at the other personnel. What
the hell had happened?
“Is he dead?” I stated bluntly. I was never one for prolonging the inevitable.
I liked to confront the problem quickly, like ripping a Band-Aid off. One quick
stroke and then deal with the aftermath.
“We don’t know. There were no casualties, son.” The major admitted
cryptically.
“What the hell does that mean” I blasted my anger out towards the Major. I
back tracked realising I had overstepped, “Sir. I mean…”
143

“I know what you damn well mean Rhodes and I would be the same in your
position. This is what happens when we stay in one assignment for a long period.
We get attached.”
“Whomever blew your vehicle to a crisp did the exact same to Vance’s. His
security had just entered the vehicle and he was just about to pull the handle and
it exploded in his face. Other than that we don’t know any more.”
“Fuck.”
“Could he have got up?” I gulped hard. I rubbed the back of my neck. My
stomach churned. This was messed up. I was paid to do a job and I was failing
miserably. Eddie had trusted me. I not only lost Erin, but Eddie was either dead or
walking wounded.
“Maybe”
“I need to find her.”
“Agreed. Pick a team, Master Sargent and clean this up. I want a report on
my desk by Twenty one hundred.”
“Yes sir.”
I left the Major standing at the front of Eddie’s property. The men were
briefing what was on the agenda and the time frame we had to collect the
objectives and get out before the targets retaliate.
I pulled my phone out quickly, “Rafi. Yes have you… Yes….Yes…..I’ll find
them. All of them. You have my word.”
“You will bring them home alive, Rhodes. All of them?” Rafi’s calm tone
transformed into a shaky cry. I had a feeling this had something to do with Red. I
saw the way he looked at her at the Gala. I had to find them. This shit was ripping
all of us apart.
“I’ll try.”
And I would. I punched a text into my cell and sent it to Eddie. I didn’t know
the situation, but I did know Eddie and he would not go down without one hell of a
fight.
Chapter Thirty Five.
Eddie.
The pain in my chest coiled around my heart and squeezed fast and hard.
The incessant beats of pain had my breathing laboured and sweat gathered on my
144

face. The only thing I could see when I looked around was darkness. I was isolated.
There was no sound, only my heavy breaths that penetrated the empty space.
“That was a smart move.” Her silky voice settled over my injured body. I
looked out into the nothing. I could feel her near me. The soft smell of Lillie’s hit
my nostrils.
No it can’t be.
Molly?
“What on earth made you go up against your father and think you would
win?” Molly questioned. Her chastising tone could not be mistaken.
“I…” I had no words. I was talking to my dead mother.
“Well, are you going to answer my question Edward Thomas?” Molly’s use of
my middle name made me look further into the darkness. Very few people knew
my middle name. My father always said the name did not suit a Vance. That my
mother picked it. He just never told me which mother.
“I don’t know.” I whispered, feeling vulnerable under Molly’s scrutiny.
“Let me tell you what I think. You thought you were going to knock your
father off his pedestal and you would walk away unscathed. Don’t you think if you
were strong enough to take Edmund on, I would have told you the truth before I
passed? That is why I left the will to protect you.”
“I suppose.” I shrugged.
“Eddie, stop pouting like a little boy. You need to pull your big boy pants on
and fight. Maggie’s in danger and there’s been an explosion. It’s not good. You
have to fight baby boy. It isn’t your time to join me yet.” Molly said, brushing my
face with her hand in the darkness. Her fingers were warm and the love she had
for me seeped into my bones giving me strength to fight.
My chest continued to hurt, when I realised what molly had just said, “What
will?”
“The one I left to protect both you and Maggie from Edmund.” Molly
paused, her breaths steady. “You don’t know what you have, do you?”
“What do I have Mom?”
I heard Molly sniffle. “You have me.”
“You?” I questioned lamely.
“I left you the power to control your own destiny. Eddie, you have to go.”
Molly’s voice turned grave and frantic.
“Stay with me?” I pleaded.
145

