Page 72 of He Should Be Mine

“My new ass-binkies!”

“Your… what?”

Molly laughs. Hard enough to move his stomach and make his ruby red belly button piercing sparkle. His sapphire eyes gleam dangerously.

“Ass-binkies. Also known as butt plugs.”

“Ass-binkies,” I repeat helplessly. “Binkies? Like the dummy things babies suck on? Pacifiers. Soothers?” I am rambling but I can’t help it. I have to be misunderstanding. “Ciuccio?” I add in Italian, just to be sure. Even though I doubt Duolingo has covered baby accessories.

He laughs again. “Ass pacifier doesn’t have the same ring to it. Neither does ass dummy, or ass soother.” He fixes me with an utterly filthy smirk. “The Italian could be cute, though. “Ciuccio culo. How does that sound?”

Trust him to have learned the word for ass. I shake my head and walk away. I can’t believe this is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. He is utterly incorrigible. Taking him anywhere in polite society is going to be a nightmare.

I dump the bags on the kitchen counter and my mood plummets along with the groceries. I’m never going to take Molly out amongst polite society. He is never going to be on my arm.

To keep him safe, I have to become the Ajello heir. And then the Don. I can’t be gay. Any more than Riccardo can.

Molly is going to be mine. My dirty little secret, hidden away somewhere. Somewhere lovely, but not my official home. He is going to be my mistress, not my wife. It’s not what I want, but it is going to have to do. It’s the best I can offer Molly, and it is a hell of a lot better than what he has now.

Robotically, I begin putting the shopping away. The thing that hurts me the most about the future is that Molly won’t complain. He doesn’t understand his worth. He doesn’t realize he deserves the world. I’m going to treat him horribly, and he will thank me for it.

Molly skips down the hallway and joins me in the kitchen. He is still dressed in nothing but lingerie. And now those damn thigh-high socks. Gleaming white ones with a little frill of pink at the top.

“I got this for you,” he says as he hands me a small, flat, soft package.

My eyes narrow. What is he up to now? Just what sort of hideous thing is in here?

He rolls his blue eyes. “Always so suspicious. It’s a knee brace. A neoprene one, all the reviews were really good.”

My stomach twists. My chest tightens. How does he know? I thought I hid my weakness well.

He smiles softly. “Sugar, we have been living together for six months, and noticing men’s bodies is kinda of my speciality.”

I stare at him.

He sighs. “Your secret is safe with me.”

I scowl, but strangely, I believe him. He is loud and brash and bright, but he is not stupid or cruel. He understandswhat a dangerous world we live in and how any weakness can be your downfall.

I give him a curt nod and shove the packet into my pocket. Luckily, my flare-up seems to be over the worst of it. But there is always a next time.

“You’re welcome,” he says with an almost fond, exasperated shake of his head.

Then he turns away from me and he stands on tiptoes to reach the top cupboard and investigate everything that I just put away. He starts rearranging things. I start loading the fridge. I can’t even remember why it used to annoy me when he reordered the cupboards. It used to set my teeth on edge. Now that I would give him anything he asked for, it seems like such a small thing. A tiny thing that makes him happy. And if he is happy, I am happy.

I turn around to put the empty bags in the trash, and am met with the sight of Molly’s ass. I freeze again. My every muscle seizes up. I think even my heart has stopped beating.

All of me is consumed by the sight before me. The white lace panties are tiny. They only lightly cover the very top of the swell of his cheeks.

I can see the curve. Right where my hand should go. Right where I should be squeezing. I bet his ass is firm with just the right amount of give.

I never knew a man’s ass could be so perfect, so enticing and alluring. My gaze tracks along the seam of the panties, to where it disappears into his crack and between his legs.

Holy Mary, mother of god, I never thought I would be jealous of cloth.

Is he wearing one of his new butt plugs? Did he have time to put it in? Is it in there right now? Is it one with asparkly jewel on the end of it? Maybe sapphire blue like his eyes. That would look so good against the rosebud pink of his flesh. I bet he is as pink as his nipples down there. I already know he is smooth and hairless.

What noises would he make for me if I dropped to my knees right now and ripped those panties off with my teeth? If I used my lips to caress the butt plug and slowly pull it out of him and replace it with my tongue?