by T. K. Leigh
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
Books by T.K. Leigh
Dedication
A Note From The Author
Chapter One - The Escape
Chapter Two - Breathe Again
Chapter Three - Second Chance
Chapter Four - Uninvited
Chapter Five - Jekyll And Hyde
Chapter Six - Jolene
Chapter Seven - Touch
Chapter Eight - Spirit
Chapter Nine - Demons
Chapter Ten - Choose Me
Chapter Eleven - Compassion
Chapter Twelve - A Cry For Help
Chapter Thirteen - Not A Date
Chapter Fourteen - A New Life
Chapter Fifteen - Almost
Chapter Sixteen - A Deal
Chapter Seventeen - Darkness
Chapter Eighteen - Sinking
Chapter Nineteen - Baby Steps
Chapter Twenty - No More Light
Chapter Twenty-One - A Hunch
Chapter Twenty-Two - The Return
Chapter Twenty-Three - Trust
Chapter Twenty-Four - Burden to Bear
Chapter Twenty-Five - The Light
Chapter Twenty-Six - A New World
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Hallelujah
Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Shadow At Night
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Begin Again
Chapter Thirty - Home
Chapter Thirty-One - Battle Wounds
Chapter Thirty-Two - Back To Before
Chapter Thirty-Three - Time To Go Home
Chapter Thirty-Four - A Name
Chapter Thirty-Five - False Sense
Chapter Thirty-Six - The Tables Have Turned
Chapter Thirty-Seven - Wheels in Motion
Chapter Thirty-Eight - Guilty No More
Chapter Thirty-Nine - End Game
Chapter Forty - Saying Good-Bye
Chapter Forty-One - Heart Of Light
Playlist
Acknowledgements
Heart Of Marley
About The Author
HEART OF LIGHT
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. If you are reading this book and you have not purchased it or won it in an author/publisher contest, this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the ebook from one of its many distributors.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or, if an actual place, are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Published by Carpe Per Diem, Inc / Tracy Kellam, 25852 McBean Parkway # 806, Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Edited by Kim Young, Kim’s Editing Services
Cover Design: Cat Head Biscuit, Inc., Santa Clarita, CA
Front Cover Image Copyright 2014 Simeon Chatzilidis
Used under license from Shutterstock.com
Copyright © 2014 T.K. Leigh / Tracy Kellam
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 099051966X
ISBN-13: 978-0-9905196-6-9
Books by T.K. Leigh
The Beautiful Mess Series
A Beautiful Mess
A Tragic Wreck
Gorgeous Chaos
Heart of Light
Heart of Marley
(Coming October 2014)
To the most wonderful husband in the world…
My Stan… My own Heart of Light.
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Heart of Light is a romantic suspense novel that touches on some arguably dark subjects. There will be strong language, explicit sexual situations, and graphic violence. While it is a romance novel that borders on being a bit dark, it is not in the dark romance sub-genre that is gaining popularity these days. This isn’t a romanticization of a kidnapped girl falling in love with her captor. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that genre. This just isn’t that.) This is a story about escaping and surviving when the past haunts your every day life.
Human trafficking is a very serious issue both here and abroad. It is one of the largest growing criminal enterprises in the United States today. This is not a third world problem. It happens in our own back yard. These criminals prey on the vulnerable, promising a bright future. Instead, men, women, and children are put to work in labor camps or forced to engage in prostitution. Victims come from all walks of life. The common factor in all of them is some sort of vulnerability exploited by their captor.
That being said, the subject of human trafficking carries its own brutalities with it that I could not, in good conscience, gloss over. As I mentioned before, this book does contain graphic violence. There will be several arguably brutal scenes, as well as a few instances of dubious consent. For those of you unfamiliar with my work, I don’t glorify these events. I refuse to describe sensitive subjects, such as rape, in detail. Sometimes what the camera doesn’t show you is more poignant than what it does, and this is the approach I take when tackling sensitive and violent situations.
I hope you enjoy the journey that I take you on in Heart of Light and, as always, thank you for your support.
CHAPTER ONE
THE ESCAPE
THUMP. THUMP. SHE COULD swear her heartbeat echoed through the vast hotel suite she had been living in longer than she cared to remember. Years of planning led her to this moment. Nothing could go wrong. If it did, she didn’t want to think about what would happen. Her success depended on everyone playing their part…the head of housekeeping, the bus boy, the room service attendant, the girls, even poor Shelby.
She carefully tiptoed across the living room, carrying just the bare necessities she would need to get as far away as possible. Glancing over her shoulder at the couch where he was passed out from the pills the room service attendant had slipped into his food, she knew she didn’t have much longer until he woke up. And she had no intention of being there when he did.
Looking out the peephole into the hallway, she prayed that Shelby was able to entice the two guards normally stationed out there to leave their post. She would never be able to repay her for what she was doing at that very moment…all to help her. A chill ran through her body at the thought, but the girls were right. She didn’t have a choice. She had to get out.
