Page 100 of Sweet Possession
Cocooned in numbness so I never had to feel anything ever again.
“Where to, miss?”the cab driver asked as the security guard lifted thebarrier for us to leave Fox’s estate.
I didn’t know where I was going, onlythatit would be far away fromhere. I’d packed a bag, and taken the cash Fox had left behind, andthatwould have to keep me going until I came upwith a plan.
Without thinking, I reeled off my old address. At least I could lay lowthere for the night now my dad had left Vegas. It would give me time to think.
Lost in thought, the journey was over in a blink of an eye, and wewere coming to a stop at my old house. The windows were now boarded up, the front door barely hanging on by its hinges. A far cry from the luxury home I’d grown used to.
It wasn’t safe to stay there, but I didn’t have it in me to care.
Maybe someone would come by and end this miserable life I’d beencursed with.
“Are you sure this is where you want to go?”the cab driver asked,concern in his voice as he looked from the house back to me.
I didn’t have the energy to reply. Instead, I thrust some bills at himand grabbed my bag, not looking back as I made my way through the overgrown garden to the door.
Knocking it open with my foot, the door swung open easily, anominous creaking sound echoing through the tiny house. As I stepped inside, I was hit with the stench of stale smoke, mold, and a thousand memories of days gone by.
None of them good.
Whoever had been looking for my dad had done a damn good job ofsearching the place. Furniture had been tipped over, floorboards yanked up,eventhe stuffing from the threadbare sofa had been ripped out.
I didn’t bother going anywhere in the house but up to my oldbedroom, the placethathad once upon a time been my safe haven.
But not anymore. Like downstairs, it had been torn apart in search ofmy dad. At least the mattress was still intact enough for me to get some sleep.I threw my bag down as dejection hit me like a freight train. I neverthought I’d be back here, yet here I was.
Only, itseemedworse. Before, I had hope.
Now, I had nothing.
“Cora,”a voice hissed, scaring the life out of me. I spun, my heartkicking to life, pounding at an unbearable rate as my dad stepped into the room.
He looked different from the last time I saw him. He’d lost weight, hishair had grown longer and looked like it hadn’t been combed for weeks. His beard, which was greyer than the hair on his head, was tangled with crumbs of food stuck in it, and his clothes were filthy, much like every part of his visible skin.
“Dad…what…what are you doing here?”I managed to get out,cringing at the stench emanating from him.“I thought you left Vegas.”
An accomplished grin spread over his face.“I did. But I came backthe day after I made it look like I was gone for good. No one thinks to look under their own noses.”
I gaped at him, surprisedthatmy dad had managed to evade peoplefor as long as he had.
“The question, daughter, is what are you doing here? I sold you,”hesneered, his eyes traveling up and down my body, taking in my clean clothes.
The mention of him selling me struck a nerve. All the hatred I’dharbored for him over the years flared to life. Maybe it was because I was sick of people thinking they could treat me like shit and expect me totake it.
Maybe I just didn’t care anymore.
Either way, I stepped forward and slapped my dad around the face,the sound of my palm crashing into his cheek reverberated around every smashed surface in my bedroom.
His head whipped to the side. Stunned, he slowly turned his evil eyesback on me.
“Yousoldme,”I said, unable to hold back my anger any longer.“Yourown daughter. You sent me to be sold to dirty perverts who would have raped and tortured me. How could you dothat?”My words broke off on a sob.
He rubbed his cheek, his eyes assessing me.“I did sell you. And youknow what, Cora?”he said, stepping towards me.“I’d do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, you turning up here has given me a way out of my current predicament.”
Suddenly, he lurched forward, roughly grabbing my arms in abruising grip. I screamed, trying to shrug him off me, but he was too strong.
So I did the only thing I could think of doing.
