Page 17 of Barrett

“Gotta work with what you have.”

He veered off and turned around, returning the way we came. I didn’t bother doing the same. He’d be a measurable distance from me.

A limp and a hoodie.

Yeah, they were clues—small ones, but ones nonetheless.

I couldn’t tell if I was happy Raiden delivered it or pissed Reghan didn’t.

8

REGHAN

Ava held a treat in her hand and raised it, telling the puppy without words to sit, which she readily did. Ava beamed, then set the treat on the floor, not releasing Morgan from her sit yet. The puppy’s eyes were intent on that treat, waiting for the command to devour it.

“Okay,” Ava said.

Morgan sprang forward to get the treat then sat again, hoping for more.

“You’re doing great,” I told Ava.

She’d come a long way from the girl she was when she first arrived here. Losing her mom was hard on her. Hell, if I lost my mom, I’d be a mess. Ava was still a child. She’d been through a lot and was still going strong. She behaved in school. Vail never got calls about her getting into trouble.

I still noticed, occasionally, how the three of them struggled with her. They were raising a preteen. Ava was only twelve. Anyone would find it difficult. Not that I knew from personal experience.

“Can we take her for a walk?” she asked.

Looking out the window, I saw the sun was still up. I quickly pulled out my phone to check the temperature. Not awful. “Let me ask the boss or see if there’s someone else around?—”

“You can go,” Jordan said, exiting his office. “Ollie’s on his way up with Vail.”

I nodded. Jordan always had a guard who could step in. “Are you sure you don’t want to go with Vail?” I asked Ava.

She tilted her head as she stared at me. “Why wouldn’t I want to go with you? You’re here all the time. You’re family.” She went to the hooks on the wall where all the leashes were stored. Having four dogs in one home was a lot for anyone. Irene, Jordan’s housekeeper, made sure everything had a place.

My heart warmed at Ava calling me family. I hadn’t referred to anyone that way except my blood relatives. Ava had no direct family she spoke to. Those of us who worked for Jordan were around her as much as family would be.

“I’ll need to stop by my apartment and get my coat,” I told her.

The elevator doors opened before I could press the button, and Vail and Oleander were inside.

“Where are you two off to?” Vail asked. There wasn’t a kinder man in the building. To know what he’d been through, who hurt him, if Jordan wouldn’t have killed Vail’s ex, there was a line of us who would have waited for the honor.

“Reghan’s coming with me while I walk Morgan.”

Vail smiled. “Make sure you wear a coat. It’s chilly out.”

Ava lifted it where she had the fabric of the collar bunched in her hand. “I know.”

Vail just chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder on the way past. “Have fun,” he whispered.

Ava and I got in the elevator along with Morgan, who was now on her leash. The puppy had a habit of nibbling on it when it was in front of her face. Ava was good about correcting the behavior when she did it.

We only went down a floor to my place so I could run in and grab my coat. When I came back out, Ava still didn’t have hers on.

“We can’t go outside until you’re ready,” I said.

She huffed out a breath but complied and put it on. I wouldn’t be responsible for her being cold. Jordan would have my head.

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