“Put that down,” he barked.
She dropped it in surprise. He picked it up easily with one hand. “Little girls don’t carry their own luggage.”
Little girls? Had Bear told him? No, surely not. They’d only been out of her earshot for a few minutes. He carried it out the door and then Bear entered.
“Did you tell him?” she asked him as he came towards her with a large jacket.
“What?” He looked at her in confusion.
“That I’ve been your Little while we were here?”
“No, of course not. Why?”
“He just called me a little girl.”
Bear nodded, unsurprised. “He could tell what you are. Clint’s also a Daddy Dom.”
He was? That surprised her. She wasn’t sure she could imagine him taking care of a Little. Not like Bear had. Although he wasn’t acting like her daddy now. She wished she could reach out to him for reassurance, but Clint walked back in.
“All ready to go?” Clint looked over at Bear, dismissing her again. She was starting to really dislike him.
Bear nodded. “We’re ready.”
It seemed like this was goodbye and she really wasn’t ready for that.
* * *
The drive to Russell was done mostly in silence, other than when Ellie called her lawyer. It was the way Bear usually liked things. And he knew Clint was the same.
But he found himself missing Ellie’s cheerful chatter. He longed to look back at her, to check on her, but he didn’t want to make this harder on either of them. Somehow, he had to find the strength to leave her. And fuck that sucked.
“She should see a doctor,” Clint said suddenly.
Bear nodded. “Yep. She’s still getting headaches.”
“What?” Ellie asked. “I don’t need a doctor. And I’d appreciate it if the two of you didn’t talk about me as though I wasn’t here.”
They exchanged a glance. Then Bear turned to give her a stern look. “You need to make an appointment to see a doctor, Ellie.”
She gave him a stubborn look back, crossing her arms over her chest. Brat.
“We’re not leaving you alone until you promise,” Clint told her.
“Why do you care? You don’t know me.”
“You’re still getting headaches, Ellie,” Bear told her in a gentler voice. “You were in a car crash. You need to be checked over. If you won’t agree, we’ll head towards the hospital and stay there with you until you get checked out.”
She stuck out her chin. “Fine. I’ll go.”
Bear turned back around and they all went silent once more.
Fuck, this was hard.
* * *
Okay, she could not take the silence anymore.
She sat forward. “Umm, thanks for taking me to my aunt’s house, I’m sorry to be such a bother.”