Page 19 of Cold

"Why?" I asked. "Isn't it better to leave all that stuff alone?"

"No." Vito shook his head. "People under him hurt Gabriele's man and he's not going to rest until he gets them. That's just how this works."

I frowned. "More violence."

Vito continued to stare at me, but I started walking. No matter what I did, it was like I couldn't escape the blood and cruelty of them. It was a dream to think that I ever could.

"Don't mope," Vito said. "I thought you wanted to go shopping."

I perked up a bit. "I do!"

"Then come on, boy."

My smile came back when he called me boy. It was such a stupid, silly word, but when Vito said it I felt warm and safe. He was a big, bad man but he was charged to protect me and he wouldn't let anything happen. I knew that.

Or at least I wanted to believe the lie and it was good enough for now.

We stopped at the first store and I grabbed anything I thought looked good. I had no idea what people were wearing these days. Sergei's parties were fancy so I wore whatever outfit he picked out for me and all the others wore suits or elaborate dresses. And when things were laid back and casual, I still wore whatever Sergei saw fit.

But for the first time everything that I picked out was completely and totally my own choice.

It feels too good to be true!

"What else do you want?" Vito asked as he carried three huge bags worth of clothes.

"Nothing," I said quietly. My throat felt tight. I already spent too much of his money. He'll get angry and this fairytale will end. "I'm okay."

Vito stopped and turned on me. "What?"

"And I can carry those bags," I insisted. "I'm stronger than I look!"

Vito stepped forward and I swallowed hard. "I reserved the mall, paid the hush money, and set this all up so that you could enjoy it. So, I suggest you get shopping before you irritate me, boy."

Electricity shot straight to my cock. How could he be mean and make me want to smile all at once? My eyes flickered to a nearby shop and I hugged Mr. Whisker's to my chest before I looked back at Vito. His eyes tracked my line of sight and he tilted his head.

"There?" he asked. "Is that where you want to go?"

I shrugged and stared down at the floor. He wasn't supposed to see that! The array of bottles, pacifiers, and toys had called to me, but I knew it shouldn't. I'd been fascinated by them ever since I'd met another one of Sergei's boys who called himself a little. He'd thought I was one too when I showed him Mr. Whiskers, but I'd never had any time to dwell on that. Sergei didn't go for the cutesy stuff. He thought it was stupid.

Vito's hand wrapped around my arm and he dragged me over to the window. My heart raced in my chest as my cheeks burned. I tried to dig in my feet and not go any further, but Vito was stronger than me.

"You want to go in here?"

My heart hammered away. "T-there's no one in there," I mumbled. "Besides, most of the stuff would be too small for me."

Vito snapped his fingers and one of the men dressed in black hurried over. "Where's the manager?"

"He was having a cup of coffee in the food court."

"Get him and bring him back here. Quick."

"Of course, Mr. Bianchi."

Once he was gone, I wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. "We really don't have to-"

Vito turned on me and raised a brow. "Okay. If you don't want to go, I won't force you. But I'm going regardless."

"Why?" I asked, my eyes wide as I stared up at him. "You don't like that stuff!"

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