Page 52 of Becoming His Pet

A long silence stretched over the phone. Nora started tapping her fingers against her forehead. Rushing Bernie would piss him off and she’d be left on her own again.

“The brothers have put this on you in order to draw you out, but I don’t see the angle. Let me make some calls, see what I can dig up and I’ll get back to you. Is this a solid number or is it a burner?” he asked, puffing on his cigarette.

“You can call me back on it. But, I want to keep it off so let’s set a time. When do you think you’ll have something?” She glanced at the hallway. She hadn’t heard a door open. Greg would wait for her to call him or go to him. He trusted she’d let him talk to Bernie.

It twisted her up that she was blowing this chance with him. He gave so few of them, and he never gave a second one, but she couldn’t risk him getting more involved.

“Give me three hours, then you call me. Where are you now?”

“I’m safe, Bernie.” It wasn’t a matter of trust with Bernie, it was simple safety. If he knew where she was and the Santinelli family got a hold of him... It was just too risky.

“Fine, kid. Three hours.” The line clicked off and she let out a big breath. Soon. She’d have answers and could formulate a plan soon.

“I can’t really say I’m surprised.” Greg’s disappointed tone carried from the hall to where she sat.

“He hung up before I got a chance to—” She stopped her lie when his stern expression came into view. She’d fucked up again.

But it was to keep him safe, so she wouldn’t regret it.

“Lying again.” He shook his head. He didn’t look just a little disappointed, he looked downright pissed. Well, hell.

“I—” she sighed. “Whatever. You don’t need to be any more involved in all this than you already are. I don’t want you getting hurt, okay?” She put the phone down and shoved up from the table. “If you want to be pissed because I wanted to protect you, then go ahead. But we both know it’s because of your fucked-up male ego that’s bruised. A little girl like me taking care of herself and not needing you to play hero every second we’re together, oh, the horror!” She probably should have stopped her tirade when she noticed the tic in his jaw, but she was on a roll.

“I talked with him. He’s going to get some information, and I’ll call him back in a few hours and we’ll have a better idea of what can be done. See, this all could have been done yesterday if you would have just let me fucking call him!” She poked her finger in his chest, noting, but ignoring the hard muscle beneath his T-shirt.

He cocked his jaw and bit down on his lower lip. Not a look of arousal, but one of attempted control. But it didn’t stop her.

“So, now, we just wait three hours and then I will figure out what we do next.” She poked him again, but this time, he trapped her hand against his chest.

“Did you tell him I’m with you?” She’d heard him talk in a low voice, one that reeked of authority and control, but this one, this tone, was different. A cold tremor ran down her spine when his dark eyes met hers.

“N-no.” She tried to pull her hand back, but he had her trapped.

“So, he thinks you’re alone. Did you tell him where you are?”

“No, I just said I was somewhere safe. Greg, let go—”

“What did I say would happen if you hung up before I talked with him?” It was a question in pure grammatical form, but it came out as a full stop demand. And one that didn’t require any sort of response.

“You can talk to him when I call him back.” It was a promise she would figure out how to go back on later. Right now, she just wanted her hand back, and to take a few steps away from him.

The darkness swirled between them, she could feel it radiating out of him. She didn’t doubt his control, he held the reins, but something harsher washed over his expression.

“Liars don’t get to use the phone, pet.” He wrapped his hand around hers and turned, jerking her to follow him.

She tried to yank away, knowing where he was heading and not wanting to go back in there. But any strength she’d faked moments ago during her little tirade was long gone.

“I didn’t lie, I just—”

He threw open the door to the playroom and hurled her inside. “You didn’t even tell him you were with someone, but you want me to believe you intended to let him talk to me? How the fuck can I help you, if you keep lying and keep trying to do it all on your own.”

Now free of his grasp, she rolled her shoulders back and thrust her chin upward. “I remember telling you at least a dozen times I didn’t want or need your help.”

For a flash of time, hurt crossed his features.

“I don’t need a knight in shining armor, Greg,” she whispered.

“No.” He nodded. “You need something else entirely.” He kicked the door closed and went over to the crate.

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