"I'm not so sure, Maggie. I mean, she has been good today, and if she gives us hugs when we get to our new apartment, then maybe we could think about it," Colby teased.

"You two are nasty; and Colby, your breath stinks; and Maggie, your hair has knots in the back," Joey fired back, giggling.

The three continued to chatter and joke until they pulled up in front of their new apartment. Colby had managed to break through the gloom that had filled the car and gave them a reason to be excited.

As they entered their new apartment, Maggie and Joey looked around in surprise. The apartment was completely set up. The two girls stood motionless with their mouths hanging open. After a couple of seconds, they rushed around to look at everything. There was living room furniture and a dining room set. The kitchen had been fully stocked with appliances and all of the other essentials. Even the refrigerator and cabinets were filled with food. As they walked into the bedroom that Maggie and Joey would share, they found a king-sized bed, two large dressers, and night tables on either side of the bed. The entire room had been done in hot pink and white with random splashes of bold colors on the walls.

"Did my mom and dad do all of this?" Maggie finally asked Colby.

He shook his head. "They did buy all of your bedding. Your mom actually picked out the colors to use in your bedroom. They wanted to buy a lot more stuff, but I told them we had it covered."

"We have it covered? Are you kidding? Where am I going to get the money to pay for all of this fancy stuff?" Maggie asked.

"You're not. You're going to concentrate on going to college and getting a part-time job, remember? That's what we agreed. Then, after you're making a billion dollars a year, I get to sit back and sponge off of you," Colby said, toying with her.

Maggie was immature when it came to finances and what things cost. Working for Rock, she wasn't given enough money for anything but essentials. She had no idea how much money Colby had spent to set up the apartment with all of the new and beautiful things. Just as she didn't realize that the one hundred dollars a month in rent she was going to pay Colby would only cover the monthly electric bill. It didn't matter to Colby, though; he would have let them live there rent-free. But Maggie had insisted on pulling her weight. If only she knew that the monthly lease alone was two thousand dollars. With that price tag, however, came one of the best school districts for Joey and a five-minute drive for Maggie to see her parents.

On their first night in the new apartment, and after Joey was sleeping, Maggie and Colby sat on the soft, plush sofa in the airy living room. Colby had brought them each a cold beer, and they were sipping on the fizzy liquid as Maggie rambled on about how much she appreciated everything he'd done for her.

"I'm not an idiot, Colby. Not many men would want to take on an ex-hooker and the kid she found as roommates. You know that Joey and I come with our unique set of problems. But it doesn't seem to bother you. Why is that?" Maggie asked.

"My parents raised me to be open. They taught me how to find the good in people. Just because someone had a horrible life doesn't make them bad. Just because you and Joey were sold for sex as kids doesn't make you unworthy of great things in life. In fact, I think it makes you even more deserving of the things that bring you joy. My mom and dad always wanted me to accept people for who they are, that's all. I'm not saying they want me hanging out with serial killers or child molesters, but they would never pass judgment on someone who has been through the things you've been through," Colby explained.

Maggie nodded as she began to understand that Colby viewed her as a human being worthy of happiness. She smiled and leaned into him. Colby leaned forward, and in the next moment, their lips brushed. Maggie's blue eyes were ablaze, and Colby could feel the blood pumping through his veins. The two had waited a long time for intimacy. They'd both always wanted it from each other, but under the circumstances, they had avoided that type of relationship. But now everything was different. Maggie was no longer obligated to sell her body to survive, and suddenly their newfound freedom turned the heat up on the passion they'd suffocated over the past few years.

Colby leaned in again, but this time he wrapped his thick arms around her small waist and pulled her into him. His light-brown, almost hazel eyes bored into hers as he slowly placed his mouth on top of hers. The passion and fire that sparked between them made it impossible for either to stop or pull away. They lay together on the sofa, kissing and running their hands over each other's bodies. Colby rose from the sofa, pulled Maggie gently to her feet, and guided her into his bedroom.

Inside Colby's room, Maggie unbuttoned his shirt and ran her soft fingers over his wide chest and rock-hard biceps. Their mouths touched every wonderful place on each other's bodies as they undressed each other, one piece of clothing at a time. Then they stood naked in the middle of Colby's bedroom. Colby slowly ran his tongue over Maggie's collarbone and gradually downward. He stopped to take her breasts into his mouth, lingering for just a moment as his tongue danced around her nipples. His plump lips kissed her belly and hips. Moving toward his destination, he slid his tongue down her navel until he was finally between her legs.

The moans Maggie released surprised her. She'd never felt anything so good in her life. Maggie pulled on Colby's hand, and he rose, following her over to the bed. She lay on her back and pulled him to her. She grabbed onto his firm ass as he entered her, and her heart soared with an exhilaration and pulse-pounding elation she'd never known. When they were finished, Maggie lay next to Colby. Their legs and arms were intertwined.

"I love you, Maggie. I don't want to freak you out. We've known each other for a long time, and I want you to know that I love you," Colby admitted.

Maggie smiled, but still didn't look at him. "Thanks."