“I wish I could.”
The build up of warmth around my chest made the pain easier to handle.
“I’m right here.” Molly admitted. I could feel the weight of her hand on my
chest. “Hurry. You have to save Erin.”
Chapter Thirty Six.
Ellerson.
“We need to search the perimeter. Five clicks in each direction. I want to
know properties and any buildings that Erin could be trapped in.”
“Shoot to kill, Sir” Corporal Harvey questioned.
“Yes Corporal. Shoot to kill and in no circumstances put any of the hostages
in danger from fire. I want all of them out alive. Am I clear?”
“Yes Sir.” The squad answered and saluted. They each moved off in pairs to
prepare for the coming rescue mission. Hell. I just hoped God was in a giving
mood.
“Master Sargent.”
“Yes.” I said, turning around to address whom ever had called me.
“I found this in the property addressed to you.
I moved away from the prying eyes of the squad and ripped the envelope
wide open.
Rhodes,
By now you know I have both Erin and Faith. The question is
what you would give for them to live. You have one hour to consider that and
wait for further instructions.
It was signed MJ. Who in god’s name was MJ?
This had to be another one of Edmund’s henchmen.
I sighed.
I fisted the letter. Fuck.
The envelope felt hard. I lifted it back to me and peeked inside. There was
a white band with a large brown stone set within it.
Wait!
146

This is Erin’s ring. That was the one Eddie had given Maggie before she was
taken. Why had the ring ended up with the letter?
Was the kidnapper sending a message?
What kind of message.
I raked my mind for an answer. Erin never took the ring off. The only time I
had seen it move is when Eddie had given her his grandmother Engagement ring to
wear on her left hand. This ring held a meaning.
Was Erin leaving a clue?
The ring connected Maggie and Erin. That would mean that connection
extends to his and hers parents also. Did that mean she was being held with
someone from the past? Possible.
I remember Faith telling me that Erin believed that everything in life had
meaning and a connection. That is why she had trusted Eddie so easily. The
connection was always there, no matter what.
Meaning? Connection?
That’s it.
“Sargent Sanchez.”
“Yes Sir.”
“We need to search the property’s that link Maggie Montgomery and Edward
Vance up to 2004.”
“Master Sargent?” He questioned.
“Trust me.” I pleaded, I thrust Erin’s ring into his view. “Erin left this ring
for me to find her. She knows that I would scout heaven and hell to keep her safe.
She never takes this off. There is a connection between their pasts and this ring.
Whomever has taken them is linked with the past and is trying to crush their
futures.”
“Find the connection and get me those damn documents.” I shouted. The
grounds froze.
Chapter Thirty Seven.
Erin.
Ouch. My head was throbbing. I tried to lift myself up but I stopped with the
dizziness it caused. I got the distinctive whiff of the outdoors and rotten wood.
Where was I?
147

Why do I get the feeling of Da Ja Vu.
I lifted my hand to rub my head and stopped. The clink of metal startled
me. The weight of the chains wrapped around my wrists were alarming. I pulled
trying to get free. The pain behind my eyes made it difficult to open them fully. I
could see shadows of sorts. The place was run down. The furniture was broken and
there were leaves and cobwebs everywhere I looked. The movement caught my
eye. This place seemed so familiar. I felt another wave of nostalgia. Could that be
possible? Have I been here before?
More movement focussed my vision of a man pacing the length of the back
room. The outline of his shadow was unclear but I could make out his shaggy hair
and heavy breaths the more he paced.
“I’ve got her. I’m in the summer house waiting for an opportunity to get us
out of here without being seen?” The gravel in his voice was husky and deep. The
conviction in his voice was strong. I looked around and no-one had spoken. The
memories were so vivid like I was reliving it. Moment by moment.
The man chuckled sinisterly. It sounded like something out of an old mafia
movie when the boss laughed and someone ended up dead. The malice in his tone
sent shivers up my and down my spine.
Whatever was happening was allowing me to look into the past. The
memories were coming back. I could feel it. Molly’s voice settled over me like she
had placed a security blanket over me.
“I need you to remember what happened that last day before you were
taken. It’s important. Remember Maggie. Remember Erin. You have to
remember”
“The little bitch is out cold. Yeah the bed is ready… I know this wont go
wrong…she’ll be out of the picture permeant.” He snarled down the phone, smiling
at the caller’s response.
“Have you set everything up?” The man asked. A slither of a smile tugged at
the corners of his lips making him look viler.
“Make sure the dosage is right or this wont work.” He warned.
My mouth hung open when I pieced everything together. This was the man
who had kidnapped me from this very room. And now he had me again!
Fuck!
* * *
I looked thoroughly around the cabin for anything. I had to get out these
chains. I had to get back to Eddie. I won’t let this man take me from Eddie again.
A groan from the other direction of the room. I noticed another figure laying on
148

