“Unlock the car, please,” he says and she does. The car chirps as she opens the door for us. The rude guy goes first, backing right into the back seat of his car with Sentinel’s front still held gently. “Lower him carefully,” he tells me as I duck in and the other guy backs off a step.
I do as I’m told and pull my arms back.
And notice the blood. Thick, crimson liquid coats my arms and I stare at it in shock. He’s bleeding. A lot. He’s going to die. There’s no way he can live through this.
“Hey.” The rude guy suddenly breaks into my thoughts while grabbing my shoulders like he had in the store to keep me from falling. I focus on his incredible blue eyes. In their depths, I see something that I feel I can trust. “I need you to keep it together, okay?”
I nod, mute. I feel something like shock settling like a fog on my brain, but I’m studying the guy now, trying to zero in on his words. “Get in.” He guides me to the passenger side and opens the door for me.
I sit down as he hurries around the front with a long, swinging stride that belies the tense situation and the set of his shoulders.
With him in the driver’s seat, I glance over my shoulder at Sentinel. His head is down, his ears in the most defeated position I’ve ever seen them in. And I reach back to offer him my fingers.
“I love you,” I whisper, my throat aching with tears, “Please don’t go. I need you.”
He sniffs my fingers, his ears shifting slightly. He lets out a sigh that sounds like exhaustion and I vaguely hear the guy beside me on the phone.
“Bring Jax. Thanks.” There’s quiet and I focus on Sentinel. Something in me tells me he’s fading fast and I try to memorize every second that passes. Memories of him as a playful puppy come to mind and I can’t help but smile as I think about it.
He used to trip on his ears. He’s get running so fast he’d lower his head and step right on those then floppy ears.
I reach out to touch one of those ears now. He grew into them. They’re tall and dark, velvety soft and fuzzy. They match his dark muzzle.
He was the best friend I could ever have hoped for. The best dog I’d ever had. The best friend I could have ever hoped for. He was far better than I deserved. His liquid brown eyes meet mine and I see the light fading out of them.
“Please don’t go, I whisper again. I know he’ll hold on for me as long as he can. I know because he’s never been the type to give anything less than one hundred percent. His ears twitch a little bit as if he’s focused on the sound of my voice. “I’m right here,” I say, the whisper of my voice barely any sound at all. But I can’t talk. I can’t say anything at all.
Chapter 4
Kyle
I’m not sure she knows she’s talking out loud. That she’s begging her dog not to die.
“I love you,” I hear her whisper, her voice choked with emotion. “Please don’t go. I need you.” She’s straining back, fighting against her seat belt to touch him, to be as close to him as she can while I fly over these streets. If I get pulled over, I’m going to keep driving.
Sentinel is going to die if I stop.
I pull out my phone, needing to make sure I have what I need on hand. “Bring Jax,” I tell Sam, who agrees to quickly get my dog. “Thanks,” I say, glad for the billionth time at least that I live so close to the office, that I have a key where Sam knows to find it.
Jax is strong. He’ll be perfect for a transfusion.
Next to me, the girl begins to mumble about how he used to trip on his ears as a puppy. I sense she’s not fully aware she’s speaking out loud, and I stay quiet. Her words break my heart. The German Shepard must have been a particularly adorable puppy, but it’s the love in her voice that’s wrecking me.
She’s droning on about how he’s the best friend she could have ever hoped for and I know she’s looking for closure. She wants to get it all out so he can hear how much she loves him before he slips away.
“Please don’t go,” She whispers, and I blink back tears. Bloody hell, if he dies now, I’ll never forgive myself. Not because she’s anything special, but because I know the dog is.
“I’m right here,” She assures him as we pull into the office lot.
I park quickly and jump out of the car. Headed to the back, I reach under the giant dog. Sam comes rushing out with a carry stretcher and I thank god for her again. She’s the best damn assistant I could have ever hoped for.
Sam comes to my side and I position the stretcher as Sam hurries around the car. She’s quick and we count.
