Page 52 of Recaptured by the Crime Lord

“I'm telling you, Kody’s an idiot.”

“What about you?”

Carmen laughed. “Alice turned out to be good company after five shots.”

“What? Carmen, you didn't corrupt her, did you?”

“Just a little bit. I took care of her when she puked her guts out. Alice couldn't go into work the next day and vowed never to party with me again. Can we get coffee?”

Lyla navigated through the neighborhood and rolled her eyes when Blade changed lanes, nearly running someone off the road.

“Poor Alice. What kind of coffee do you want?” Lyla asked as she pulled up to a Starbucks drive-thru.

“Get me a triple tall latte and a maple scone. What do you want?”

“Nothing.”

“Are you sick?”

“No.” She sucked in a fortifying breath and shoved down the tears just beneath the surface. “I’m just bitchy and nothing tastes good.”

Carmen settled in her seat, humming happily as she drank coffee and nibbled on her scone. Lyla followed the GPS instructions to the dog shelter. There was a bus of casino workers in front of the shelter along with Alice and a photographer. Everyone wore bright orange T-shirts with the Pyre Casino logo. Alice clapped her hands as Lyla approached and gave Carmen a frosty smile before she introduced them to the other volunteers. There was a low murmur of surprise when Alice introduced her as Gavin's wife. Blade and the other guards joined the group and were forced to wear matching T-shirts. Alice gave a rundown of tasks that they were going to do, which included baths, cleaning kennels and walking the dogs.

“This place looks like a prison,” Carmen said under her breath to Lyla.

Lyla agreed and listened to a staff member as she led them through the building. Lyla’s heart wrenched as the dogs pressed against their cages, yipping and crying out for attention. Lyla stopped and pressed her hands against a gate. A large gray Pit bull went up on its hind legs and licked her hand.

“Hi, boy,” she whispered. “You’re gorgeous.”

“Gavin might get a new bed buddy,” Carmen said with a wicked grin. “Serves him right.”

Lyla forced herself to walk away from the Pit bull named Beau and finished the tour of the dog shelter. Lyla opted to walk the dogs while Carmen decided to help at the bathing station. The first dog Lyla took out of a cage was a small Yorkie that barked at the other dogs as he pranced by. Lyla actually found the walking path soothing, but the Yorkie didn't have the stamina to make it halfway along the trail. Lyla carried the dog back to the kennel and made a mark on the dog’s sheet to let the other staff know that she had been walked. Lyla took dog after dog and didn't seem to be getting anywhere. There were too many dogs and not enough volunteers. It warmed her heart to see Blade cleaning kennels. He didn't have to participate, but did so because he was a good guy. That made her feel like a bitch since she threw a fit this morning and made his job difficult.

Hours passed. When everyone else took a break to eat lunch, Lyla made her way over to Beau. She talked to the Pit bull until he calmed. She scratched him behind the ears and smiled when he closed his eyes in delight. Lyla opened the kennel and even though Beau pulled at his leash, he eased up once they were outside. He sniffed the air and hopped playfully before he fell into step beside her.

Lyla could relate to the Beau’s joy at being out of his cage. She was slowly learning how to live again. These dogs had been abandoned and were hoping someone would take them home. They needed a second chance, like her. Flashbacks hit her at the strangest times. She could be swimming or watching TV and all of a sudden she would be covered in cold sweat, unable to breathe as she remembered being stabbed or bombarded by the sound of Manny’s tortured screams. Carmen reassured her that the panic attacks were normal considering all she’d been through. Lyla didn't want tell Gavin because there was nothing he could do and he had his own demons to battle.

Lyla glanced down at Beau and wondered what his story was. Had he been abused or had his family decided that they couldn't take care of him? Maybe he’d been found on the side of the road? Beau trotted along, marking shrubs and trees as they went. No matter what happened in his past, it wasn't stopping him from enjoying the moment. Lyla tipped her head up to the sun, took a deep breath and everything went black.

***

Something wet and slimy slid over her face. Lyla turned her face to the side and moaned. She heard a scream and then the sound of someone running over gravel. Lyla shielded her eyes against the sunlight and blinked at Beau who stood over her, tongue lolling. She grimaced when she caught a whiff of his doggy breath.

“Oh my God! What happened? Did the dog attack you? Mr. Pyre is going to kill me!” Alice shouted as she grabbed Beau’s leash and pulled him away from Lyla who lay flat on her back on the walking path.

“He didn’t attack me. I think I passed out,” Lyla said and put a hand to her forehead as she sat up. She dropped her face between her knees and tried to think straight.

“Did you take a break?” Alice asked.

“No.”

“Oh my God, I overworked the CEO’s wife,” Alice said, wringing her hands.

“No, I’m fine. I’m just not feeling like myself today. I was going to walk this dog before I got a drink.”

“Phil! Phil! Come over here, will ya? She fainted!” Alice said, bouncing up and down in well-used sneakers.

An attractive man wearing worn jeans and a gray T-shirt ambled over. He pet the dog before he hunkered down beside Lyla. Phil fixed her with an unsettling, piercing look.

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