Page 30 of Darkest Retribution

“Hmm?”

“Can you play quietly by yourself for a few hours?”

“Can I watch a movie?”

“Your aunt won’t kill me if I let you, right?”

“I’m allowed to watch one movie a day. But I don’t always. She likes it when I play outside.”

I nod. “Why don’t you pick one out. I’m gonna move Jade upstairs so we don’t wake her up, okay?”

I’m not sure if Rosie hears me, because she’s already sprinting toward the TV—or, more precisely, the movies stacked up on the stand.

Gently, I pull the blanket off Jade’s body before snaking my arms under her and picking her up. She doesn’t stir.

I cradle her to my chest as I take the stairs carefully. When I reach her bedroom at the end of the hall, I nudge the door open with my foot. Her covers are pushed back, so I set her on the bed before pulling them over her.

As I’m closing her curtains, I notice the overflowing laundry basket in the corner.Jesus.She must be having a really bad time.

As I quietly pick up the basket, I hear a moan behind me. I turn, finding Jade watching me with half-open eyes.

She squints at me. “Dominic?”

“Hey. Go back to sleep. Sorry to wake you.”

She blinks before her gaze flits to the laundry basket on my hip. “Why do you have that? Why aren’t we in your office?”

“Don’t worry about it. I was about to head downstairs.”

Frowning, she asks, “Aren’t you going to fuck me?”

I freeze.What the hell?

“Excuse me?”

“That’s what you always do. Well, sometimes you have me kneel by your feet, and other times you have me lay across your lap and you run your fingers up and down my spine.”

Fuck me.

“I do, huh?”

She nods, settling against her pillows. “I like it when you do that.”

I stifle a groan, forcing myself to picture the least sexy thing I can think of before I’m stuck dealing with a hard-on. “Go back to sleep, Jade.”

“Will you give me a kiss goodnight?”

“Jade...”

What the hell is going on? Does she think she’s dreaming?

Wait. She dreams about me?

She reaches out and grabs my hand, tugging me down. “You feel so real,” she whispers, pressing my palm to her cheek.

With a sigh, I lean down and kiss her on the forehead. She whines, puckering her lips and trying to sit up, but I hold her down.

“That’s enough. Go to sleep.”

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