Page 66 of Becoming His Pet

Greg floored the gas, gripping his gun in his hand and ready to use it if they pulled up to his side again.

But they wanted him off the road, not a shoot-out. The SUV pulled up again, just until they were close enough, and then it turned into Greg and Nora.

They didn’t let up; the SUV pushed his car. Greg managed to keep control of the car and released the gas. The last thing they needed was to roll over. Nora wasn’t in her seat, she’d be killed. He’d positioned her away from flying bullets not to withstand a hood over tires car crash.

Cursing, he stopped fighting against the SUV and pulled the car to the shoulder and stepped on the brake.

“Who are they?” Nora asked, wide-eyed from the floor of the car.

“They didn’t give me their name,” he shot at her. “Just stay there, okay? And do everything I tell you. Do not hesitate. Just do what I say, understand?” Disobedience now could cost her her life, not a paddling. He needed her to understand that.

“Yeah. Of course. I got it.” She nodded immediately. Good, she understood.

Greg climbed out of the car and watched three men exit the SUV and head toward him. All three were dressed in black slacks and dark button-down shirts. They looked more likely to be heading to a business meeting than a showdown on the side of a Michigan highway.

Two stood in front of the third. The man in the back was aged. Graying hair, portlier around the middle. The goons protected him.

“That’s far enough.” Greg held up his gun.

They stopped several paces away; the two in front drew their own weapons.

An old-fashioned standoff. Great.

“What do you want?” Greg asked.

“We just want Elenora,” the blond pointing his gun at Greg’s chest said with a lazy grin. “Just give her to us and we go away.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Greg shook his head.

“Jimmy, don’t be so fucking dramatic,” the older man hiding behind his men spoke. His voice triggered Greg’s memory. “You’re Greg, right?”

“I told you, you aren’t taking Nora anywhere.”

“Elenora, come out of the car,” the man called over to the car.

“Stay put, Nora!” Greg said with clenched teeth, hoping that just this once, she would obey without question. Just trust him.

“Bernie?” Nora’s little voice asked from the car.

“Stay there,” Greg said again. Fucking Bernie. Greg’s gut had been right about that asshole.

“Elenora, come out. You need to come with me to stay safe.”

“Dammit, Nora. Stay down,” Greg said when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

“If you wanted her, why not wait until we got back to Chicago?” Greg demanded. “We were coming back, like you said.”

“Ah, but not when I said. You’re going tonight.” Bernie shook a finger.

“No, Greg was just taking us to a hotel.” The car door creaked, and Nora climbed out of the passenger side. At least she stayed behind the car.

“Elenora, this man—” Bernie paused to shoot a disgusted look at Greg. “He’s not what you think. You’re not safe with him, you need to come with me.”

“How’d you find us?” Nora asked, suspicion filling the question. Good girl, see what’s right in front of you.

“You don’t think I’d let just anyone watch over you, do you?” Bernie’s voice morphed into a fatherly tone. “I had men look into him, Eleanora. I found his little plot of land, it was only a matter of time before we found you. Now come over here so we can get going. We have a lot of road to cover and a meeting early in the morning.”

“No,” Greg said. He didn’t bother looking at her, he didn’t need to. She had doubts. He could feel it. And he would trust his instincts. He would trust her.

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