Page 61 of His Angel

“Too fancy. She’s not sipping tea with the queen.” He steps closer, scratching behind her ear, and she lets out a contented huff.

“Fine. What’s your genius idea?” I tilt my head, smirking up at him.

He grins, crouching to meet her gaze, studying her face. “How about…Luna? She’s got that moonlit glow—kinda like how you look right now, all smitten and starry-eyed.”

I glance at her, those big eyes catching the light, her ears spilling over like little crescent moons. I smile. “Luna. Yeah, that’s it. She’s my little moon.”

“Told you I’m good at this.” He stands, shooting me a smug grin, and I roll my eyes, but I’m too smitten to argue. Luna yawns, her tiny mouth stretching wide, and nestles deeper into my lap, her warmth seeping into me like a promise.

For the next few days, Luna becomes my shadow, toddling after me through Anthony’s apartment with those floppy ears dragging across the hardwood.

Her little paws tap a clumsy rhythm behind me—kitchen, bedroom, living room—like she’s afraid I’ll vanish if she lets me out of sight. I can’t even grab a glass of water without her plopping down at my feet, big eyes staring up like I’m her whole world. It’s adorable, and I’m completely gone for her, scooping her up every chance I get to bury my face in her soft fur.

Potty training, though? Total disaster.

Luna’s got a bladder with zero manners. She pees everywhere, leaving little puddles on the rug, the kitchen tiles, even Anthony’s favorite leather chair. I’m scrubbing yet another spot by the couch when she squats right in front of me, unleashing a stream like it’s her personal art project.

“Luna, no!” I yelp, lunging for a towel, but she waddles off, tail wagging like she’s proud. Anthony walks in adjusting his tie, sees the mess, and groans, running a hand through his hair.

“Nobody told me bassets were this damn stubborn and hard to potty train.”

I laugh, tossing pee-soaked kitchen towels into a bag and in the bin. “They require patience and persistent positive enforcement.”

“I thought I was getting you a companion, not a pee machine.”

I scoop her up, her guilty little face nuzzling my chin. “She’s perfect, aren’t you, little bug?”

“I’ll get hold of a trainer tonight after I get back. They’ll have her peeing in her designated area in a few weeks.”

My heart drops, and I clutch Luna tighter. “Anthony?”

He stops and turns to face me. “Yeah?”

I bite my bottom lip, searching for the words. “I’m not going to be here for another few weeks.”

“Oh, shit.” His expression falls. “That’s right. You’re leaving next week.”

I nod, giving him a half-smile.

“Sorry,” he quips, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think I’m blocking it out, you know…the whole you-going-away thing.”

“I’m not leaving the country, Anthony,” I say, walking closer. “It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. I can visit. You can visit.”

“And what if you build a life somewhere, a life I don’t have a place in?” His words hang heavily in the still air, a harsh reality tucked within the folds of his concern. I see in his eyes a mirror displaying my own fears.

I swallow, setting Luna on the ground, and wrap my arms around his waist, leaning into his chest.

“You will always have a place in my life.”

He weaves a hand through my hair, placing a kiss on my head. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

The next week goes by in a blur. Anthony secured me an apartment in Sacramento. Made sure I had enough money in my account to get by the first few months even though I objected vehemently. Anthony, however, insisted, and I found myself with a significantly increased bank balance.

We’re standing at the private airstrip, the hum of Anthony’s jet vibrating through the concrete under my feet. Luna’s tucked in a carrier beside me, her nose pressed against the mesh, and I’m clutching my bag, the weight of leaving sinking into my bones.

California waits. So does freedom, but it’s Anthony’s face that keeps my heart tethered here.

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