After also ensuring Jenny gets the medical attention she needs, Tom checks in on Jenny regularly to make sure she is doing alright with the loss of her beloved dog. Realizing that Jenny needs some kind of closure, he goes after the man responsible, only to find out he is the leader of an illegal dog fighting ring who trains dogs to attack. Toto’s death wasn’t an accident, it was a test to see if the dog was ready.
When Jenny realizes the lengths Tom has gone through to find closure for her, she knows he is exactly the man she has always been looking for. Will he be everything she wants in a man and stick around, or will he disappear when the case is closed?
Chapter One
Jenny loved her morning walks with Toto, and she couldn’t imagine starting her day any other way. Toto was a miniature Schnauzer, salt and pepper in color, and she had a loving and calm personality. She would ignore other dogs they passed on their walks, and patiently waited whenever Jenny stopped to talk to someone or if someone wanted to pet him. When at home, Toto loved to play but she also loved to just snuggle up next to Jenny on the couch and provide comfort. Because Jenny didn’t have very many friends, Toto provided the friendship and companionship she wasn’t getting anywhere else and she knew she’d be lost without her.
Jenny knew Toto loved these walks as much as she did and was always waiting for her by the back door, ready to go out, by the time Jenny got dressed and ready for the day. On days Jenny tried to sleep in, Toto would wake her up to let her know it was time to go out and start the day. They always walked the same route, enjoying the familiarity and knowing that in the afternoon they would walk a different one. On special days Jenny would take Toto to the park to really run and play, and often there were other dogs to play with there.
This morning started out like every other morning, and Jenny got up around seven to get ready for her day. She didn’t have to work, but there were a lot of things that needed done around the house so she had set an early alarm. Toto looked up in slight confusion, not expecting to go out until around nine which is when they normally went out on the weekends, but as soon as she realized Jenny really was getting ready for the day she was out of bed and running towards the door to wait.
“Good morning Toto, I know it’s early but let’s go for our walk, shall we?”
Jenny quickly put Toto on the leash and together they walked out the door, turning left just like they always did. Both Toto and Jenny knew the route and could walk it in their sleep, and Jenny didn’t have to guide Toto when it was time to turn left or right. The first time they stopped was in front of old Mrs Jones’ house, who was getting the paper from her front doorstep right as they walked by. “Good morning Mrs Jones, how are you this morning?”
“Oh Jenny, I wasn’t expecting to see you this early! I’m looking forward to working in the yard some today, it’s supposed to be a beautiful day.”
“Yes it is. Have a good day Mrs Jones.”
Jenny and Toto continued on their walk, and while they normally stopped to talk to Mr Peterson, he wasn’t in his yard that morning and Jenny assumed it was because she was early. Mr Peterson rarely got up this early, and she often only saw him on the weekends. Toto barked as they walked past, knowing Mr Peterson normally had a treat for her and she was missing out. Jenny was certain Toto would get two treats the next day, knowing Mr Peterson would have missed them.
Their morning walk often took them by a small pond, where Toto would happily bark at the ducks who simply looked at her without moving. Toto’s bark wasn’t threatening or angry and they knew that. It was a happy bark, and high pitched like with most smaller dogs and the ducks clearly weren’t concerned. Just past the pond was a children’s playground which is where Toto would often get a lot of attention, but this morning there weren’t any children playing. They passed a playground on their afternoon walk as well, and often it took at least fifteen minutes for the children to pet Toto before Toto was ready to move on.
It was when they continued on their walk and Jenny saw a stranger coming in the opposite direction that something changed from their normal walk. See, Jenny knew all the dogs in the neighborhood and she didn’t know this one. She had never seen the dog or the owner before, and the dog didn’t look friendly. On top of that the dog wasn’t on a leash, which was required, and was growling in Toto’s direction. Unfriendly dogs were required to have a muzzle, and this dog didn’t have that either, which heightened Jenny’s unease. Jenny crossed to the other side of the street in the hope of avoiding this other dog, which she now saw was a Pitbull, but the second they came somewhat close the Pitbull launched itself at Toto, teeth bared and growling viciously.
Jenny screamed and tried to get to Toto, who was a full leash length away from her, and felt teeth sink into her arm. She ignored the pain that soared through her and tried to get the teeth, which were now sinking into Toto, away from both of them. Toto was yelping in pain before suddenly she went quiet, and the dog let go before running back to its owner. “Help me! Someone help me!” Jenny cried out, trying to stop the bleeding from Toto’s neck while ignoring the fact she was bleeding herself.
Looking up she realized the owner and the Pitbull were calmly walking away as if nothing had happened, before strong arms helped her stand with Toto in her arms. “I’ll take you to the animal hospital. Come on, my car is right there. My name is Tom.”
Jenny was in complete shock and went with the stranger, holding Toto close in her arms and praying she would be alright. Deep inside she already knew the answer but she had to try. She had to find a way to save Toto. She knew it wasn’t smart to go with the stranger, but she had to get Toto to a vet before it was too late, even if she risked her own life doing so. As soon as the car came to a stop in front of the animal hospital she was out of it and running towards the front door, which she was glad were sliding doors as she didn’t have any free hands to open regular doors. “Someone help! My dog was attacked!”
Immediately a vet technician came running towards her and guided her into an exam room before running to get the vet. Jenny had to put Toto down on the exam table and as soon as the vet came back in, he started examining Toto. It was only a few minutes later that he stopped and stepped back, giving Jenny a sad look, and it was in that moment that she felt her world fall apart. She would have collapsed onto the ground if it wasn’t for a pair of strong arms wrapping around her, keeping her from doing so.
“I’m sorry ma’am. There is nothing I can do. I will prepare a report with the injuries so you may press charges against those responsible, and we can perform a cremation so you may take your dog home. I’ll give you a few moments.”