"Thanks? Really?" Colby said in a hurt voice.

"Yeah, thanks," Maggie said with a giggle.

"Wow," Colby gasped. "You're a harder nut to crack than I'd thought you'd be."

Maggie propped herself up on one elbow. "Well, I never indicated that loving me was going to be easy," she said and put on a pouty face.

"No, you didn't. But thanks? That's all I get?" Colby said with a smile.

"Oh, all right. I love you, too. There. Now are you happy?" Maggie joked.

Colby started tickling her under the arms. "Oh yeah, I'm real happy. I've been following you around like a lapdog for a couple of years and after I finally make love to you, you toss me aside like a dirty rag."

Maggie laughed and rolled on top of Colby's naked body. "You're a very tasty dirty rag. So given this information, I may not toss you aside just yet," Maggie said, and gently sucked his earlobe.

"Enough talking," Colby said, as he embraced Maggie and began to respond to her sexual advances.

They made love a second time that night. Afterward, they lay in each other's arms, and for the first time since Maggie could remember, she slept in peace.

Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three.

The next morning, Joey sauntered into Colby's bedroom, still rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Why are you sleeping in here?" Joey mumbled incoherently.

Maggie lifted her head slightly off the pillow. "Well, I figured you wanted your own room."

As Colby stirred next her, Maggie put her finger over her lips to tell Joey to be quiet. She slipped from under the covers, grabbed Colby's large T-shirt, and put it over her head. Then she led Joey out into the kitchen.

"Colby and I like each other, Joey. So, we slept together last night," Maggie explained.

Joey scrunched up her nose. "Why would ya wanna do that? I hated doin' those things they made me do when I lived in that place where you found me."

"Well, that's a good question. When you do those things, have sex, with someone you really, really like, it's a lot different. It makes you feel good instead of bad," Maggie tried to explain.

"So Colby didn't hurt you last night?" Joey asked. The young girl knew sex to be ugly, painful, and dirty.

"No, he didn't hurt me. He would never hurt either of us. So, the thing is, I'm probably going to share Colby's room with him. That will leave you a room all to yourself," Maggie said.

"OK, that's fine. As long as you're happy, I'm happy," Joey said sincerely.

Maggie's life shifted significantly once she moved in with Colby. Although she was happier than she'd ever been, she had a nagging fear that something would go wrong and take away everything she now had. Over the first six months of living together, they had fallen deeply in love. It was almost hard for Maggie to imagine life without him. He was warm and loving to her and Joey. Maggie couldn't believe how much her life had changed.

Since leaving Kensington, Maggie made regular visits to see the young prostitutes who had been left to fend for themselves. Some of the girls were still on the streets, selling their bodies without pimps, while others had found shelters and other forms of government help to get them back on their feet. A few of the girls had been reunited with their families and no longer lived in the rectum of the city. More often than not, the Clarkes traveled into Kensington with Maggie. It was important to the Clarkes to understand the life Maggie had lived during the long years she was away from them, but even more important was their urge to keep Maggie safe from further harm. The work Lorraine and Rob had done with other missing children and their families during Maggie's agonizing absence had helped prepare them for the harsh world their daughter had inhabited.

It wasn't until late fall the following year that, while visiting Shiver at Double Visions, Maggie had the urge to contact Tony and Vincent. She had kept their phone number in a safe place, and since she had no way of contacting Emma, she decided to reach out to them and find out what had become of her friend.

"Yeah?" Tony huffed into the phone when he answered.

"Tony? This is Maggie." There was a long pause. "Maggie from Double Visions. Emma's friend."

"Ohhhh yeah, little Maggie. How the hell ya been? Vincent and me were just talkin' 'bout ya da other day. We's been wondering what happened to ya. We heard all about that big bust in that shit hole where ya live," Tony said.

"I'm doing really well now, Tony. I moved in with my boyfriend. We live in Whitemarsh, and things are going great," Maggie explained.

"That's real good. Have ya seen your parents?" Tony wondered aloud.

"Yep. I live five minutes from them, so I get to see them all the time," Maggie said.

"Well, me and Vincent are real happy for ya. How's everythin' else?" Tony asked, wondering what the real reason was for Maggie's call.

"Everything is fine. I just thought maybe you'd like to meet me and Joey for lunch someday. I was actually wondering how Emma was doing. I don't know how to reach her," Maggie said.

"Well, Emma's been away for a while. Not sure when she's comin' back to town. Who's this Joey guy ya want us to have lunch wit'?" Tony asked.

Maggie giggled. "Joey is a girl. She was Seth's best friend. Her mom sold her when she was little to some asshole, so now she lives with Colby and me."

"Her own mudder sold her when she was little? She's a fuckin' sorry excuse for a woman," Tony commented in an angry voice. "Listen, why don't you and Joey meet us at the Melrose tomorra afternoon? How's that sound? It'll be good to see ya."

