Page 9 of Sweet Possession
A minute later, I pulled the car to a stop at the front of thehouse, smiling internally when Cora lifted her head and her jaw dropped open in awe as she took it in.
As houses went, it wasn’t the biggest house I owned, but it alsowasn’t the smallest either. It was a modern, two-storey build, set in three acres of pristine gardens which my gardeners worked hard to maintain.
The house itself was made almost entirely of glass, meaning I got to enjoy the view of my garden no matter where I was in the house, one of the reasons I fell in love with the place.
I wasn’t green-fingered by any means, that’s why I had gardeners.But childhood scars still lingered from time to time, occasions where my father had locked me in a dark, dank basement for days on end because I’d disappointed him yet again.
When Nash and I made our first million, we bought a condo together,and I vowedthatany property I bought would always have huge glass windows to let the light in.
I never wanted to be in the dark again, and I hopedthat Corawould come to love the views as much as I did.
Killing the engine, I stepped out and walked around to open Cora’sdoor, finding her staring at the back of the headrest of the seat in front of her. I wanted to offer her my hand to help her out, but with the way her body was still coiled tight like a spring, I held back.
She didn’t move, refusing to look my way, and when a lone tear sliddown her cheek, my heart damn near ripped in half for her.
Wanting to comfort her but not knowing how, I crouched down so Iwas level with her, but still, she didn’t tear her watery eyes away from the headrest.
“Baby girl,”I said, unable to stop myself from calling herthat. I’dnever called a woman baby girl before, but from the minute she walked into the Dukes office, the name spun in my head. It felt right, and every time I looked at her, the need to claim her as mine rooted deeper.
I wanted her to be my baby girl.
I wanted to be her Daddy.
Her breath hitched at the use of me calling herthat, but still, shedidn’t move a muscle.
“I can’tevenbegin to imagine how terrified you are,”I continued.“And I know right now you don’t trust me. To be honest, I wouldn’t trust anyone either after the way your old man has betrayed you.”Her headturned so she was now looking at me, and another tear slid gracefully down her cheek. I wanted to wipe it away, desperate to feel how delicate her skin was, but I knew I’d be foolish toeventry.“I know you’re not going to believe me when I tell youthatyou’re safe with me, but I promise, from the bottom of my heart, I won’t hurt you, and I will do whatever I can to provethatto you.”
She stared at me like I’d spoken a foreign language, butthentoher, I probably had. When was the last time someone assured her she was safe? When was the last time someone vowed to do whatever they had to do to protect her? My guess was a long time ago, if there everwasa time.
“Please, come inside, Cora,”I said, virtually begging her.“You canhave a nice hot shower and washthatfucked up place off you.”
As if snapping out of a trance, she blinked several times beforelooking down her body, and pulling my jacket tighter around her as if she’djustrememberedthatunderneath, she was wearing practically nothing.
She swallowed before twisting her whole body to get out of thecar. I stood and stepped back, giving her space as she pulled herself out of the car, careful to keep one hand clutching my jacket around herself.
But as she stood, her ankle started to buckle in the ridiculous heelsshe was wearing, and she started to fall. Without thinking, I lurched forward to grab her and stop her from hitting the ground. She gasped as I wrapped my arms around her, but seconds later, her small hands came up to clutch my shirt.
Her eyes widened as she stared up at me, shining with desperation.Desperation for me not to hurt her? Desperation for me to not let her fall? I didn’t know, but I swear, holding her against me, my heart stopped beating.
Now she was in my arms, I never wanted to let her go.
We stood for god only knew how long staring at each other, the worldaround us forgotten. It wasjustme and her.
My baby girl.
Christ.
Certain she was stable on two feet, I lowered my armsbefore I let my impulse to scoop her up take over. I wasn’t sure if I imagined it, or if it was morethatIhoped,but I was sure I saw a flash of disappointment on her face before she looked away, her cheeks turning rosy.
“Let me help you, Cora,”I said, offering her my hand.“Those shoeslook like a damn death trap, you’ll end up breaking an ankle.”
Her gaze dropped to her feet, and coming to the same conclusion,she cautiously reached out to take my hand, her warm palm swamped by mine. I guided her to the front door, making sure to walk slowly, and doing my best to ignore how right her hand felt in mine.
I dropped her hand for a second to unlock the front door, beforetaking it again. Her eyes darted around the foyer, and she appeared unawarethatI had pulled her across the threshold. It was only the echoing of the door closingthatshe spun around, alarm on her face as she looked from the door to me.
“The door isn’t locked, baby girl,”I said, opening the door and closingit again to prove it wasn’t locked.“You can leave at any time.”
I hoped like fuck she didn’t leave, because as much as I didn’t wanther to feel like she was my prisoner, there was no way I was going to let herjustwalk out of here.
