Page 83 of Sugar and Skulls

“Yes, yes,” I answer pulling away from him. I wipe my eyes on the bottom of my t-shirt.

“No tattooing dicks on people though,” he warns, a big smile on his face.

I draw an x over my chest. “Cross my heart,” I promise.

“Happy Birthday, Jesse,” he says as he tosses me a key to the business.

Once inside I see everything is set up similarly to his shop back in Trap. “I have one more surprise. I left him back at the warehouse though.”

Stopping dead in my tracks I narrow my eyes at him. “Him?”

“Can’t get nothing by you, huh?”

“Nope.” I cross my arms over my chest.

He sits down in one of the chairs. “Old man Tom paid me a visit. Wanted to know if you’d be willing to take his dog. Said he was moving in with his daughter in Phoenix. Seems he was tired of Trap too.”

My eyes shoot to my hairline. “Teddy? How did you get him to the warehouse without him taking your leg off?”

“Oh, his bark is worse than his bite,” he says, smirking at me.

“Maybe he can just sense good people,” I tell him.

He shrugs his shoulders, blushing at my compliment.

“I love you, big guy.”

“I love you too, doll.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Jesse

???

When I get back to the warehouse with Dan my dad is waiting for us. He smiles when we walk in. We visit for a short while before I head upstairs. “Well I better go check on Teddy.”

“That dog is a sweetheart,” my dad says. “Looks meaner than all get out, but he’s a softy.”

“Really?” I ask, confused. I can’t believe Teddy has let so many people near him. He is usually a grouchy old dog.

“Yeah, and good luck finding him in your room. I do believe Katie has snuck him into hers.” My dad and Candice moved Katie and Ally to a room across the hall from us.

I stop by their room before checking my own and sure enough Teddy is lying on Katie’s bed down by her feet. He bops his head up when I open the door, his ears high in alert. When he sees it’s me he jumps down and comes to me wagging his tail. I pet him for a few minutes whispering how good of a dog he is. Once he gets enough pets he jumps back up on the end of her bed. Seems Teddy has a new job, as Katie’s personal bodyguard. Could this day get any damn better?

Smiling I make my way to my room to shower. When I get out I glance at the clock. It’s getting late. I thought for sure I would get some alone time with my guys. It was a long day though so maybe they went to bed.

I stretch out on my bed thinking about all the wonderful things the day brought. This was my best birthday ever.

Tink.

I sit up and listen. What was that?

Tink.

Jumping from my bed I scoot towards the window.

Tink.

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