Page 51 of Domination

I can’t believe he brought me here. He brought me to a store where one of his old submissives works. Great, just freaking great.

“You know, you’re not his usual type.” The dark-haired beauty with a hand on her hip scans my body with a raised eyebrow and a twist of her lips.

“Maybe he wanted something different,” I tell her, trying and failing miserably to disguise the tremor in my voice. I hate feeling like this—inadequate. It’s why I feel so comfortable in my community church, everyone is accepted. It doesn’t matter what your background is or what you’re capable of, everyone is welcome.

“You wouldn’t be able to handle the real Vinny, his darkness and all.” Her cruel taunt sends a shiver down my spine. “I don’t think any of us truly would,” she mumbles to herself so low I don’t think I’m meant to hear it. I can handle anything Vinny gives me; I welcome it.

“Has he taken you to his basement, his dungeon, to play with you?” My face falls and my stomach rolls at thefact he hasn’t done that, but I quickly school my features. “Amazing, isn’t it?” she gloats. “All the incredible things he has down there,” she continues while I try to suppress the whimper building inside. Why is he keeping things from me? Does he see me as fragile? Unable to handle him?

“Still”—her lip curls in distaste—“I don’t know what he sees in you.”

My heart freefalls when I think about him holding back to appease me. Is that what he does? Does he see me as a delicate toy who will break easily? Doesn’t he realize how strong I truly am?

“Ah, bless.” She toys with the collar Vinny made me. Then her lips pout into a ducklike pose. “He didn’t even get you the real thing.” She huffs and pushes off the doorframe to circle me, like a hunter rounding up its prey.

Her heels click with each movement, and the fitted black dress she wears has me darting my eyes away. She looks like a grown up compared to me in my flimsy, worn dress. No wonder Vinny brought me here. “You’re young too.” She flicks my hair with her finger. “Barely even have tits.” That’s a lie, my breasts are practically bulging against the fabric of my summer dress, full of milk. “And your stomach isn’t even flat.” There’s a sneer on her lips as she glances down toward my stomach, but I’m struggling to make out the issue. I know I have a pouch since giving birth to Bonnie, but I wasn’t aware it was a problem.

She turns and leaves the room while I exhale.

When she returns only moments later, she drops apile of clothes at my feet. “I wouldn’t have thought a little girl like you would want someone like Vinny.”

“I’m not a little girl,” I snap. She’s starting to piss me off.

Just what the hell was he thinking?

“You’ve been in his dungeon, so you know what he likes.” She kicks at the red thong by her foot while wearing a spiteful smile.

Her words have a hint of curiosity to them; she’s testing how much I know. The fact she knows something which I don’t has my veins swirling with disappointment, but why should I feel any different from the others, maybe I am just like them.

“Aww,” she mock pouts, and I want to tell her lips might get stuck like that, but I don’t want to lower myself to her level. “He didn’t, did he?”

She pats my shoulder in a patronizing gesture. “Don’t worry. I don’t think you’d be able to handle what goes on down there anyway.”

Jealousy courses through me, and I hate it.

Instead of showing her how inadequate I feel, I act unperturbed, but inside, my heart constricts, and my legs tremble with a need to flee. Tears spring to my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I won’t let a bully like her beat me. I’ve had what feels like a lifetime of them, and I won’t take it any longer. My hands ball into fists as she continues ticking off a list of issues she has with me.

The door to the fitting room swings open, and as quick as it draws my attention, I move my gaze away from the man who caused me my distress in the first place. His eyes are attempting to bore into my soul and pull it out in thetattered form that it is, then mold it back together with his sweet words and gentle affection.

“Is everything okay?”

I choke on thin air.Is he serious right now?

“Yes, Daddy.” I flinch at her words. Daddy? It’s like a punch to my gut, and my heart skips a beat at the stark reminder he’s had other women call him this.

I’m disposable.

I’m nothing more than another little pet, to be used and discarded, toyed with and forgotten.

Jealousy and self-loathing combine, surging from deep inside me, and heat rushes through my veins, baring my feelings to them both as my cheeks flame. I want to curl up in a ball, to run for the door, to cry and beat my fists against Vinny’s strong chest.

I want him to want me.

Me.

The broken, unwanted, unloved girl who only feels whole when her daddy loves her back.

Vinny’s jaw sharpens.

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