Page 70 of The Player
“No. I love that. I don’t want to change it. Hey, Tiny.” Bryony nuzzled her, peppering her with kisses as the dog licked her face, loving her right back. “I’m your new mummy,” Bee cooed, and heat burst through me, seeing her light up as she petted her. I knew then that I’d done the right thing. Bee always liked to act tough, but she had a strong, nurturing side. Tiny was one lucky pup to end up here. “But where’s she gonna sleep? We don’t have a dog bed. And what about food?”
I put my hand up to stop her, pulled the bag from beside the sofa and showed her the puppy food I’d bought, along with some chew toys, a water bowl, and a small fluffy dog bed the size of a cushion.
“It’s all taken care of.”
I smiled, seeing her look genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.
“I think this is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
Tiny yapped in agreement.
“You deserve the world, Bee. That’s what I’m here for.” I hated that I had to tell her about the delivery we’d had, but she needed to know. “Listen, I need to tell you about something that happened today, at The Sanctuary.”
“Is it going to spoil this moment?” she asked, and I nodded. “Do I need to hear it now or can it wait just a little longer?”
I sighed. It was putting off the inevitable, but she was right. Maybe it could wait for an hour or two.
“Fine. We can talk about it later.”
“Good.” Bee snuggled into Tiny as she held her, giving me a look that was both sexy and mischievous. “Because I’ve got a surprise for you too. Well… not a surprise exactly. But there’s something I thought we might try.”
ChapterThirty-Two
BRYONY
Iswallowed, doubting myself and my sanity with each breath I took.
“Something we might try?” Will repeated back to me. “You’re not gonna make me do some weird voodoo shit, are you?”
I gave a hollow laugh, sitting down and holding Tiny in my lap to cuddle her as she tried to escape onto the floor.
“I suppose, in a way, you could say it has a similar vibe. I thought of a way I might exorcize a few demons. But we’ll get to that later. This little lady wants my attention now.”
I lifted Tiny up to kiss her, loving how soft and warm she felt in my arms. Soft, warm, and innocent. All mine to protect and care for.
I peered up at Will, feeling love burning fiercely inside me. I still couldn’t believe he’d done this.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I planted the hundredth kiss on Tiny’s little head.
“You already said that.” He sat down next to me, stroking her and smiling at me. “But you’re welcome. If something puts a smile on your face, I’ll do it. It’s worth it.”
* * *
We played with Tiny until she fell asleep on her little dog bed. Then, when I was confident that she was down for the night, I took Will’s hand and led him into the bedroom.
On the bed was a bag full of the things I’d asked Shelley to get for me. Earlier, I’d thought this was the best idea in the world. A way to stick two fingers up at that fucker and what he'd put us through, or at least a damn good start to getting that way. I thought it’d give me control over some of my feelings, turn my nightmarish thoughts on their head, but now, I wasn’t so sure.
I guessed Will could sense my apprehension and nervousness because he squeezed my hand, and with a gentle chuckle, he asked, “Are you okay?” Then he cleared his throat. “Stupid question, I know. You’re not okay. But right now, you seem nervous. Why are you nervous, Bee?”
I let his hand go and rested my palms on his chest, gazing up at him and trying to predict how he’d react to what I’d say next.
“I’m gonna need you to keep an open mind. I had an idea today. It might be the dumbest idea I’ve ever had, but I had it, and I want to share it with you.”
“Okayyy,” he said, drawing out the word and cocking his brow at me. “You know you can share anything with me. I’m the last person you should be nervous around.”
“I know,” I replied, using the temporary burst of confidence to lean over the bed and turn the bag upside down, emptying the contents onto the duvet for him to see.
At first, his face glowed wickedly as he smirked, seeing the lube, beads, vibrators and other toys scattered on the bed. “Fuck me.” He nodded, and his eyebrow quirked from how impressed he was. But then he saw the mask, and his jaw tensed. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing at it, knowing full well what it was.