“One, two three.” In unison and lift Sentinel in tandem onto it. With one side in my hands, I slide him out and the girl takes one side and I hold the other. We’re quick to rush the Shepard indoors toward the room I know Sam would have prepped for surgery.
I rush past the reception desk and down the hall. On the right, we bump into the room that’s already ready. I place the stretcher on the ground and look into the girl’s eyes.
She scoops up his haunches and leads the count. “One, two, three.”
We lift him and place him on the stainless steel table. Sam is quick to bring in Jax as I set up to anesthetize Sentinel. While she’s working on him, she’s talking to the girl.
“Were going to put Sentinel under so we can get a transfusion going,” she says, knowing her stuff. “What’s your name?” she asks, and I listen up.
“Victoria,” The blond says. She jerks her chin toward the dog on the table. “He’s Sentinel.”
“Pretty,” Sam says. “I’m Sam, this is Kyle. He’s really not so bad once you get to know him.”
I glare at her, and she shrugs before focusing back on the task at hand. I tune them out, prepping Sentinel. I’m praying to every god I’ve ever heard of that this goes well. I feel broken ribs, but I know the dog isn’t too old, the bones should mend quick. I’m hoping none pierced his lungs. If they did, this is going to get much harder.
Sam works around me, setting up the transfusion. Jax sits patiently, having done this before. I offer him praise and he stops panting long enough to give me the look. The look that reminds me I own him treats and an extra walk after we’re done here.
And he’ll get treats, but have to wait a bit for the walk. This is going to be a big transfusion. I’m playing with two lives, Jax’s and Sentinel’s. As Sentinel gives up to the anesthetic, I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s a double edged sword, though. He went down quick, that’s a bad sign.
I find the source of the bleeding, a huge gash along his left side, likely where something sharp on the bumper slashed him. I shave the edges in record time, aware of every precious second ticking by with him bleeding.
To her credit, Victoria is watching, silent. Her presence is unobtrusive, which is abnormal for people watching their dog die.
I stitch him up with Sam hurrying to snip the threads and dab up blood. Twenty two stitches later, we’re done and there’s far less blood flowing from the wound. I probe the ribs, wondering if we should X-ray. I know two are broken, I feel them. But they can be manipulated back into place. His breathing isn’t labored, which leads me to believe his lungs weren’t punctured.
“We need to get Jax off the transfusion,” Sam says, her focus on cleaning up Sentinel.
“A little longer,” I say, hoping that I’m not asking too much of Jax.
“You’re going to kill him,” Sam says, her tone urgent and terrified.
“Trust me,” I tell her. I know we’re cutting it close. But Sentinel needs all the blood he can get.
“Don’t trade one life for another,” Sam says, her tone admonishing. I look into her eyes, wondering when she’d gotten so old. Sure, I knew she was in her forties, but she’s never looked her age. Until now.
“Just a little bit longer,” I say, looking over at my dog. Jax is resting, head between his front paws. His big blue eyes are on me and I know he’d follow me to the ends of the earth. He’d die if I let him.
Even now, as he gets weaker and weaker, his lifeblood
saving the life of another, he trusts me.
Chapter 5
Victoria
I watch the two argue about how Kyle is killing Jax, a beautiful husky with the most beautiful silver blue eyes I’ve ever seen. But while the two stare each other down, I feel myself needing to step in.
Before I can say anything, Kyle steps up. “Okay. Let’s get Jax some food.” They work together with Sam ending the transfusion and I Kyle offering some canned food to the pretty husky. He talks quietly to the dog and I realize it’s his dog.
The rude guy was risking his own dog’s life to save mine.
I walk over, needing to thank Jax, who has his head down as if he’s too tired to lift it. “Good boy,” I say as he licks up some wet food. Beside me, I feel Kyle tense up. “Thank you,” I whisper to Jax, while reaching out to pet him.
He offers my arm a weak lick and I smile.
