Page 66 of Domination

Gracie’s head pops up from my chest to face me. Her eyes are red and full of anguish and utter devastation. Full of pain. I want to take it away and replace it with nurture.

“Of course, I do.” She closes her eyes, and when she reopens them, she straightens her shoulders. “When my mom passed away, I was sent to live with my father. He wasn’t kind, Vinny.” I nod in understanding. “Then one day he declared he wasn’t going to sell my virginity like he’d always tormented me with. I was ecstatic, I thought he’d seen the light.” A humorless laugh leaves her. “He told me I had to go to a Halloween party and sleep with the man in the photo he gave me. He said he’d be watching,and he’d know.” She licks her lips, then her cheeks heat. “When I saw your picture, I knew I’d rather sleep with you than the men he brought to the house. He said if I did that, he would give me the deeds to the ranch my mother left me in her will.”

She glances up at the house behind us, and another tear leaves her. “He was always moving the goal posts, and when I realized I was pregnant, he was really nice to me. For the first time in my life, he was nice.” I can see the need for affection radiating from her, and my fingers find her silky hair to give her just that, and my touch gives her the strength to continue on. “He said he wanted to help me with the pregnancy, and he did. He was good.” She nods several times like she’s convincing herself of her words.

“You didn’t think to inform me,” I grit out.

“My father said you were dangerous, that he discovered you were a part of the Mafia. He changed when I had Bonnie. He was mean, but he wasn’t abusive.” I scoff at her words, locking her in a fucking basement is abusive. How can she not see that? “He said I needed to stay at your house until he was out of rehab, then he would bring us back to the ranch. But I had no intentions of waiting. I knew the moment the opportunity arose, I’d take it and come home. I just didn’t think it would be so difficult to leave you, and the longer I stayed, the harder it was to leave.”

“But you left,” I grind out. “You left and took my little girl, Gracie.”

“You never would have let me leave if you knew.”

“Damn fucking right I wouldn’t.”

“I-I just want to be free, Daddy. And safe, I want to be safe, and I want Bonnie to have the childhood I did. The freedom I grew up with. The childhood I had.”

“You can’t read.” I don’t know why I bite that out; is it below the belt and cruel? Yes, but given the circumstances, I have every right to use it. How the fuck dare she think this life is a better one than the one I can offer. Still, the niggling feeling of her being right has my shoulders falling.

“I have dyslexia, Vinny.”

My laugh lacks amusement as I shake my head. “You shouldn’t have signed the contract, Little Pet. You didn’t know what the hell you were signing.”

“I didn’t care,” she replies with steely determination. “I wanted you.” Wanted?

A lump of foreign emotion gathers in my mouth, making it difficult for me to swallow.

“I love you, Vinny. Leaving you made today the worst day of my life. But I needed to do this even if I have failed.” She looks back at the farmhouse. “He sold it, didn’t he?”

“He did,” I confirm, and the guilt that lances through my chest is an odd sensation. “I’m sorry,” I say, even though I’m unsure why. I’m not the one who has kept secrets from her and stole the first months of my child’s life, stole the chance for me to see her pregnant with my child, but I find myself wanting to comfort her, make everything right.

Bonnie’s head springs up from my bicep, and she points to something. “Swing, mamma.”

Gracie stares at the apple tree, with a forlorn lookshimmering in her eyes. “My mamma used to push me on that swing. Shall we go see?” She slides off my lap and holds her hand out for Bonnie, and I watch as she carries her toward the swing. Then she scoots her ass onto the swing and maneuvers Bon-Bon onto her lap. The breeze blows Gracie’s hair, and the soft giggle Bonnie emits lights up her angelic face with each motion.

As I step toward them, my heart constricts. Can I really do this to them? Take away their freedom.

“Time to go home,” I grunt out, motioning toward the SUV. Gracie’s shoulders slump, and she gives the farmhouse one final glance before sliding off the swing with Bonnie in her arms.

A lone tear trickles down her cheek, and I step up to swipe it away with the tip of my thumb before sucking it into my mouth.

“You need punished, Little Pet,” I mumble for her ears only, kissing her neck.

Her blue eyes light up, and her pupils flare with expectation. “Yes, Daddy,” she says as smooth as silk. “I’m ready.”

Truth be told, I think it’s me who isn’t ready.

Chapter Forty

Gracie

Seeing the look of pure devastation on Vinny’s face as he said I didn’t think he was good enough had me wanting to throw myself at his feet and beg for forgiveness. But right now, as we stand in my bedroom, I know he needs retribution. He wants to punish me for the pain he’s suffered and was going to suffer for the rest of his life without us.

“I don’t want you to go easy on me, I know you’ve been holding back.” His eyebrows shoot up. “I want you to remember all the things that pissed you off about me, I want you to punish me for stealing your baby, for betraying you and hurting you.”

“Gracie,” he warns, but I shake my head.

“I mean it. Make me never forget, force me to stay.”

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