Page 66 of Sacrifice

Could Aribella possibly enjoy the same thingsIenjoy doing to her? She's still shy about what she wants and needs. It's understandable and we will go slow. God, to know she wants to go back into the dungeon means a hell of a lot to me. Maybe we will never be fully into the BDSM lifestyle, but I can make her nightmares go away. To help her shape an understanding of the darker side of sex and not be afraid at night.

Walking her into the kitchen, Jorge is there, with a cup of coffee outstretched to Aribella.

"Here you go, Miss Bella."

I'm about to reprimand him for calling her Bella, but she takes her head out of my chest and giggles.

"Hi, Mr. Jorge." She takes the cup and sits down at the counter. Thank God, she isn't going to make me fire Jorge. I know she misses Miss Terrington, but Jorge seems to have won her over.

Mossimo is already sitting at the window seat with a very relaxed Espresso. A bark of laughter leaves me and I shake my head.

"Do you ever go anywhere without that damn cat?"

This gets both Mossimo and Aribella to gasp and look at me with mock outrage. Jorge snickers and turns around, flipping the pancakes.

"Watch how you talk about the cat, Vincent." Mossimo strokes the cat's back and looks at me with daggers in his eyes.

Looking over at Aribella, I see she's smiling at me like I'm in trouble. Goddamn, all this for a cat. Sighing, I sit down across from Mossimo so I can watch Aribella.

Jorge strikes up a conversation with her about the rose garden and I know that's my queue to talk to Mossimo.

"Have you given any thought to running the casino with Diego?" I raise an eyebrow at him, expecting him to answer me. He's had weeks to determine what he wants.

"I'm out," he says softly and looks down at where his left hand should be.

"What the fuck for?" I try to keep my tone gentle, but this man is a trained killer. Someone that before all this shit went down, would run through a blazing gun battle just to save my ass. Now he wants to quit?

"I'm no good to you, Vincent." His eyes won't meet mine and I realize that this may be the result of his hand being gone.

"Because you don't have two hands now?"

This question gets him to pop his head up and I see the anger in his eyes. "Yes. You would put anyone else out to pasture if they had no ability to fight anymore."

At least he sounds angry now. Fuck, I don't think I could handle another minute of him being mopey.

"Fuck that." I straighten my tie, and Jorge brings me a plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. A hot cup of coffee is handed to me and I thank him.

He goes back to Aribella and I can hear how animated she is about the library.She invited him into her sanctuary?!I am seeing red. Nope. Not happening.

"Ahem, excuse me." I look at Jorge like he had better fucking decline. Aribella turns her head to me and glares.

"What's wrong, Vincent?" That little innocent act she has going on is about to earn her a damn spanking.

"No one is allowed in your sanctuary except me."Alright, even I can admit I sound fucking petulant.Mossimo bursts out laughing and Espresso meows loudly.

"I stand corrected. Espresso is allowed in there as well." I touch Espresso lightly on the head and he comes over to me, head butting my chin. Fuck, the cat truly has endeared itself to me and I love it. I'm actually feeling guilty for ever using him as leverage.

"Jorge can come in because he reads the same types of books as me. Plus, he has some really good guy on guy books that he wants to share with me."

Blinking, I pet Espresso as he rubs all over me, getting cat hair on my suit. Not that I care. "G-guy on guy books?" I stutter and Mossimo can't contain his laughter.

"Yes. Love is love, Vincent." Aribella turns her smile away from me and I almost bellow in rage, but I look at Jorge and he has a twinkle in his eye. Oh, that cheeky bastard.

"Fine. But I will be in there with you."

"Oh, my goodness, Vincent. Jorge is happily married to his husband, and I'm obviously not— " Her voice trails off and a blush pops up on her cheeks. She's beautiful, kind, and loving. God, I want her, but we have an audience.

"You're obviously not, what?" I tease her, knowing this is going to make her even more embarrassed.

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