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“It’s time for you to come clean.” Greg pointed his glare at Nora. His pet. His good girl who sat pensively on the floor at his feet. They’d been enjoying the quiet of the evening, her head leaned against his knee, and he’d been stroking her hair in silence. But it was time to learn everything.

“I thought I was clean now,” she said softly. After he’d carried her from the woods back to the cabin, he’d given her a bath. He’d washed the dirt and leaves from her sweat-covered body and hair and cleaned off his cum that had dried on her stomach and thighs. He hated removing his mark.

He reached lower and flicked the tiny bell hanging from the thick collar he’d placed around her neck after her bath.

“I mean it, Nora. I want to know everything.” He ran his finger along the leather. A soft shudder ran through her with his touch. She’d responded so beautifully so naturally to everything he’d put her through. He knew she still didn’t understand any of it; hell, he didn’t think he could explain even if he tried. But after being hunted down and properly claimed, she’d stopped fighting him so hard.

But now she needed to give a little, too.

She sighed and turned around to face him, her chin resting on his knee. “I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Everything.” He ran the tip of his finger along her profile, feeling the gentleness of her skin. “I want all of it.”

“You confuse me.”

“Why?” he asked, hooking his finger into her collar.

“One minute you’re so mean, the next—well.” She sighed. “You’re not.”

“I wasn’t mean, I was being what you needed. Firm. Strict. And I will always be those things when it’s needed. Right now, you need to obey me, though. Because if you don’t, you’ll have a real punishment. A long spanking and a long time with your naughty tail.” He released her collar, traced her nose, and tapped the end. “You don’t want that. Trust me.”

She huffed and gave him a little pout. She wasn’t playacting with him. This was her, the truth of her. Soft and gentle, but hard and ready to take down anyone if she felt threatened.

And he was quickly falling for her.

“Tell me, who exactly is Bernie?”

Her eyes darted away from him for a brief moment. “He’s an old friend of my father’s. I haven’t seen him much in the past few years, but he calls now and then to check on me.”

“Did he know your little plan to avenge your father’s murder?” The image of her making an attempt on Antonio’s life made his heart race. She would have been dead within seconds of trying. Antonio may have been much older, but he wasn’t unskilled. Not like Nora.

“No.” She turned her head and pressed her cheek to his knee. “He wanted me to stay away from the Santinelli family. But I knew Antonio had to have done it.”

“Your father worked for the Santinelli family?”

“Yes. But he was just a stupid foot soldier, he never got higher up in the ranks. And it wasn’t because he was a bad person.” She quickly defended her father; admirable considering it was his ties to the criminal families that found her in her current situation.

“Money laundering. Isn’t that what he was charged with?” Greg watched her expression, looking for tell-tale signs of dishonesty. She may have become more pliable in the last few hours, but that didn’t mean she’d come to trust him enough to tell him everything.

“Something like that. He owned a carwash, on the south side. Men would come in every couple of days, talk with him in the back office, then leave again.”

“Sort of like what Antonio did with Teo and Anthony,” Greg pointed out.

“Yeah, like that.”

“So why would Antonio have need to take out your father?”

“I don’t know. Once Dad was gone, the carwash went under. It hadn’t been making any money for real. Maybe Antonio wanted to have more of the pie. Dad kept me from all that crap. He never let anyone over at the house and he never took me to work when they were there. He hid me from that part of his life.”

“And your mother?” Greg probed a little deeper; she’d been forthcoming so far, and until she started to clam up, he’d get what information he could from her.

“She died.” Nora pulled back from him, scooting her ass back and tucking her knees under her chin. The retreat had begun.

“When?”

Her eyes flickered to him then down to his hands resting on his knees. Was she planning to start lying now?

“I don’t remember. Dad said I was two, maybe three. I don’t remember her.”

“Do you know how?”

“No. What does this have to do with letting me call Bernie?” She changed the topic with a terse tone.

