Prologue

Glancing at the nearby clock Gia sighed knowing the time had come. She hated when the night rolled around because it was always the same. One day soon she will be able to walk away from all of this and never again have to look back. One day soon she will be able to hold her head high and not be ashamed of looking at her image in the mirror. Wiping at the tears that slowly made their way down her face Gia gathered her bag before leaving her small apartment. Ignoring the shouts and catcalls flung her way Gia made it into her job going quickly to the locker that housed her belongings. Collapsing on the nearby bench Gia lowered her head in her hands shielding the tears that slowly fell. She was so tired of facing these people night after night but she had no choice. As the others quickly came in to change and prepare for the night ahead Gia stood slowly undressing and redressing before making her way to the huge mirror checking her reflection. Life hadn’t been kind to her but Gia was determined to make the best of what was given to her. Lovingly caressing the heart shaped locket that adorned her neck Gia tried her best to conjure up images of how her life should be before tightening the straps of her top before slowly making her way towards the stage.

Looking over the papers that cluttered his desk Nikolas sighed praying for a distraction that would never come. He had been staring at these papers for the last few hours and they still made no sense to him. Shaking his head as he stood going slowly to the nearby window Nikolas knew that that was a lie for he understood each and every word. The truth being that he just did not care enough to even begin to think about them. Since turning twenty-one this was now his life and sadly there was nothing he could do to escape it. Just once he craved to live life as his brother did; no cares no worries, just the simple pursuit of happiness found in his lover’s arms. Pushing the wasted and romanticized thoughts from his head Nikolas turned his attention back to the task at hand. The hospital was having a dinner in his honor and he was to prepare a speech thanking all that attended. But even before he could begin to write such a speech he had to sign off on the many documents and projects that littered his desk. Slowly making his way back to his desk Nikolas sighed as he shifted through the multitude of papers Nikolas settled again in his chair before beginning to read the document once again.