A Love Once Lost

a Greene

as cold eno

s cries rose with every crack of thunder, and when lightning struck the neare

n't hide th

um. When I'd left home, the weather had been pleasant. Now r

rstand what true hel

without him, I wouldn't know how to function. So that if I ever tried to l

hrough a storm-soaked London

of myself had broken me so thoroughly that

ied on Ethan. He had pulled me from the da

e hands capable of lifting

I could

ssed, I had looked after Mom and my li

t again. Bet

the adrenal

oman alone on the streets this late with a cryi

an, whispering nonsense into his ear. I was l

th. A man dressed in black stepped out, u

into th

.. don't let

awake already? Has he sen

e and Ruslan t

d beneath the umbrella. A tall, striki

her, relief nearly knock

d towards

ien? (Are you okay?)

he blood on my

e without hesitation and examined my injuries. "

I collapsed into her arms, sobbing so hard my chest hurt. I hadn'

calm down. Tell me what happened. Why would you call

me too har

she gently took him from my arm

cry." She softened her voi

ggled and wrapped his lit

managed to b

Let's get into the car and ta

odd

de, the questions

ere's Mano (brother)? Is everything

de me. He had already

d not

own de

be so bad that you'd leave in the middle of the night." Her gaze shifted towards Ruslan. "And you

hed for

e call

d. "You will not call him, Natal

t me as though I

aps

d clear - I was never

said carefull

he wouldn

eople, wouldn't care. Not even if he were furious with y

ords finally escaped me. "W

e fell

with her right now. Wh

ler

r woman before her? After her? If he did, tell

ffing. "Enough with the jokes.

photographs

d them up

through them, and the color

no way. He would

a bitte

he did, Nats. Ca

d. Don't you know how madly

e did!" The words tore from

pread across her face a

r shoulders. "Your brother is a heartles

tographs again. This

end him simply because he's

eyes. She pulled

rry. I can't believe he did this to you. I

oice

all. I hate saying this because he's my brothe

t her until I h

d the cut on my lip with a

he hi

sent me the photographs. She showed me the recording

ice s

d her he loved her, Natalie. Not me. He kept

on't let this go simply because he's

on't tell him anything. Not

tared

you talk

leep now-or probably fucking that home-wrecking bitch.

rose wi

us. Before he kills us too. He won't let me live

ders. "Running away like this won't solve

I broke down agai

ing becam

er. He's rich and powerful-the CEO of Johnson Global Tech. He could buy

ed my

ll make my life and Ruslan's unbe

d her ha

sking. I'll let your brother live happily ever af

d into

when I first started dating him?

for a long moment.

ou want to go. I'll bo

Ethan will track me down. I couldn't

e you planni

dn't

new I ha

idea s

ke identification. The

could ta

influence the Johnsons have. That's why I called you, Nats. Help me a

"But, Ana, this is

re," My voice hardened. "I'm a

d her ha

ats. I'm b

e before fina

in

towards t

And drive fast. We h

ke that, we

ed fake passports for Ruslan and me bef

o trace, so I planned the journey in two s

ands. I refused a card. Card transactions were too easy for E

ispered, tears sh

ed Rusla

lease call me somehow when you reach wherever you're

e last time. Then I turned

ay, I made mys

en if I had to crawl through life

sometimes all that remains