“Violet? Baby? Look at me.” He tilted her head up and gasped. Her face was bruised as well as bloodied.
She turned to face him. “Cadeon?”
“I’m here, baby.” Sean moved behind her and cut through the rope with his knife.
“You came for me?”
“I wasn’t going to let you go.”
She sobbed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I hoped you’d come.”
“Wherever you go, I’ll follow. You’re not getting rid of me that bloody easy. I love you, Violet. You’ve got me to the end. ‘Til death do us part.”
He picked her up walking out of the room. Whatever happened to Dominic, he didn’t care. He had his girl, and he knew the other men would make sure the bastard was punished for his crimes. There were a couple of ambulances outside. He carried her over to one that held mostly women.
They cleaned up her face while waiting for the go-ahead to leave the scene.
“I bet you never thought you’d end up with me,” she said when the woman cleaned her forehead. She had a huge cut at the top of her brow. He guessed the cut would have come from the pavement.
“I’ve never been happier. Let us get you to the hospital to get checked out before we go home.”
****
Kevin, Tate, Stephen and Sean stood watching as Cadeon held Violet in his arms. The love he felt for the girl could clearly be seen by all four men.
“She’s lucky,” Tate said.
“Most girls would have been gone. The only luck on our sides was his greed. If he hadn’t been doing business in the other side of town then he would have taken her back to the UK, and we’d have had no chance to find her. She’d have been gone, and Cadeon would have been hunting a ghost,” Sean said. He thought about the girl he’d been hunting. The girl he’d been unable to save. She was still out there somewhere. Alone, frightened. He wouldn’t rest until he found her.
He turned away and stared at Lucas. The other man was smoking a cigarette as the police pulled Dominic Green and his sidekicks out in body bags. Everyone had secrets, and he owed this man a huge debt.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A week later
Violet sat on the couch as Cadeon worked on his computer. He refused to take his eyes off her. She’d got the all clear at the hospital. Besides a few cuts and bruises any other trauma would be inside her head. For some reason she didn’t feel anything but calm and happy. Cadeon, the man she loved, had rescued her. So had a couple of other men, but the only person she cared about was Cadeon.
Anne bought her another pillow with a tray for her lunch.
“You know I’m fine,” she said.
“It’s about time you got some pampering, honey. The Lord knows you didn’t get it as a child.”
Violet felt the heat rise in her cheeks. Anne knew about her past. He’d shown her the file before he placed it on the fire. She’d watched her past burn.
“She deserves every second of the pampering,” Cadeon said. He closed his laptop and walked round. He took the seat in front of her chair.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
“You’d tell me if anything felt odd or strange?”
“Of course. I love you, Cadeon. I know I should be freaking out, but I’m not. I’m happy you got me when you did.”
“If I hadn’t come when I did he could have taken you from me.” His hands reached out and took hers. Smiling, she stared down at his much larger hands.
“I had something to fight for. I had you and us. I wasn’t going to make it easy for him. My whole life had been about hiding. I don’t want to hide anymore.”
He kissed her on the hand, the small contact making her body flutter with arousal.
“Marry me,” he said.
Violet was shocked. She loved him with her whole heart. She never expected anything from him.
“Please don’t sit there silently.”
“Why would you want to marry me?” she asked.
“I love you, and I want the world to know that you’re mine,” he said.
Biting her lip she glanced back at Anne. She stood nodding her head.
“I love you, too.”
“Then marry me, Violet. I want to make you mine forever.”
She nodded her head, placed the napkin on the seat beside her and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Yes. I want to marry you. I love you, Cadeon.”
She went on tiptoe to kiss his lips, laughing and smiling as he pulled her closer. Anne pulled out the champagne bottle, and Violet laughed.
Cadeon took her hand and placed a small diamond ring on her finger. “I love this. Knowing you’ll be mine.”
“Is this another token of your ownership?” she asked, recalling the conversation about owning her.
“For the rest of our lives. I’ll make you happy, Violet.”
“And in return?”
“All I want is your love, honesty, trust.” He kissed her with each word he spoke. “And your submission,” he whispered for only her to hear.
She gasped and stared up at him. Being taken by a mad-man had been frightening, but the thought of losing Cadeon was far worse.
He wrapped an arm around her waist, celebrating with Anne.
After some time he escorted her up to the bedroom for a nap. He made sure she got rest. The bruises on her face were fading, but he insisted on her getting the rest.
“Will you stay with me?” she asked.
“Not now. Later I will. I’ve got to help a friend get his girl.” He kissed her on the head and left her.
Violet stared at the ring on her finger. The happiness inside her threatened to burst out of her. She rolled over and closed her eyes.
The bad guy from her world was gone. Cadeon was going to be her husband. Her life would never be like it had been. She took a deep breath, and for the first time in her life she fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.
****
Cadeon left Anne to care for Violet while he went back to the club. Tate and Kevin were expecting him, and he’d put them off for long enough. His hands were shaking as he drove away. Violet didn’t appear to have any long lasting problems. For a short time he’d been concerned in case she ended up like Rebecca, scared to leave her home.
He drove the short distance to the club, went through the security procedures until he’d parked his car and made his way to the bar room.
Stephen sat in his usual place staring at the singer on stage. Tate and Kevin were at the bar, talking. Pulling out his wallet, Cadeon paid the barman before ordering his drink. Once he handed the drink over, he joined them at the far end of the bar.