Read Possession for Free Online Page B

love and forever once, and that love had died an ugly death. She didn’t need to go down that road again.
    Sloane’s chest expanded with a deep breath. “The man who murdered my sister was released from prison this week.”
    “Sara was murdered?” Horror sent sick chills up and down her spine.
    “Raped and murdered. But she was only a foster kid, a throwaway.” Rage and desolation collided in his eyes, dragging him far away. “The price of her life was thirteen years. And now that motherfucker is a free man.”

 

     
    Chapter Four
     
    Ending his call, Sloane glanced over at Kat. She was pale and still, looking out the limo window as they headed to her house. A travel mug of coffee was cradled between her thighs.
    Things had gotten too out of control this morning. He was slipping, damn it, and letting Kat too close. He kept careful lines for a reason. But how the hell could he remember that when she settled into his arms and hugged him? Comforted him? Sloane had done the only thing he knew how then-he’d gone cold on her. Told her he had things to take care of.
    “If any reporters come around, I want you to let me know. I’ll take care of it.” He grimaced at another thought. “Next week I’m leaving for South America, but my assistant will handle any problems.”
    She nodded without looking at him.
    Shit. “I’ll pick you up at six on Saturday for the winery event.”
    “All right.”
    That relieved him a little bit. She wasn’t bailing on her commitment to be his plus-one. He tossed his phone down. “I wanted us to sleep in this morning. I wouldn’t have asked you to stay if I knew it was going to turn into a clusterfuck.” He hated that. She had to get up before dawn most days to run her bakery. And he’d kept her up last night, then his phone conversation had woken her early.
    “No problem.”
    A burn behind his rib cage ignited at her flat voice. “You really don’t want to do this. Not now.” When she retreated from him, it tripped a switch in him.
    Kat turned.
    He winced when he saw that her eyes were tired, almost bruised.
    “What do you want from me? Things came up you have to take care of. I get it.”
    He was a bastard. Kat hadn’t deserved his cold act. It had been easier to focus on damage control then recall about how she touched places inside him no other woman had. He couldn’t think of a time when any other of his plus-ones had tried to comfort him. It was utterly ridiculous. They used him for sex and whatever else they wanted. He was known to be generous.
    Except with Kat. He hadn’t given her anything but ugly pieces of his soul. What little he had. He didn’t take her to a beautiful hotel where she could indulge in room service, spa treatments and massages. He dragged her to his house where she baked muffins like she did every damned day at work.
    Furious at himself, he said, “I liked it better when you threw yourself into my arms.”
    A smile ghosted over her mouth. “I’m not mad at you. You’ve had a bad morning. I’m just getting out of your way.”
    Her comment kicked him in the nuts. “Jesus, you’re not in my way.” That was how her parents treated her—as someone to be pushed to the side and ignored.
    “Stop. We’re fine.” The limo slowed and turned into her complex. “Thank you for dinner last night and everything. I’ll see you Saturday.”
    “You know better than that.” As if he’d drop her off and drive away, like he couldn’t bother to see that she got safely inside her house. He followed her out when Ethan opened the door. “Ten minutes.”
    His driver nodded, returning to the car.
    Inside the condo, Sloane heard water running. “Is that the shower?”
    “Kellen. He’s still on medical leave. Diego is at work.” She went to the sink and started washing the travel mug.
    He couldn’t leave her like this. Seeing Kat in his kitchen moving around as if she belonged there had melted the ice running in his veins. But when she’d thrown