Page 24 of His to Possess
Philip’s soft voice makes me jump, ripping my thoughts away from those first days on my own. “I wish you would talk to me, love,” he murmurs. “I just want to help you.”
I turn on the plush bench seat in the back of his chauffeured car to study him. “Why?”
His brows crease. “Why what?”
“Why do you want to help me? Because you knew my father?” I snort. “I guarantee he won’t consider this any kind of favor.”
Something tightens around Philip’s mouth, his eyes flashing with what I’m pretty sure is anger. “I don’t give a shit about your father. The fact that he’s not helping you right now tells me everything I need to know about that man.”
I close my eyes, that old hurt barreling back into my chest with a vengeance. On the night we left his house, I was sure that nothing would ever hurt so much in my life. But I’d been naive. It was shocking how quickly things turned worse—much worse. And all that came after weighed so heavily that I’ve barely let myself even think of my father in months.
Philip’s hand covers my own, squeezing gently. “Talkto me.” When I don’t answer, his fingers tighten around mine. “I could help you. I’m a powerful man, you know.”
“Money isn’t everything, Philip.”
“I assure you, my money can go very far,” he says, sounding almost amused. “I’m not just rich, Lilah. I’mdisgustinglyrich. I manage the fourth largest hedge fund in the country. You noticed how I was able to spend a million dollars to help you last night, yes? That was nothing to me, love. A drop in the bucket.”
“But I still don’t understand why you were so eager to do that,” I tell him, turning a little to face him more fully. “Whatever you say, a million dollars isn’tnothing. You wouldn’t have spent that to rescue the other girls there.”
He studies my face. “You’re not the other girls.”
“Because you remember me when I was a kid? Because of your sister?”
He nods, looking thoughtful. “Yes, partly. We have a family connection, because of what you mean to Veronica. And because my father always spoke highly of you and your parents. And because I remember you when you were a kid.” His lips tilt up at the corners. “I can see you so clearly, with those gangly legs and that hair always finding its way out of your braid.” He reaches over to touch one of the curling tendrils that has indeed escaped my braid. “Some things never change,” he murmurs.
“Much to my mother’s dismay,” I agree. It’s a struggle to keep myself from melting into him. There’s something absolutely deadly about Philip when he uses that soft voice. It’s far more gentle than his usual clipped tones but there’s a thread of something much darker swimming underneath. Something that tells me his gentleness is just a cover for what he’s really thinking.
Even more frightening is how much I think I might like getting a real glimpse at that dark side.
I shiver, but push his hand away. I need to remember what happened in the kitchen this morning. How his rejection felt like a punch to the gut. “You don’t owe me anything, Philip. Not because you have these memories of me or because of your sister.”
“Stop,” he says, voice no longer so soft. He sounds angry, and when his fingers come up to curl around my chin, forcing me to look at him, his grip is far from gentle. “I said it waspartlybecause of that. But it’s not the only reason.”
“Then why?”
His ice blue eyes seem to drill right down to my very soul. “Because you were the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, standing up there. And the thought of letting any of those bastards in the room touch you made me feel insane.”
All the air goes out of me in a whoosh. “You thought I was beautiful?”
He scoffs. “Are you out of your mind? Of course I did.” His fingers remain clamped on my chin, and he brings his free hand up to touch my hair. “I hated that they could even see you. I wanted to run up on that stage and carry you out of there.”
I close my eyes, letting myself imagine it for one second. Philip plucking me from the stage, not out of duty but out of passion. What would it have been like if he’d actually wanted to fulfill the contract? How would things be different right now? Would I have already used the money to fix all my problems?
I shake my head. Fantasies are fine and good, but there’s no point dwelling in them. This is the reality I’m in, and it’s no fairytale.
“Hey.” He tightens his grip. “Where’d you go just now.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.” He sounds angry again. “I want to know what has you so scared. Why did you drop out of school? Why the fuck were you living in that pit? Why would you put yourself in such a dangerous position with that damn auction? I want you to talk to me, Lilah.”
Part of me wants to. A big part of me wants to just open up and let it all go. Allow Philip to take my problems on as his own. But what would happen then? If there’s one lesson the last few years has taught me, it’s that money always,alwayscomes with conditions.
No, I have to do this for myself. Selling my body might not seem like the most moral choice, but at least it would bemychoice. No strings, no commitments. Not owing anyone anything. Just a simple exchange—sex for my freedom. If Philip isn’t interested in helping me fulfill the contract this weekend, then I’ll just have to find someone else.
“Lilah. Talk to me.”
Thankfully the car comes to a stop at that moment, preventing me from having to answer. I’m out the door before the driver can even come around to open it, and I’m halfway to the building before Philip catches up. He takes my elbow and leads me inside and to his private elevator. “This conversation isn’t over.”