the floor. This time it was a woman. She raised her arms. That’s when I saw the
chains and Justice’s red polish.
Thank god, I thought realising the breath I didn’t realise I was holding.
Another groan followed Justice’s one and then I saw Peace’s limp body
struggling under the weight of the chains. A crippling feeling of fear washed over
me as I watched Peace struggle lifting her head.
I stared around the dark cabin looking for faith. Panic filled my chest. I
couldn’t slow my breathing down enough to think clearly.
What the hell had happened?
The last thing I remember was Eddie’s house. Ellerson telling us we had to
ship out and then complete darkness. I winced in pain, forgetting about the chains.
Peace stopped fidgeting. Her breaths were even enough to realise she was
either sleeping or unconscious again. I hoped to hell it was the latter because I
don’t think this was the last of this nightmare.
Justice was awake but didn’t move. That’s my girl.
* * *
I laid there quietly as the chains ripped into my skin. I could have screamed
from the pain. I bit my mouth shut and tasted metallic. I had so many questions
running through my head. The main one was where was Eddie? After everything we
had gone through together over the last two weeks, there was no question that he
would be here. Unless he was hurt or injured? Fear coiled through my stomach and
the need to vomit entered my mouth. Yuck!
The scrape of flesh made me cringe. I heard Faith’s whimpers float into the
room. I tried not to look, but I could hear every piece of gravel claw its way
through Faiths knees with a vengeance.
“You’re gonna tell me everything you know Jess or you’ll wish we were back
at me just giving you the odd slap. I won’t think twice in beating you into
submission, princess.” His words were dark and full of threat.
Jess?
Who the hell is jess?
“Why were you placed with Maggie?” The man asked. When he was met with
silence, I felt his fist hit Faith with force. Faith’s head ricocheted back.
“What do you know Jessie? Tell me?” He roared.
The questions continued until my ears felt as if they were bleeding from the
torture he was punishing Faith with.
149

“If you won’t tell me. She will.” He muttered in the void. He was breathing
hard from trying to get something out of Faith.
Why hadn’t she told him to stop?
Or lied?
* * *
The room was silent, the light from outside the summer house had fallen.
We were all alone now. The man must have given up. That was until I heard I voice
I recognised.
“What the hell do you want Marshall?” The discontent in her voice was
astounding. It wasn’t the manner she addressed him. It was that I remembered
that voice. In this very room.
“You know the deal Marshall. I want monthly updates on her progress and a
constant eye on her, but other than that. I want her out of the picture.” The tone
in my mother’s voice was deadly. The maternal tone was gone and replaced with a
brutal vision of the mother I once cared for.
“I know the deal Mrs M. don’t sweat it. We all get what we want. The job is
cake.”
“I don’t want any harm to come to her though.” Marilyn Montgomery added
in afterthought.
My mothers harsh words brought me back from the memories I had of that
last night.
“Why would you come back up here?” she asked, annoyed.
“I thought I would reminisce about good old times. This is where it all
started isn’t it?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about?” she stated, but the shake in her
voice said something entirely different.
“You wanted your daughter out of the way and now this is brought my
daughter out of the woodwork. So we need to figure this the fuck out and decide
what we are gonna do because if I go down for this. I am taking you and Vance
with me.”
“You are delusional.” Marilyn chuckled non-committedly.
I heard Marshall’s movements and then I heard Marilyn’s voice come over a
speaker giving him instructions to keep me hidden and away from both her and the
Vance family.
150

My vision became blurred and my heart was beating erratically. I tried to
reach for my head, but the chains stopped me. Then as if a bolt of energy or
lightening was shooting through my body. My mind was overwhelmed by visions and
pictures and memories. I remembered things from when I was little and under the
willow tree with Eddie. I sank my head to the floor as if my mind was weighed
down with the pressure of my memories flooding back.
Shit! That hurt. I laid there quietly, trying to even my breathing out and
realised something.
I remembered everything.
I had my memories back.
* * *
“You know this can’t come to my door, Marshall. This was all yours and
Edmunds plan. I had nothing to do with it.” Marilyn added, backtracking.
I muttered under my breath. She was lying.
“You didn’t have any complaints when you were guaranteed to keep your
fortune and your position. The only reason Chris kept you around was for Maggie
and after, because you both grieved the loss of her. He finds out your dirty little
secret and you’ll be out on your ass without anything. Then you’ll be back where
you started from.” Marshall practically sang his sarcastic words at her.
I couldn’t take anymore.
I raised myself to my feet. The chains cut deeper into my hands. I gritted
my teeth and stood up straight with everything I had left.
Marilyn saw the movement and squealed in shock.
“What’s wrong mother,” I asked sweetly, “cat got your tongue?” I continued
with a fire in my belly I had never experienced before.
“Maggie” Marilyn started walking towards me. I raised my hand and she
froze.
“I can….” She tried again and I shook my head adamantly. I took a deep
breath and decided to let her have it.
“No you can’t and I don’t want you to.” I told her firmly. I let my words sink
in.
“I am not Margaret Montgomery. My name is Erin Vance. I lost my memory
over a decade ago but my family brought me back.” I looked at each of my girls.
For all the anger and betrayal over the years. I truly understood now, why I
never belonged. “Only with Eddie” my inner voice exclaimed.
151