“Sam,” Kyle says, and I listen to him without saying anything. Something tells me that the only reason I’m even allowed back here right now is because I’m staying out of the way and quiet. “Please X-ray Sentinel.”
She’s quick to do so and I sense that he’s got something to say to me. When we’re alone in the room – save for Jax, who’s paying us no mind while there’s food in front of him – he turns to me.
“He’s in rough shape. If he lasts through the night then we’re pretty well out of the woods.” His voice is the kindest I’ve heard it, and I know the dire news is affecting him too.
I want to thank him, to tell him no one has ever been so kind to me, but my voice won’t work.
Kyle studies me. “I’d like to take him home for the night.”
Frozen by the words, I realize I hadn’t let myself think ahead at all. I have no plans. Nowhere to stay the night. Not really even enough money to get something. And even if I did, my truck is back at the grocery store.
“I’m not from around here,” I say, not willing to give away too much information. He doesn’t need to know the sordid details of my past or why I’m just passing through.
He lets out a sigh that’s so frustrated I’m instantly up in arms. “Do you have somewhere you can stay the night?” he asks, clearly annoyed but doing his best to keep it in check.
My cheeks burn in shame as I try to figure out how to tell him I’m broke, that this wasn’t part of my tightly managed plan. I’ve got enough money to make it to the place I’d decided to run to. I’d chosen the farthest I could run and still somewhere I could get a job and maybe disappear.
Everything I have has to go to that. Miserable, I shake my head. My life hasn’t been easy. I don’t have an amazing, well-paying job. He doesn’t understand what it means to scrimp and save, all the while under the thumb of someone who refuses to let you have any freedoms. My freedom is the only thing I’ve got; I don’t want to give it up for anyone.
Except maybe Sentinel.
He studies his dog, who’s alternately licking food and his owner’s knuckles. There’s a tension in the air that bothers me. Is he really mad at me that I’m not able to just drop money wherever like he can? Hell, if I was the only vet in a town full of people, I bet I’d have deep pockets too. Not everybody just gets life handed to them.
Besides, if he’s as much an ass to everyone else as he is to me, then he’s damn lucky he’s the only vet in town.
He lets out a sigh and I see his jaw working like he’s clenching his jaw against whatever words are trying to come out. His hands ball up and his knuckles go white before he finally releases them with an exhale.
“I’ve got a place you can stay,” He says through gritted teeth. He sounds as excited at the offer as I feel about it. There’s no way in hell I’d be able to stay under a roof with this guy. We’d be at each other’s throats in no time.
Damn it. I promised myself I’d never owe any guy anything again. And not only is he helping me save my dog’s life, he’s offering me a place to stay. And he clearly doesn’t even want to. What the hell is with this guy?
“I don’t need your charity.” I spit the words with all the venom I feel and he looks at me sideways.
But he doesn’t say anything. At first.
“Oh no?” He asks, arching an eyebrow at me. “Then where are you going tonight?” What he doesn’t say – but I hear – is how am I going to pay for the vet bill.
I stare at him, trying to sort out the anger rising in me. I want to slap his pretty face. But as his blue eyes stay locked on my face, I just freeze in shock and pain. How dare he be so rude to me?
I’m a fucking survivor! I don’t need some asshole taking cheap shots at me. I’ve lived through so much worse than this pretty boy, silver spoon, spoiled little bitch has ever even thought about. What’s the worst thing he’s ever had to deal with? His rich daddy-o paying his way? Or maybe they made him work while he went to Harvard or whatever rich boy school he went to. Ooooh, he’s totally one who can understand how hard life can be.
But even as I prepare a sharp retort, I feel tears sting in my eyes. And I hate myself for it. His blue eyes are still locked on my face as if daring me to say something, anything.
“I’ll find a way to pay you back,” I whisper.
To my horror, he snorts.
Chapter 6
Kyle
“You really don’t give a damn how much of an asshole you are, do you?” She asks, and I’m taken aback.
