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Chapter Twenty-Six

Vinny

I take a puff of my cigar while Massio gives me a brief rundown of what I will be missing today. Not that I care. Since Gracie and Bonnie entered my life, I feel more and more like Mafia life is slipping away from me.

“Are you even listening?” Massio clips. “Jesus, Vinny, she has your head screwed up.” He whirls his finger around at the side of his head, implying I’m going crazy.

He’s not wrong. I’ve never been so obsessed over a woman.

He crosses his arms over his chest and broadens his feet. “She’s hiding something.”

“Hmm,” I muse, dragging my finger over my lip, a habit of mine even I find annoying.

His eyebrows shoot up. “You know?”

“She’s the woman from the Halloween party,” I say out loud for the first time.

He rears back, stunned. “And she knows you know?”

I lean back in my chair. “Of course. ”

“And she’s your pet?” He winces, choking the words out. Massio has always been uncomfortable around my pets; he never knows where to look or how to act around them.

“Sort of.” I drag a hand through my hair.

“Sort of?” He shakes his head. “You treat her different to the others, Vinny.”

“I do,” I admit. “She’s my granddaughter.” A smirk plays on my lips, and I shrug my shoulder.

Massio blanches. “Jesus. You’re fucked up.”

“I know.” I grin and my cock hardens. “She’s hiding things from me. But my little pet is delicate, she’s slowly opening, and I don’t want to scare her. She has a troubled past.”

His spine bolts upright, and his glare turns deadly. If there’s one thing neither of us can stand, it’s abusers. “Any ideas what she’s hiding?”

“She has nightmares. Robert was abusing her.” I don’t elaborate further, what Gracie told me is ours. He doesn’t need to know the true depths of her terror.

“You want him dead?”

I cluck my tongue. “He’s in rehab. Rafael arranged the placement; I’d like you to work with him and have him moved to the warehouse when it’s convenient.”

Retribution flashes in his eyes, and he knows exactly why I want him at the warehouse; it’s the end of the line for Robert. “You got it, sir.” This is what I like about Massio, he’s loyal to the bone.

Stubbing out the cigar, I give him a swift nod; he pushes back in his chair and pulls open the door, revealing Hazel. She has her hand raised like she was about to knock. Massio steps aside to allow her entry.

Instantly, my body is on high alert. “Hazel?”

Her hand wafts through the air, mimicking swatting a fly, and she chuckles. “She’s fine, relax. I just want to speak to you about her.” She wrings her hand in front of her, and I motion for her to take the seat Massio vacated.

When the door clicks shut, I turn my attention to her. “Go on.”

“She’s lonely, Vinny.”

I grind my teeth but ignore her. She shouldn’t be lonely, not when she has me.

“The poor girl doesn’t see anyone besides me and you.” She blows out a deep breath.

“She doesn’t talk of any friends, it’s almost like she’s been isolated. She dreams of being at her mother’s home, on the ranch?”

I nod.

“She had horses there, and she seems to think her father is caring for them?” Her eyes are full of hope. Hope I’m about to crumble.

I shake my head, and her shoulders sag. “He sold the horses a couple of years ago. He offered some to me. If I’d known…” I leave my words open, and she tilts her head.

Then she straightens her shoulders. “I’ve been thinking, maybe she could join my local church.” A cruel laugh erupts from me, and Hazel’s eyes narrow. A fucking church?

“Vincent Marino, don’t be so rude.” Her stern, hurt voice drains the humor from me.

Hazel has been good to my family over the years, and with the way she scowls at me now, I know I’ve hurt her. I clear my throat. “My apologies.”

She lifts her chin. “We have a church group that runs tomorrow evening. There’s only a dozen of us, and you know I’d look after her, we organize food parcels for the underprivileged.”

I strum my fingers on the desk while I contemplate it.

“We do charitable work, Vinny, nothing nefarious.”

I balk at her comment. “And what is it you expect me to get out of this?” I snipe.