Marilyn glanced at the people around the room and smirked.
“You don’t have a clue do you? Every one of you is hiding from your pasts.
You may think you are family, but they will all betray you. You’re worth too much,
to be kept around. I did you a favour. At least I kept you alive. If Edmund had had
his way, he would have had you killed.”
“And I am supposed to be thankful for that” I spat back.
Faith struggled with Marshall. I had forgot she was still kneeled in front of
the sadistic bastard. In two swift movements. Faith had taken Marshall’s gun and
stood with one foot firmly on Marshall’s chest with the gun pointed at his head.
“What the hell are you doing, Marshall. Get the gun.”
“A little busy here.” His voice strained under the pressure of Faith’s foot. I
have never seen Faith so empowered or forceful.
“Jessica take you foot off Marshall” Marilyn cooed at Faith. Faith gave her a
warning look. It wasn’t one of shock or surprise at her words or her presence.
I stared at shock.
How the hell did Marilyn know Faith and why in the gods name is everyone
calling her Jessica.
“Don’t” Faith warned, as she turned and pointed the barrel at Marilyn.
Marilyn turned towards me and chuckled.
“You haven’t told her have you? The reason she was taken? Or the reason
you were with her?”
“STOP” Faith snarled in anger.
“Oh no honey. I am going to enjoy this.” Marilyn gloated.
I sucked in a breath and waited.
The silence stretched. The sound of metal cascading through the room and
the room transforming into smoke was instant. The fumes clung to my lips making
it difficult to breath.
I had…What was she?…..Eddie?
Chapter Thirty Nine
Eddie.
The property was still. I hadn’t been to Maggie’s childhood home since she
had been taken. I couldn’t stand to relive the torment of the day I lost her.
152

After the explosion. I had managed to get away without any of my fathers
men noticing me. I managed to get to one of my other cars that I have in London
for emergencies and pointed it towards my house. When I saw all the uniforms. I
didn’t stop. My only goal from now on was Finding Erin.
* * *
The summer house was in total darkness. It was unlike I had ever seen it.
Every summer I had spent here with Maggie it was filled with light and joy. Now
the property resembled something out of an old horror movie.
I made my way round the rear of the property. The faint murmurs of
conversation from inside the summer house was my only indication that there was
someone inside. The nearer I got around the property. I realised I was not alone.
“Eddie.” A whisper called. I flinched, but remained silent, not wanting to
inform anyone of my presence.
I looked closer to the property and there was half dozen camouflaged men
surrounding the property.
Shit!
Ellerson’s face became clearer. He was dressed in full combat gear and
looked fierce as he listened intently at the words that were being spoken.
I was having the day from hell. Not only had someone tried to blow me up,
but my house looked in the same state. And then I find my wife being held inside
at what sounded like gunpoint. If the clicking of a barrel had anything to go on.
Before I could ask what the hell was going on. Ellerson threw what looked
like metal canisters inside the property and we all barricaded into the property to
get back what was taken from us.
Grenades?
“Get down” Ellerson commanded into the dark.
I searched the room looking for her.
Was I too late?
Erin’s limp body was laid on the ground. Her hands were chained. Jesus
Christ.
My heart constricted at the sight of her like this. I could not live without her
again. If I thought the last ten years were rough. A lifetime without her would be
impossible to bear.
“Erin.” I pleaded, “Please don’t leave me.”
153

