I, Survivor: The Alexandria Ridley Vigilante Thriller Series

By Steven Moore

When you said I could never escape, I knew I would.
When you told me all hope was lost, I knew it was not.
When you declared you would kill me soon, I knew I would kill you first.
I am Alexandria Ridley.
I am a survivor.
And I am coming for you!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Condor Publishing
• Release date: Oct 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201290153

Book preview

Prologue

She knew he was going to kill her.

In that moment, she knew it without doubt.

Alexandria Ridley was going to die.

As Ridley slumped against her prison cell wall — actually a stone-hewn cave beneath a remote mountain complex in, of all places, Tibet — she glanced down through swollen eyes at all the cuts and dark bruises covering her toned arms and legs. She imagined the depth of the gashes on her back that she couldn’t see, the result of when he had brutally whipped her with harsh leather straps.

Ridley understood she was no longer of any financial or physical benefit to that man. Which could only mean one thing…

It was all over!

Ridley was pretty. At least, she had been, until Do-Hyun Kim had battered her face to the point of being almost unrecognisable. Ridley supposed she was still in excellent physical shape, considering she was car-crashing her way out of thirties and careening into her forties. She had always been supremely fit and healthy, at least physically. Her mental health? That’s something she was constantly working on, in a never-ending battle with. Like most sufferers, Ridley endured her bad mental health days in private and revelled publicly when the going was good.

If pushed, Ridley might reluctantly concede that to some people she might even remain desirable. She was proud of her physique and worked exhaustively hard to stay in such good shape. That was before Kim had tried to break her. She knew Kim had no further plans for her. Also knew that, once he’d had enough fun, he would kill her.

Or at least he’d try to.

Judging by the look in his dark eyes as he stalked toward her now, an arrogance born of power, a certainty forged by control, she wouldn’t have to wait long. But Alex Ridley was done fighting that bastard. She’d been fighting him off since he’d kidnapped her, succeeding often, at least enough to stave him off for a few hours here and there. Yet, she’d grown weaker by the hour, worn down from the conditions of her recent captivity and from a severe lack of food and water since the snatch.

Ridley didn’t have time to think about that right now. If she was ever going to make it out of this dark, long-forgotten hole some day — if she didn’t make it, it wouldn’t be from a lack of trying — then she would have quite the story to tell. It was a big IF.

Kim approached, walking slowly, deliberate, as if to antagonise her and retain psychological control. To press home the fear. The problem for Kim was, Ridley had never been afraid of anything in her life, except her own demons, of which there were many. She was especially not afraid of vicious bullies like Kim, no matter how physically weak her captivity had made her.

And Do-Hyun Kim knew it.

However, Ridley had other concerns, and had been in constant dread of what he had done — or might do — to the other women being held there. She felt sure they did not have the strength to fight him off as she had managed to do so far.

She glanced up. Fuck! He was bringing the vicious straps again.

Ridley wondered if those thoughts and that image would be the last she’d ever have and see. Death was closing in. His name was Do-Hyun Kim.

She had one final chance to defy it. To defy him.

In her mind, she said…

To you all, to all the women out there, to all the victims…

Please, be strong. Do not let them dominate you. Be fierce…

Be a survivor!

BEFORE THE STORM

Their trip had started out like any other; two people full of enthusiasm and hope and excitement for the days, weeks and perhaps months ahead.

Alexandria Ridley and her friend — and sometimes more than just a friend, Hiram Kane — had travelled to India from the UK. It wasn’t just a holiday. They’d chosen India for several reasons, not least to get away from it all for a while after what had been a traumatic few months.

We needed a holiday anyway, long overdue, Hiram had told her, playing down their heartache. He was absolutely right. In truth, Kane wanted — no, he needed — to return to India to honour the passing of his oldest and best friend, Evan Craft. As Kane always did, he’d asked Alex to tag along for the ride.

Ridley knew Kane had been to India before, many years ago. He had told her often about his affinity both for the outstanding natural beauty of the country and its equally endearing people. Ridley knew the love Kane had for India and its people, and she wanted to see and experience all that for herself. She had accepted the invitation in a heartbeat, because she loved travelling, she loved Kane, and she had always yearned to experience new countries and their cultures. This was just what they both needed.

They started out in the south west of the vast nation, sunning themselves on the vibrant, golden-sand beaches of Goa. They spent long, lazy hours snorkelling in the warm, inviting waters of the Arabian Sea. They ate their fill of the magnificent food, as well as imbibing impressive amounts of cocktails and icy Kingfisher beers. Slowly, day by day, the smiles returned to their eyes and they began to put the nightmares of Peru behind them. Not forgotten, of course. They’d