An asshole? Really? She’s looking at me like I’m some disgusting thing that she tracked in on the bottom of her shoe, yet I’m the asshole. I offered her a place to stay against every damn thought and warning bell in my mind, and yet I’m an asshole.
“Darlin’,” I drawl with more ease than I feel, “I’m letting a total stranger stay in my home. I’m trusting someone who’s just passing through when I don’t know you from Adam. I don’t know if you’re a con artist, a serial killer, a fucking psycho, but here I am offering you a place to stay. If that makes me an asshole…” I shrug, lifting my hands, palm up. Jax takes the opportunity to weakly lick at my fingers.
The myriad of expressions crossing Victoria’s face are just as varied as they had been before. It’s like watching a fucking wheel of emotions that slow and finally stop on confusion. “I meant that you’re a jerk-”
“An asshole.” I’m not letting her back down so quickly. She said it, she can fucking own it.
Her eyes narrow before she continues, “Because you seem to think I can’t pay you back.”
Is she new to this life thing? “Do you think you’re the first person to say that to me?” I ask, wondering just how sheltered she is. Maybe she is a con. Maybe all of this was set up. I doubt it, she feels genuine and her dog seems to mean the world to her. Still, how could anyone get through life being so oblivious and unaware?
Her expression falls and I realize it’s finally dawning on her. But instead of responding in anger, she squares her shoulders and lifts her chin like she’s ready to do battle. “I will pay you back,” she says, her tone firm and serious.
But something in me tells me to humor her rather than knock her back again. I dip my chin in agreement. “Okay,” I say with every bit as much firmness as she did. I’m shocked at the sudden change in her as the word leaves my lips.
It’s as if I’m the first person to ever believe in her, even a tiny bit. What the hell happened to this girl?
She rubs her hands on the hips of her black leggings. There’s a new note to her voice as she talks to me. “And I’m not a con, or a fucking psycho. Serial killer, maybe.” The corners of her lips lift in a small smile.
“That makes two of us,” I say, and her expression drops. She studies me and I stare into her worried brown eyes, again, feeling like something’s not quite right with this girl. “Would I really tell you?” I ask, feeling my eyebrow arch as she thinks it over.
“Maybe. Hiding truths in a joke would be a good way to blend in.” She sounds like she’s considering it as we speak and I have to agree with her.
“I
guess. But if I really seem like the kind of person who could do that, it would be stupid to joke about it if it were true, right?” I say as she reaches out to pet Jax, who thumps his tail at her.
“True,” she says, and I feel a sudden shock of warmth at her approval. “I guess I should thank you,” she says, her tone decidedly warmer.
“Don’t mention it,” I say, still struggling with that nagging doubt in my mind. I care about Sentinel. I care about animals. People are assholes. They let you down, they lie, they cheat, they steal. Animals might steal, but it’s for good reason. They’re easy to understand. They don’t set out to deceive, like people.
I want to keep Sentinel safe and get him through the night and these first crucial weeks. His owner? Well, she’s just… here.
“You’re kind of strange,” she muses, her hand gently tugging Jax’s ears. He’s loving the attention. “You save my dog, help me out, and you’re modest about it.”
Because the one I’m actually doing it for wouldn’t offer me words.
At that moment, Sam comes back in and I breathe a sigh of relief. She hangs up the X-rays and I look them over. Instantly I see two broken ribs and a fractured third. Somehow, those are the only broken bones.
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Let’s set those and wrap him,” I tell Sam. She nods and we hurry to set the bones and wrap him up while the pain meds are still freely flowing through him.
“I’m taking him home,” I tell Sam who looks over at a silent Victoria. Her glance back at me is knowing, and I want to shake my head at her. It’s not like that. And she should know better.
“Good,” She says, “Jax will have someone to recuperate with.” She gives me a wink and I shake my head. She’s quick to dig her elbow into my ribs. “Just enjoy yourself,” she says softly.
Billionaire Bash: The Complete Steele Series Page 42