Rachael stood in the middle of her bedroom, her hands trembling as she pulled clothes from the dresser and tossed them into a large suitcase.The decision to leave had been hard enough, but the looming thought of facing Victor’s wrath made her stomach churn.

She wiped a tear from her cheek, her heart pounding as the thought of what could happen if they stayed any longer flashed through her mind.

With a deep breath, she threw a few more essentials into the suitcase. "Damian will keep us safe," she whispered to herself, as though saying it aloud would make it true.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Jamal stood in...