Page 11 of Voracious

So yeah. Losing interest in Stacey is impossible.

I sneak out of the house and off the grounds before the sun beams over theMunros, making my way to Glasgow to pick up our new fluffy friends. I’m excited about her reaction. She’d said herfavouritedogs were large ones. And I want aDobermann. It just so happens that I’mrehomingtwo after the shelter posted online that they were in need of a home urgently.

When I reach the shelter, I sign too many forms and set up the back of the car, opening up the carriers. While I wait for the assistant to bring the dogs out, I inspect the large dent in the side of Jason’s car.

I took the blame, but it’s safe to say Stacey needs a hell of a lot more practice before she can drive on a normal road. I’ve been trying to teach her how to drive for weeks now, but no matter what, I end up with whiplash, and she ends up in my lap.

“Mr Mitchell?” A voice pulls my attention to the front door. “Thank you for doing this. We had nowhere for them to go as all of our kennels were full. They’ve been sitting in reception for the last two days after being abandoned in the middle of nowhere. We have all the essentials in this bag.” He hands me said bag, a tote with their shelter logo on it. “The smaller one has an upset stomach from stress, but he should be fine in a few days.”

“Right.” I place the bag in the car and take the leashes. “You need anything else from me? Did the shelter receive the donation?”

He smiles warmly, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose,greyhair messy in the wind. “We did, thank you. You’re very generous. If you struggle, or need torehomethem, we can give some assistance.”

I lift the dogs into the carriers and lock them, slowly closing the trunk. “Thanks. I’ll be keeping these little guys for good.”

“That’s nice to hear. We’ll give you a call in a few weeks to see how they’re doing.”

I nod, shake his hand and head for home.

On the way back, I turn off my radio and tell them about where they’re going to live, that I have a sister who’ll most likely run away from them and a huge indoor pool for them to swim in. “I also have this girl at home, and she’s going to love you both. I reckon I let her name one of you.” I look at the smallest one through the mirror. “You can be The Destroyer.”

He tilts his head at me, looking all cute and adorable.

By the time I get back to the manor, the sun is fully up, and the house is awake.

Mum squeals when she sees them,Ewanpats their heads andLuciellaleans down but cowers when they let out a stream of high-pitched barks at her.

“What kind of dogs are they?” she asks, rising and sitting back down to her breakfast. “They look likeDobermannpups.”

“Yeah, they’reDobermen.” She raises a brow, and Irealisemy mistake. Fucking Stacey and her made-up vocabulary. “You know what I mean.”

“We need to leave in five. Will I ask one of the staff to look after them?”

I shake my head. “They can go in my room until I’m back.”

I take the carriers and bag full of things to my side of the manor, up the spiral stairs to my room.

Stacey could sleep through a riot. She doesn’t make a sound or wake when I slip them into the bedroom, set up a puppy pen in silence and quickly run down to the kitchen whileLuciellais sorting out her plane bag. We leave sharpish and quickly say our goodbyes at the airport.

For some reason, it takes Stacey two hours to message me in panic, the total opposite of what I expect.

Freckles: OMG, Kade!!! Why are there two dogs in your room??? Can you hurry up? Please? PLEASE?

Freckles: You got two Dobermann pups? They are going to eat me! I’m too young to die!

Next is a picture of her under the bed, capturing the two of them staring in the phone’s direction, heads tilted, captioned,This will be the last thing I see before I die.At least they’re cute. When I’m gone, you’re not allowed to have sex with anyone else. My ghost will get jealous and haunt you.

I laugh and shake my head. Mum nudges my arm and tells me to hurry up and drive. I quickly send a response.

Me: I just dropped Luciella off at the airport. You’ll survive another hour until I’m back.

Freckles: Well, when you come back and I’m ripped to shreds, you better fucking miss me.

Me: So dramatic, my little Freckles. They’re only pups.

Freckles: Your little Freckles is going to be a lump of flesh by the time you get back to bed. I think I’ll actually stay under here until you’re home. They look like evil villain dogs who want to dissect me with their extremely sharp teeth.

“She was the one that said she loved large dogs,” I mutter to myself.

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