Road to Redemption - Michelle Dalton Page 0,7

our university days. She’s great. You know that. I’d prefer she take over this group so I can concentrate on—other things.”

“Hey.” He grabbed her hand and turned her to face him, “What is going on? You’ve been out of sorts of late. Is it Lullu’s comp … or something else?” A shadow crossed his face.

Mina gently pulled her hand from his. Ben used any excuse to try and get close to her, and while she respected him greatly as a man and a manager, she’d never feel more or want him to believe there was hope for a relationship between them. She’d told him this many times over.

“Yeah. The vaulting tournaments are getting tougher. She’s dealing great with the stress, but me? I poop myself every time she gets on that horse’s back.” Mina half-lied.

“She’s a bright one that girl of yours, I doubt you have little to worry about. Well. I need to get back. You know where to find me if you need a shoulder.” Ben tucked his hands in his pockets, his expression hooded.

Mina smiled and watched him walk back to the inmate camp.

She’d have to control of the situation from afar. Vestra had been itching to take the lead on one of the groups, and now had been as good a time as any. There were many other things demanding Mina’s attention. The demand for abalone had increased and all the farms on the west coast were on high alert after poachers had hit three of them in as many weeks. She’d also not lied about the increase in difficulty of her daughter’s vaulting competitions either. But mainly she did not want to run into Ray.

Mina made her way back to her study.

Swivelling in her chair, she glanced out of the window. She’d get them through this without a fuss. She had to. She couldn’t send Ray away—that much was clear.

Her heart lurched as her thoughts drifted back to a time when she considered herself innocent, naïve and completely in love.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the old oak, dappling her skin in patches of gold. It highlighted his mop of milky-white curls which hugged those bright blue eyes.

“I could stare at you forever.” His words caressed her heart.

“We have to go soon. My mom will wonder where I am,” she replied as she stroked his face.

Ray shifted slightly where he lay snug and warm between her legs. It was late afternoon and they’d managed to escape after rushing through their chores.

Their hidden place was rarely visited by others, all the way down the bottom of the vineyard at Nooitgedagt. A small clump of old oaks and the odd willow hugged the crystal waters of a stream which separated Nooitgedagt from the farm next door.

“Six more months and I’ll be done with school.” He leaned forward and stroked her cheeks and neck with his hungry lips.

“And then what, Ray? What will that change?” She loved him so much it hurt, but she was sixteen and coloured. Unless they left the country, which she could never do, was there a future for them? Sure, apartheid was no more—but that did not mean prejudice had died overnight.

“And then to hell with everyone. I am my father’s heir.”

“So?” she snapped.

“You are mine!”

“And you’re mine.”

She took his hand and slipped it between her legs then reached for him. He reacted instantly to her touch growing hard where he lay naked and beautiful between her legs.

Lifting slightly, he perched his tip against her entrance, “You will always be mine, Mina van der Westhuizen, and no one can change that!”

He slid inside her.

Mina’s stomach flipped, and the spot between her legs grew moist and hot at the memory of a time when her life was bright with promise and filled with love. What an absolute fool she’d been to believe any of it. Some part of her still believed his broken promises, but the rejected single mother inside of her raged against the memories and feelings his presence had reawakened.

3

Derek Le Roux sat down at his kitchen table, a white envelope clasped in his trembling hands. It had no sender details, but he recognised the writing. How could he not?

Inhaling deeply, he grabbed the unused butter knife beside his breakfast plate and slid it inside the corner, slicing open the lip of the envelope. This was the first time he’d heard from his son since his sentencing more than six months ago. And according to his calendar, Ray had completed his first