Page 91 of The Devil's Daughter

“It’ll be my only one too, I think,” she says. “Because you guys mean everything to me.”

Ben and Baz stand and join us, flanking Elle as we all stare up at the screen. Baz takes a deep breath. “I’ve been holding out for the perfect back piece. This settles it. Sam Santos, you are one talented motherfucker. So does this mean you approve?”

Sam laughs. “It was the least I could do, and it’s on me. Consider it my blessing. And not that I needed more hardheaded brothers, but I guess Elle could do a lot worse than the three of you.”

47

Elle

“Are you sure you’re okay?”I ask, attempting to flex my fingers in Drake’s hand. He’s holding so tight it hurts, and we haven’t even made it through the doors yet.

Baz and Ben both stand holding said doors open. The familiar, clean interior of the Humane Society beckons.

“I promised you a puppy as a wedding gift. We’re getting you a puppy.”

He’s the only one who refers to our joint tattoo sessions since we got back to San Diego as our “wedding,” but we all consider it a formal joining, regardless of the fact it wouldn’t be legally recognized. Both Toni and Sam spent a couple hours a day for the past week since we returned working on each of us. Somehow the experience brought my guys and me even closer for having gone through it together. Today’s outing is more for Drake’s sake than anyone else’s, though.

“We can do this another day,” Ben offers.

“No, we can’t. They have rescued golden retriever puppies this week,” Drake says. “Elle wants a dog that likes water so we can take it on theBrizowith us.”

I clutch his hand a little tighter and drop my cheek to his shoulder. “I love you, you know that?”

He kisses the top of my head and sighs. “I didn’t expect this to be so hard. I’m sorry.”

“Whenever you’re ready,” Baz says, crossing his arms and propping his butt on the door to hold it open.

“Dad’s place looked nothing like this, so I don’t know why I can’t just go in,” he says, almost to himself.

“Seeing any living creature locked in a cage is sad, but they said we don’t even have to go into the kennel area to see them,” I say. “Last time I came, I wanted to bring them all home with me. But we’re only choosing one. We have to trust that the rest will go to loving homes. I bet when you see the puppies, you’ll forget all your worries.”

I tug lightly on his hand, and he takes a step, then another. He tenses as if he’s holding his breath when we cross the threshold. The twins step ahead and open the inner vestibule doors for us, then follow us through.

It’s as if a weight is lifted when we get inside. Drake takes a breath and loosens his grip on me a little, but doesn’t let go. I can’t imagine the trauma he endured to put him in this state, though I’m sure it’s nothing compared to the trauma of the captives he ultimately saved. When we got back to work, he shared all the information he had on the women he rescued, and the efforts he’s still making to try to reunite some of them with their lost children. I sense that he wants to do more, but hasn’t settled on what that means.

There are no more secret cameras in the penthouse, but Drake did have new ones installed in each of our bedrooms, and there will be a fifth in the new master suite, which is still being renovated. The place is starting to truly feel like home, and the puppy is going to be the perfect addition.

I step to the desk and give them my name. The woman smiles. “The puppies are in the yard in back, just through those doors and then out through the side. You can’t miss them. One of our techs will help you once you’ve made your choice.”

Drake is stiff when I lead him out the doors into a grassy, sunlit courtyard. About half a dozen golden balls of fur are rolling around with each other amid the dappled shadows beneath a big jacaranda tree, its purple blooms scattered across the grass. They’re corralled within a pen so they can’t run off, but one puppy comes bounding over and hops up with its front paws hooked in the low barrier, tongue lolling.

I glance at Drake when we reach the edge of the play area. He looks bewildered, a slight smile tugging at his mouth that widens when a second puppy galivants over, tripping over its own feet halfway. Its antics cause a surprised laugh to burst out of Drake’s mouth and he steps over the barrier, straight into the maelstrom of wagging tails and fat, furry bellies.

Before I know it, he’s lying down in the middle of them, laughing like a crazy person while all six puppies climb all over him, licking his face.

The twins and I just stand there, gawking for a minute until Drake sits up, a puppy in his arms, happily licking his chin. “You guys get in here. I’m not making the choice alone.”

The three of us join him, much to the puppies’ delight, and we spend a good hour just playing, but eventually, we have to choose. Drake and I share a long look, and I know he’s thinking what I’m thinking. But he also knows it isn’t possible.

I let out a sigh. “We can’t adopt all of them.”

“I don’t think I can take just one, though,” he says.

There’s one curled up asleep on his lap, and another on mine—a male and female pair. The other four are scattered around, napping near the twins, where the pair of them doze in the shade.

“We can take two, though, can’t we?” I ask in a hopeful voice. “We can name this one Scylla and that one Charybdis.” A month ago, I wouldn’t have even asked to take home two. I didn’t consider the penthouse my home, like I do now.

“The names are perfect,” Drake says. “But I’m not bringing two home if we’re staying in the penthouse. I want them to have more space. Which is why I started looking at houses in Coronado. Come here, check these out. If you like any of them, we can go see them in person.”

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