Owned by the Dom: Part One (The Owners) (21 page)

James settled down watching the city go by. He’d never been so happy before in his life. The ring he intended to give her was in his pocket. He’d wait for the perfect time to ask her to be his wife.

They were moving fast; he knew that, but he loved her. He thought about the issues with Dane and the human trafficking stuff that had come around with Rebecca and Lloyd Black.

He shook his head. Those thoughts were
not going to spoil his future. James pulled out the envelope and opened it. There were several pictures of a man inside. There was no other information other than the images. He didn’t get it. Shaking his head, he figured Veronica had sent him the wrong envelope. When he got a chance he’d ask her about them. It wasn’t his first priority, and he placed the envelope back inside his pocket, forgetting about it.

The house was bigger than James’s home, which she never thought was possible. The driver remained quiet as James left the car and typed in the code for the gates to open. When he got back inside she snuggled up close to him. She was wearing the black dress she’d worn for their date.

“Why do you all have secured gates and secret passwords?” she asked.

“Because we’re awesome,” he said.

She laughed, patting his knee. The driveway was covered with trees and bushes. “Did your parents get the idea from here?”

“I think they did it at the same time.”

His arm was wrapped around her giving her comfort.

“It is cold out, Arthur. You
may come in if you wish.”

James helped her out
of the back of the car. He took her hand leading her through the front doors. “They’re expecting us.”

She followed him inside keeping her coat closed around her.

There were many doors, and only a few men were lurking in the rooms. “It is very quiet,” she said.

“
Since the news, it has been very quiet. Some of the men have been scarce.”

Prue nodded her head following him down to the end room. She saw the bar was littered with several more men. A woman was singing at the end of the bar. Her voice filled the room with wonderful music.

James pulled her in front of him. “Prudence, I’d like you to meet Stephen Knox.”

He stopped at a table
, and she recognised the man James pointed to. “And his woman, Ursula.” The woman stood up and offered her hand.

“It is nice to see another woman among the group. I was starting to get a little bored. Sorry, Violet, you’re not the most talkative.”

The other woman smiled at her. “No offense taken.”

Prue shook their hands, knowing she’d at least get on with Ursula.

“These are Cadeon, Lucas, Sean, Tate and Kevin. That guy at the end whom you met at Ravage is Dane.”

Yes, she recognised the man who’d startled her at the bar. That night felt like a lifetime ago.

“It is lovely to meet you all.” Prue didn’t need to be a genius to know they were all tense.

“I’m bored,” Ursula said. “Come on, Prue. I’ll show you the rest of the house.”

Ursula took her hand. Violet followed behind them. Cadeon got up to go with them. Violet shook her head, kissing him before leaving.

Once they were out of the room, Ursula took a deep breath. “I thought I was going to suffocate in there.” She pulled a lollipop out of her pocket and then popped it into her mouth.

“You have a sweet tooth?”

“It helps with the nerves. Stephen has been behaving oddly just lately. I don’t have a clue how to handle him half of the time. I think it has to do with Dane and those two upstairs,” Ursula said, pointing up the stairs.

Prue remained quiet. Violet shrugged her shoulders. “Cadeon is worried about the baby.” She rubbed her stomach.

“It is more than that. Stephen doesn’t want me left alone. He’s put extra security everywhere. I don’t go anywhere in the first place.” She shook her head, taking them down to the basement.

“Where are we?” Prue asked.

“A training room
. Tate was teaching me some moves, but that all ended.” They sat down on the exercise bench. This was the first time Prue had ever been in a training room getting to know other women.

“Do you love James?” Ursula asked.

“Yes. I met him some time ago. He was dating my sister.”

“Ouch. How did your sister take it?”

Prue smiled. “She’s happy that I’m happy.”

“I was Stephen’s housecleaner. Violet worked for Cadeon.”

She smiled at Violet. “I used to work in the same building. I don’t know if you remember me.”

Violet shook her head. “Sorry, I don’t.”

They sat in silence.

“I bet this is the strangest greeting you’ve ever been to.”

She smiled at the women. It was the strangest night of her life.

“I think things are going to get a whole lot worse.”

“Ursula, she doesn’t need to know this. He’s gone.”

“What is going on? Does this have to do with that news report last year?” Prue asked.

Violet glared at the other woman.

“What has James told you?”

“Only about Possession and Ravage and where it comes into his life.” Prue was beginning to feel there was a whole lot more to the problem. James hadn’t told her everything.

“This is not our place,” Violet said.

Prue stared between the two women. They seemed to be having a private conversation. “James wouldn’t want you to tell her what he doesn’t feel is relevant.”

Another bout of silence and then Ursula smiled at her. “It is nothing. I’m sure everything is fine.”

Prue smiled and stared around the room.

“So, how are you finding James? Is he as possessive as Stephen is?” Ursula asked.

“I don’t know about Stephen, but I think James is possessive enough.” She chuckled, thinking about the way he had stopped the men from hassling her at the club when she first began going.

“I know that look. He must be pretty special.”

“He is,” she agreed.

“What about you, Violet?”

“Cadeon is worried about the pregnancy. He doesn’t like the thought of anything hurting me.”

“How is pregnancy?” Prue asked, thinking about James’s lack of thought with regards to protection.

