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Back No Going Back: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part 1
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. Part 2
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. Part 3
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. Part 4
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. Part 5
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. Part 6
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. Acknowledgments
  82. About the Author
  83. Also by Sheena Kamal
  84. About the Publisher

What a pleasant life a playboy billionaire can live. To be politely lied to on the way to your private jet, en route to a sunny destination.

“We’re not going to the US,” says Lam. “Customs will greet us at the plane when we arrive in Lombok. You didn’t have to offer up the purpose of your trip.”

“I knew that.”

He grins. “Sure you did.” I can tell he’s taking a certain pleasure at introducing me to the wonders of private air travel.

I have with me one of Leo’s designer duffel bags, packed with a few changes of the lightest-weight clothing I own. Lam says we’re to stay just a week. I’m not sure how long it will take to look into this mine situation, but a week seems like not enough time.

In the restroom I avoid looking in the mirror, because I generally do, and also because I don’t want reality to hit just yet. It all feels a bit surreal, to be honest. The driver, the check-in, the private plane I’m to board. When I’d gone to Detroit, there were lineups after lineups. I thought it had put me off air travel for life. Now I see firsthand how the other side lives, and I’ve got to admit, I like it a bit too much. I could get used to this. I make a note to buy a lottery ticket as soon as I get back.

My luck can’t stay this bad forever.

The plane is a Global Jet Express with leather and wood paneling on the interior. Waiting for me on board are Bernard Lam and a man in a bad suit who immediately puts me on edge. Lam welcomes me with a smile, acting as though he hadn’t seen me just minutes earlier.

“Who’s he?” I ask. I’ve never seen the man before. He has a crew cut and is as tall as Lam but muscular where Lam is doughy. He has a twitchy energy I don’t like, eyes constantly roving.

“This is Ivan. I know I’m supposed to call him by his surname, but he’s got one of those ungodly Eastern European ones. Too long.” Lam says this with a bit of casual prejudice that’s almost shocking. “Ivan is my close protection officer, or my bodyguard, if you prefer, for when I’m forced by my father to do some foreign travel. He’s here to keep the commoners away.”

Though this is meant as a joke, it isn’t really. There’s nothing funny about the truth.

“I’ve never seen you with a security detail before. Only at functions.”

“I refuse to have them with me in Vancouver in my daily life.”

“Bet your father doesn’t approve of that.”