Chapter 24
To my utter disappointment, Nash didn’t fuck me like I hoped hewould, but given how long he took in the shower, I was certain he had to deal with the bulge he’d been sporting the whole time I pleasured myself.
While he showered, I dressed in the beautiful black Vera Wang dress I picked from the dresses presented to me at Neiman Marcus. It had been a difficult choice, all four dresses were stunning, and it took me forever to make up my mind.
As I sat to do my makeup, I stared at myself in the mirror, and as Idid, I realized something.
For the first time in months, I was happy.
Relaxed.
I didn’t feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. I wasn’t worriedabout whether I was going to lose my home, or how I was going to pay off the enormous debt I had.
But it wasn’t just that.
Nash had taken up residence in my mind where all those things usedto be. When he was at work, I looked forward to him coming home. When we were together, I wanted his attention.
I wanted to please him.
That was why I obeyed him when he told me to touch myself andthen stop. The way his eyes lit up when I did as he commanded made a rush of pride flow through me, and when he told me to make myself come, the orgasm felt more intense because I knew it would make him happy.
Was this what Stockholm syndrome was like?
I didn’t know, and I wasn’t sure I cared.
Fox was waiting downstairs for us by the time Nash and I emergedfrom our bedroom, tapping his foot, and glancing at his watch. Like Nash, he was wearing a smart tuxedo.
“Finally,” Fox said when Nash and I reached the bottom of thestep. “Thought I was going to have to drag you pair out of the bedroom, and seeing Junior’s ugly naked ass is not on my agenda tonight.” He reached out and punched Nash lightly on the arm.
“Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve seen my bare ass,” Nash replied,clapping him on the back.
“Something that still gives me nightmares,” Fox said, faking ashudder. He turned to me and pulled me into his arms, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Savannah, you look beautiful. Now, your bare ass…”
He trailed off, not having the chance to finish his sentence becauseNash yanked Fox’s arms off me before shoving him.
“Finish that sentence, fucker, and it won’t be my ugly ass that givesyou nightmares,” Nash said, a hint of menace in his voice.
Fox chuckled. “You always were so easy to rattle, Junior. Shall we getgoing?”
Nash rolled his eyes. “Come on, let’s get this show on the road.” Hetook my hand and led me outside, with Fox following behind.
By now, my excitement about where we were going was at an all-timehigh. I’d asked Nash what was happening while he was getting dressed, but he refused to tell me, only saying it was a surprise I’d enjoy.
The limo ride to the Las Vegas Strip passed swiftly. Fox, Nash, and Isipped champagne that had been chilling in an ice bucket, and I spent the majority of the journey laughing at the two of them.
They bickered like cat and dog, trying to come up with the mostinsulting names they could call each other, but it was clear as anything that they were the best of friends and would do anything for the other.
Nash was right, they were like brothers, even if they weren’t blood-related. I couldn’t help but feel a little envious of the friendship they shared. The only person I’d shared a similar relationship with was Liam, and he’d broken my heart.
As the limo came to a stop outside a casino, Fox finished the story hewas telling, much to Nash’s disgust. I dabbed at my eyes, trying to stop my makeup from smearing as tears of laughter gathered.
Fox was animated as he regaled the story of Nash as an eighteen-year-old who’d gotten drunk, and met a woman in a bar. Convinced she was a beautiful model, Nash had let her take him up to her hotel room.
But after Nash had taken all his clothes off, and as he startedstripping hers off, he discovered she was actually a he. She was a lady-boy from Thailand, and in Nash’s drunken state, he hadn’t realized that underneath her tight mini-skirt, she was sporting a very obvious bulge.
Luckily for him, Fox had followed them up to the hotel room, and asNash had sprinted from the room, naked and in sheer panic, Fox was there to witness the commotion.
Apparently, there was photographic evidence of the horrified lookNash was wearing as he bolted from the room. Fox promised to show it to me, which was quickly followed by Nash threatening him with a pain worse than death if Fox dared show it to anyone.
