Page 24 of Savage Seduction

And then I hurried in the direction of The Bordello Club. My handbag was still in my locker, with my wallet and my travel pass.

A twenty-minute walk later, I arrived. There was always a doorman outside at any time of day. Recognising me, he let me in. I made my way straight to the locker room and grabbed my things.

I was startled when I saw police tape stuck on the outside of Dolly’s locker. It made me rush out, feeling guilty and like some criminal, where I might have otherwise lingered to say goodbye to this place that had given me some semblance of a life these past years.

And I knew it was a goodbye. I knew Nina would never let me back.

I was in no mood to find her and explain myself. She frightened me a little anyway, and there would be time for explanations later.

I was relieved when I got back out into the brisk, fresh air of the street. The morning was warm for this time of year, the skies blue. It made my heart ache, where at any other time I would have wanted to breathe in the gorgeous late Autumn day and enjoy it.

As I walked towards the tube station, I texted Toby to tell him I wanted to meet today. As soon as possible.

Then I got on the London Underground to go home, and arrived half an hour later in busy Whitechapel, a far less affluent area of town, which felt a lifetime away from the privileges and possibilities of Mayfair.

But I felt safe here. On my own turf finally. I let out a breath I had not even known I was holding. Ten minutes later, I was unlocking the door to the small apartment I shared with Mom, calling, “I’m home!”

I knew immediately by the odd stillness inside that something was wrong.

“Bernie?” I called, as I dumped my bag beside the coat rack, and yanked off my shoes. Mom hated me walking around inside with them on.

“Mom?” I walked into her bedroom, which had formerly been the lounge, and was nearest the front door.

Her bed was empty.

My heart stopped when I saw it, panic rising in me.

Had she gotten sick again? Had Bernie taken her back to the hospital? Or worse. Had something worse happened?

No, no, no.

But Bernie surely would have called me if that had happened, and there had been no messages on my phone.

I rushed back towards the hallway to get my handbag to check again and screamed as I walked right into a man standing there.

I glimpsed the balaclava over his face and the bulk of him. He grabbed me and shoved me against the wall.

“Little bitch,” he spat in my ear. “You tell us who killed that whore right now. Did he do it? Did you help him do it?”

His rough hand wrapped around my throat, pressing hard. I tried to kick him, but he was too close and my leg only hit his shin. He backhanded me across the face so hard that my vision went black for a moment.

Pure panic rose inside me. I couldn’t breathe. A whimper of terror caught in my throat. “Please,” I tried to whisper, but even that wouldn’t come out.

He wrenched my hair to get my attention, tore it from my scalp. “Tell me what the fuck happened last night!”

I pried his hand, trying to unwrap it from my throat. My chest was heaving, but I had no air.

“Ease up. She can’t breathe,” said a second voice. A second man stood behind the one strangling me.

The hand eased on my throat, and air flooded into my lungs. “You go get the car,” he said to the second guy. “I’ll handle the girl.”

And then he dragged me by my hair into Mom’s bedroom. To my horror, he threw me down onto the bed. Climbed on top. Pinned me with his weight.

“No!” I screamed, a sound of pure desperation.

His hand closed over my mouth. I bit him.

“Stupid bitch,” he spat, slapping me. “It’s not like you haven’t given plenty away for money. This time you can give it away for free.” He laughed.

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