I sat there with her in my arms for minutes. It could have been hours. I
checked her pulse. It was faint, but she was alive. I started to move. Erin’s eyes
fluttered open in protest. Her weak state was etched onto her beautiful face. I
was going to kill whoever was responsible for torturing her like this.
I exhaled. My chest was tight.
Erin fleetingly looked into my eyes. She reached up and placed a trembling
hand over my heart. “Right here.” She choked out. Her eyelids drooped back into
unconsciousness before I could register her words.
* * *
I pulled Erin into my arms and lifted her through the dark rooms into the
crisp air outside. I ran my arms up and down her back until her body relaxed
against mine. Minutes passed as I watched Ellerson’s squadron deal with the
aftermath. Erin laid still. Her even breaths were the only thing keeping me in
check.
Ellerson’s face was strained and nearly purple. Whomever he was talking to
was in for a serious ass whooping as he called it. He had a mean temper when he
wanted to.
“Where the hell has she gone?” he roared at one of his men. The officer
blanched and looked at anything other than Ellerson’s penetrating gaze.
I continued to hold Erin as everything that had happened started sinking in.
everything seemed so impossible, but fit together perfectly. Like a dysfunctional
jigsaw.
Maggie’s mom was led away in handcuffs followed by the man who had
taken Erin. I was going to make sure he stayed in prison for a very long time.
There was no sign of Christopher, not that I expected it. I still wasn’t sure
what all of this meant, but it had something to do with the documents Maggie had
told me she had left for me.
“Sir.” Ellerson addressed me formerly.
“I think were passed that Ellerson. Don’t you?” I said with a chuckle.
He laughed shortly “I suppose so,” and then frowned, “Faith is gone.”
“What do you mean gone?”
“When we blasted the property with gas to flush out Marshall. With all the
chaos, we didn’t see her slip out.”
“You have to find her. I don’t think we know the whole story.” His face
hardened.
154

“I know. Faith is in the witness protection programme. She was given a new
identity and a new life away from her past. I don’t know her real identity or what
she is running from.”
“Why would she run now though? After ten years. Something doesn’t add
up” I stated. Ellerson nodded.
“I don’t know. I intend to find out.” The worry in his eyes argued against his
conviction.
I know that look. He was breaking inside. It was excruciating not knowing
where she was. What was even worst that Faith had left? I knew from Ellerson
expression that this wasn’t the first time someone had left him.
I sighed.
I hated watching him hurt.
“Do we know why my father tried to blow me to pieces this afternoon?” I
asked trying to take Ellerson mind of Faith. I heard Erin gasp, making me regret my
words. I hadn’t realised she was awake. I ran my hand down her back and brought
her in close.
“Your mother was one clever woman.” Ellerson stated giving me a shit
eating grin. “Turns out the money her family had before her marriage to your
father was in a trust, only to be accessed if capital was required for property or
business etc. This clause was a way your grandfather could protect Molly’s
inheritance and get the marriage he desired all at once. The thing was that the
clause never was changed into Edmunds name and Molly had devised a plan to
protect you and Maggie from interference from either sets of parents. She didn’t
want you to go through the heartache and betrayal she had gone through with
Edmund and Christopher. Molly changed the trust in the event of her death that it
would be shared between you and Maggie. Not only that the properties that both
Edmunds and Chris’s properties stand on are on Blake land. That means that all
property on these lands belong to the trustees.”
I laughed. My mother was a genius.
“What did that have to do with my mother though? She said something
about money and status?” Erin asked, still shaken from her mother’s betrayal.
“Molly gave the land and wealth of this estate to Christopher on the
assumption that it would be transferred to the trustees when the time came.
Edmund had tried to buy Chris with a contract to secure Maggie’s wealth and let
him remain in control of his company and his property and land that was tied to
it.”
I looked at Erin. She was white. I swallowed hard worried at her reaction. I
gave Ellerson a weak smile and nodded.
155

