Sweet Possession (Carson-Fox Resorts #2)

Chapter 3

Fox

T hey’d dressed her up like a whore, and I fucking hated it. Mainlybecause of the reaction to seeing her dressed likethatwas having on my cock.

If it wasn’t for the pure terror written all over her face, I could haveeasily imagined stripping her naked and spending hours tracing every inch of her body, but the poor girl was visibly shaking in her slutty shoes.

“Here.”I shrugged out of my jacket and handed it to her. Her eyeswidened as if she couldn’t quite believe someone was showing her a shred of humanity, and it made me want to murder her fucking father all the more.

“Please, Cora. Take it,”I said softly, when after a few seconds shehadn’t moved, her arms still wrapped around her tiny body.

Tentatively, she reached out and took the jacket, pulling her handaway as quickly as possible as if she thought I would take the opportunity to grab her .

I was going to have my work cut out earning her trust, but I would.From the minute I saw the photo of her, she’d taken residence in my head.

It had taken less than twelve hours to get the meeting with the Dukebrothers arranged. They’d refused to sell her at first, but when I offered double the asking price, they realized they would have been stupid to refuse.

A million dollars for Cora, but I would have paidevenmore if it meantgetting her out ofthathellhole.

She wrapped the jacket around her frame, the material swamping herand almost reaching her knees. Once her body was covered up, she offered me a small, appreciative smile, and fuck, did it make my heart thump harder.

Her picture didn’t do her justice. Cora Clarke was fucking stunning inthe flesh.

If I had my way, I would have picked her up and carried her so shedidn’t have to stagger the rest of the way to the car in the vulgar shoes she’d been made to wear. But I didn’t want to frighten her. She was already looking like Bambi in headlights, and the last thing I wanted to do was spook her.

Once she was swaddled in my jacket, her bodyseemedto uncoil thetiniest amount, but the second I unlocked the doors to my Dodge Challenger, her body tensed again, and her bottom lip wobbled. She threw a look over her shoulder, staring back at the placethathad been her prison for the last few days.

From the outside, you’d never guess the derelict shoe factory was amakeshift fort, holding young women in their worst nightmares. After today though, I planned on making sure the place burned to the ground, and the Dukes were locked up for the rest of their miserable lives. A small price to pay for the hell they’d put the girls through .

As forthatcunt, Dwayne, I was going to make him pay for laying his grubby handson her.

I didn’t know if Cora came to the decisionthatshe was safer comingwith me, or if she knew she had no choice in the matter. Either way, she took a breath before sliding into the backseat of the car, refusing to look my way as a silent tear sailed down her rosy cheek.

The journey home was silent, and for the entire ride, Cora stared ather hands resting in her lap, her body tense. I kept peeking at her in the mirror, hoping for her to meet my eyesjustonce, but she didn’t look up. Notevento look out the window to see where we were going.

I debated trying to get her to talk. According to Marvin, she hadn’tuttered a word since Freddy took her to the brothers, and she discoveredthatshe would be sold to pay off her father’s debts. She hadn’tevenmade a sound when she was held downand forced to have her pussy waxed, and a birth control implant put into her arm, courtesy of the package the Dukes offered when buying one of their products.

The Dukesreallywere sick fuckers, and I couldn’t wait to see themget their comeuppance.

My anger towards Freddy grew with every passing second, myknuckles whitening from where I gripped the wheel so damn hard.

I knew what it was like to be betrayed by the one person in the worldwho should have done whatever it took to keep their child safe. But Cora would never need to worry about being let down again. I’d die before I letthathappen.

Freddy would get what was coming to him, I would make sure ofthat,but only with Cora’s permission. I wanted her to have a say on what her old man’s fate would be.

My house was a short drive from the heart of Vegas in an area wherewealthy people lived. A number of celebrities were my neighbors, andthatwas one of the reasons why both Nash and I had homes in the area. Not because we wanted to rub shoulders with the rich and famous,but because the security to get into the area was tighter than a nun’s cunt.

