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I won’t have any sort of protection fromhim, though.

Not that I want it.

“I understand,” I whisper.

“This is your home now,” Ian says.

I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to that. Somehow, “thank you” seems trite and like it’s minimizing what he’s doing. He’s offering me a place to stay, I think. If I’m understanding him correctly, he’s going to let me live here for a little while.

So, instead, I nod. “I won’t try to run away,” I promise him. I don’t think Ian will shoot me if I try to leave his mansion, but I do think that my father and Mr. Ricci will both have people keeping an eye out for me. If the wrong person snatches me or grabs me, I won’t be able to do anything about it.

Then I remember something else.

“Mr. Salucci, I didn’t go to work today,” I tell him. “I didn’t get Lorenzo’s phone.”

For a moment, I think he’s going to be angry about this, but he seems a little...surprised. Is he surprised that I remember what I was supposed to be doing? He asked me to do it, to get it for him.

“Of course, you didn’t. You had something else to do,” he finally says.

“I’m really sorry. I wanted to obey you.” There’s a part of me that feels really, really bad for letting him down.

To my surprise, Ian pulls me forward, away from the dildo. Then he tugs me to my feet so I’m standing in front of him. He wraps his arms around me and hugs me for a moment. My breasts press tightly against his hard chest, and he holds me.

“You’re a good girl, Rose. You did a good job. Someone else can acquire Lorenzo’s phone for me. I have my ways.”

I don’t want to ask him about that because I’m suddenly so warm, and I feel so good pressed against his body. I want more of this. I want more affection and more touching.

“There’s going to be an open position at the shelter. You aren’t going back.” I didn’t think that I was. I feel like that was pretty obvious. “I’ll get someone to take over your job. They’ll get the phone, and I can take the information I need.”

Is it strange that a pang of jealousy shoots through me? It’s nice that he’s going to find someone to replace me, but I’m also kind of...hurt. Working with animals ismyjob. It’s my dream. It’s something that I love doing and it’s something that I place a lot of value in.

Now some random weirdo is going to be working with my cats and my dogs and my bunnies.

A tear slides down my cheek. He must smell it or feel it because he presses my chin up so I’m looking right at him.

“You’re crying,” he says.

“Yes, Mr. Salucci.”

“Do you want to cry more?”

It’s a weird offer, but it’s one I’m going to take him up on. Yeah, I want to cry more. I want to completely lose myself. There’s a sadness welling up deep inside me, bubbling and threatening to explode. If he can bring that out of me, if he can make me cry, then I’m going to feel an overwhelming sense of utter and total relief.

“Yes,” I whisper.

I know I’m going to fall. I’m teetering on the ledge of sanity right now and he’s going to push me off, but I don’t care. I need this. I need everything he’s going to give me.

“Then get on your knees, Rose,” he tells me. “And start sucking my cock.”