“So this was all a game. So they could keep molly’s inheritance” I asked. I
dropped my hands to my sides. This was always about the money.
“They all had something to gain by keeping you and Maggie apart. And you
away from the business.” Ellerson motioned towards me.
* * *
I looked down at Erin. I knew she had heard every word of Ellerson’s
explanation. The distance in her eyes showed me that loosing Faith would slowly
rip her apart. Ellerson would bring her back. He had to.
“Do you want to go home?” I asked her, holding my breath. I was scared
that she would leave me now she knew the entire truth of our entwined pasts. Erin
glanced up and smiled. My stomach did a little flip. Thankful that she still trusted
me.
Erin’s face transformed into a mask of light when Justice and Peace came
out. They looked shaken and unsteady, but they were alive. Erin left my arms and
they huddled together, sinking to the floor.
“Eddie.” Ellerson shouted back at me. He was making his way back towards
his troops. I turned around to see him salute me. I chuckled. He was one hell of a
marine. I was damn glad he was on my side.
“Yeah?”
“Molly left documents for you and Erin. There’s a letter there too.” He
added leaving his last words lingering in the air. I didn’t know if I would be ready
for that yet, but for now Molly had kept Erin and I safe. For now that’s all that
mattered.
Epilogue.
Three months later.
Erin.
“Stop trying to peek” Eddie warned me. I continued to wriggle against his
hold. “It’s a surprise” he moaned, moving me further forward. Eddie stopped
abruptly and released his hands from over my eyes. I blinked a few times, trying to
readjust my eyes to the light.
“Surprise” he shrilled.
I looked out at the view and it was breath-taking. Our willow tree stood
there proud in front of me. Eddie wrapped his arms around me, resting a hand over
my heart. He ran the bridge of his nose down the side of my neck making my legs
156

squeeze my thighs together. He was making me think delicious things he could do
with that mouth. I smiled at that thought. I couldn’t seem to get enough of him.
“Not that” Eddie stated, “That” he motioned my whole body towards the
back of the willow tree. It was the summer house or what was left of the summer
house. The building was gone and replaced with a beautiful garden. It was
overflowing with different shades of whites and creams and the odd tints of pinks,
blues and purples. It was a work of art. I couldn’t believe he had done this for me.
I turned around in his arms and took his lips has fiercely has the love I felt for this
man.
I looked towards the home I grew up in that was now officially mine.
I sighed with content. “I love you” I told him. “Me too, baby” he replied
kissing me again.
I looked around at everything I had and thanked my lucky stars that Eddie
didn’t mind finding Erin.
The End.
If you enjoyed Finding Erin and fell in love with Erin and Eddie.
Take a sneak peek at Faith and Ellerson’s story.
Ellerson Rhodes was born a marine. He lived and served his country and the people
he cared for more than life itself. Being a born American taught him that country
and pride forfeited everything else, but when Ellerson finds him abandoned by
everything and everyone, that he thought was most important to him, he
discovered that there is life outside the military and the United States.
Five years have taught Ellerson that loyalty and family can extend outside the US
and the Military. Eddie has taught him that he could be a part of something bigger
than what everything he craved in the military and the family that he longed for,
until he collides with Faith Adams. The feisty Nurse awakens something in Ellerson
that he thought had died, when his family had rejected him all those years ago.
Faith Adams wasn’t your typical northern charge Nurse. She was quiet, serene and
would annihilate every preconception of anyone that naively thought she was a
157

quiet and naïve little wall flower. The northern beauty has been hiding behind
every façade she could imagine up from the tender age of fourteen. Faith’s true
identity is beyond national security on both sides of the Atlantic and she has to
determine if trusting the Ex-marine is her only hope or her very last mistake. Faith
has to decide if her true identity is worth hiding behind any longer or trying to face
the tortious past that holds too many connections to the ones she loves. Can Faith
trust in Ellerson to keep her safe and protected or will she decide to walk this path
alone. If it has anything to do with Ellerson, he has every intention of Keeping
Faith.
Join Ellerson on his journey of Keeping Faith.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my mum and sister, without your support and dedication over
the last few years, I wouldn’t be here today trying to strive for the stars. To my
oldest friend, you know who you are, without your council and guidance over the
years, and giving me a swift kick in the right direction. I wouldn’t have sat down
and created something that will hopefully make you proud.
To the reader: I would like to thank everyone who has taken a chance on a self-publishing
author. I have worked hard to create something that both my readers
and I could be proud of. I hope you enjoyed Eddie as much as I did writing him.
I hope you enjoy Finding Erin and the stories to come.
About the Author
America Leigh has been making up stories since she was a small child trying to
escape the madness of her siblings. It wasn't until she had her children and went to
University that she found her passion for writing, transferring the characters that
called to her all through her adolescence over to paper. You will find America in
Yorkshire drinking tea and tackling with Alpha males who won’t do as their told
158

and heroines that don't need saving, but need possessing. America dreams of being
a brilliant author who touches readers with her stories and hope they come back to
beg for more.
Find her on Facebook www.facebook.c om/americaleighauthor and her Author page
http://americaleigh.blogspot.co.uk/
On Twitter: @america_leigh
159

Finding erin

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked (8)

Similar to Finding erin (20)

Finding erin