Page 90 of Training His Pet

“She’ll be out in a minute.” Dax stepped away from the coffeemaker, letting her have full power over the historic machine.

Christy took over the coffee, pulling out the supplies and grounds needed, while Dax flipped through his phone messages. Several texts from Trevor and Devin asking how things went with Corbin. He’d answer those later. Thinking about his younger brother would only spoil his mood and he’d woken up feeling lighter than he had in years.

When the memory of telling Erika he loved her hit him, he waited for the wave of regret.

It never came.

Hearing her say the words, feeling her body pressed against his while she said them, it was like putting the last piece into a fifteen-thousand-piece puzzle. It fit perfectly.

A new message came through while he scrolled.

Money transfer complete.

Corbin was up early.

Dax tried to log into his bank from his phone, but his data service dragged.

“Service is kinda shoddy here,” Christy said when she walked past him and glanced at his phone. “Erika’s computer is on the coffee table in the living room. Just use that.”

Dax gave up on the browser and shoved his phone into his pocket.

“She won’t mind.” Christy flipped the switch on the coffeemaker and grinned. “Coffee will be ready in ten minutes.”

“Thanks,” Dax said and followed Christy into the living room. She opened the laptop and typed in the password.

“There you go.” She waved at it and stepped around him. “I’m gonna get dressed. I have a breakfast date.” She winked and disappeared down the hall.

Dax sank into the couch and pulled the laptop forward.

Erika’s email was open. He started to open a new window when a subject line caught his attention.

Devin Stringer

His throat thickened. With uncertainty Dax clicked the email.

Each line of the message twisted his insides. Devin’s history laid out before him in twelve-point font. His work history, his education, his family. Everything was there, nothing left out. The second part of the message contained the same sort of information for Kara and then it went into details on Trevor and Addison. By the time he finished reading, his lungs burned.

The message had already been opened. She’d read it... and responded.

Thanks, Danny. Perfect.

She’d been happy with the information.

With a trembling finger he clicked on the Word program running behind the browser. His heart clenched. Stopped.

“Dax?” Erika breezed into the living room. “Coffee’s done.”

He gradually swung his gaze from the computer in front of him to her. She stood with her hair twisted up in a towel and her flimsy robe tied around her waist. In her hands, two cups of steaming coffee.

“This is what you’ve been working on,” he said softly. “While you were sitting in the same room with me.” He pointed at the computer while watching her eyes flicker from him to the screen. She took a tentative step closer, leaning more to see better.

Color ran from her face when her eyes landed on the damning information.

“Dax—”

He shook his head. “No.” He pushed up to his feet.

He’d been so fucking stupid!

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