Page 40 of Domination

The sound of her calling me the same name my sons call me has my lungs constricting, and I hold my hands to her. “Come on. Come to Papa,” I coax. She grins a drooly grin, and as she steps toward me, a surge of excitement swells in my chest. “Come on, Bon-Bon,” I urge. “You can do it!”

She sways on her feet but somehow stays upright, and when she takes the two steps toward me, I catch her as she falls into my arms. “Clever girl.” I deliver soft kisses on her nest of curls. “Such a clever girl for Papa.” I smile and shower her in praise.

A gasp of surprise pulls my attention toward the door. “She took her first steps?” Gracie steps into the room.

“She did.” I maneuver her onto my hip and stand. “Did you see?” I beam back at Gracie.

Tears have filled her eyes. “Yes! She walked to you.”

I pull her toward me to have both my girls nestled against my chest. Bonnie plays with the buttons on my shirt, and I place a kiss on top of her momma’s head and breathe in her peach scent to help settle the anxiety from her absence.

“I can’t believe she walked for you.” Awe laces her tone, and pride fills my bloodstream. I don’t ever recall watching the boys walk for me, and truth be told, I’m notsure I would’ve even given a fuck. I had men to slay, a reputation to uphold, and a literal bloodbath on my doorstep to conceal from their eyes. The last thing I had time for was my children.

A knock sounds from the doorway, and Massio steps inside, something I will have to discuss with him. While the other women I paraded around the mansion with little to no thought, I don’t want him seeing Gracie in a state of undress. “Sir?”

“What?” I snap, and he rears back like I punched him in the gut.

He swallows thickly. “You asked for an update?”

He’s referring to Gracie and the day they spent together, a day she should have spent with me. Did he watch her as she tried clothes on? Does he know what she bought? Again, jealousy slivers through my veins, and my body stiffens, but I shove the foreign feelings aside and place Bonnie in her momma’s arms while twirling the hook of her collar around as a reminder of who she belongs to. “She will want to eat soon. Save me some.” I speak low, for only her ears, and delight in the way she nods, then I step past her and follow Massio into my office.

The moment the door closes behind him, I head toward the decanter and pour us both two fingers of whiskey. I place the glass down in front of him and nurse mine, then settle my old ass on my chair. “Go on,” I prompt.

“She didn’t buy a damn thing for herself. You made me traipse around all those fucking stores, and she didn’t buy anything for her.” He shakes his head, and his lipstwist in disgust. If I was anything but pissed right now, I’d find his reaction amusing, but who the hell has she been buying things for?

“She bought the baby half a dozen things: clothes, a bath toy, blanket etc.” He wafts his hand and takes a swig of his whiskey. “Then she bought you this.” A smug smile spreads across his face as he digs into his jacket pocket to retrieve a small bag that he then hands to me. When I remove the black material from inside, I frown.

“A tie, to match your eyes apparently.” He scoffs and rolls his eyes, and the jest in his tone pisses me off. “More like to match your fucking soul.” That makes my lips twitch, but anger still simmers in my bloodstream at the thought of her denying me the curtesy of providing for her. She’s mine to care for.

Maybe she needs a reminder of just how much I own every inch of her.

Gracie

As Vinny and Massio go to his office, I clutch Bonnie tighter against my chest, giving her a hug. “You’re such a clever girl.” She squeezes my cheeks and brings her lips to mine, delivering me a sloppy kiss and making me giggle. “You walked for Papa?”

“Papa!” she shouts, clear as day, and my heart hammers, and tears fill my eyes.

“She does love Vincent, that’s for sure, and I’ve never seen him so attached to a little one.” Hazel smiles in our direction. “I made us some hot cocoa.” She tilts her head toward the patio, and I smile. She reminds me of my mother, but an older, wiser version, one I wish I could keep.

“Thank you.”

“Come”—she gestures—“I have a blanket laid outside for Bonnie too, and there’re some toys the grandchildren have left.” As we step outside, she motions toward the plastic toy box, and I place Bonnie down on the blanket while she turns the outdoor heater up.

I take a seat on the huge sofa, with fluffy blankets and cushions, luxuries I’ve only ever witnessed on television. When I first arrived here for the Halloween party, I couldn’t understand how this was someone’s home, and a family member’s at that. My father never spoke a good word about Vinny or his relatives, and even at a young age, I heard the jealousy in his tone.

“How’s your day been?” Hazel asks, and I wrinkle my nose.

She lets out an almighty chuckle that makes her chest bounce and causes Bonnie to jolt. “That good?”

“I don’t like malls.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Well, that’s different. So, what do you like? What did you do for fun at home?”

My mind wanders when I consider her question. “When I lived with my mother, it was on a ranch.” Hazel nods along to my words, and excitement builds inside me as I tell her about my childhood. “We had stables and horses. Mine was Minnie, she had the glossiest brown coat and most brooding eyes. I’d ride her bareback until the sun went down. Even on the hottest of days, she’d ride for miles.” I smile at the memory.

“Are the horses still at your mama’s ranch?”

I shake my head. “I’m not sure. My father assured me he was caring for them, though.” I play with the hem of my T-shirt, and she eyes me skeptically.

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