A Romantic Train Ride - Part Nine By S D HUDSON

This is SD Hudson Magic.

Welcome to episode 9 in my first ever romantic sleep story.

The last time we saw Rebecca Dregoran,

She was standing in a cloud of coloured powder,

Clinging on to the golden bangle her father had gifted her many years before.

Jake Fairmore,

Meanwhile,

Was wondering how to come to terms with recent events.

But before we begin,

Let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose.

That's it.

Then let it out on a long sigh.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

Feel your shoulders melt away from your ears and feel the pressure drain from your chin.

This is your time and your space.

Feel the support beneath you and sink in.

Down,

Down,

Down.

Until all tension has drifted away into the air around you.

And here we are,

Back again at Scott Lake Town,

In the apartment of Anika Singh.

It is late at night and there is a sudden knock at the door.

The kind of persistent,

Aggressive knock that means business.

Anika looked through the fisheye lens.

Who is it?

She called.

It was a bulky giant of a man with slicked back hair and sharp eyes.

She had never seen him before.

What do I do?

She said to herself.

Who is this man?

She must ask Rebecca.

Rebecca was just next door and she might know him.

And after all,

Two women were certainly better than one.

Rebecca picked up as soon as the phone rang.

It was a bad habit looking at her phone and an even worse one expecting it to be Jake.

In fact,

She hated herself for it.

She had to get off this string she was dangling upon.

She looked at the clock.

Half past nine.

Who was calling at this hour?

Oh,

It was Anika.

What did she want?

Maybe there was something wrong with Ahmed.

Hello,

Anika?

What's up?

There's someone at the door.

A man I've never seen before.

Rebecca went cold.

This didn't sound good.

Wait there.

I'll be right with you.

She grabbed her gown and checked the mirror.

Bedhead he used to call her.

Very apt.

Still,

There was no time to brush her hair now.

She stepped out of her front door as boldly as she could,

Considering she was dressed for bed.

Can I help you?

She said,

Attempting to make her voice as determined as possible.

No,

The man said.

I have business with Anika Singh.

Rebecca made a point of holding her phone in plain sight.

At this time,

I'm afraid I can't.

At this time of night?

She could feel Paul's voice as it resonated through the glass.

Rebecca?

Anika looked at the man from across her safety chain.

What is it?

She said,

My boy's sleeping in here.

You nearly woke him up.

The man stepped towards the door.

It's quite simple.

If you want to sleep easy in your beds,

You'll think twice about testifying next week.

What did you say?

Rebecca's voice came out much higher than usual.

This is intimidation.

She put her phone to her ear.

Paul,

Did you hear that?

Yes,

I'm here,

Rebecca.

What's going on?

That didn't sound good at all.

Someone sent round the heavies and said something about testifying.

Only Anika's done nothing wrong.

Rebecca glared at the lump who was blocking the corridor.

Maybe we should call the police,

She said.

And at that,

The burly man descended the carpeted stairwell and returned promptly to his car.

Rebecca watched from her apartment window.

From afar,

She could vaguely make out the outline of a woman sitting in the passenger seat.

This was the same number plate she'd seen parked at the back of Scott Lake Towers when she worked in the basement.

It was funny the things you noticed after being in a deep sleep.

It was funny the things you noticed after being in a dingy cellar all day long.

This is one step too far,

She yelled in disbelief.

This has Olivia's fake tan painted all over it.

Are you okay,

Anika?

But Anika was far from okay.

Her face was as pale as the corridor walls.

How did they find me?

She said.

But Rebecca had no answer for this.

One second.

It's okay,

Paul.

I think that put him off.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Rebecca followed Anika into her apartment and put the kettle on.

Hot chocolate was what they needed at a time like this.

She thought about it carefully.

Perhaps Jake had said something.

But why would he do that?

Hadn't he been the one to rescue them from their hovel in London?

She waited until Anika had taken a long sip.

What's it all about?

She said.

She said,

It's about the ring of people who brought us to London.

Said Anika.

