Page 54 of Dancing With Distraction

“They fostered him for the money,” I confess. “The government was running some kind of scheme in the area to boost fostering. The care system was at a breaking point and overrun with kids, and my parents were skint. Marcus was difficult right from day one. He was kicked out of school and constantly went missing for weeks on end. My parents weren’t bothered. They were happy to be getting paid without having to put in any work.”

“Weren’t there checks?”

I shake my head. “Not really. If a social worker called by and he wasn’t around, they just made an excuse. I don’t think the social worker cared as long as they weren’t dealing with him. Anyway, I turned eight, and suddenly, he was around a lot more. He was nice to me, so I didn’t mind too much. But then things changed, and he was a little too nice, a little too hands-on. I had to grow up really quick.”

“How old was he?” he asks through gritted teeth.

“Fourteen.”

“Did you tell anyone?”

I nod. “I tried. At first, I was too scared. He told me he’d kill my parents if I told, and then I’d go into care and lots of boys would hurt me. But when I got to ten, I’d had enough and I told my mum.”

“So, it stopped?”

I give a bitter laugh. “She told me not to tell lies and made it very clear they needed the money and if I ruined that, we’d be homeless. Sometimes, I think she was scared of him too.”

“What about your father?”

I scoff. “He’s a drunk and a gambler, a waste of space. He was hardly around, which gave Marcus a chance to rule the roost.”

“Fuck, Tori, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he mutters, tangling my hair in his fist.

“It stopped when I got too old for him,” I explain. “I hit twelve, and he lost interest. He kind of disappeared after that, just turning up every so often to throw his weight around, prove he was still in charge. I moved here six months ago to set up a new life, only then he turned up in London. He used my younger sister as a threat. He said if I didn’t fall in line, he’d hurt her.”

“Did he . . . with you?”

“No,” I say. “He didn’t want sex, he just wanted to be in control of my life, I think. He liked that I feared him. It made him feel like a man, I guess.”

“But last night, he wanted to hurt you?”

I nod. “He tried to rape me. He’d found out about us and realised he was losing control.”

“Jesus, Victoria, these are all things you should’ve told me.”

“Why?” I ask, pushing to sit up. “We weren’t a real thing.”

“You put yourself at risk seeing me.”

I smirk, glancing back at him. “It was worth it.”

He grins, grabbing my hand. “From now on, we’re honest with each other.”

“Will your father kill you if you don’t marry Vivian?” I ask, throwing my leg over him and pushing to sit so I’m looking down at him.

His hands slide up my ribs. “He can try.”

“I don’t want to lose you, Dmitry.”

“I don’t plan on going anywhere, krasota.”

Dmitry

We slept for most of the day, and now, as I fasten my cufflinks, I see Victoria closing down on me. “Don’t give me that look,” I tell her.

“It’s hard not to when I know where you’re going,” she admits, pulling her knees to her chest as she stares out the window.

“I’ll be home before you know it, and Marshall is right outside to keep an eye on you.” I pull out my mobile and turn the cameras on.

---