His possession

chapter 24

Loved. One small word and yet it had been the one thing in this horrid world that she wanted the most. He reached over and took one of her hands in his.
"You're nervous. Don't be. They'll love you," he said, kissing her hand and making her melt for him once again.
"This is a big house," she said.
"It's a club, set back in privacy. Just so you know, Stephen is
going to get you to sign some legal papers."
"What for?"
"You're not a member of the club or a wife to a club member. As a girlfriend you'll be required to state that you won't repeat anything you see or hear. Privacy is the key here."
"I'm your girlfriend?" she asked.
"Yes."
He pulled up into a reserved parking bay. Selena waited for his lead as he got out of the car and walked round to her side.
"Don't talk to anyone whom I've not introduced."
She nodded her head. He placed her hand inside his arm and led her to the front of the gates.
"Hello, Mr. Ashwood. Mr. Knox is waiting for you in the drinking room."
Selena nodded and handed over his coat before taking hers. She felt jerky and ungraceful next to him. Jalal knew he belonged in this place where she still felt like an outsider looking in.
His hand rested at the base of her back as he escorted her through the house. Most of the doors were shut, and a few couples greeted jalal but ignored her. She saw the way the men held onto their wives. A hand on part of the body or the
woman stood within touching distance. Selena saw the difference between the men instantly. The attitudes of the men at the club were completely different from the men she'd seen in the parking lot with their girlfriends. Jalal had described the difference perfectly. Their aura gave off a certain possessive instinct, as if they were saying, "Piss off,
she's mine."
He opened the door, and she walked into a smoky room. A woman stood on stage singing a slow deep tune. The words drew selena's attention away from the men. She glanced at the woman, who was dressed in a long white gown. Her hair was as black as night, and she had a pale complexion with
bright red lips.
"They're over there." jalal pointed towards a small group of men. Seeing how large they all were, selena suddenly felt petrified.
"I thought we were meeting one man, not loads."
"They're my friends, selena. They'll going to want to meet the woman who snagged jalal Ashwood's attention." He took
her hand and pulled her past several men to get to their table.
"Jalal , you made it." One of the men stood and shook his hand. Selena tightened her grip on him as each man stood.
"Stephen, I'd like you to meet selena Moore." He moved her closer. She took the other man's hand and shook it.
"Pleasure to meet you, selena."
She nodded her head and retreated back to jalal. He
made her safe. These men looked scary to her.
"That next to Stephen is Tate, Kevin, and the big guy on the end is Sean." He pointed out the rest of the men in line. Sean looked the scariest with a scar down the side of his face. She saw several tattoos up and down his arm.
"Hello," she said. Jalal sat her next to Sean as they made room for her at the table. Pushing a stray lock of hair out of her eye, she kept her gaze on the woman on the stage.
"What do you want to drink, sweetness?"
She turned as Stephen spoke to her. "Sorry?" she asked.
"What do you want to drink?"
Turning her gaze to jalal, he nodded his head. "An orange, please."
The men talked amongst themselves. She guessed they were all catching up. The woman on the stage kept staring at their table before turning back to the room.
"So what do you do, selena?" Sean asked.
"I work for Mr. Ashwood," she said.
"Doing what?"
"I use to deliver coffee and the mail."
"Enough with the twenty questions, Sean." jalal placed his arm across her shoulders.
After some time the men moved out of the room, and they went with them. She watched the way Jalal moved around the room. Everyone steered towards him. She thought about their conversation in his office at home. He didn't want her working for him anymore. Instead she would spend her time either at his home or in his office. Being at his beck and call
all day everyday. Doing everything and anything he wanted her to do. She ran the gold watch around her wrist, feeling the weight of the object weighing heavy on her body and heart.
"You look like a woman with too much on her mind," Tate said as he sat down next to her. She glanced over at jalal.
The way he behaved when men spoke to her made her nervous. "Don't worry about me. I'm a friend, and he wouldn't cause a scene. Besides, if he did, he was in perfect company.
Most of the men in this place know how he feels."
She smiled and glanced down at the gold trinket. Another piece of jewellery. She didn't like the gifts or what they could mean. Was this another way of paying for sex? Her mother always entered her head when she thought about the way Jalal treated her. The warnings. Some of the signs her
mother had said were there. Could jalal keeping her
just to use her for sex?
"I take it you don't want to talk to me," Tate said, making her aware she hadn't answered him.
"I'm sorry. I've got a lot on my mind right now," she said. Trying to give herself something to do, she reached for a
glass of water. Her hands were shaking.
"Are you afraid?" Tate asked.
"No."
He stared at her without saying anything. "I know this is going to sound like a strange question, but do you know any self-defence moves?"
She glanced over at jalal. He smiled at her and waved his hand."No. I don't."
"Would you like to come with me to show you some?"
"I don't think that would be appropriate," she said replacing her glass back down.
"It won't be anything intensive. Just some moves that can help you if you're ever alone. Jalal can't always be with you, and there are some moves I think women should be able
to use for themselves to get away from any intended
attacker."
At his words she thought about Dominic Green. She'd never met the man, and yet he posed the biggest threat to her life.
She followed Tate out of the room. He took her down several
flights of stairs until they came to a large metal door. He opened the door with a combination. When they entered she knew they'd walked into a gym. Mats were on the floor.