Page 28 of Domination

The urge to see him borders on obsessive.

“Are you okay?” Hazel asks from over the counter.

I flick my eyes toward my phone again. “Y-yes.”

She wipes her hands down her apron. “You haven’t touched your sandwich.” My gaze lowers toward the sandwich, and I wince.

“I’m sorry. I don’t normally have lunch.”

Her eyebrows shoot up into her hairline. “You don’t eat lunch?”

“No.” I chew on my bottom lip, wondering how much I can say without bringing more attention to myself. “I just don’t feel hungry at lunchtime,” I lie. Although, after spending months not eating at lunchtime, I am used to it by now.

Hazel’s emerald eyes assess me, her scrutiny making me uncomfortable. When she turns toward the oven, I blow out a breath of relief and turn my attention toward Bonnie. She’s been on a blanket on the floor for the past half hour, testing the selection of fresh foods I’ve been unable to provide her with before now.

“Do you like those, sweetie?” I stroke over her curls, and she scrunches her face into a cheeky smile that exposes her singular bottom tooth. Her happiness makes my heart soar. “Is it yummy?”

“Yu,” she says while mushing the cucumber stick between her fingers.

“Good girl. Say, yum yum.”

“Yu.”

“Yes. Yum yum.”

She mushes the cucumber into the blanket, and I wince at the mess she’s creating. Hazel was kind enough to lay one down for her and told me it didn’t matter since it can be washed.

“She needs a highchair,” Hazel declares, then picks up her phone.

I simply nod. What else can I do? Of course she needs a highchair, she needs a stroller too, but until I can access my inheritance, I can’t offer either thing.

My phone buzzes, and I spring up from the floor to grab it. Hazel chuckles and shakes her head, much like she has done all day, as if bemused by me.

Vinny is calling, and my heart races. Like an idiot, my fingers fumble with the keys, far too excited for a phone call than I should be.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Little Pet.” His voice comes out smooth, but it has a dangerous edge to it I’m becoming accustomed to, addicted too almost.

“Have you eaten your lunch?”

My eyes land on my untouched plate, then slowly travel up toward Hazel and back down to the counter and her phone she’s been typing on most of the day.

Has she been spying on me?

“Gracie!” Vinny barks, and I jolt.

“Have you eaten lunch?” he repeats, softer this time.

“N-no.” I push my hair behind my ear. “I’m just not very hungry,” I whisper.

“Little Pet, pick up your sandwich, and I want you to eat it while I speak to you. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good girl,” he praises, and my body flushes with the pride in his words.

Then I smile and lift the sandwich to my mouth. If starving myself gets his attention, I know what to do in the future. I banish the thought. Besides, I have Bonnie to think about, I want to be healthy for her and set the best example I can.

---