Page 12 of Loving Vincent

Ten

How many times could a woman go into shock in one week?Jenna wondered as she sat between Vince and Jared in a big black truck. Surreptitiously she reached under Lola’s sleeping form and checked her own pulse. Strong but fast. Her breathing was too rapid. She was probably having a panic attack. She couldn’t stop thinking about Vince’s threat to make her a slave, use her up and throw her away.

She glanced at him under her eyelashes and caught him staring at her with a frown on his face. He was sitting on her right, while Jared was driving the truck. She squeezed her eyes shut. Her poor brain wouldn’t stop trying to decipher the word slave. He meant housecleaner, right? He was going to make her clean his floors and toilets and wash his clothes until she was all used up?

Of course that’s what he means, Jenna. Because he kisses all of his housecleaners. God, I’m an idiot.

"Why’s she blonde?" Vince interrupted her thoughts.

She looked at him sharply.

He reached over and flicked the blanket off Lola’s forehead, indicating her full head of blonde curls with a raised eyebrow.

"Your hair is fire engine red, the ex has brown hair. She looks like you other than the hair. You cheat on that asshole or something?" he asked gruffly.

Jenna’s jaw dropped and she shoved his hand away from Lola’s head, pulling the blanket protectively back over her sleeping daughter's head. She glared at him like she wished he would drop dead pretty instantaneously.

No such luck.

"Fuck man," Jared snapped quietly so as not to wake Lola. "You’re such an asshole. You can’t ask a woman shit like that."

Vince ignored his business partner and raised a brow at Jenna. "Asked you a question. I want to know what kind of woman I’m taking home."

Jenna pressed her lips together in fury and swiveled her head around to look at him with eyes that glowed cobalt fireballs. "Oh yeah," she snapped. "I was so bored when Zach was in court that I had an endless stream of blonde pool boys parading through my bed!"

He sat up straight and gripped her chin hard, pulling her face toward his. She cried out softly, but he didn’t let go. He stared her down until she knew she had to give him what he was looking for or suffer more of his dominant wrath. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Jared’s fingers tighten on the steering wheel.

"It runs in my family," she whispered, dropping her eyes from the intensity of his. "When I was a child my hair went from blonde to strawberry blonde to red."

He released her chin and let her settle back into her seat. "Was that so hard?" he grunted.

She glared out at the passing streetlights. Was it so hard for him to act civilized?

She didn't know how long they drove, but sooner than she hoped for they were pulling up to a house. It looked like a normal house, not like Zach's ridiculously huge mansion. It was cottage-style, with shutters and a garden. It was pretty.

It couldn't belong to her captor.

"Is this your house?" she asked incredulously, when they exited the vehicle.

"Yes."

He wrapped a hand around her arm and pulled her up the walk toward the house. Over his shoulder he spoke to Jared. "Make sure the security is tight. They are to be extra vigilant and report any activity. I'll expect you in the morning, you'll be on babysitting duty since you like her and the kid so much."

"Fuck, man," Jared grumbled.

"I'm right here," Jenna reminded them. "I can hear you."

They both ignored her. Vince punched in a code to the box next to the door and then turned the handle. He pushed her through and turned to say goodnight to his friend. "Be here by 10.”

Closing the door, he turned to her.

Jenna backed away, hefting Lola against her. She was beginning to feel the weight of her daughter in her aching arms. Vince narrowed his eyes to where she was clutching Lola against her.

"Give her to me," he grunted reaching for Lola.

"No!" Jenna gasped, horrified. She jumped back, tripped over something and started to fall.

"Jesus fuck!" Vince snarled, grabbing hold of her and hauling her upright. "What the fuck is your problem, woman? Just trying to help you."

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