Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Thank you, Victor. I love you so much.”
“Love you too, little bit. Come on, let’s get you in the bath.”
He helped her in then brushed her hair off her face. “I’m going to take another quick shower. Then I’ll get the other stuff. You want anything else? Cocoa?”
“Ooh, that would be amazing, please.”
She lay back, almost falling asleep as she listened to him in the shower.
“Baby, don’t fall asleep before I’m back. That’s dangerous.”
“Uh-huh,” she murmured.
Fingers lightly twisted her nipple, making her gasp and glare up into his grinning face.
“Hey, not nice!”
“Just checking that you were listening. And that you were going to do as you were told.”
She sighed. “I won’t fall asleep.”
He returned about fifteen minutes later and got her out, drying her off. Then taking her hand, he led her into the bedroom. There were some pajamas laid out on the bed for her with images of donuts all over them. She loved them.
“You bought me pajamas?” she asked.
“Yes. Do you like them?”
“I love them.” She reached for the top.
“Wait, before you put them on, I want to check you.”
Check her?
“Lie on your back and spread your legs.”
“Victor! I’m fine.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a stern look.
Honestly, the man was insane! But she had to be more insane since she did as he’d ordered.
Parting her lower lips, he checked her. She lay there, her arm over her eyes as she died of embarrassment.
“A bit red. But not too bad.”
Well, thank you, doctor.
She didn’t say that out loud, though.
Grabbing some panties, he pulled them over one foot then the other before taking them up her legs and over her hips.
“I can dress myself.”
“I know. But I want to do it.”
He worked in silence to get her dressed then settled her on her side of the bed. Which was, of course, the furthest from the door.
“Do you want this?” He held up the ice pack. “Or this?” He showed her the heating pad.
“Uh, maybe the heating pad.”
She sipped on her cocoa, giggling at the movie he’d put on while snuggling into his side.
It was perfect.
21
Gracen answered her phone just as Aero pulled up outside her apartment. She and Victor were going to pack up her personal belongings today. Aero was driving while Brax rode shotgun. One would stay downstairs while the other stood outside the apartment while they worked.
She thought it was overkill, but Regent still insisted that everyone be careful. And since he and Victor were busy stirring things up with the Ventura gang and trying to systematically destroy them, she guessed it was smart.
She frowned as she looked for her car. That was odd. Had someone stolen it? She’d been planning to bring it back to the Malone mansion. She kind of wanted to see Regent’s face when she parked it outside.
Her phone rang. The name of the person calling nearly made her drop her phone. “Hello? Anita?”
“Hey, Aunty G.”
“Anita, I’ve been trying to get ahold of you and you haven’t been answering my calls. I’ve been worried.”
“Whoa, Aunty G, chill. I talked to you just the other day. You’re so needy. I’m fine. It’s not like I’m living with you anymore. Don’t have a curfew I need to keep.”
She’d never kept to her curfew when she’d lived with Gracen anyway.
“Anita, I need to talk to you again about the bakery.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m calling. You stopped paying me. I need that money.”
“Anita, I told you during our last call that I was closing the bakery.”
“Well, you said you were going to keep paying me.”
Gracen was aware of Victor studying her intently. She closed her eyes briefly. “I said that I would while I could afford to. But I can no longer pay you, Anita. You’ll need to find a new job.”
“What the fuck! Aunty G, you can’t do that to me.”
“I’m sorry, Anita. The bakery is never going to re-open.” She didn’t go into details. Truth was, she hadn’t felt close to her niece since her brother died. But she also felt awful that she was almost giving up on her.
“Well, this just fucking sucks! It’s got to be against the law for you to just stop paying me!”
“I’m sorry. But you can get unemployment while you look for another job.”
“But unemployment isn’t as much as I was earning. I need that money! Sorry isn’t good enough. Some aunt you are. Daddy would be horrified by the way you’ve treated me.”
“Anita—”
Her niece ended the call, and Gracen put her phone down, aware that her hands were shaking.
“What is it? What happened?” Victor asked, turning to face her.
“Uh, she’s not happy that I’m not paying her any longer even though the bakery is shut, and she told me . . . she told me that my brother would be ashamed of the way I’m treating her.”