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Chapter One

Linda grabbed the chair ar to pull in a breath Under her silk blouse, sweat dae of her vision As her knees threatened to buckle, she tightened her grip on the curved wood Will Not Show Weakness Another breath She pretended to look around, stalling and hoping she’d be able to walk

Whispers skittered around the courtroo her with concern The white-haired grocer’s expression was outraged--for her The tiny houseiped tears fro attorney stepped forward to help, but the jury’s warhtened, stepped down, and her legs held Thank you, God Surely she could walk to the door

She glanced at the defense attorney and his client--the balding, older man in his European-cut suit and diamond-encrusted watch--as on trial for the e student

Holly had been kidnapped Enslaved like Linda

Linda sed hard She’d held the sweet-faced girl as she’d cried for her ht She’d lied When the FBI raided an auction, freeing the slaves, it had been far too late for Holly

The bastard sitting there so sly had whipped her to death

As Linda walked past, his patronizing gaze slid down her body,her shudder and reht Beaten Raped She already felt dirty all the way to her core; his stare added another layer of filth Ignoring the bile burning her throat, she forced herself to give hith, but she’d done what she’d coh, she strode toward the exit

The sandy-haired FBI agent, Vance Buchanan, waited there "Well done," he said in a low voice "Only a few steps farther" He reached out to assist her

She flinched away

As his hand dropped and he opened the door, she cursed herself for shoeakness But she’d been a slave She didn’t want to be touched

After the overcrowded courtroo, and then suddenly too cold Her legs went boneless, and she dropped with a jarring thump onto the wooden bench When she pushed her hands between her knees to hide the tre of her kneesblack spots had returned Lovely

"You did great, Linda" Vance’s voice ashed away by her pounding pulse, and she--

"Goddarated across her nerves, snapping her into the present The bench squeaked a complaint as so her

No! She shoved at his wide shoulders, panic rising like a flood tide

"Don’t rowl of Sa a truckload of safety

Not trapped Sheltered He arainst hiirl Take a break for a second You earned it"

His chest was a brick wall, his arms iron bands, not comfortable in the least Her body didn’t care,months since she’d been freed fro would hurt her

Except hi here, Davies?" Vance asked