Break All Ties

Chapter One

Restaurants weren't really my thing. I'd always been more of a fast food kind of girl. If it added to the threat of diabetes, then I'd eat it. Then and again, that was probably thanks to my background. Farmgirls with holes in their shirts and cowpat on their shoes didn't typically suit the upmarket kind of places.

Sometimes, it was hard to remember that I wasn't a farmgirl anymore. That I didn't wake up when the cock crowed. That collecting the eggs and feeding the chickens wasn't a part of my daily routine.

I wasn't Charlie Stokes. These days, I was someone else.

According to my fake legal documentation, I was Charlie Ruth.

"Fancy trying the escargots, babe?" Reece said, an easy going smile on his face.

Reece was always easy going. He'd never had a reason to stress. My boyfriend of half a year now had always had his life laid out for him. His parents were business owners. The revenue from their gym was more than enough to pave him an easy way in life. After that, he'd never had any bother.

Even as a kid, I'd had to deal with big businessmen from the city trying to buy our land to build a factory. Sometime after that, I'd been kidnapped and hidden from the real world for a year.

I'd known my fair share of trials.

Still, it was nice dating Reece. It was nice pretending to be care-free.

"I think I'll just have a burger."

Flipping through the menu, I scrunched my nose up at the names I didn't understand. I nearly fainted when I saw the prices.

"Oh come on. Splash out a little. A six months anniversary is a big deal. We're a big deal, babe. You have to celebrate this the proper way. Think about it. You have a burger every time."

"At least if I have a burger, I know that I'll definitely like it."

He slouched back in his chair and smiled. "I can't take you anywhere."

"You could take me to cafes. Or better yet- think about how much money we could be saving if we'd just gone to McDonalds instead."

"You're the only nurse in training I know that doesn't take care of herself properly."

I wagged my finger at him. "I'm the only nurse in training you know. Trust me, there's worse than me for this kind of stuff."

"Really?"

"Yep. Jordan smokes and she knows exactly what that shit does to her body. When I say I could be worse..."

"I bet you were a little shit to cook for growing up."

As far as Reece was aware, my family had all passed away years ago. In actuality, they lived at the other end of the country, oblivious to the fact I was still alive. It was better this way. That way, I wouldn't put them in danger.

My brother had a family of his own now. My parents were happy.

I wouldn't trouble them with my bullshit. Not after they'd moved on. The Italian police had told them I was dead. It was a tricksy affair, but they'd done it because I asked them to.

I was safe—but there was always caution.

There were bad people that wanted me. If I were with them, my family would be the easiest way to hurt me.

If a certain truth came out, there were people that would stop at nothing to kill me.

"Well I'm going to have whatever the caprese is."

In truth, there was another reason I didn't like fancy restaurants. They reminded me of things I was better off leaving behind. In fact, I could remember my first time in a fancy restaurant.