THE DESERT 

By Tessa Harvey


    

    Esther was looking out of her window at the gathering darkness. She knew Zack was on his way. They had only "talked" by text and once, by a Zoom call, but she felt like a princess trapped in a tower by a tyrant, waiting for a handsome prince to come riding by.
    Esther had not told him she was only sixteen. She was hoping he would just want to be friends until she was a little older.
    But her father Karl wanted her to marry one of his rich friends to help his business.
    Karl had easily accessed her phone, knew about Zack and had slowed him down a little via a mutual acquaintance. Nothing too drastic. Just a few missing or damaged car parts.
    Then he could pressure Esther into at least tolerating Angus Manning, even if he was a good couple of decades older.
    He was the girl's father after all. The girl had a duty of care. Maybe she dreamed of a better life, but that's all it was - a dream. A silly girlish dream. His way was much more sensible.

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