“What happens then?” I asked in a whisper. “When I do have your and Stefano’s baby?”
“We told you. You’ll raise the baby and be very well cared for. You won’t be trapped away in this manor anymore… paying your penance. I’m sure you can’t wait.”
“What about the police? They’ll still want me to testify if I show up again.”
Thomas surprised me when he kissed the top of my head and still held me securely in his arms. “Is that what has you like this?” He kissed my head again. “My brother and I will take care of everything. It’ll mean you having to leave your life you once knew and being placed in hiding, but it’s either that or prison. Don’t worry about the police. We have that all covered. And I’m assuming you would never betray my brother or me again because no mercy would be granted to you for second offenses.”
“Hiding? Where?” I asked, feeling a deep wave of grief attacking every part of my being. I had no idea why. I should want to be free from the manor and free from my constant punishments. Once I had the baby, I would have paid for my betrayal and this all could stop.
The brothers would stop.
“We’ll make sure your housing and financial needs are always met. No baby of ours will ever be without or ever be in danger. Luxury and comfort will be yours. Stefano and I will take part in raising our child, but we will let you be to an extent. As long as you aren’t a naughty girl that is.”
“But what if I don’t want that?” I said as I tilted my head so I could look up at him.
“Don’t want what?” His eyes darkened. “Would you rather go to jail? You don’t exactly have a lot of options here, Hailey. I hope you aren’t stupid enough to think you can fuck with Stefano and—”
“What if I don’t want to leave here?” I swallowed hard. “To leave you and your brother.”
Thomas recoiled back as if I had just slapped his face. “What are you talking about? Of course you want to leave here.”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t.”
Thomas shot to his feet, and his look of concern was quickly replaced by one of fury. “Have you lost your mind? You are about to be free. No more penance. No more punishments.”
“But also”—I sniffed as the tears finally fell from my eyes—“no more you. No more Stefano. At least not in the same way. Not the way I had grown accustomed to having the both of you. And I don’t want that.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he snapped. He shook his head. “Of course you want to leave here. What person in their right mind would want to stay?”
“Me. I want to stay. To stay here with you. To stay with Stefano. I don’t want it to change. Baby or not.”
“Hailey.”
“Is that so wrong?” I moved myself into the kneeling position I knew Thomas liked me to assume. “I don’t want to leave you. You said I was a naughty girl. You saw that in me the minute you laid your eyes on me, and you were right. I am naughty. I have naughty thoughts and naughty needs. But with you and Stefano, I feel like all the naughty thoughts are realized and experienced. I feel safe with you and Stefano and comforted in your hands, no matter how firm they are. You called me a pain slut, and maybe you’re correct in that as well. I do like it. I love it.”
“Your new submissive tendencies don’t need to be constantly explored. You don’t have to be here to know that sexual side of yourself.” He said the words between clenched teeth. “I can’t understand why you would want to stay here under these harsh elements that Stefano and I created.”
“Is it so odd that I would want to stay with both of you all the time?” I asked.
“We’ll still be in your life,” he said. “You’ll have our baby after all. We won’t go too long without checking in.”
“But not daily. Not often, right? You and Stefano both said you would shuffle me around for safety reasons. I’m assuming that means you won’t be with me.”
“We have an empire to run. We’ve taken a break, but we have responsibilities. We’re busy men.”
His words hurt. I didn’t like reality. I didn’t want reality.
“Can’t I be part of that empire? Me and the baby?”
“That wasn’t the plan,” he said quickly.
“I know but can’t the three of us sit down and talk? About our future?”
Hope replaced the sadness in my heart. My idea seemed like a good one and one that maybe Thomas would consider.
“You have no idea what type of world we live in.” Thomas walked over to the window and looked out, leaving me staring at his broad shoulders and strong posture that only made me crave to be in his arms once again. “I’m here by choice. It’s what I do. Who I am. But this isn’t you. Not what we are beyond these walls.”