Page 81 of Sweet Possession
“I need you to tell me what she said to you, baby girl,”he said, hiseyes blazing with unrestrained emotion.
“Does it matter?”
“Of course it fucking matters!”he replied, his voice rising in anger.“I’ve been going out of my damn head wondering what on earth a woman you’ve never met before could have said to youthatmade you believe her over me, someone you have spent practically every minute with over the last few weeks. Someone you claim you trust.”
He broke off, his body slumping as he looked away. I sunk my teethinto my bottom lip to stop it from trembling.
“I’m sorry,”I whispered, shame coursing through me.
Fox lifted his head, his sorrowful eyes meeting mine. Closing thedistance between us, he stopped in front of me but didn’t touch me.
“Baby girl. Annaliese wasn’t invited to the party,”he said, keeping hisvoiceeven, despite the anger I could sense radiating from him.“She was let into the party by another member of staff who was supposed to only let guests on the list in. Needless to say, he doesn’t have a job after tonight either.”
I gaped at him as my brain struggled to keep up with what he wassaying. If she wasn’t invited to the party, why was she there? Why did she seek me out?
“She’s good friends with Lily,”Fox said, answering my unspokenquestion.“Whether Lily put her up to speaking to you or she approached you on her own volition remains to be seen, but before I deal with Lily, I need to know what Annaliese said to you.”
My eyes dropped to the floor as mortification gripped me in its vices.Fox was right. I’d believed every word she’d said withoutevenconsideringthatshe could have been lying.
I’d let my insecurities dominate rational thought because I was soused to being disappointedthatthe second there was a hint Fox was going to let me down, I’d grabbed onto it and let it take root until it was a dark shadow consuming me.
Gentle fingers tilted my chin up, making me look at the man who’dnever done anything to me but made sure I was loved and respected.
“Cora, I’m not mad at you. I’m madthatyou’ve spent your whole lifebeing treated like shit. The damagethatyour dad has done is going to take time to unpick, it’s inevitablethatthere will be setbacks alongthe way.”When a tear slid down my cheek, Fox dropped my chin so he couldwipe it away.“Baby girl, Iknowyou trust me.Youknow you trust me, and you know I would never do anything to hurt you.”
He cupped my cheek, his warm palm sending a wave of reassurancethrough me.“I can only imaginethatwhatever bullshit Annaliese said latched onto all of your insecurities. InsecuritiesthatI need to work harder on to prove to youthatI’m not going anywhere. To dothat, Cora, I need you to tell me what she said. Tell me what she said and let me help you start putting your demons to bed.”
I wanted that.
I wanted to purge myself of every hurtful word she said.
I wanted to rid myself of the doubts and insecurities years of hateI’d endured from my dad had left me with.
If I didn’t, they’d eat me alive. I’d let them convince methatwhatAnnaliese was saying was true, to the point I was willing to walk away from Fox.
The best thingthathad ever happened to me.
Swallowing the fear and ignoring the little voicethattold me I wasbeing naive if I believed him, I turned away, knowing I couldn’t look at him when I voiced what Annaliese had said.
By turning though, I was confronted with something far worse thanfacing Fox.
My reflection.
Only a few hours ago I’d looked at my reflection with happinesstwinkling in my eyes, not a care in the world. Now, my eyes looked dull. My cheeks blotchy from all the tears I’d cried.
I wanted my happiness back.
I sucked in a breath and refused to look away from my reflection as Ispoke.
“She said she didn’t know why you are attracted to me. She said youhad a soft spot for strays, andthatI was desperate.”Pain seared through me like a red hot knife slicing through my skin. Somehow, saying the words for myself stung more than when Annaliese had said them.
Fox moved to stand behind me, tentatively wrapping his arms aroundmy waist as if he were afraid I might tell him not to touch me.“When I first saw your picture, I thought you were the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. I still do.”He paused to lower his lips to my bare shoulder where he placed a small kiss.“But I’m notjustattracted to you because of how gorgeous you are. I’m attracted to you because you have a kind heart.”Another kiss, only this time on the other shoulder.“I’m attracted to you because of the strength you show every fucking day. Despite all the shit you’ve had to put up with, you’ve never let it stop you from wanting to improve your life. You strive to learn, determined to not let your past hold you back. You’re a shining light in the darkness, Cora.”
He moved his hands to my hips, his grip firm.“There are hundreds ofother reasons I’m attracted to you, all of which are no one else’s business. But I promise you, baby girl, I’ll tell you every damn day what I find attractive about you if that’s what it takes for you to believe me.”
He held my gaze in the mirror, his eyes dark.Serious.I let hiscomforting words sink in, the knotthathad been coiled around my heart since Annaliese cornered me finally beginning to loosen.
“What else did she say?”
