Page 2 of Secret Obsession

I reached into Cami’s cage and scratched under her soft chin. “How’s my sweet girl?” Seemingly content with the affection I gave her, she licked my hand and settled back down.

I took a deep breath and forced my guard to drop. My shoulders relaxed as I let the tension melt away, allowing the sounds of the dogs to reach my soul. Oddly enough, the only time I felt human was around animals. Away from people.

This was the one place I didn’t constantly have to look over my shoulder. I had too many enemies and too many threats to let someone in. I couldn’t even fully trust my own crew. Last night was a reminder of that. Stupid fucking Bob thought I wouldn’t notice a few Gs missing from his run. I ran the country’s largest money-laundering operation. Billions of dollars passed through my hands, and I tracked every cent.

A scraping sound from the end of the kennel caught my attention. Probably Rambo clawing at the cage so he could get to me. He was always so goofy. I couldn’t wait to take him outside and play wrestle. Poor pup had been here for over two months. I wished I could’ve taken him home. But he deserved better. “Comin’, Rambo. Hang on, buddy.” There was a cheery hitch to my tone that was so unlike me.

As I approached the last cage, my stomach sank. An empty cage.

No Rambo.

I’d never see his goofy grin again? My good mood disappeared, and I was kicking myself for not adopting him when I had the chance. But every rescue needed a home, and I couldn’t take them all. It was the excuse I had given myself. But now that he was gone…

No. It was best if some regular family took him in. He’d be happier with some guy taking him for a stroll in the park every morning and a couple of teenagers to wrestle with in the evening.

I had nothing good to offer a dog. Instead, it would be a sprint through the city, constantly looking over our shoulders, the peril of an ambush at every corner. Instead of playtime with someone’s kids, it would be defense lessons from my crew. Rambo was too gentle a soul to be turned into an attack dog.

So why was I still staring at his empty cage?

I was usually thrilled about each adoption, even when I had grown attached to them. Every dog deserved a good home. So why did I suddenly feel like I had lost a friend? It was crazy, but I couldn’t stop thinking about his stupid, crooked grin.

Should I find the new owners and make them an offer?

I quickly shook that thought from my mind.

Don’t be a jerk, Hawk. Let him have a normal life with a normal family.

The clawing sound continued, followed by a metallic clang. In the next kennel, Fido pawed at his empty food and water bowls. Water seeped from his cage into the aisle. I made a mental note to get a mop later and clean it up.

“Are you hungry, buddy? I’ll get you your food.”

“No, he’s not,” said an amused voice from the other end of the kennel.

My body tensed. I hadn’t heard anyone come in. No one had ever snuck up on me like that. I shouldn’t have let my guard down. I had already forgotten I wasn’t alone today.

Walking down the aisle must be this Lila chick Simone told me about. “He’s already eaten. He’s just being a temperamental pig.”

I didn’t get a good look at this woman because all I could focus on was the dog trotting alongside her with a lopsided lolling tongue.

Rambo!

Relief washed over me, and I had the strange urge to smile.

With two excited yips, he bounded forward.

Lila gasped and braced herself. “No!”

As the massive dog barreled toward me, he yanked Lila along. Her steps stumbled as she struggled to keep up. Her screams were barely audible over all the excited barking from our audience.

As he neared me, Rambo lunged.

With one foot behind me for anchoring, I prepared myself for impact. The Rottweiler planted his big front paws on my chest with so much force that it would have sent me flying had I not been ready for it.

A second later, Lila collided with both Rambo and me. The force made her bounce back, her arms flailing. I grabbed her shoulders to stop her from falling on her ass.

The cheerful dog, probably thinking we were having a group hug, licked my cheek. Then hers. Then mine. Then the space in between us, as if he couldn’t shift fast enough to shower us with kisses. I got a waft of doggie breath, freshly cut grass, and something sweet like black cherry candies. In his excitement, Rambo struggled to stay on his hind legs. The claws from his front paws dug through my shirt and into my skin.

Lila tried to steady herself, but Rambo’s wiggling kept making her lose her balance while the wet floor had her slipping and sliding. The only thing keeping her up was my grip on her.

---