“Good. I’ve suffered with morning sickness, but I’ve been able to overcome it. I think I’m through the worst.”

“Stephen and I are trying for a baby. He wants things to settle down before we are parents.”
Ursula closed her mouth and stared past Prue’s shoulder. Dane stood looking at them. “James is looking for you,” he said.

She nodded her head, getting up from her seat.

“Stephen and Cadeon want you both as well.”

“That’s our cue to leave.”

They followed Dane up the stairs. James was waiting in the bar with the other men. They all stood up to greet them the moment they entered. It was such an old-fashioned action that Prue paused. James opened his arms, and she went into them willingly.

“I apologise there is not a lot of entertainment. I’m hoping to have everything back into shape in no time. You should bring her often, James,” Stephen said.

“I will. I’m afraid we must be off.”

James shook his friends’ hands. Prue gave them a smile before they were heading out the door once more.

****

The drive back was a tense affair.
James knew something had been said among the three women. He stared at her as she looked out of the window. Arthur drove them back to his house, leaving them at the gate as he requested. Prudence didn’t speak as they walked up the long drive to his house.

“Do you think we can get a car that we drive to and from the gate? These walks are going to ruin my shoes.”

He pulled her close, kissing her head. “I’ll buy you more shoes.”

The cold air surrounded them. James looked up to the moon wondering why he had a really bad feeling in his gut. He tightened his hold on Prudence all the way to the front door. When they were inside, he followed her up to their room.

He’d come to view his bedroom as their room. He liked her sleeping by his side. They changed out of their clothes, and Prudence put on one of his shirts. It fell down to her knees.

She was brushing her hair
, and he walked up behind her taking the brush.

“Tell me what is going on in that pretty mind of yours.” He glided the brush through her hair.

“Ursula and Violet are worried about something.”

He paused.

“You’re worried about it, too.”

James stared at her through the reflection of the mirror.

“Please, tell me. I don’t want to be kept in the dark.”

He sighed, brushing out the strands of hair. “There is something going on. I don’t know if it
is over or just beginning, Prudence.”

She turned to him. “I don’t care. Tell me.”

James took her hands leading her over to the bed. “I don’t know where to start.”

“Start from the beginning. This has nothing to do with Possession or Ravage, does it?”

“No, not at all. At least I don’t think it does.”

“Tell me.”

He took a deep breath keeping her hands in his. “It all started with Violet. She’s from England and came here trying to get away from a man. Her mother had been one of Dominic Green’s prostitutes, and Violet had no choice but to run from him.”

Prudence gasped. “I recognise that name. He’s dead
, right? In some kind of a shootout?”

“Yeah, well over a year ago now.
Violet was free when he died. He saw his woman’s children as an income. He’d have put Violet to work, and she’d have been killed or something worse.” Her hand pulled out of his covering her mouth. “I know this is awful, so if you want me to stop then tell me.” He caught her shoulders in his arms and pulled her close.

“It is just awful to think of that kind woman at a monster’s mercy.”

He nodded his head. “Then, after some time, Stephen and I kept getting warnings about our club and our women. He was only just starting to date Ursula. The threats continued, and before we knew what was happening, Eugene Black had hired Ursula’s ex-boyfriend to arrange Rebecca’s beating. She was his step-mother. Rebecca and Lucas’s sister, Isabella, ended up in the hospital. Isabella was one of Green’s girls, we think. She’s not been very talkative to anyone since she came out of the hospital. We believe that Dominic Green was working for someone else, and we think that it was not just prostitution but human trafficking. They were taking women off the street and selling them like they were meat.”

James was silent as he stared past her shoulder.

“You don’t think this is over?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know what to believe. I’ve had this feeling for some
time.”

“What kind of feeling?”

“That something bad is going to happen. There is something we’ve overlooked.”

“What does Dane have to do with it?” she asked.

Closing his eyes, he thought of the big guy around Prudence. She was so sweet. He couldn’t handle the thought of another man touching her.

“He worked for Dominic Green. A year ago he made a deal to help the FBI with their investigation
, but as a requirement they released him into Lucas and Sean’s custody or to stay at Possession.”

“He’s dangerous?”

“Yes, he’s killed people. I don’t want him around you.” James took her hands kissing her knuckles. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”

She smiled at him. “You’d do everything in your power to find me. I know you, Sir. You wouldn’t let anyone take what
is yours.”

James pulled her close resting her head against his chest. The thought of losing her was top in his mind. He wouldn’t let it happen. She
meant everything to him.

“The good news of today is Veronica gave us her blessing. She didn’t seem bothered with me being with you. I was worried in case you and
she still had something going.”

James held her, closing his eyes.

“I never slept with your sister,” James said, staring at the opposite wall. Prudence tried to lift her head. “No, I want to hold you.”

“
But? What? I don’t understand. You were both dating, and that is what usually happens between couples who are dating.”

“I’ve never taken your sister to my bed or
trained her as my sub. I thought she was the one, but I now know differently. You’re the one, Prudence. Always have been and always will be.”

He stroked her hair loving the way the strands glided through his fingers.
“I thought you should know.”

“I’m so pleased you told me. I thought you’d been together
, and it didn’t bother me. Knowing you didn’t sleep together is a huge relief.”