Carefully opening the heavy door, she looked back at him. Her heart raced when she saw him move slightly on the couch before he stilled again. She watched as his stomach rose and fell, the occasional snore sounding through her prison. Taking a deep breath, she glimpsed one last time at the man she used to look up to and admire. Now, every time she saw his gentle and attractive features…the chestnut eyes and strong jaw, the distinguished gray hair and broad shoulders…she saw him for what he really was. A monster that destroyed her very existence.
She crept into the hallway, thankful to be one step closer to her freedom. But she still had to get out of the hotel before anyone discovered that she was missing.
“You’re five minutes late, Jolene, baby,” an older black woman said, rushing up to her and pushing a laundry cart.
“I’m sorry. I tried to get out on time, but it took a bit longer for those pills to work on him,” Jolene whispered as she crawled into the cart. “Probably from all the shit he does regularly.” She took a calming breath as she covered herself with old laundry sheets and bath towels, the musty smell making her gag.
“It’s okay, darling. We’
re almost done here. We’ll get you out safe.” Rosa pushed the cart down the hallway toward the service elevator.
“What’s going on here?” a loud, booming voice called out.
Rosa looked up, trying to hide her nerves. “Just bringing these dirty sheets to the laundry downstairs, sir,” she said, mindful of the gun peeking out of the large man’s jacket. She hated working at that hotel, but she didn’t have a choice. She was those girls only hope of escape.
“Isn’t that supposed to be done in the afternoon? It’s past midnight.”
“I know, sir, but we were short-staffed today.” She shook in fear. No one was allowed on the top floor after nine at night. That was when he held his little poker games, auctioning the girls off to whomever offered the most money. It broke Rosa’s heart knowing that, just beyond the hallway’s walls, the girls were dying a little bit more inside.
“It’s getting done now,” she continued, her voice turning strong once more.
“Fine,” the large man said, a scowl crossing his face. “Get on with it then. Don’t make this a habit. I really don’t want to involve the boss in this shit.” He walked away.
Rosa breathed a sigh of relief and continued to push the laundry cart down the long corridor toward the service elevator. “It’s okay, baby girl. Almost there,” she whispered quietly as the doors opened.
But not quietly enough.
“Who are you talking to?” The large man spun around, running toward the elevator just as the doors closed, banging on the metal exterior in frustration. He had a bad feeling about tonight, particularly after noticing that Mr. Falconi’s bodyguards were not stationed outside of his suite.
Grabbing his phone, he dialed a number. “Joe. It’s me. Get someone down to laundry. Check the cart the maid is pushing.” He hung up and walked in the direction of his boss’ suite. Nervously, he knocked on the door.
“Boss, you in there?”
Nothing.
No response.
“Tony. It’s Ralph. You got Jolene in there with you?”
Still no sound. No rustling. No movement.
“Okay. I’m coming in.” He took a deep breath, hoping he wasn’t interrupting anything between his boss and his girl. Grabbing his universal keycard, he slid it in the slot and slowly opened the door. His eyes grew wide when he observed his boss passed out on the couch in the living room, the room service tray scattered on the floor in front of him.
He drew his gun, scanning the suite for any sign of what could have happened.
“Jolene!” he yelled. “Where are you, princess?!”
He made his way toward the second bedroom, hoping that Falconi had instructed Jolene to take a client in there instead of one of the other rooms. His heart dropped when the door was wide open, the extravagant bedroom distressingly empty.
He ran into the room, checking everywhere for some sort of indication as to what could have happened. In the back of his mind, he knew that Jolene was gone.
Returning to the living area, he grabbed a bottle of scotch off the wet bar and poured himself a drink, hoping that Joe had stopped the bitch maid with the laundry cart. His mind raced, trying to figure out how to tell his boss that his girl was gone. He just hoped it wasn’t too late to find her.
~~~~~~~~~~
“JUST A FEW MORE minutes, Jolene, baby,” Rosa said, looking into the rearview mirror of the old station wagon at the still body covered with ratty blankets. “Patrick is inside getting your bus ticket, so you’ll be free of this place in just a little bit,” she explained, her chin quivering.
She was relieved that she got Jolene out of the hotel without raising any more suspicion. A bus boy that had helped Rosa from time to time was able to hide her in a storage closet leading to the loading dock before any of the boss’ guys came to search the laundry cart. It all worked out just as they had hoped. Only a few people actually knew about what really went on in the hotel late at night, and even those who knew pretended they didn’t. It was too dangerous any other way, but that didn’t discourage Rosa. It was just by chance that she saw Jolene that day over a decade ago.
She wasn’t yet sixteen when she first met her. She was sweet and had just lost her mama. Jolene had told Rosa all about how Mr. Falconi was a friend of her mama’s and was granted custody of her until she turned eighteen. She seemed so excited to be able to live in the glamorous hotel on Michigan Avenue that Falconi used as a front for his less than legitimate businesses, mainly gambling and forced prostitution. Rosa had her doubts from the beginning, the girl’s sparkling blue eyes reminding her of a ghost from years ago. Then poor Jolene turned eighteen and her life changed forever. She was forbidden from ever leaving the hotel again, locked in his suite. And it had been nearly ten years.
