Page 60 of Sacrifice

From there, I’ll have to do is take the state exam to be able to practice law. The pride I have for myself, fighting against all odds to finish this dream, is unexplainable.

“You alright, Aribella?” Vincent whispers in my ear and I blink. I’ve noticed I doze out of reality a lot lately. It’s the only way I know how to deal with the haunting thoughts I have.

Nodding my head, I smile up at him. “Yes. I was thinking about school. Sorry I zoned out.”

“It’s alright.” He winks at me, and my heart does little backflips. Keeping how much it turns me on when he winks at me to myself, I straighten my shoulders.

“I think you will like this SUV, Mrs. Domingo,” the salesman says, and Vincent squeezes my hand gently. Looking at Vincent, he shakes his head at me. He doesn’t want to correct the man and I swallow my words for the moment. We are going to have a discussion about this.

“Do you have it in yellow?” I ask the salesman and he sputters.

“Ye.. yellow ma’am?” he looks utterly disgusted at my choice of color and Vincent laughs.

“Yes. Yellow.” I look at him, raising an eyebrow, and Vincent pulls me into him. I’ve noticed he’s doing that a lot more and I’m not upset about it.

“No ma’am. This vehicle only comes in white or black.”

Frowning, I turn my pout toward Vincent. “But I want it in yellow.”I really don’t.This is a test to see how far I can push Vincent before he hauls my butt out of here.

The poor man looks around, trying to find something or someone. “I…” He stops for a second, then looks at his tablet. “Well, I mean…”

Vincent laughs as I stand there patiently, waiting for what the salesman has to say.

“We… well, maybe we could paint it for you.”

It’s kind of comical at how he’s trying so hard not to tell me no. I’m sure this has more to do more with who Vincent is than what I want. “It’s fine,” I laugh. “I’ll take it in black.” I say, and the man sighs in relief.

“Excellent choice, Mrs. Domingo.” He taps something on his tablet and nods to himself. “I’ll have it ready for you tonight.”

I gasp at the name and look at Vincent.

"Great," Vincent says and Mossimo comes in to deal with the paperwork. As we walk to the car, Vincent doesn't say anything until he has us inside.

"You know, you could have just told the man you wanted black to begin with." He stares at me and I shrug. God, I really want him to grab me and kiss me. Maybe even force me to submit to him. It's not a good idea for me to try to provoke him, but I want more than this softness he is showing me.

To my disappointment, he shakes his head and holds my hand. "Are you going to kiss me? Since I’m Mrs. Domingo now?"

Why I asked that, I'm not sure, but I feel like I'm going nuts. One minute, I want him to be gentle with me, the next I want him to claim me. To show me his brutish ways. God, what is wrong with me?

Vincent's head whips around, and he glares at me. "Is that what you want?"

A huff leaves me. "No, I guess not." I turn from him, taking my hand away and crossing my arms under my chest. Why am I being this way? Is it because I want him to wash away everything those monsters did to me? So many questions rumble around inside of my head.

"Aribella..." I shake my head as he starts to say something.

"Don't worry about it, Vincent. I shouldn't have asked." I turn my body toward the door and close my eyes. Stupid. So stinking stupid.

This gets his attention because he grabs my ponytail and twists it until I'm forced to look up at him. "Do not hide from me," he growls, and this time I'm not scared. Not at all. My body reacts and I growl right back at him.

"You mean like you have been doing with me?" I fire back at him and he snarls at me.

"You are tempting me,mi reina. I suggest you don't." His eyes are darkening and I see the desire in his smile. He's not mad at all.

"Or what?" I jut my chin out and he pounces.

Those harsh lips land on mine and I open for him instantly. This is what I wanted, so why would I resist it? I crawl into his lap before I can make myself stop and kiss him deeper. His taste hits me and I have a feeling of being home that settles in me.

"Dios mio…" he mutters as his hands run up and down my arms, and I push my fingers through his hair. Our tongues war with one another, trying to fight for dominance. As long as he doesn't stop.

---