PROLOGUE
MARNIE
With my daughter cuddled tight against my body, I walk away from the house we’ve been staying in for the last couple of months. This is where we waited for my old life to finally end and my new one to begin. I have a new identity, and so does Oly.
I tried everything to get away before, but finding Sparrow House and making it there was the key. They helped me in ways I can never repay. You can’t just move away from the person you’re hiding from and hope it’s enough. At least not for me. He has enough money. He would always find me. Because of the life I had before, I needed to completely disappear. The Adairs and Sparrow House made that possible.
Holden leads me through the darkness to the car and helps load my bags into the trunk. He’s done so much for me. He helped me convert the jewelry I brought with me into cash. He made sure the sale of the marked gems could never be traced back to my new identity. He set up new accounts and taught me how to hide the money so no one could ever find it. He even helped me hire a hacker who will keep my new identity hidden and alert me if my old life ever finds me.
With what I stole when I ran this time, I have everything I need to start over. I can live comfortably as long as I stay within my means. I can give up Louis Vuitton and designer clothes for my daughter. I don’t need a car service or a maid. I know how to take care of myself.
Since I was a little girl and first saw images of Alaska, I’ve wanted to go there. After everything changed while I was working in Paris, I thought I’d never get the chance. Watching Jean-Louis be murdered, I was afraid I’d never get away. But with the Adairs and Sparrow House, I’ve been able to make that dream a reality. I’m heading to Alaska now, and I’ve already started the process of finally making my dreams come true.
My hands fidget in my lap as I glance into the back seat, where Olympia is buckled into her car seat, then look out the rear window to make sure we aren’t being followed. I know he will never let me go, but I have to keep us hidden until I can get Oly somewhere she’s safe or old enough to never be near him.
“Don’t worry, Marnie. You’re safe. I made sure of it this time.”
I look over at Holden in the driver’s seat. He’s classically handsome, but there’s a darkness to him. It’s funny that his darkness doesn’t scare me like the darkness in the man—and men—I ran from.
“Remember, you are only as safe as you make yourself.” He knows more about the man I’m running from than I ever did until now.
Holden showed me everything I needed to know, and now I understand the full scope of the danger we’re in. Keeping Oly and myself safe matters more than ever. Our lives depend on it. I know I’ve been sold, and so has my precious little girl. But I will never let him get his hands on us again if I can help it.
“I know. It’s more serious this time. I have to do this for her.” I tip my head toward the back seat and see Oly’s head lulled to the side, fast asleep.
“Remember that,” he says. “She’s the priority this time. Her safety.”
“I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you.”
“Not necessary. Just stay safe.”
“I will.”
We pull up to the airport, and I step out of the car. Holden follows and helps with the luggage while I lift Oly from her car seat and grab it. I want to hug him, but I don’t. I doubt his wife would like that, and he’s not the type to hug anyone but his family.
CHAPTER
ONE
MARNIE
TWO MONTHS LATER
Looking around the shop I’ve created, I’m excited to finally open my doors. While I was at Sparrow House, I rented the storefront at the end of a small strip mall so I could have a drive-up window. Opening my own French bakery was a dream they couldn’t take away from me.
I spent over three years at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, mastering breads and pastries. The years I worked in bakeries afterward refined my skills even further and taught me more than many students ever learn.
Looking out the windows of my shop at the mountains in the distance calms me. Pioneer Peak stands proud over the Matanuska Valley like a sentinel. The snow melting off it under the summer sun adds a fullness to my heart. I was lucky to get this lease and had a crew here converting the space to my needs. Working with this view and doing what I love is going to be a blessing.
“Momma.” Oly runs from the kitchen, giggling, with powdered sugar on her nose. The sound cracks my heart, and I dab at the tears blooming at the inner corners of my eyes.
She’s in a dress that matches mine, gray with red polka dots and a thin red ribbon tied around her waist. Her long hair is pulled back into a ponytail, a red flower tucked at the base. Against her beautiful mahogany hair, it stands out in a subtle way.
My dress is the same color but in a retro style with a straight skirt that falls to my knees. A red ribbon holds the halter neckline, with another tied around my waist, just like Olympia’s. My red high heels aren’t practical, but for opening day, they’ll set me apart from other bakers in town. My deep brown hair is set in pin curls at the front and gathered into a bun at the back of my head.
I love that I can be myself again and dress in my own style. They hated it before, but now they can’t stop me. The tattoos I’ve been adding for years are visible and on display down my arms and fingers. My makeup is on point, with a bright red lip and winged eyeliner with only a few false lashes to accentuate my already thick ones. I’m one of those women people love to hate because of my lashes. I’ve never needed a full set of falsies. It’s a style I started perfecting years ago but I was always told I looked like a whore, and he wouldn’t allow it. No one associated with him was allowed to look this trashy. He tried to get me to laser off my tattoos because they covered the marks he left on me every day.
I look over as Harlowe skips out from the back, chasing my daughter. I hired her on Monday after she messaged me several times. She’s not professionally trained, but she’s knowledgeable and wants to learn. Plus, I like her. She’s younger than me, and her hunger for life is infectious. There’s something pure and sweet deep inside her.
