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Back Brutal Save as PDF
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

Marie took a swig of wine and stared down at the rug for several seconds, as if mulling everything over. Then, releasing a weary breath, she said, ‘OK, I suppose you can stay. But things have got to change, ’cos we can’t go on like it was before.’

‘Absolutely,’ Evan agreed.

‘I mean it,’ she said. ‘No more lies, and no more putting me down.’

‘We both need to make more effort,’ he replied evenly.

‘Yes, well, we’ll talk in the morning and set some ground rules,’ Marie said, shoving the dog off her lap and putting her glass down on the table. ‘I’m going to bed. Are you coming up, or stopping down here?’

Surprised, and grateful, because he hadn’t expected to be allowed back into their bed so quickly, Evan said, ‘I’ll be up in a minute, love.’

15

The sun was shining when Frank came back from feeding Yvonne’s animals the next morning, and the snow had started to melt, revealing patches of green. Certain that Irena would be pleased, because he imagined she must be desperate to get away after the events of the previous night, Frank smiled when she joined him in the kitchen as he was making them both a cup of tea.

‘Looks like you’ll be able to get going soon,’ he said, nodding toward the window, through which the sunlight was streaming. ‘I checked earlier, and the trains and buses are running again, so I’ll take you to the station when you’re ready.’

‘I think this will make you happy,’ Irena murmured. ‘But I will miss be here with you.’

‘We can stay in touch, if that’s what you want?’ Frank said, handing one of the cups to her when she took a seat at the table. ‘But London’s a huge city, and you’ll soon forget about me when you make new friends.’

‘I do not want to make new friend,’ she replied quietly, her gaze fixed on the steam rising from the cup.

‘I thought you were looking forward to moving on?’ Frank said. Frowning when Irena gave a tiny shake of her head and pulled a tissue out of her pocket, he sat beside her. ‘Is this about last night? I know you’ve been treated badly in the past, and I’m really sorry for what Evan did, but I honestly don’t think he meant to hurt you.’

‘This is not about Evan.’ She spat the name out. ‘I do not care about him, I care about you, and I am sad to know that I will not see you again. I am sorry if this make you uncomfortable, and I know you do not feel same, but is how I feel.’

Sighing, Frank reached for her hand.

‘Love, you don’t want me. You’ve been through a terrible experience, and you’re bound to be feeling vulnerable, but—’