“Thanks for that, fuckface,” Nash grumbled. “Guess I’ll have to tell herabout the time you farted in that girl’s face while you were doing a 69.”
Fox’s face fell as I burst into a new round of laughter.
“Come on, that’s enough,” Nash said, turning into his authoritativeself. He took my hand, and as Brian opened our door, Nash stepped out and helped me to my feet.
As Nash shut the door behind me, I found myself glancing up at thehuge building in front of us. Bright white lights lit up the name of the casino, The Grand Palace, and underneath was another sign.
Carson-Fox Resorts.
The memory of Nash’s story about their fathers circled in my mind,and looking up at their names, pride washed through me. They’d worked so hard to achieve their dreams in the face of adversities.
Nash led me up three steps and into the casino. It was a good job hehad hold of me because I was lost in the stunning decor surrounding us.
As two enormous glass doors gracefully slid open, I looked down tofind the Carson-Fox Resorts logo engraved into the black and gold marble floor. Thousands of gold lights twinkled from the ceiling, and four huge gold pillars were in each corner. In the middle of the foyer, was a waterfall, lit up with gold lights.
Around us, the hustle and bustle of people checking into their rooms,laughter at the bar, and the chimes of slot machines sounded. Nash tugged gently, leading me to one side of the foyer where a set of gold doors stood open, and two smartly dressed staff members waited with trays of champagne.
It was as we got closer that I noticed a sign announcing the eventtaking place in the room Nash was leading us to.
Carson-Fox Resorts is proud to present,
The Silent Auction.
All donations will be made in support of the Dementia Society of America.
My feet faltered as I stared at the sign. Nash noticed I’d slowed, andhe turned, pulling us to a stop. Fox stopped too, but at Nash’s nod, he disappeared into the room behind us.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Nash said, cupping my cheek with one hand.
“This is the charity I bought most of the furniture from,” I said, tearswelling in my eyes.
Not only had I spent a fortune buying furniture from them, but I’d alsomade a huge donation to the charity, knowing thousands of people were in the position I’d been in, looking after a loved one with dementia, and it was charities like this who helped support them.
Nash gave me a warm smile. “I know. And I know how important thischarity is to you. That’s why I arranged the auction.”
A solid lump lodged in my throat, and it took a few seconds for me toswallow it down before I could speak. “How…how do you know what it means to me?” I said, doing my best to hold back the emotion that was desperate to be released.
I’d only told him a little bit about my mom when we had dinner on theboat, but that had been about my childhood. I’d told him she’d passed away, but I’d never told him what she died from, or that for years, I was her carer while she battled with dementia.
Nash cupped my other cheek and brought his face closer to mine,giving me a delicate kiss on the lips. “Sweetheart, when will you learn that I know everything there is to know about you.”
I gaped at him as a tear slid down my cheek which Nashbrushed away with his thumb. My heart began pounding in my chest, and as I stared into Nash’s silvery-gray eyes, a warmth filled me.
A warmth I’d never felt before, not even with Liam.
“Thank you,” I whispered, placing my hand on Nash’s solid chest.“This is…it’s incredible.”
Nash rested his hand over mine, and for a minute we stood staring ateach other, the world around us forgotten, and that was the moment I accepted my fate.
I was surrendering.
It didn’t matter what had happened to lead us to this moment, all of itpaled into insignificance because the man standing in front of me, I wanted him. I wanted him, not just for the life he could give me, but because of who he was.
Yeah, he was controlling, but he was also kind, caring, and generous,and when he said he would never betray my trust, I believed him.
Nash’s lips pulled into a knowing smile. It was as if he could read mythoughts, and knew that I was going to give him the one thing he wanted. But before I could say anything else, he took my hand off his chest.
“Ready to go and raise lots of money for your charity, sweetheart?”
I beamed back at him, a sense of calmness washing through me nowthat I’d accepted my fate. “Let’s do it.”