Sleeping Love (Work In Progress)

Hi Everyone,

I decided to write another chapter for my romantic suspense novel, Sleeping Love. If you want to read the first two chapters, check out the archive section and you will find them there.

Hope you enjoy it.

Happy Reading!

Sara


Chapter Three

Sabrina glared at Raoul and moved to stand up from her chair in a temper. She pushed her way past him, ignoring his demand for her to remain seated in case she fell to the floor again. She shook her head and looked up at the painting.

'I don't believe this . . . It's unreal. I don't remember getting married. I don't remember anything about our life together never mind my marriage vows,' she told him angrily.

Raoul frowned and stood up. Afraid of what he might do, Sabrina took two steps back but Raoul headed for the top drawer of his desk. Sabrina glanced back at the door wondering whether she should make a sudden break for freedom. She needed space, time to think. Her mind made up, she straightened and headed from the door deciding to leave and collect her thoughts. There was nothing he could do to keep her here. A doctor couldn't just write her off as insane and have her committed. There were laws. She needed to think, to escape. Her whole world felt as though it was a whirl.

Nothing appeared safe or trustworthy. It made her afraid. Leaving would give her some control back until she could decide what to do. Surely, Raoul would understand that. Frantically, she headed for the door and reached out for the handle with a shaking hand when she stopped dead, hearing the cracking whip of Raoul's reprimand across the air.

'Sabrina. Where are you going?'

Sabrina turned sharply tilting her chin defiantly at him.

'You can't stop me leaving,' she threatened. 'I will call the police.'
He gave a laugh and began walking towards her.

'It will do you no good,' he told her softly. 'They know that you are home and that your memory loss may have made you unstable. They are more than likely to advise hospital care if I can't keep you under control than help you leave.'

He unfolded the piece of paper he held in his hand and offered it to her. 'Your signature on our wedding certificate will prove that this is not some elaborate hoax. You belong to me, Sabrina and I am not letting you walk out of that door again.'

She glanced at the certificate and the signature that he pointed to. It was definitely her writing. Blind panic filled her mind. She didn't know what to do. What if Raoul had been the man who had beaten her so badly she'd lost her memory? What if he really was the man who had put her in the hospital ten years ago? Perhaps she had tried to leave him then and he'd become violent. too many questions. She had to get out.

'Do what the hell you want but I am still leaving and there is nothing you can do,' she shouted wasting, no more time in turning the door handle.

But to her dismay she was not to get very far. Raoul leaned over and raised his hand above her head slamming the door shut hard. Sabrina gave a yelp of fear and turned around to face him, finding her back pressed against the door with no means of escape. Raoul's dark eyes looked down at her threateningly. He closed the distance between them, sweeping his arm around her waist when she made a gesture to duck out from under the cage of his arm. He pushed her back against the door once more and restrained her there.

'I am going to keep you here even if I have to tie you down. I want to know why you walked out on my life. We were in love. I have spent years wondering what happened. I never once thought you were dead. Did you leave me for another man? Your absence has tormented me.' Raoul's tone grew more intense with anger leaving Sabrina trembling. 'The police believed you were murdered and I was their main suspect. They even dragged the lake in the grounds looking for your body. The only thing that stopped them from charging me with your murder was the lack of a body. I want answers and you are going to give them to me, darling wife. So yes you will stay and yes I will make you a prisoner if I have to.'

Sabrina would have retorted but both fear and confusion about her disappearance from the Chateau caused a flurry of broken images to twist inside her mind. She could see herself standing talking to someone. Music played in the background and there were people dancing in masks. It looked as though she was attending a ball. She was unhappy with someone and kept saying, 'I know what you are doing and I won't let you get away with it. You won't stop me.' Her emotions at the time were fearful but she was determined . The image played over and over in her mind.

'Sabrina,' Raoul sternly called her name but his voice sounded vague, distant, beyond the memory taking prominence in her mind. 'Sabrina,' Raoul's voice was more gentle this time but it was the touch of his fingers on her cheek that roused her and brought her attention back into focus.
'Sabrina, what is wrong? You seemed to disappear. You were vacant for a moment I . . .'

