Page 12 of Protected By the Wolf

“I don’t want to talk about it. Not right now. Right now, we need to figure out how to get that painting back for you.”

“Just talk to the owner or let me do it,” Millie repeated.

“That’s not an option!” I stood up and started pacing around the living room.

Millie grabbed my arm mid-stride and forced me back down beside her. The look she gave me made me breathe a little easier. She had her ‘fix it’ look on. Maybe she could help me without me needing to tell her anything.

“Look, Lira, we’ll have Lillian ask him. Will that work?”

“Yes! That would be perfect.”

Sure enough, she rolled her eyes.

I ignored it. “She already has his contact info.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lillian did all the paperwork with him.”

“But you should also have a copy of all the transactions.”

I waved a hand. “Lillian does it all the time; it was no big deal.” Plus, Lillian had dismissed me. She could probably tell I was fawning all over Bruno and not being professional. The embarrassment of me ogling him swept over me. I took a deep breath and released it, adding, “She said she’d make a copy and send the paperwork directly to Dad.”

“Lira!”

“What? Don’t look at me like that. You know I hate paperwork.”

“You’re supposed to get the paperwork from the gallery owner. Mom and Dad don’t like dealing with paperwork either. They are going to be so mad that it got sent to them.”

“They can just set it aside. I’ll do it later.”

“Which you’ll never do,” Millie said with a pointed sigh.

That was only partially true. It wasn’t that I didn’t plan to, I just forgot. I hated doing paperwork. I looked at her pleadingly. “Can you do it for me?”

“You are so annoying!”

“Thanks, big sis!” I leaned over to give her a hug.

“I’m younger by a minute!”

“But you always take care of me like a big sister should. I love you.” Piling it on so she didn’t suspect me of anything else, I gave her the tightest hug I could. But this time it backfired.

She pushed me away. “I’m not taking care of you anymore, Lira! I shouldn’t even have been here this week as it was my time off. I should have been on the beach, soaking up sun and enjoying some bubble gum books.”

“Bubble gum books?” Now I was even more confused and too scared to tell her anything.

She gaped at me. “Is that all you got out of what I just said?”

“But bubble gum books? What are you talking about?” Words. I couldn’t process the words. She was yelling at me.

“Ahh!” And then she just left. Just like that.

I followed her to the door and leaned out to see her entering the elevator. Oh, Millie, I so wish I could tell you what was going on with me.

Bruno

I had run all night until I couldn’t run anymore. Finding myself near Denis’s house, I had gone there to rest, knowing I would be accepted there. Denis lived at the edge of our territory, but no one knew where or when he had shown up.

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