Page 34 of Hey, Daddy

My gaze scanned the living room for the dog, finding him near the kitchen island.

His eyes were closed, and he made no move at her voice.

Which was odd, because he always got up at her first call.

It was so weird.

I’d spent a hell of a lot of time with Butters—my mom had volunteered and owned an adoption center for pets since my first memories—and I knew that he had great hearing.

He might not move very fast, and he might not be the cleanest, but the dog knew when his name was called.

He didn’t respond to her calls, and my stomach sank.

I zoomed in on the monitor, completely forgetting about the coffee I’d just made, and watched for a sign of life in the poor guy, finding none.

“Butters, baby. Come on, time to go outside,” Nastya cooed as she slipped her feet into clogs.

Butters still didn’t respond.

Fuck.

The fingers on both hands curled, and I clenched my fist and stared.

I knew the moment she suspected he was dead.

Her entire body went stiff, and she stalled in the middle of the kitchen floor. “Butters, honey. Wake up.”

But Butters didn’t wake up.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“No,” I heard her whisper.

Then she was on her knees beside the dog, and she pressed her hand over his chest, praying for it to rise, and likely knowing it wouldn’t.

Her chin dropped to her chest, and she started crying.

Her tears were silent at first, which only made it worse to watch.

Then her shoulders started to shake, and the first sob left her throat, and I knew that I couldn’t stay here and watch this.

Not and keep my job.

If I fucked this investigation up, I knew that I wouldn’t ever get her clear of it.

So I had to stay strong and go against every single instinct that I possessed.

I didn’t mean to slam my door as I left, but I did.

I didn’t mean to cut off three drivers on the way to work, but I did.

I was just so fucking angry.

Which was, of course, why my partner had to come into the room the moment I unlocked my office door and berate me.

“Any reason you’re in the office today and not at home like you said you would be?” John asked.

I shrugged, even though I knew the exact reason.

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