'I remembered something . . . I think I did anyway,' her voice sounded drowsy with disbelief and confusion.

Raoul's mouth lifted into a cautious smile as he studied her closely.

'That's good. It's a start. You look pale. You were out of it. Now you must see how I can't allow you to leave. It is unsafe for you to be alone,' he whispered continuing his light caress of her cheek.

'I just want to be alone so I can think. I know you are upset and angry but this is very frightening for me. I woke up beaten in a hospital and . . .' she paused feeling the tears gather in her eyes.

'And raped,' Raoul slowly finished for her. The pain in his eyes tightened. 'I know about your injuries, Sabrina.'

Sabrina turned away angrily rubbing at the tears suddenly running down her face. She didn't like showing weakness to anyone.

'You must be afraid to trust anyone, especially me,' Raoul continued gently. 'But I have to make you. You need help and I want you back. I will do whatever it takes to make you remember. I want to know who did this to you and I want them to pay,' he was restraining the angry frustration in his voice but Sabrina couldn't help pity the man when he found him.

'Please you have to let me go. I want to think about this. . . How do I know you weren't involved?' she blurted out afraid that she might actually be imprisoned with her real attacker. 'How do I know it wasn't you?' She felt the remorse the moment she spoke the words.

Raoul's eyes fired with angry disappointment. He was clearly hurt and somewhere inside she felt as though she had betrayed him by even considering the idea. He caught her chin and lifted it up towards him making her strain. He held her gaze to painful attention.

'Make no mistake,' he told her darkly. 'I did not beat or rape you. I did not try to murder you either. I would never hurt you. I love you and I want you back. If you remembered me you would never think that I was capable of such violence. Don't ever doubt or question me on this again. I won't tolerate it. Do you understand, Sabrina?'

'You just expect me to trust you? I know nothing about . . .'

'Yes, I do,' he interrupted with impatience. 'You have no choice. I am not giving you one.'

He slowly lowered her chin and moved away. He picked up the wedding certificate he had dropped onto a side table and took it back to the drawer.
He gestured towards all of the photographs littering the room.

'Did I look like I wanted to murder you? Can't you see how happy we were?' He sounded frustrated, almost despairing.

'I'm sorry. I can't remember. If there was any way I could, I would,' Sabrina heard herself shout.

Raoul leaned against his desk with folded arms, watching her intently.
'We will find a way,' he said calmly. There was no room for defeat in his tone. 'I have a doctor who specialises in treating amnesia coming to the chateau tomorrow to examine you.'

'What? You can't just take over my life. I have my own doctor . . .'
'I am your husband and I have every right to interfere in your life and take over when you are in ill health. Besides I only deal with the best in the medical profession.'

Sabrina lost her temper.

'You are infuriating. I am leaving in the morning. I am going to my room.'

Sabrina opened the door. Raoul had done nothing to stop her leaving the room, remaining in his relaxed position leaning against his desk.

'Sabrina, if you leave this house tomorrow, I will find you and have you committed to a hospital until your memory returns,' he informed her casually. She turned quickly ready to launch a full on verbal attack but he held up his hand to silence her protest and carried on. 'And believe me it will be useless to fight me on this. I have enough power and influence with the police and the medical profession in Paris to make it happen so fast your head will spin. Don't force me to act. I really don't want you confined in a private psychiatric hospital.'

Sabrina gave a small growl of contempt.

'I won't let you get away with this. I don't lie down and play dead easily.'

'I know. That's why I am coming down hard on you. You have be warned,' he said quietly, narrowing his dark eyes leaving her in doubt he had every intention of carrying out his threat if she pushed him to it. He was that afraid of losing her again. A secret part of her loved him for his passion and desire to breach boundaries to keep her with him but the stronger more sensible, sane part of her detested him for it. He would not win this war. When she remembered, if she could remember it would be on her terms and in her way, not his.

Sabrina turned to walk out of the door frustrated and angry that he had suddenly taken control of her life. This wasn't how she'd fantasised about meeting her long lost loved ones. She hadn't anticipated it being so adversarial.

'Oh and one more thing,' he said standing to his full height to walk towards her. 'You will be sleeping in our room with me tonight. I want my wife back in my bed.'