There’d been several occasions when crazy-ass women had tried toget access to either mine or Nash’s house. Thanks to the twenty-four-seven security, they didn’t get any further than the main gate, where they’d be promptly rounded up and taken away with the threat of a restraining order ringing in their ears.

I had given one woman permission to come and go freely though. LilyPorter was the front-of-house manager at Onyx. We’d been fucking for the last few months, but I put a stop to it a couple of weeks ago when it became obvious she wanted more thanjusta good time.

Lily and I had an arrangement, onethatsuited the both of us to adegree. I’d made it clear to Lilythatour arrangement would never be anything more, something which she claimed to be happy with. She was nine years younger than me, and told me she didn’t want a relationship. Like me, shejustwanted someone to fulfill her needs.

Over time though, she became jealous whenever I spoke to otherwomen, and several nights passed where she’d blow up my phone with messages wanting to know where I was or what I was doing, and that’s when I knew I needed to end it .

She hadn’t taken it well and eventually broke down sobbing, tellingme she’d fallen in love with me. A part of me felt bad for her, but the bigger part didn’t. While Lily fulfilled my sexual needs to a degree, she didn’t fulfill other needs I had.

No one had.

Until now.

As we made our way through the hills, I ran through in my head all thethings I needed to do to help Cora adjust to living with me. I wanted the place to be a home for her, not somewherethatshe felt she had to live.

But I wanted it to be her choice to live with me.

The first thing I needed to do was hire a chef. I was a terrible cookand survived on takeaways or a quick snack while I was at work. But Cora needed to eat sensibly.

Evenwithout the three days she’d been held by the Dukes, it was easy to see she was malnourished, and I fully intended on making sure she was well-fed from now on.

The next thing I needed to do was sort out her wardrobe. I’d been sofocused on getting the meeting with the Dukes set up,thatI hadn’t given much thought to anything else.

When she walked into the office dressed up like a prostitute, not only did it make my blood boil, but I realizedthatI hadn’t thought about what she could wear when I got her home.

Hopefully, Sav could help me withthatpart. She was a fashion guruafter all, and thankfully, she and Nash had flown home from Paris the night before.

They’d been in France the past week after Savannah’s first fashionshow was held there. I’d gone with them but flew home early so they could have a few days on their own. I also needed to keep tabs on the business, and it was a fucking good job I had. Otherwise, who knew what would have happened to Cora.

It didn’t bear thinking about.

As I pulled the car up to the manned gates, the on-duty securityguard let me through, recognizing my car. In the rearview mirror, I watched Cora’s head whip up and her eyes widened, filling with fear. She glanced around, suddenly looking like she was going to bolt from the car.

“This is where I live, Cora,”I said, meeting her frightened gaze at longlast.“We have a team of security who monitor the houses around here day and night, as well as cameras around the place. No one will be able to get to you here.”

I thought my words would reassure her, but when she sucked in abreath and tore her watery eyes away from me, I realized I’d fucked up. Instead of reassuring her, I’d told herthatno one could get her out of the house, and if she dared run, my security team would know about it.

I cursed under my breath as I drove through the gates and up to myhouse. I should have said something else to reassure Cora, whose gaze had once again dropped to her hands, but I couldn’t find the words. What the fuck did I say to an eighteen-year-old girl, who’d not only been a victim of human trafficking, but had been sold by her own flesh and blood?

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 head turned 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 ever was a 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 morethatI hoped, 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.

And hell would freeze over before I let her go back to her shitty excuse of a father.

Her entire body was still as tight as a coiled spring drapedin my huge jacket. She shifted nervously from one foot to the other as her gaze once again roamed around the foyer, and I was certainthatif I didn’t have her hand still clasped in mine, her knees would have buckled. She needed to take those fucking shoes off.

Dropping to my knees in front of her, I gently reached out and tookhold of her ankle. She flinched when my fingers brushed over her soft skin, but I didn’t let go, swiftly unbuckling the strap.

