This Side of Love by Paula Christian

Val MacGregor had always been so strong, proud, self-sufficient and contained.

Her adopted family, 'Mom' and Della, stood by in miserable disarray, wondering how a bitch-kitten like Toni could hold her in thrall this way, demean her and tear her apart only to kiss her together again.

Val wondered herself.

'How much more would she have to not see before she could break away from Toni... her lies and her deceits. The way she would seduce Val, dance for her, tease her and then when Val would finally let down her defenses, pull away with a tired yawn. It was a cat-and-mouse game, one which was slowly driving Val out of control. She knew it, but she didn't know what to do about it.

'Could love really destroy this much; could it eat away at you over and over? Was it possible to love someone you didn't like... someone you hated? How sick do I have to be, Val wondered, how sick to put up with this?'