“I’m just curious. Okay, back to Bernie? He’s just a family friend?” He felt his eyebrow rise.

“Yeah. Last time I saw him was at Dad’s funeral. After that he helped me sell the carwash and get a new place to live. The house Dad and I lived in was too expensive. I sold it and got an apartment in the city.”

“Would you have really killed Antonio if you’d found whatever evidence you needed?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and reaching for her hair.

She took a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

He tugged on a lock of hair. “Antonio is connected, Nora, to families with more power than the Chicago PD. A man like him doesn’t get murdered without the say-so of higher-up people. And those people wouldn’t just let you kill him without paying a price.”

She bit down on her lip and closed her eyes.

“What happens now? The Santinelli brothers have pinned this on me, right? The cops are looking for me? If I go back, I’ll be dead before bail can be set.”

“I think you’re right about that.” He leaned back, pulling her again by the hair so that she would rest on his knee. She didn’t make any protest, just snuggled back into him.

Fuck, it felt good to have her touching him, so close and so obedient. But he needed to keep his eye on the end result here. He couldn’t lose sight of the objective, otherwise he’d have the same shit happen as overseas. And that wasn’t going to fucking happen to Nora.

“Bernie might know what to do.” She tested the waters of bringing him up again.

“He might. Or, he works with Anthony and Teo and won’t be able to help you as much as you think.”

“He would never hurt me, Greg. He was close with my father.”

“And his staying away since then has been a way of keeping you safe.” Greg nodded to himself. At least that was positive.

“Let me call him tomorrow. You can talk to him, too.” She knelt up, spreading his knees and moving closer to him. Her breasts were still bare; he didn’t allow pets to wear clothing.

He reached over and stroked her nipples, softly, absentmindedly. They were smaller than some men would like, but it wasn’t the size that mattered to him. Her tits were perfectly fit to her petite frame. Round and perky, perfectly appetizing.

She ran her hands up his legs toward his hardening cock. He caught her hands and leaned down to meet her nose to nose.

“I’m not easily led around by my dick, little pet.” He meant the statement to chastise her, but the headiness of her breath, the dilation of her pupils suggested he’d made her wet instead.

Fuck, she was perfect.

“I’ll decide about calling Bernie in the morning.” He pressed her hands to his erection. “I think you need some distraction for now.”

Her pink tongue ran along her lips, but her eyes never left his. “Okay,” she nodded.

“More questions. When was the last time you had a cock in your mouth?” He reached for his belt while trapping her hands in one of his.

She wrinkled her lips in thought. “A year?”

He wanted to chuckle at the adorable expression on her face, but he had no intentions of making her feel insecure.

“And a good fucking?” He pulled the leather strip through the buckle.

“Same.” She moved her gaze to his waist; he worked on the button of his jeans.

“Good. I like that.” He kissed the bridge of her nose and pushed her back until she was sitting on her heels. “Put your hands behind you,” he ordered.

He’d used the cuffs with D-rings and links on them for just such purpose. Well, he’d intended to chain to the kitchen chair if she started acting up again, but this purpose was good too.

Linking the cuffs behind her at the small of her back, he ran his fingers over her ass. He’d kept the tail out after her bath, but he still pulled her ass cheeks open to look at the tight little ring of her asshole.

“And the last time you’ve had a cock in your ass?” He pressed the pad of his middle finger against the hole, watching with excitement as it contracted, trying to keep him out of what belonged to him.

“I told you, never.” Her voice was heavy with arousal.

“Hmmm, that’s right.” He would be the first, and the last, to have her ass.

He leaned back, opening his jeans and pulling out his cock. Her eyes followed his hand as he began to stroke himself, taking long, slow movements to tease her—and himself.

“What do you want, pet?” he asked, using his other hand to stroke her hair.

She swallowed. Asking to suck him off wouldn’t be the most humiliating thing he’d do to her, but she still blushed so prettily when he made her ask he couldn’t help but force the issue.