As soon as it was undone, I slipped her foot out of the shoe, and asshe placed her foot back on the floor, I looked up her body, realizing for the first timejusthow small she was.

She was pint-sized, barely over five feet. Once I undone the othershoe, I stood to my full height, towering over her. No wonder she was so damn scared of me, I must have looked like a giant to her.

“I’ll show you to your room so you can shower and get out of thoseclothes,”I said, instantly regretting my choice of words when she took a step away from me, and wrapped her arms tighter around her body. Fuck, I was getting this so damn wrong.“I didn’t mean get you out of your clothes, Cora. What I meant was, you can get changed into something more comfortable.”

It was too late to backtrack though, the damage was already done.

Resignation washed through me. It wasn’t like I was expecting toearn her trust immediately, I knew it was going to take time. But I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a little part of methathoped now she was away from the hellhole she’d been in, she’d seethatI wasn’t a monster.

Refraining from letting out a heavy sigh, I turned and silently led herthrough the house and up the stairs to the biggest guest bedroom. Cora trailed behind me, her bare feet scuffing against the marble floor, and her head bowed as if she was walking to her execution.

When we reached the bedroom, I opened the door for her, steppingback so she could go in first. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, and like she’d done when she first walked into the house, her gaze darted around the room .

Although this was one of the guest bedrooms, I kept some of myclothes in here. Leaving Cora to take in the room, I grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweats from the wardrobe, before laying them on the bed. They would swamp her, but they had to be better than what she currently had on.

“There’s a bathroom throughthatdoor,”I said pointing to the doorleading to the ensuite.“You can shower if you want, andthenyou can change into these. They’ll probably be huge on you, but it’s the best I can give you for now.”Her eyes fell to the pile of clothes, and the tightness in her body eased fractionally at finding somethingthatwould cover her.“I didn’t have time to get you some clothes sorted, but I’ll make sure to have a selection delivered tomorrow.”

I was met with a wall of silence.

Trying to not let the frustration show, I crossed back to the door,feeling like I’d bitten off more than I could chew. I was way out of my depth with this. What the hell had I been thinking, swooping in like a fucking white knight?

Deep down, I knew the answer tothatquestion though.

“There’s a lock on the door,”I continued as I reached the door. Coraspun to face me, her brows furrowed in confusion.“You can lock the door from the inside, I won’t be able to get in. If it makes you feel more comfortable,thatis,thenlock the door.”

The smallest of smiles crossed her lips, and her shouldersslumped in relief. Takingthatas my cue to go, I stepped out of her room, pausing to add,“Take as long as you need, Cora.Evenif that’s a few days, there’s no rush. Ijustwant you to feel safe here.”

I gave her a reassuring smile before closing the door behind me andfinally letting out the sigh I’d been holding in. As much as I wanted to take back my words and insist she showered andthencame downstairs so I could feed her, I reluctantly walked away .

Making my way to the kitchen, I grabbed a well-needed beer from thefridge before pulling my phone from my pocket.

I needed help.

Nash didn’t answer the first time I called him. After six or seven rings,his phone diverted to voicemail, and instead of leaving a message, I hung up and redialled.

My best friend and I had a rule. If neither of us answered the firsttime, it was because we were either busy at work or getting our dicks wet, and we’d call the other back when we had time. But we’d agreed, if ever there was an emergency, we would call again, and no matter what we were doing, we’d answer.

“What’s up?”Nash answered after three rings, a hint of urgency in hisvoice.

I paused as hesitation passed through me. In days gone by, I wouldnever have hesitated to ask Nash for help, but he was a happily married man now, and what I was about to ask him could ruin everything he’d worked hard to create.

But Nash was my best friend, and the only person I trusted to helpme do what needed to be done. He knew my deepest, darkest secrets, and I knew his.

“Nash, I need help.”

“I’m on my way.”

I smiled to myself. No matter what, he always had my back.“Can youbring Sav as well?”

My request was met with a silent pause before Nash chuckled darkly.“What the fuck have you gotten yourself into?”

Where to start?