Page 56 of Domination

Chapter Thirty-One

Gracie

After the usual breakfast routine of me suckling on Vinny, then him feeding me like I’m incapable, he ordered me to go shower. When I got out of the shower, he was waiting to brush my hair and dress me in clothes of his choice. He even left a soft-pink nail polish on my dresser that he ordered specifically for me to paint my toes. Apparently, he likes the innocence of the color.

I got Bonnie dressed, then knocked on his office door, and he settled us on his lap like we weighed nothing while continuing to make demands about shipments on his phone. Once he finished, he informed me I was spending the day with Hazel at a church community center. To say I was delighted was an understatement. He praised me for being a good girl while he fawned over how adorable Bonnie looked with the little pink ribbon in her hair that he purchased for her to match her pink flamingo-themed dress.

“How are you getting along?” Hazel asks as I pack another sachet of oatmeal into the box. We’re packing food for the underprivileged, and the prospect of doing something meaningful for someone else feels amazing, a buzz of exhilaration flows through me at knowing I’m helping to make a difference.

“I’m loving it here. Thank you so much for suggesting this to Vinny.” My gaze lands on Bonnie on the play mat with another little girl not much older than her. Both of them are stuffing building blocks into their mouths.

“He just wants you to be happy.” She smiles, and my heart twists as I consider never seeing her again.

I move my focus away from her, hoping she can’t see the guilt I feel from head to toe. “I appreciate everything he’s doing for me and Bonnie, and I appreciate you too, thank you, Hazel.” I give her hand a squeeze.

“Dare I say he loves you and that little girl.” She tilts her head toward Bonnie, and I fight back the tears threatening to spill.

“Gracie, is that really you?” A familiar voice has me spinning to face the guy I’ve not seen in around eighteen months, right before my father stopped me from going to church.

“Matthew?”

My gaze roams over him. He’s taller than I remember, or maybe he grew. His dark hair is longer, and he has more muscle than before. He blushes and shifts from foot to foot. “Yeah.” He laughs awkwardly, then clears his throat. “What happened to you?”

“My father, he didn’t like me going to church,” I admit, embarrassment coloring my features.

His eyes narrow. “What?”

“I know.” I roll my eyes.

“I knew it was him that had stopped you coming.” His jaw tightens before he blows out a deep breath. “Well, I’m pleased you’re here now. I go around all the churches in the area, collecting the donations and delivering them.” He gestures toward the boxes.

Hazel steps to the side, and her focus lands on Matthew. “Gracie, are you going to introduce me?”

“Oh. I’m so sorry.” I shake my head. “This is Matthew Bardwell, a friend from where I lived with my father.” Her gaze ping-pongs between us before she glances over her shoulder toward Bonnie, making my spine steel straight at the thoughts that must be running through her mind. I step in front of Bonnie to block his view of her. The last thing I want is questions from him that causes her to report back to Vinny when I’m so close to freedom.

“Everything okay here?” Massio asks, stepping between Matthew and me.

I tilt my head up to take him in. “Yes, everything is fine. He’s just asking if I need any help with the boxes.” I gesture toward the boxes while Matthew continues to eye me skeptically. My eyes implore his, and he nods before stepping toward the table housing the boxes, but Massio snaps his arm out across Matthew’s chest. “I got this, kid,” he grunts with a wink, and Matthew shrinks away from us. While I continue loading the boxes up with goodies, my mind wanders with thoughts of my plansflittering away. I need to make a move, and soon, before Vinny puts a stop to my outings and before my feelings of guilt and love grow to the point of no return. If I open up to him, there’s no way he will ever let us leave, and this might be our only chance of true freedom.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Vinny

“What the fuck do you mean some punk was chatting her up?” I sneer toward Massio.

“I didn’t say that. I said he offered to carry her boxes.”

“Carry her fucking boxes?” I pace the room while flitting from pinching the bridge of my nose to dragging a hand through my hair. “Is that what they call it these days?”

“I think you’re blowing all of this out of proportion, sir.”

An irritated scoff leaves me, and I deliver another swift kick to the lifeless piece of shit on the basement floor.

“Did Bonnie look like him?” I snap my eyes toward Massio, and he shifts on his feet.

He grimaces and my chest tightens. “Sir, Bonnie looks like Gracie.”

I couldn’t agree more, she’s her double, but she has tohave some of her biological father’s DNA in her. “Yes. But did she look like the punk?”

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