a bait dog. But the dog served some purpose for its sick owner.
There was only one thing to do.
She climbed the gate. Blinking back tears, she slowly lifted the dog. A quick check confirmed it was female. When Arilyn cradled her against the warmth of her jacket, a shudder wracked the tiny body.
Arilyn had always felt an affinity for animals, and her parents loved taking care of a wide menagerie before her mom got sick. She’d grown up sharing her bed with dogs, cleaning up cat hair on a regular basis, and playing with reptiles at a young age. Connection with the creatures in God’s world made her happy and helped her believe in something bigger. Like with children, an animal’s soul was pure. There was a reason dogs were used for therapy and helped children with a variety of issues such as autism spectrum disorders. They reminded people of love, devotion, and the simplicity of giving.
The last Chihuahua she’d met was named Pinky. She had a pink glittery collar, wore pink ribbons in her hair, and walked with a haughty dignity that reminded every other dog she was a queen. Arilyn’s heart squeezed at the broken creature in her arms. This dog deserved what Pinky had. Love and security made dogs confident. Maybe with Arilyn’s help and the name of a dog who had been well loved to remind her she was worth everything, there’d be a glimmer of hope. Sometimes it started with the basics. Safe shelter. Food. A bath. A name. All the things both animals and humans deserved in this life.
“I’m gonna get you out of here, Pinky,” she whispered. Then, tucking her close and zipping up her black jacket, she took her prize and jumped over the gate.
Right into Stone’s path.
Arilyn refocused on the scene before her.
“Put down the dog.”
He may be hot, and he may be pissed, but there was no way she was giving up Pinky. Besides being her protection, Arilyn wasn’t sure how the dog was going to handle being in her home. “She needs some time to transition.” The excuse sounded lame to her ears, and Stone didn’t buy it either.
“Trust me. Pinky will be safer on the ground right now.” His low growl reminded her of his intent to throttle her. Maybe this would be a great time to introduce some other skills to control anger management?
“Let me settle her on the dog bed.” He didn’t answer, so she took her time placing the dog down on a thick fuzzy mattress she kept in the corner. Arilyn grabbed two bowls, filling one with clean water and the other with dry dog food. She lay the bowls close to the bed.
The dog lay listlessly, staring into space. Her heart broke, but her next task was to get Stone Petty calm. She straightened up to full height, breathed from her belly, and reminded herself to radiate serenity. After all, she was his teacher.
“There. Better?” He lifted a brow. “This may be a good time to go over basics of anger management. Control your breath, control your life. Remember?”
He took a step closer. “Oh, I remember.”
“Envision yourself bathed in a pool of white light, calming each nerve ending. Envision yourself in peace.”
“Oh, I’m envisioning something right now.”
Arilyn swallowed. He didn’t look peaceful. He looked . . . hungry. She decided to try another tack before he closed the distance between them. If he caught her strange arousal, he’d use it to his advantage. She didn’t need weaknesses regarding this particular cop.
“Listen, Stone.” Her tongue tumbled over his name, knowing he preferred it to “Officer.” She refused to admit how right the sound of his first name felt spilling from her lips. “I know you’re upset and I know I broke the law. I never intended to steal Pinky, but in abuse cases, many times the organizations don’t have enough time to get the current animals out. I made an impulsive decision.”
The eyebrow lifted a bit higher. “You think?” he drawled. Primitive waves of masculine energy beat from his figure.
“Y-Yes. All I can say is thank you for not arresting me and letting me save her.”
“Don’t thank me just yet, little one. You may not like the price.”
A shiver built in her belly and flooded her bloodstream. Heat rushed to her face. She forced a shaky laugh. “What do you mean? What price?”
Stone leaned in and spoke each word slow and deliberate. “Whatever price I choose to exact.”