She rolls her lip, then meets my eyes. “Maybe if you showed her she wasn’t just another one of your pets, she might like to stay around longer.” She glares at me, and I narrow my eyes. Her words are like a warning going off in my head, and my pulse rushes, causing my temple to pulsate.

I lean forward in my seat, my body on high alert. The thought of her planning to leave me has my blood pumping furiously. “Has she said something?”

“No. Only that she misses home. She talks about it a lot.”

I scoff; there’s no way in hell she’s missing that prick.

“Her real home, the one where she grew up with her mother,” Hazel states, in such a way, I question if she’s hearing my thoughts.

“I’ll think about it.”

Her eyes gleam with triumph, and I roll mine. “I said I’d think about it, Hazel,” I bite out, hoping she understands.

With the excitement in her eyes, and the way she jumps up, I know she doesn’t. Fantastic, I’m about to destroy an old woman’s spirit.

“You’re a good man, Vincent.” She pats my hand, and I open my mouth to clarify my words, but she’s out the door before I can utter a single one.

“Fuck,” I groan, dragging a hand through my hair, knowing I need to use Massio’s second-in-command, Felix, to escort them to fucking church.

The horn to my SUV beeps, and I glance at my watch. Yeah, Massio is ready to leave, because the fucker wants to get back for the game this afternoon.

Pushing back on my chair, I head toward the door and into the day ahead. A day of spoiling my little pet.

Another new experience for me.

With my feet crossed at the ankles, I lean back against the blacked-out SUV and wait for her. The moment she comes into view, every nerve on my body comes alive with a silly flutter I thought was reserved solely for young love.

She smiles in my direction, and our eyes remain locked with each step she takes, but her footing wavers when she glances toward Massio.

My body locks up tight, and I drop my feet to the floor as envy rushes through my veins like a rampant drug, stealing the joy from within me and replacing it with venom.

My jaw clenches, and her eyes narrow in on the action.

Then I throw open the SUV door and hold out my hand for her to climb inside, ignoring the way her eyes flick over my face with concern.

Tucking her safely into her seat, I pull the seatbelt over her slender waist, straightening it at her shoulder and clicking it in place.

“Th-thank you.” Her innocent voice breezes over me, washing away the anger from only moments ago.

I let out a breath and stroke her hair with the tenderness I reserve solely for her.

When I step back and shut the door, Massio is watching me with knitted brows. “You’re so fucked.” He grins, earning him the middle finger as I round the vehicle.

Slipping in beside her, I waste no time moving the hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear, then I lean further in.

“I don’t like your attention on other men, Little Pet.

” She flinches and stiffens, then opens her mouth to speak, but I shake my head, and she snaps her mouth shut.

“You don’t look at them unless it’s to speak to them, do you hear me?

” I toy with her collar before tugging on it, reminding her of who her owner is.

She nods.

“Use your words,” I coax, and press kisses down the column of her neck. Unable to help myself, my tongue traces over her flesh. Fuck, I’d love to mark it with something more permanent that tells everyone she’s mine.

“Y-yes, Daddy.” She chews on her bottom lip.

“Now, open your legs nice and wide and push your panties to the side. I want your slick cunt on display, dripping with my cum while you suck on me.” Triumph flares in my chest at the way her eyes bulge and her mouth falls open.

I lean back and unbuckle my belt, lower my zipper, then pull out my throbbing cock.

“You’re going to suck Daddy all the way to the restaurant, and if you’re a good girl later, I’ll let you swallow my cum.

” Her cheeks redden, and I relish it. Glancing up, I catch Massio staring back at me.

Yes, fuckwit, I control and own every inch of her.

Then she sinks her mouth down on my cock, and my lips part while I hold his stare.

She slides her panties to the side, tucking them in her asscheek, and I delight in knowing my cum has marked her.

My fingers tangle in her silky locks. “Daddy’s little pet is a slut for cock, isn’t that right, Gracie?”

She attempts to lift her head, but I hold it in place, taking great delight in the way Massio flicks his eyes away.

“Good girl,” I croon, resting my free arm over the back of the seat.

Mine.