I'm due in court next week for their prosecution.

Why didn't you tell me?

We were sent all over the place.

To loads of different factories for loads of different companies.

I've only recently found out one of them makes things for a company in Fort Scott Lake.

It's the company you used to work for,

Rebecca.

I didn't want to make things awkward between us.

Ahmed loves you and you're a good friend.

Rebecca felt tears sting the back of her eyes.

Tears of frustration and embarrassment.

I'm so sorry,

Anika.

I knew before and I left as soon as I could.

I didn't know how to tell you.

But I'm going to be there for you in court.

You're not alone in this.

Anika unclenched her fists.

This was a habit she was trying to lose.

And Rebecca's soft voice did help.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Once we overstayed our visas,

We wanted to leave and go home.

But they took our passport so we couldn't.

I guess me and Ahmed are the lucky ones.

We've had ancestors here and we're gifted with a sponsor.

So we made it out okay in the end.

A sponsor?

Yes.

The person who owns this flat.

He lets us live here.

And he's connected me with the hospital.

I used to be a nurse in India.

Until I was forced by my husband's family to give it up.

Who is it?

Do you know?

I'm not sure but I think it's the man at the festival.

The one who saved us.

Anika gestured to the four walls surrounding them.

Me and Ahmed like it here.

We've always felt safe here.

Until now.

Rebecca swallowed her frustration.

Jake must have known what he was getting into when he became director of Scotlake Industries.

And as for Olivia,

She glanced at Anika and could see her expression had dropped.

I don't think I can testify now,

Rebecca.

You have to.

Rebecca pressed.

It'll be on screen,

Won't it?

You won't have to see the gang that got you into this mess.

But I can't put Ahmed through any more than he's been through already.

Listen,

I'll be there for you.

Come hell or high water.

We're not going to let them get away with this and you won't have anyone coming to the flat again.

I'll see to that.

Mark my words.

And laying awake that night,

Rebecca resolved to do what she could to sort this mess out once and for all.

He's helped one family and he thinks that absolves him from everything.

She said to herself,

There must be hundreds of families like Anika's.

And there's no telling how long Scotlake Industries has been funding the use of child labor.

Rebecca was furious and impressed and furious with him at the same time.

What was it about this man?

She hated him.

No,

She hated the choices he made.

That would have to do.

As long as she hated something,

She could remain focused.

Anika was going to need all the support she could get.

It was the next morning and in the boardroom at the top of Scotlake Towers,

Jake Fairmore was having a long-awaited discussion with Olivia Cartwright.

So how about it?

Said Olivia.

It's one father wants you know.

Jake thought carefully about what he would say next.

It was true,

Old man Cartwright had given him everything.

A position,

A life,

A home.

But he hadn't given him respect.

Jake had earned that himself.

His father had shown him genuine affection as well.

The kind of affection a man desperate to find his long lost son gives.

Letting old man Cartwright down now was beyond anything Jake was prepared to do.

But I don't love you,

Olivia.

Olivia moved in closer.

Such words meant nothing to her.

You will in time,

She said.

And anyway,

It'll kill him if he believes I'll be destitute.

He's a sick man,

Remember?

You'd never be destitute,

Olivia.

Stop being so dramatic.

Olivia ran her fine hair through her fingers.

Her beady eyes watched Jake like an eagle watches his prey.

Not a drop of emotion in either of them.

Well,

He promised my mother I'd grow old in Cartwright manner.

We owe him that,

Don't we?

To honour his wishes,

I mean.

Jake sighed.

Within months,

He had become we.

And if Olivia had her way,

Everything that went with that.

He looked at her straight on.

She was beautiful in a detached kind of a way.

Her eyes were perfect almonds,

Her cheekbones high and determined.

But her mouth,

That one thing that should express her womanly virtue.

That one thing that should soften as she spoke and widen at the mere thought of him.

Her mouth was thin and unforgiving.

It was a hard,

Pale line.

Dry,

But for the gloss she applied hourly.

This he could not reconcile.

