Between the Lines (26 page)

I blink
up at Scott. “It’s over.”

“It is
over.” He grins.

“Nobody
is going to come after me?”

“We’ll
still keep watch but I’m confident they do want to move on. I’m not saying
they’ve all suddenly turned into upstanding individuals, but we’ve found no
links to prostitution or human trafficking since Krestyanov was arrested.”

I can’t
believe this. I’ve lived in fear for so long and it’s over, just like that. “I
don’t know what to say.”

“I’m sure
it will take time to sink in. But you don’t have to worry about them or a trial
ever again.”  He looks around. “We’ll, I’ve got to head back.” He then smiles
down at me. “It was good knowing you Ellen. Take care.”

He turns,
walking away. I can’t even process what he’s told me. I glance over and the Babin
sisters are grinning at me. Nobody has said they were victims of Krestyanov,
but nobody needs to. It’s something we will probably never discuss, but all
three of us have been set free today.

“Ellen?”
Gabe asks, looking down at me with concern.

I blink
up at him. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“You
don’t have to say anything.”

He’s
right.

“You’re
free, Ellen, or Caroline, or whatever name you want to go by now. The world is
yours, free of fear.” There’s a hint of concern in his eyes. Is he afraid I’m
going to go into another panic attack? That’s is the last thing I’m about to
do.

“The
question is…” He shuffles his feet. “What are your plans now? Everything has
changed. You no longer need to hide.”

Does he
honestly think I’ll run off now? I reach out and grab his hand, well aware that
we should not be showing any physical affection around the students, but this
is too important. “My plans are to stay exactly where I am. You see, I’ve met
this guy I kind of like, a lot, and want to see where it’s going.”

I never
thought I would be free to meet someone, fall in love, and live happily ever
after. But I am. I have. I did. I will.

Also by Jane Charles

 
New Adult / Contemporary

Baxter Academy of Art

Colors of You

Shadows of Memory

Casting Doubt (Fifty
Ways to Kill Your Larry box set)

Between the Lines

Baxter Beginnings
(coming soon)

Historical
Romances

The Wiggons’ School for
Elegant Young Ladies Series

To Walk in the Sun

Ghosts from the Past

The Tenacious Trents

Compromised for
Christmas (novella)

A Misguided Lord

A Perfect Gentleman

A Lass for Christmas
(Novella)

A Reluctant Rake

Lady Revealed

Lady Disguised (Novella)

Lady Concealed

A Tenacious Trent
Wedding (coming soon)

Lady Admired (coming
soon)

Tenacious Trent
Connected Novellas

Landing a Laird

Devil in Her Dreams

Muses

Her Muse, Lord Patrick
(novella)

Her Muse, Her Magic
(novella)

Another Haunted Evening
(anthology – coming soon)

A Gentleman’s Guide to
Once Upon a Time Series

His Impetuous Debutante

His Contrary Bride

His (Not so) Sensible
Miss

His Christmas Match

To Love a Governess
Series

Sacked – Regency Short

Handfasted – Regency
Novella

Ruined – Regency Short

About Jane

Jane
Charles is a USA Today Bestselling author who has lived in the Midwest her
entire life. As a child she would more likely be found outside with a baseball
than a book in her hand. In fact, Jane hated reading until she was sixteen. Out
of boredom on a long road trip she borrowed her older sister
’
s historical
romance and fell in love with reading. She long ago lost count of how many
novels she has read over the years and her love for them never died.  Along
with romance she has a passion for history and the two soon combined when she
penned her first historical romance.  What turned into a hobby became a
passion. In addition to historical romances, she has been pulled to write
contemporary and began penning her new series, Baxter Academy of Arts. She
intends to continue writing both historical and contemporary.

JaneCharlesAuthor.com

Jane
can be contacted at:
[email protected]

Twitter and FB:
JaneACharles