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Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. BRUTAL
  3. Dedication page
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. Prologue
  6. PART ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. PART TWO
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. PART THREE
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. Epilogue
  55. BRUTAL
  56. By Mandasue Heller

Irena nodded, and sniffed. Then, shyly, she whispered, ‘I need tell you something else before I go. I lied when I say I had no feeling for you. Before Karel came, I was start to feel happy. You are such a good man, and I know I could have had wonderful life with you. I will never know this feeling again, but this will be my punishment, so I accept.’

Frank raised her chin and gazed sadly down into her eyes.

‘Don’t say that, love. Too much has happened for us to ever work, but you deserve every bit of happiness that I’m sure you’re going to find once you get home.’

A car turned onto the drive before Irena could answer, and she straightened up and pulled herself out of the embrace.

‘Thank you, Frankie,’ she said. ‘I will never forget you.’

‘Nor me you,’ he replied.

Jo arrived just as the taxi that had come to collect Irena pulled away. Catching sight of the woman through the window as she waved goodbye to Frank, she raised an eyebrow as she turned onto the drive.

‘Was that who I think it was?’ she asked, joining Frank in the porch.

‘Irena? Yes, it was. She came to say goodbye.’

‘She’s stunning.’

‘Yep, she is.’ Frank nodded. Then, slipping his arm around her waist, he pointed up at the sky. ‘But see her up there . . .’

‘The moon?’ Jo frowned.

‘Your mother,’ said Frank. ‘The one who’s been watching over me this whole time. She’s the only woman I’ve ever truly loved – or ever will.’

‘Don’t say that,’ Jo murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. ‘You’re still young enough to start ag—’

Frank placed a finger on her lips.

‘It’s not going to happen, so forget it. I made your mother a promise just before you got here: that no one’s ever going to come between me and you again. And I meant it.’

Nodding, Jo hugged him, and they stood together in silence for a while, both lost in their thoughts. Then, sighing, Jo said, ‘It looks like it’s going to be another cold one.’

‘It does, that,’ Frank agreed, pushing the door open.

‘You go and sit by the fire,’ Jo said, kissing him on the cheek. ‘I’ll put the kettle on.’

BRUTAL

From the back streets of Manchester to the nightclubs and penthouses of the beautiful people, Mandasue Heller, author of the top ten bestseller Run, knows the world she writes. Born in Warrington, she moved to Manchester in the 1980s, where she found the inspiration for her novels. She spent ten years living in the infamous Hulme Crescents and was a professional singer for many years before turning her hand to writing.

She has three children, three grandchildren, and still writes and records songs with her musician partner, Wingrove, between books.

By Mandasue Heller

By Mandasue Heller

The Front

Forget Me Not

Tainted Lives