His gaze passed down her stockinged legs,

Stopping only when it reached her patent shoes.

They reflected the starch seams in her stiff skirt.

Such commitment to unerring perfection.

Why was she like that?

His mind wandered.

It would be so easy just to take her now.

Perhaps that was what he needed.

Anything to alleviate the unyielding biological drive that would quite happily guide all rational thought if he let it.

It wasn't as if Rebecca was single,

Was it?

That ship had sailed.

And if his mind drifted to her in the heat of the moment,

Who would know?

He looked out of the window for divine intervention and caught the reflection of the man he'd become.

He recoiled.

What on earth was the matter with him?

What was he thinking?

What was he becoming?

He pushed his chair back in disgust.

But it was too late.

The boardroom doors were now wide open and standing boldly between them was Rebecca Dregoran.

Dregoran.

Glaring.

At the ridiculousness of it all.

You.

Jake was embarrassed.

Then ashamed.

Then angry at the same time.

His voice rang cold,

Belying the sentiment in his eyes.

But Rebecca wasn't looking in his eyes.

She was too busy taking in the wide walnut desk,

The plush velvet upholstery,

And the fine Persian rugs.

So this was what it was all for,

Was it?

It certainly wasn't Olivia who'd turned his head.

Yet here he was,

Giving in to her,

Like the weak excuse for a man he'd become.

Pathetic.

Rebecca took it all in.

This was her competition.

Inanimate loveliness.

Expensive furniture and a luxurious lifestyle.

Opulence,

Glamour,

And fast cars.

If that was all Jake wanted,

He was welcome to it.

At least now she knew where she stood.

Let him wrap himself up in Olivia's fine cloth.

It would never be as soft as her bare skin.

Or as sweet as her full hips.

Stop it,

For God's sake,

Rebecca,

Stop!

What are you doing here,

Rebecca Dregoran?

Olivia's voice tore at her thoughts,

Leaving fine ladders that would run all the way if she let them.

This was the sorceress of Scott Lake,

And she was doing her best to bewitch Jake Fairmore.

Well,

If he was stupid enough to fall for it,

So be it.

People said money did funny things to you.

It had certainly done that to the honest and trustworthy boy Rebecca had once known.

How can we help?

Jake's tone was flat,

As though he was speaking through someone else's voice.

And he'd said we,

Like it was second nature.

Rebecca took a breath.

As you are well aware,

Jake,

Scott Lake Industries are due in court next week,

She pointed to Olivia.

And she had seemed fit to approach Anika Singh and threaten her into keeping her mouth shut.

Every muscle in Jake's body tensed.

He pushed his chair back further still,

But Olivia moved not an inch.

Do you have proof of this?

Rebecca paused.

Jake really was changed.

I have my word.

Well,

It's your word against Olivia's.

And in a court of law,

That doesn't mean very much.

What was he saying?

He was talking to the woman as if he didn't even know her.

And yet he couldn't stop himself.

It is not appropriate for you to be approaching Scott Lake Industries like this.

So if you would like to make an appointment,

We will see if we cannot fit you in at a time more convenient to us all.

He'd lit the blue touch paper.

Now he'd watch her anger ignite.

Any emotion was better than none.

He just needed something.

But this time it was different.

Rebecca was beholden to her emotions.

It was true.

Just being in the same room as him was tearing at her soul.

But she would be calm this time.

Anything rather than give him what he wanted.

One thing was certain though.

Hell would freeze over before she would flatline with her emotions as he had chosen to do.

That's fine,

Jake.

She said calmly,

Another meeting won't be necessary.

I'm leaving now.

But before I go,

Ahmet sends his love.

He says he'll be happy to play piano for you.

Anytime.

And with that she left.

The back of her skirt as wrinkled as the knots in her stomach.

Make sure and give my regards to Paul Jacobs.

Olivia called as Rebecca descended the staircase.

Then waiting until Rebecca was well and truly gone,

Olivia snapped,

What the hell is she talking about,

Jake?

You never told me you knew that boy.

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