It wasn't normal for Tony and Vincent to meet people outside of the mob for lunch or any other meal. But for Maggie, they'd make an exception. She was a good kid, and when she lost her boy, the two men had felt badly that they couldn't do anything to help her. A good meal at the Melrose seemed the perfect opportunity to do something nice for her. Besides, Tony was curious about the big bust that took place in Kensington. It was always good to know how things went down on other criminals...there was always something to learn about the police.

The next afternoon, Maggie and Joey got off the bus and walked a few short blocks to the Melrose Diner. The restaurant was bustling with loud chatter and high-pitched laughter. Maggie led Joey to the back of the diner, where she'd spotted Tony and Vincent. Before she reached their table, a man working at the diner approached. "Nah, you can't go back there," he said, trying to keep everyone away from Tony and Vincent.

"Jimmy," Vincent yelled. "She's OK. She came to see us."

Jimmy nodded and stepped aside to let Maggie and Joey pass.

The two large men stood, and each took a turn giving Maggie a hug.

"Sit down, sit down," Vincent said with enthusiasm, gesturing to the two seats across from them.

"This is Joey," Maggie said once they were seated. "Joey, this is Tony and Vincent."

Joey immediately felt intimidated by the two men. For starters, they were tall and wide. But what really made her nervous were the holstered guns she noticed on each of them when they hugged Maggie.

"Hi, Joey," Tony said, "it's nice to meet ya."

Joey nodded but remained silent, watching both of them carefully.

Tony, Vincent, and Maggie chatted about Double Visions, and then she filled them in on her life after Kensington. They had just finished eating when Maggie rose from the table.

"I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back," Maggie announced.

She stood and turned to walk toward the bathroom when suddenly she stopped and sat down again.

Tony took a long gulp of his coffee. "What? Ya changed your mind?" he teased.

But Vincent didn't play into it; he was too busy watching Maggie. The color had drained from her face, and her hands were shaking. Maggie's eyes bulged, and for several seconds, Vincent could tell she was holding her breath. Tony was still digging into his apple pie when Vincent nudged him under the table. He looked up at Maggie and put his fork on the pie plate.

"What's wrong, Maggie?" Vincent asked in a dark voice.

Tears filled Maggie's eyes, and she shook her head ever so slightly.

Joey immediately grabbed onto Maggie's forearm, sensing her fear.

"Maggie?" Tony said. "Tell us what's wrong."

Maggie cleared her throat, and in a shaky voice, she whispered, "The man in the orange shirt, sitting behind us."

Tony strained his neck until his eyes landed upon a large, lanky-looking white man. His greasy hair hung around his baggy, puffy eyes. He was hunched over his meal with his arms on the table, guarding his plate like hungry dog.

"Yeah, I see him. He looks like a fuckin' pig," Tony commented. "What about him?"

Maggie closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. "Joey and I have to go. We have to get out of here."

Tony and Vincent were confused. "Did that loser mess wit' cha on the bus ride here or somethin'?" Vincent guessed.

"No," Maggie said quietly, "that's the man who kidnapped me. That's John William."

Chapter One Hundred Forty-Four.

Tony was the first to react. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a pair of sunglasses, and handed them to Maggie.

"Put these on and get outta here," Tony instructed.

Maggie's body felt like it was made of stone, but she willed her legs to lift her body from the chair. Joey was standing next to her and grabbed Maggie under the arm to hoist her up. One step at a time, Maggie headed toward the door with Joey beside her. As they approached the table where John William was sitting, Maggie paused and stared at him. Feeling an unwanted presence, John William looked up from his bowl of clam chowder and sneered at them. His eyes washed over Maggie and then Joey with perverted lust. Maggie remembered the look well, and her fear began to subside as rage pushed away any feelings of nervousness. Maggie looked over her shoulder. Tony pushed his chin toward the door to indicate that she had to keep moving.

As the two girls passed, John William gawked at Joey, and they heard him say, "Mmmmmm." He was too stupid to look at their faces. Had he looked up, John William might have recognized Maggie. Even after all those years, Maggie looked like an older version of herself from childhood.

Once outside the diner, the fall air hit Maggie in the face, and she drew in a deep breath. She and Joey walked quickly toward the bus stop. Maggie looked back several times to see if Tony and Vincent had emerged from the diner, but they remained inside, and so did John William. She didn't know what they had planned, but Maggie knew that whatever it was, the two men did not want Joey and her hanging around the diner to find out. As reality set in, Maggie's anger grew until she could literally chew on the hate she felt for John William.

Maggie held onto Joey tightly as they sat in the very first seat on the bus, heading back to Whitemarsh. Maggie's insides were churning just as they had when she was a little girl. She was thinking about her life inside the prison with Cali, Max, and the others. Her thoughts landed on Seth, the child whom John William had murdered.

"Maggie, that man looked really mean. He's the one who stole you," Joey stated.

Maggie nodded. "Yes, he's the one who took me and Seth."

"Do you hate him?" Joey asked.

"Yes, I hate him. I hate him a lot," Maggie confirmed.

"Well, I hope he dies," Joey said.

"So do I," Maggie agreed. "I hope he dies a prolonged, painful death."