Page 69 of Sweet Possession
I’d be lying if I said the thought of hiring a personal protection detailfor Cora hadn’t crossed my mind, but I didn’t wantthatfor her. I wanted her to be able to leave the house whenever she damn well pleased without fear of Freddy or some other cunt snatching her off the street in retribution for her dad’s fuck ups.
I’d promised her freedom, not some half-assed version of it.
I sighed and scrubbed a hand down my face. I had to hope Diaz wasin a reasonable mood. Both Nash and I had known him for years, and inthattime, he’d never done anything to jeopardize the weird relationship we had. There was no reason he’d change it now.
“She’s looking good,”Nash said after a few minutes of silence andpulling me from my chaotic thoughts. He snorted at me, rolling his eyes when he caught me glaring at him.“Not likethat, fuckwit. I mean she looks different. The girl sitting at the table this morning was not the same girl who sat there a few weeks ago. She was happy.”
I relaxed, muttering an apology. Nash was the last person on earthwho would make a play for Cora. Fucking Diaz had me on edge.“Yeah, she’sreallycome out of herself. I thought this whole thing with Freddy would set her back, butthatgirl is more fucking resilient than her shithead father ever gave her credit for.”
“Pity she doesn’t want her old man dead, it would be a joy to knowthatasshole was six feet under,”Nash grumbled, echoing my thoughts.
He’d beenjustas keen as I was to arrange for Freddy to take a one-waytrip to hell, but after I’d told himthatCora didn’t wantthat, he’d mumbled the same thing I had; Freddy didn’t deserve her mercy.
Finally taking the turn into the parking lot at the front of Diaz’s shittycasino, Nash pulled the car to a stop.“Ready for this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Diaz’s casino attracted clients who wouldn’t dream of stepping footinside a Carson-Fox casino, mainly because we had a zero drug tolerance and didn’t allow for naked waitresses to give lap dances at any given moment.
Once we’d made our way through the main hall, ignoring thesalacious looks from the waitresses and the sneers from guys playing at different tables, we were met by one of Diaz’s men who escorted us through to the backroom. The same room I’d been in when my world was flipped upside down,and for the better. Who knewthatthe last time I was here meeting Diaz, I’d walk out completely smitten by an olive-skinned angel?
“Nash, Fox,”Diaz said, shaking both our hands.“Please, take a seat.”He waved to the three leather chairs positioned around a small table.“I have to admit, I was a little surprised at the request for a meeting, I’ve ensured my men have kept my product out of your casinos.”
“We’re here for a different matter,”I said, raising my hand to stop thescantily-clad woman who’d appeared from pouring whiskey into the glass she’d placed in front of me, Nash following suit.
Diaz’s lecherous eyes fell to the waitress’s ass as she poured a drinkfor him. His hand trailed up her bare thigh before giving her ass a squeeze.
“And what mightthatbe?”he said, forcing his gaze back to us as thewaitress walked away, her hips swaying.
I pursed my lips. I wasn’t a religious man, but rightthen, I was prayinglike hell this wasn’t about to go to shit. Arnold Diaz was not a friend, but he wasn’t someone I wanted to go to war with.
But I would have gone to war with him, and any other motherfuckerwho wanted to hurt my girl.
“I understand Freddy Clarke has gotten himself into debt with youagain.”
His jaw clenched.“Thatfucking cunt,”Diaz hissed, his tone full ofvenom.“Yeah, he did. And now he’s done a magical disappearing act with my money.”
“Why the fuck do you keep lending him money?”Nash barked. Somuch formekeeping a cool head.
Diaz shrugged.“He paid the money back last time. Well, the sale ofhis daughter did. I had no reason to think he wouldn’t pay me back a second time.”
I bit my tongue, reining in my response. I knew my money would havegone to line Diaz’s pocket, and while I had no regret spending the money to buy Cora’s freedom, Ireallyfucking hated how casually he was talking about her life. It was as if she was nothing but a piece of meat up for grabs.
To men like Diaz and the Duke brothers though, she was.
“Do you know where he is?”I asked, steering the conversation awayfrom Cora.
“No. My boys ransacked his home but he’d packed up his shit. Theytraced him as far as Sacramento, but they lost his trail,”Diaz said, downing the rest of his whiskey.“What do you want with Freddy anyway? Don’t tell me he owes you money as well?”
“No,”I said, second-guessing myself once again as to whether Ishould show my hand. But I had to try, for Cora’s sake.“I want to pay off his debt. And I’ll pay double if it means you never lendthatman another cent.”
Diaz’s brows rose so high up his forehead,thatthey almost disappearedinto his receding hairline. His eyes narrowed on me as I waited with bated breath for his response.
“Interesting,”he said, rubbing a hand over the stubble on his pointychin.“And why, may I ask, would you want to do something likethat?”
“I have my reasons.”
A menacing smile graced his pockmarked face, and before heevenopened his mouth again, I knew he’d figured out my situation.
