Also by Heather Burnside The Riverhill Trilogy Slur A Gangster’s Grip Danger by Association The Manchester Trilogy: Born Bad Blood Ties Vendetta The Working Girls Series: The Mark Ruby Crystal AMBER Heather Burnside AN IMPRINT OF HEAD OF ZEUS www.ariafiction.com First published in the United Kingdom in 2021 by Aria, an imprint of Head of Zeus Ltd Copyright © Heather Burnside, 2021 The moral right of Heather Burnside to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: eBook: 9781838939618 Paperback: 9781800246072 Cover design © Debbie Clement Aria c/o Head of Zeus First Floor East 5–8 Hardwick Street London EC1R 4RG www.ariafiction.com For Kerry and Pascoe Contents Welcome Page Copyright Dedication Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Acknowledgements About the Author Become an Aria Addict Dear Reader, This has been the most difficult one of my novels to write because of the sensitive subject matter of sexual abuse, particularly relating to a minor. When I thought of the idea for the book, I underestimated just how much it would affect me. I am sending this novel out into the world with a great deal of trepidation in case its intentions are misinterpreted. I don’t want readers to think that I am making light of the subject or treating is as merely a means of entertainment. For these reasons I have taken great care to show the pain and suffering caused by sexual abuse rather than portraying these scenes in a tantalising or titillating way. Therefore, this novel is dark and gloomy in parts. Despite my reservations, I have gone ahead with this book because I feel that it is a story that needs to be told. Sexual abuse takes place every day and is often swept under the carpet. I hope that by highlighting this issue through this novel I am playing my part in addressing it and showing the lifelong damaging effects that sexual abuse has on the survivors. This form of abuse should not be regarded merely as a sexual act but as a distressing emotional incident that causes feelings of shame, inadequacy, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, and vulnerability etc. It can also affect the survivor’s ability to form stable relationships in later life. This book is not just a story from an author’s imagination; it is a story that affects countless survivors of sexual abuse in our society today. If you have been affected by childhood sexual abuse or childhood abuse of any type, you can get support from the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC). You can find more information on their website at: https://napac.org.uk/. I apologise in advance if you find the subject matter distressing. Yours sincerely, Heather Burnside 1 September 2015 Amber stared at the grossly obese man in front of her called Bill as he held out the garments for her to wear. She shuddered when she realised what they were. This had been bound to happen sooner or later but the fact that Amber had been expecting it didn’t lessen its dire impact. ‘Well, aren’t you gonna take them then?’ he asked. She stepped forward, cautiously, noticing the whiff of BO that emanated from him. Then she held out her hand while he passed her the clothing. ‘I guessed your size from when we met last time,’ he said, leering at her. Amber knew that the client had probably chosen her because of her petite frame as she was only five foot two and a size eight. They were in a hotel room, but it wasn’t a plush hotel like the ones in Manchester city centre that a lot of her punters used. It was a bit neglected and situated in the inner-city suburbs; probably a three star, if that, she guessed. During the time she’d been on the game, she had learnt that the choice of hotel said a lot about the punter. This particular hotel suggested that Bill either didn’t have money to splash around, he was stingy, or he just wanted a quickie with a street girl who he thought didn’t deserve any better. Punters who opted for swanky city centre hotels generally had money to spare and they enjoyed the luxury and privacy that the more upmarket hotels afforded them. But when a punter chose this type of hotel it always made her more wary than usual. Why opt for a cheap hotel rather than visiting a whorehouse? Was it because there would be no one there to offer protection if things turned nasty? If it hadn’t been for the fact that she’d done business with Bill previously she would have declined but he’d treated her OK last time even though he was repulsive to look at. And, if she’d have known beforehand what type of job it was, she would also have turned him down, aware of the implications. But it was too late now. She was here and she had the outfit in her hand ready to put on. Amber tried to block the doubts from her mind, telling herself that it was just like any other job. Sex with him was straightforward and she wouldn’t be expected to do anything extreme. But as she looked at the clothing she was clutching, Amber couldn’t avoid the tremor of fear and repulsion that ran through her body. She separated the items: an
