Read Online Yours to Keep part 3: Billionaire CEO Romance (Captured and Claimed) by Cathryn Fox - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cathryn Fox
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dress swayed as she walked away and Rebecca’s heart slammed harder against her chest.
“Just look at her,” Quinn said again. “She’ll never hurt you again. No one will. Because I’ll never let them.” Rebecca had spent so many years hating the woman—fearing her. “She’s old and broken and not the least bit scary.”
Rebecca took in her feeble and twisted frame. Quinn was right. She didn’t seem so scary anymore. Didn’t look like the monster she remembered from her youth. Not only did she look old and frail, she looked completely alone and miserable. It almost made Rebecca feel sorry for her. Almost.
She turned to Quinn and didn’t realize he had her hand in his. “Why did you bring me here?” she asked again.
“To confront old ghosts.”
“You had no right to do this.” She shook her head. “I told you something private and you betrayed me.”
“You must know by now how much I care about you, Rebecca. How I would do anything for you.”
She looked at her lap. “I can’t give you what you want, and you shouldn’t change for me.”
“I’m not asking for anything more than for you to face your past. These things inside you…you need to confront them before you can let them go.”
She opened her mouth to demand he take her home, but he pressed his fingers to her lips. “This house…your youth, has something to do with being afraid of the dark. I want to help you move past that.”
She scoffed. “Why? So you can have me the way you want me in the bedroom?” she shot back. “Jesus, Quinn. You should have just left me alone after our trip to the resort.”
“This isn’t about me, Rebecca. This is about being free, period. From a childhood riddled with uncertainty and rejection. From the darkness forced upon you by a cruel and unloving woman. About recognizing your inner strength and overcoming your fears of darkness and embracing the security and pleasures that it offers. I’ll be with you all the way, but that first step is yours to take.”
“How do you know all this? I never told you where I grew up.”
“I had a friend look into it.”
With her emotions running high, tears filled her eyes. “You had no right.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I took what you told me in private and dug deeper. I hope at some point you realize I did it for you, to help you free yourself.”
She shook her head. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Okay, then prove me wrong. Come inside with me.” He opened his door, crossed in front of the car and came around to her side.
With defiance urging her on, she put her hand on the door handle, then hesitated as old memories resurfaced. Her glance met Quinn’s, and when she saw the reassurance in his eyes, strength blossomed inside her and her chin came up. He was right. The things that had happened in that house were still controlling her, robbing her of having normalcy in her life, her relationships, and no matter how scary, it was time to face her demons, slay them, and put them behind her once and for all. She gave a small tug on the door handle. The second it opened, Quinn was there beside her, his arm around her waist.
He held her as they crossed the street and climbed the stairs. She hesitated again. “Dorothy isn’t even in there for me to confront.”
“That doesn’t mean we can’t go in.” He pulled a credit card from his back pocket and slipped it between the door and the frame.
She gasped. “What are you doing?”
“Opening the door. These locks are as old as Dorothy, easy to pick.”
“How do you know how to do that?”
“Misguided youth, remember?”’
“This is breaking and entering.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take all the blame.”
She stepped back. “I’m a lawyer, Quinn.”
“Good. If I get caught you can get me off.”
The door opened and when she caught the smell of pine cleanser, old memories hit again. Her stomach twisted, bile pushing into her throat. “I hated it here, Quinn.
“Just look at her,” Quinn said again. “She’ll never hurt you again. No one will. Because I’ll never let them.” Rebecca had spent so many years hating the woman—fearing her. “She’s old and broken and not the least bit scary.”
Rebecca took in her feeble and twisted frame. Quinn was right. She didn’t seem so scary anymore. Didn’t look like the monster she remembered from her youth. Not only did she look old and frail, she looked completely alone and miserable. It almost made Rebecca feel sorry for her. Almost.
She turned to Quinn and didn’t realize he had her hand in his. “Why did you bring me here?” she asked again.
“To confront old ghosts.”
“You had no right to do this.” She shook her head. “I told you something private and you betrayed me.”
“You must know by now how much I care about you, Rebecca. How I would do anything for you.”
She looked at her lap. “I can’t give you what you want, and you shouldn’t change for me.”
“I’m not asking for anything more than for you to face your past. These things inside you…you need to confront them before you can let them go.”
She opened her mouth to demand he take her home, but he pressed his fingers to her lips. “This house…your youth, has something to do with being afraid of the dark. I want to help you move past that.”
She scoffed. “Why? So you can have me the way you want me in the bedroom?” she shot back. “Jesus, Quinn. You should have just left me alone after our trip to the resort.”
“This isn’t about me, Rebecca. This is about being free, period. From a childhood riddled with uncertainty and rejection. From the darkness forced upon you by a cruel and unloving woman. About recognizing your inner strength and overcoming your fears of darkness and embracing the security and pleasures that it offers. I’ll be with you all the way, but that first step is yours to take.”
“How do you know all this? I never told you where I grew up.”
“I had a friend look into it.”
With her emotions running high, tears filled her eyes. “You had no right.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I took what you told me in private and dug deeper. I hope at some point you realize I did it for you, to help you free yourself.”
She shook her head. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Okay, then prove me wrong. Come inside with me.” He opened his door, crossed in front of the car and came around to her side.
With defiance urging her on, she put her hand on the door handle, then hesitated as old memories resurfaced. Her glance met Quinn’s, and when she saw the reassurance in his eyes, strength blossomed inside her and her chin came up. He was right. The things that had happened in that house were still controlling her, robbing her of having normalcy in her life, her relationships, and no matter how scary, it was time to face her demons, slay them, and put them behind her once and for all. She gave a small tug on the door handle. The second it opened, Quinn was there beside her, his arm around her waist.
He held her as they crossed the street and climbed the stairs. She hesitated again. “Dorothy isn’t even in there for me to confront.”
“That doesn’t mean we can’t go in.” He pulled a credit card from his back pocket and slipped it between the door and the frame.
She gasped. “What are you doing?”
“Opening the door. These locks are as old as Dorothy, easy to pick.”
“How do you know how to do that?”
“Misguided youth, remember?”’
“This is breaking and entering.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take all the blame.”
She stepped back. “I’m a lawyer, Quinn.”
“Good. If I get caught you can get me off.”
The door opened and when she caught the smell of pine cleanser, old memories hit again. Her stomach twisted, bile pushing into her throat. “I hated it here, Quinn.
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