“Greg—”

He put his fingers over her mouth. “Just tell me what you want, no whining.” He couldn’t help but smile down at her. She hadn’t realized how much of a plea had actually made its way into her word.

“Maybe I don’t. Maybe you can just keep going with your hand.” She smiled coyly. Ah, his pet wanted to play.

Beautiful.

“That’s not how this works. You wouldn’t like that. Having to watch me jerk off in front of you when you’re so hungry for my cream.” He tapped her nose. “But I could do that for you if you want... I could come in your little dish and watch you lick it all up.” God, just the thought of it made his balls tighten.

“No, please...” She nuzzled her face into his lap. “I—please let me suck your cock.” Her words were faint, gentle, but the need was there.

“I think you can beg better than that.” He patted the top of her head.

Her gaze narrowed. She loved this, but her frustration was growing. It made him enjoy it all the more.

She knelt up, licking her lips and bringing her hands level with her shoulders. Bending her wrists, she made a whining sound. A low, sweet sound that sang for his cock.

“You want my cock, pet? You want it shoved down your throat? My cum coating your tongue and leaking down to your belly? Is that what my little pet wants?” He tugged on her earlobe. Just a little touch, something connecting them.

She nodded. “Yes, please!” She stuck her tongue out and began to pant. Oh, fuck, she was taking to this so easily.

“Is your pussy wet?” he asked, reaching down between her legs and swiping his fingers through her folds. Bringing his hand up to her outstretched tongue, he wiped her juices onto it. “I’d say so.” He laughed when she scrunched up her nose and pulled her tongue back into her mouth.

He stood up, bumping into her, and stepped around her. With two strides he was by the fireplace. He hadn’t started a fire; even with the air conditioning on, the humidity from outside crept into the little cabin.

“Come here.” He crooked his finger.

She couldn’t get on all fours with her wrists bound behind her, so she walked on her knees toward him. When she was close enough to reach, he fisted her hair and pulled her up until her mouth leveled with his cock.

“Open,” he said, shoving his cock at her lips.

He thrust in, intruding on her throat before she could prepare. He held her hair, dragging her down and up his cock.

“Fuck, yes.” He thrust forward into her mouth. “Eyes on me, pet.” He looked down at her. Her lips stretched around his cock, her eyes moist with unshed tears. It was too beautiful to look away from.

He pulled out of her mouth, his cock bobbing before her lips. She sucked in air, spit spilled from her lips.

“Good girl.” He held the head of his dick to her lips. “When you’re ready, take me down your throat. Fuck your face with my cock,” he instructed.

She licked her lips and grinned up at him.

“Yes, sir,” she said and swallowed him. He grunted, putting his free hand against the wall to hold himself in place. Holding her hair became a formality as she bobbed on his shaft. Her tongue rolled over his head, licked at the underside of his dick.

“Oh, fuck,” he growled. He wasn’t going to last. Her eyes never looked away from him. When she blinked a tear fell down her cheek, but the pleasure resounding in her eyes permeated him with an eagerness to fill her.

Her throat constricted around his cock as she took him even further down.

It was too much.

“Take it all, Nora. Every drop.” He gripped her hair harder, holding her down on him as his body shattered. Hard pulsating waves shook him as he came down her throat. She swallowed, coughed a little, but she took everything from him.

When the waves settled, he leaned back against the wall, pulling out of her mouth. She kept her eyes on him, licking her lips and smiling up at him. She’d done good.

No. She’d been perfect.

“Thank you,” she whispered and leaned forward to nuzzle her cheek against his thigh.

He released her hair and quickly pulled up his pants, then swooped down and picked her up.

“You need sleep,” he announced, unhooking her wrists as he carried her to the bedroom.

“I do,” she agreed and snuggled into his chest.

“After you come hard for me.” He patted her naked ass, kicked the bedroom door open, and dumped her on the bed. She squealed but spread her legs beautifully for him.

Too fucking perfect.