Page 31 of Smoke and Mirrors

When she appears in front of me again with one of my soft, fluffy pink slippers in her mouth, I can’t help but stare at her in awe. “Holy shit.”

Even with spending my whole life around animals, I’ve never come into contact with one that’s trained so well. I’m beginning to realize that Daisy isn’t just a normal family pet. She’s smart, so smart it blows my mind.

It’s late by the time I go to bed with Daisy making herself at home by my feet. I’ve waited up for as long as possible for Kace, expecting him to return, but at midnight, I realize even if he does, I’m far too tired to have a normal conversation with him anyway.

He will have to wait until the morning.

***

It’s Daisy’s low growl that startles me from my sleep. I sit up, my eyes blurry as I try to make sense of what’s going on. Daisy stands by the door, the hair that runs down her spine standing up on end. She bares her teeth, glaring at it as if she can see through the wooden entryway.

“Daisy,” I whisper, hoping to gain her attention, but she ignores me. I shiver and switch on the lamp as I climb out from under the sheets, tiptoeing over to her, hoping I won’t frighten her and have her turn on me. “Daisy… it’s okay,” I whisper softly, crouching down beside her and placing a gentle hand on her back. She ignores me, her body crouching lower as she snaps her teeth.

It’s at this point that I become scared. Daisy’s protective, she’s smart, and she has great instincts. She clearly knows something that I don’t.

I spot the pendant hanging from her collar. I reach for it, turning it over in my hand. There’s a phone number on the back. Pushing to my feet, I rush as quietly as possible back to the bedside table, snatching my cell. Settling in beside her again, I dial the number, pleading for it to be Kace since I have no idea how else to reach him.

“Yeah,” his harsh voice answers, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Kace?” I whisper.

“Lily?” he asks, seeming more alert now.

“Daisy’s growling at my bedroom door. She won’t calm down, and I’m really scared,” I tell him, keeping my voice to a low whisper.

“Is she standing or sitting?” he asks. I can hear voices in the background, and he growls at them to shut up.

I press myself against the wall next to the door. “She’s standing.”

“Fuck,” he growls, just as I hear something in my apartment smash.

My heart begins to race, and it pounds so loudly that I’m scared whoever is out there will hear it. “There’s someone in my apartment…” I whisper. “I can hear them.” My voice is full of emotion, my throat tightens.

“Listen to me, Lily,” Kace says, strangely calm. I take a deep breath, inhaling the soft tone of his voice. “I’m coming. But for now, you’re going to have to let Daisy out.”

I gasp, looking at the beautiful dog, standing like a soldier at the door. Her muscles are clenched tightly, and she hasn’t looked away from the door despite me sitting on the floor beside her shaking frantically. “No. What if they hurt her?”

“She’ll be okay. Just let her out and lock the door.”

As if she hears Kace’s words, she moves closer to the door, her nose nuzzling at the opening, waiting for me to turn the handle. I swallow past the knot in my throat and force my shaky legs underneath me as I reach for the handle. I wince as it squeaks softly while I pull it open. Daisy doesn’t miss a beat, pushing her way through the small space that I’ve created and bolting from the room.

I slam the door shut behind her, flicking the lock, pressing my back against it, and sliding to the floor.

“Don’t listen. Get into the bed and climb under the covers.”

I follow Kace’s orders like a robot, crawling across the floor and into the bed. Barking and the muffled sounds of a male’s scream make me cry out in fright, and I bury myself under the blankets just like Kace told me to do.

“Shh,” he soothes. “It’s okay. Talk to me.”

“About what?” My body is shaking so much I can barely hold the phone to my ear.

Something smashes, and Daisy barks again. Hot tears burn my cheeks. My breath heats the small space between my face and the sheet.

“Tell me about work,” he offers, his voice perfectly smooth, no sense of urgency in it as I freak out inside my bedroom.

I try to gather my wits, focusing on my job. “My boss, he’s a douchebag,” I tell him, trying to concentrate my emotions on the hate I have for Steven. “He thinks I’m incompetent, but I think I’m better at the job than he is. He’s so mean to me, I hate it.”

“So why do you put up with it?” he asks.

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