She had helped a few other girls escape in the past, but never the boss’ girl. They said it couldn’t be done, but Jolene was sweet and the other girls wanted her to be free. Now, she almost was. Once that bus left the station outside of Chicago with Jolene safely on board, she would finally be free…something she hadn’t experienced in over a decade.
Rosa saw a tall black man walking, determined, toward the car, thankful to see her husband clutching the bus ticket in his hand. He opened the door, his breathing labored from the adrenaline coursing through his body.
“Everything go okay?” she asked.
“I suppose, if your idea of okay is half of your boss’ men stopping everyone inside that place.”
Rosa’s eyes flashed toward the brightly lit building. “How did they figure out we’d be here? We chose this station for a reason, just in case they caught on. I was certain they’d check the one downtown first.”
“I don’t know, but they’re questioning the ticket agents about whether anyone has seen her. They have her photo, for crying out loud! This could be bad.”
“I don’t have any other choice,” a sweet voice rang out from the back of the car. “I can’t go back there,” Jolene sobbed. “Never again. I would rather die than have to…”
“Hush, Jolene, baby,” Rosa said, keeping her eyes straight ahead. “We’ll get you on that bus and out of here.”
Patrick glanced at his wife. “Rosa, it’s only a matter of time until they put the pieces together and realize we were behind all of it.” His voice was full of concern…and fear. “Are you sure this is a smart idea?”
“Yes,” she hissed. “It’s the least I can do.” A tear fell from her eye just thinking about what all those girls were forced to endure. “How would you feel if that was our daughter? Wouldn’t you want someone to help her?”
Patrick hung his head in defeat. “I certainly would.”
“Okay, then. Let’s do this. You got the wig on, baby girl?” Rosa asked.
“Yes. I’m ready,” Jolene responded, thankful that Rosa had thought of everything. She had packed some clothes from the lost and found at the hotel that fit Jolene perfectly. She had also grabbed an auburn-colored wig from her sister’s hair salon that looked more natural on her than the blonde hair she was forced to have to make him happy. That’s what he liked on her. Blonde hair and blue eyes.
“Okay, Jolene, baby, you know I love you. And I’m going to miss our chats, but you need to get far away from this city. I don’t ever want to see you again, you hear?” she choked out through her tears.
Jolene nodded, trying to stay strong. She was so thankful for everything that Rosa had done for her. She never thought she would be free, and here she was, seconds away from never having to bend to another man’s will for the rest of her life.
“Thank you, Rosa.” She climbed out from under the blanket.
Rosa glanced back and the two women shared a look…a look that said everything Jolene wanted to, but didn’t have nearly enough time to utter.
“Go, baby girl. Live your life and don’t ever come back to this awful place.”
Jolene wiped the tears from her cheeks and crawled out of the car.
Patrick accompanied her the short distance to the bu
s, turning to face her just outside of the door. He scanned the area for any suspicious activity, knowing that not only her life was at risk if they were caught.
“Here you go.” He handed her a ticket. “Stay safe. And, as much as you may want to, do not let us know where you end up. There’s an e-mail address on the back of the ticket. If you want to let us know that you made it somewhere and are safe, that’s how you do it. Other than that, do not contact anyone directly. Do you understand?”
Nodding her head, she bit her lower lip, wishing she would be able to talk to one of the only friends that she felt she had, but she knew she couldn’t. Once she arrived somewhere, she had to stay hidden. It was the only way.
She looked down at the ticket, wondering where she was headed. Miami, Florida. At least she was going somewhere with no snow. Flipping the ticket over, she made out the e-mail address.
“Last call for Miami!” a man sounded on the intercom.
“Get going now,” Patrick said. “Remember, don’t take the bus to the end of the line. Get off somewhere before the final destination. It will increase your chances of never being found.” He held out his hand for Jolene to grab on to so he could help her up the stairs.
She stared at it, slowly stepping back, a look of trepidation in her brilliant blue eyes.
Patrick shook his head and watched as she boarded the bus, wondering why every one of the girls he had helped escape cowered in fear of being touched. He could only imagine what they had suffered through to cause that reaction.
Less than a minute later, the doors closed and the bus turned out of the station with Jolene on it, heading south and away from all the horror and misery of the last decade of her life.
~~~~~~~~~~
SENATOR DAVID MURPHY DISCREETLY left Falconi’s luxurious Landmark Hotel on Michigan Avenue, making his way down the dark side alley where his driver was to pick him up. No one could know that he spent tax dollars going to the hotel, not when he had an apartment in the city that the taxpayers already provided him. People would get suspicious as to why he spent so much of his time there. He was a happily married man, after all. A scandal like this would ruin his career, especially when his entire campaign platform was based on re-instilling family values and the sanctity of marriage.
