Page 55 of PET

My eyes move to the mirror on the wall behind my uncle when I see movement, but there isn’t anyone there. Probably just the maid walking by.

“And to make sure that boy doesn’t come around you again, I pressed charges and filed a restraining order against him. I will assign you two men from my security team to watch you at all times. Even while you sleep,” he adds menacingly.

I gulp. This asshole can’t be serious, can he? Two security guys? Even while I sleep? No, this is worse than prison. At least in jail, you don’t have a guard staring at you through the bars all night long.

“How can you press charges when you were the one who punched a minor?” I inquire, hoping he doesn’t flip out again. It hurts to swallow as it is.

“Self defense. He attacked me. Everyone saw it.”

I grind my teeth.Relax, Billie, he’s trying to get a rise out of you.Well, he’s doing a great job. The only thing I saw was my uncle’s hand gripping my arm too tightly as he spoke to the headmaster. Zeke came in and told him to take his goddamn hand off of me. When he didn’t, Zeke rushed him and got right in his face. At seventeen years old, Zeke stood three inches taller than my uncle. I could feel the intimidation dripping from him.

“I’m not surprised I received a call from your headmaster stating you were in trouble. Like mother, like daughter.”

My uncle had let go of my arm, only to shove Zeke away from him. So technically, my uncle started it so Zeke is the one who defended himself.

I’m not going to forget the sound of their jaws cracking under their fists soon. They wanted to hurt each other. Then the cops came in and missed it all. Not a single one of them questioned the blood on Zeke’s brow or the purple bruise already forming on his cheek. My uncle looked like he tripped into a pile of rocks. He looked far worse than Zeke did.

He can have all the guys on his security team watching me, but it won’t keep Zeke away from me. Or Christian, who’s crazier than anyone I’ve ever met. They’d stop at nothing to get to me.

At least that’s what I’d like to believe. Back when we were actually friends I would have, but now…? Now, I’m not so sure. Do they care about their pet as much as they say they do?

The sound of glass breaking echoes into the room from somewhere in the house. I sit up taller, looking up into the mirror to see if I can spot the culprit. My uncle rushes to the door and whips it open, looking out and calling for his maid.

I glue my eyes to the mirror, hoping to see someone coming to rescue me. I’d even love to see Dana’s stupid face.

But it’s not Dana I see in the mirror. My heart pounds when I see two tall men step into view from each side—one wearing a Michael Myers mask and the other… Ghostface. It has to be Holden, which means Myers is Christian.

They walk toward us and my uncle freaks out, slamming the door shut and locking it. His frantic ass pulls the heavy side table as the legs grind and squeal against the tile flooring to place in front of the door. But I laugh, knowing the lock and the table won’t stop Christian from getting into this room.

I stand to my feet and face the door with a smirk, knowing I actually do mean something to him.

Chapter 23

CHRISTIAN VERADIN

IlookatHoldenand laugh, shaking my head. This pussy ass motherfucker thinks he can lock me out of a small room? We just snuck past his pathetic excuse of a security team and broke into the Lucas Estate without issue. A wooden door isn’t going to stop me.

“Oh, Patrick!” I sing-song, getting right up to the door so he can hear me loud and mostly clear. “Open the door and I’ll take it easy on you. All I want is my girl.”

“I’m calling the cops!” he shouts back.

He probably is, too. I look at Holden and say, “We gotta move fast.”

“On it.”

Turning, Holden runs out of sight. I don’t question what he’s up to because the guy is smart as hell, and I trust him with my life—and now with Billie’s. We’re getting in that room one way or another. I’ll do almost anything to get in there—anything that won’t hurt Billie, of course.

“Your weak threat doesn’t scare me, Patrick Lucas. Open the door and let’s talk. Or you can bitch out and make a run for it out your window. I’m coming in either way, man.”

The veins in my temples throb as I clench my fists, taking several steady breaths. When I get into that room, I’m going to fuck his shit up, and if he’s laid a hand on Billie, he won’t be breathing anymore.

A loud shrieking alarm goes off, making my ears hurt. Now he’s really pissed me off. If he hasn’t called the cops yet, him setting off the security alarm will bring their asses here. I gotta work fast.

Standing back, I bring my foot up and kick right next to the door handle. The entire door frame wobbles under my force. I do it again, but it doesn’t budge.

“Fuck!” I scream, kicking even harder.

The alarm goes silent, but a blinding light flashes on the security cameras in the corners of the room, telling me it’s still alerting the cops.

---