“B, baby,” he said, tugging me back onto the bed when I made to get up.
The term of endearment made my heart flutter, but then I remembered what a bunch of assholes I was dealing with, and I quickly tamed the wild butterflies.
“Stop.” He wrapped his arms around me and brought me closer as I lay on my back looking up at him. “Dom can be a dick. We all can. You need to understand that if Ivanov thinks you have it better with us, he’ll come for you. Right now, he’s enjoying watching you suffer.”
“I’m not an animal,” I said softly.
“I know you’re not.”
“Dominic treated me like shit. He went too far, and you didn’t do anything to stop it. You fed me from your hand. Fucking Levin poured water onto my tray and made me lap it up.” I swallowed, trying to push the laughter of the other students out of my head. “I came here to escape David. I came here hoping to find information about my father. All I’ve done though is try to stay alive. I don’t deserve this shit.” My voice finally cracked. “And then Dominic spanked me and fingered me in front of you. I’ve never felt like such trash before. I know I don’t come from money or anything, but I’m a human too. I’m not worthless like you all think I am.”
I wiped quickly at my eyes as Vincent frowned down at me. “I’m not. I just want my dad back and for my mom to be normal again. I want my life back. I’m treated like a piece of shit because you guys hate David, but I’m not a D’Angelou. I hate him. I fucking hate him.”
Vincent was quiet as I poured everything out for him.
“I feel like I’m in this hellish nightmare I can’t escape from. If I’m not saddled to one psycho, I’m stuck with another. I’m screaming for help, but no one hears me.” I braved a glance at him.
The frown was still on his face. His brows crinkled as he studied me. I wanted to tear these fuckers up. I had to be clever about it though because God knew they were.
“I’m not a bad girl, Vinny. I’m really not.” I used a nickname I made up on a whim to sweeten the deal.
“I know you’re not, baby,” he murmured, his hand moving to rest over my abdomen, his fingers skimming along the slit of skin peeking out from beneath my white button-down. “What can I do?”
“Help me. Really help me. I want my dad back. I need information that can help me find him. His name is Nathan Walker. He owned a small accounting business. It wasn’t much, but it paid our bills. Please, Vinny. Help me.”
“OK. I’ll see what I can do,” he said, dragging his fingers gently along the top of my skirt. “I have a lot of contacts. I’ll put some feelers out to see what I can find out. What else do you want?”
“I don’t know.” I reached for his hand and locked eyes with him. “Maybe you could give me what Dominic wouldn’t.”
He let out a soft sigh, allowing me to shift his hand between my legs.
“Please?”
“Fuck,” he growled. “Baby B, you know I can’t. You’re being punished—”
“I swear I won’t tell,” I said, reaching out and cradling his face.
He closed his eyes and breathed out.
“It’ll be our dirty little secret.”
“And if you tell on me?” he asked, searching my face for signs of my deception. “Dom would kill me for giving in to you.”
“I won’t,” I swore, knowing damn well I would when the time came.
War was a messy business, and I had to fight in the dirtiest ways I could. They were all going to pay.
I wasn’t this girl, or at least I hadn’t been before this shit show, but now it was a game of survival. If I didn’t make a damn move, they’d bury me in a shallow grave and forget my name. I wasn’t going down without taking them with me. I could be a petty bitch too.
“I want to come, Vinny,” I pleaded softly. “Please. I want it so much I can’t think straight. I swear I’ll be a good girl all night.”
“Just a night?” He chuckled softly.
I nodded, biting my bottom lip again. I was laying it on thick.
“What if I don’t want a good girl? What if I want a really bad girl?”
“Then let me come.” I reached out and forced all my bravery to the surface and pressed my lips to his.