Jenny cried as she looked at Toto’s lifeless body on the exam table, sobbing into the arms of a total stranger. The technician came back with a bandage and came over to Jenny. “Ma’am? Your arm is bleeding. Please allow me to wrap it for you until you can get to the hospital. We need to know what to do with your dog?”
“Please clean her if you would, and give her a moment to say goodbye once you do,” a deep male voice said from behind her. “We will wait in the waiting room.”
Jenny turned around and realized the man who had driven her to the animal hospital was the one holding her upright and was also now the man leading her to a bench in the waiting area where they could wait for someone to clean Toto. “What did you say your name was?”
“Tom. I’m really sorry about your dog, can I do anything?”
Jenny shook her head and leaned back against Tom, not caring that he might be married or have a girlfriend, only caring that he had a strong chest to lean against and strong arms that made her feel safe and comfortable. Many people in the waiting room were looking at her in sympathy, having seen her come running in with Toto.
“What do you want to do with your dog?”
“Toto. Her name was Toto.”
“Toto. What do you wish to do with Toto? Do you want to take her home and bury her or have her cremated?”
“Cremated. I live in a rental.�
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“I will let them know when we go back in there. They’ll give you a chance to say goodbye once she is no longer covered in blood. Do you want me to stay with you?”
“I’m sorry, you probably have somewhere you have to be or a girlfriend to get to or something.”
By then Jenny had noticed he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring so at least she wasn’t clinging to a married man, which would have made the whole situation much worse. She had finally looked into his eyes and had seen nothing but sincerity there, along with strong features that she found to be very handsome. Clearly he took excellent care of himself, if his muscular build was anything to go by, and she couldn’t imagine him being single.
Jenny wasn’t what she would consider beautiful, and she was what many would consider plus sized. She had curves and she was proud of them, but she was also well aware that most men that looked like Tom preferred thin blondes with big breasts. She had the big breasts covered, but it also came with hips and a big butt. Her hair was a light brown and it was long and wavy, reaching the middle of her back, and while she wasn’t short by any means, her five foot six was shorter than most men.
“No girlfriend and I’m an MMA Fighter so no job, or at least nothing that’s done during the day. I want to make sure you’re alright and when we are done here I’m taking you to the hospital. She might have bandaged you but you need a tetanus shot and possibly stitches.”
“I’m fine,” Jenny mumbled softly, knowing now that he was just being nice.
“I don’t think so. We’re going to the hospital even if I have to throw you over my shoulder to get you there. You just lost your dog, you’re not thinking clearly so I will do that for you.”
“Why do you care?”
“A beautiful young lady such as yourself should not have to go through this alone. Do you have anyone you should call? A boyfriend maybe?”
Jenny couldn’t quite help but snort at that question and she shook her head. “Nobody. Toto was my best friend and only companion. Besides, who would want me?”
“Who would want you? What are you talking about? There is nothing wrong with you, and any guy who has told you otherwise isn’t worth your time. They are motioning us back in, do you want me to stay with you or do you want to go alone?”
“I’d like to go alone if that’s alright,” Jenny said as she stepped out of the comfort of Tom’s arms. She knew he was going to leave first chance he got, but she had to say goodbye on her own. “Thank you.”
Tom waited until she was inside the room with Toto and the door had closed before walking over to the front desk and addressing the girl behind it. “Please charge all fees to this card. I do not want her to see a bill in any way. Don’t tell her I paid, just tell her there’s no charge.”
“That is very kind sir, she is lucky to have you.”
Tom didn’t feel the need to correct her and once she had taken down his information he returned to his seat to wait for Jenny.
Inside the exam room, Jenny was holding Toto tight to her body, kissing the top of her head and whispering soothing words to her. Tears were streaming down her face as she said her final goodbyes to a dog who had been with her through so many years, and so many life events. She had no idea how to live life without Toto, without their morning walks and without the snuggles on the couch. After over twenty minutes of holding Toto close she handed her over to the vet gently, who promised to let her know when they were done. He said it would take about thirty minutes and she was welcome to wait in the waiting room.
Jenny walked back out and tried not to let her surprise show when she saw Tom waiting for her in the same spot she had left him. The girl from the front desk came over to offer coffee, but they both declined while Tom put a comforting arm around Jenny again. She didn’t move away from it, wanting the comfort and if he was willing to provide it she wasn’t going to decline it. It was just over half an hour later that the vet came back out, carrying a small urn. Jenny accepted it gently, tears in her eyes as she realized that this was all that was left of her Toto.
Swallowing hard she stood up and walked to the front desk, where the receptionist told her there was no charge. She asked three times, only for her to tell Jenny the same thing. Jenny wasn’t poor by any means but she didn’t have too much extra either and a vet bill would have strained her budget significantly. She knew how expensive the vet was, and she had no doubt emergency services were even higher. Holding tight to the urn she turned to Tom, who was now standing behind her. “Would you mind driving me home?”
“I will after we go to the hospital. Come on, it won’t take long but it does need to be done.”
Jenny knew there was no point in arguing as Tom clearly meant to take her to the hospital whether she agreed or not so she got into his car with a sigh. “I don’t have insurance. Please just take me to a clinic.”
“Fine, but it will be one that can give tetanus shots and do stitches.”
Tom drove to the nearest medical clinic in silence, and once there he walked inside with her while she still held onto Toto’s urn. It took almost an hour before she was guided back to an exam room, and Jenny didn’t say a word the whole time except when to answer a question asked by the nurse at the front desk.
“I see you are here for a dog bite?” a nurse asked as soon as she came into the room.
“Yes. He attacked my dog and I tried to protect her.”
“I see. I need to undo this bandage and see how bad it is,” the nurse said easily without feeling or emotion. She unwrapped Jenny’s arm and inspected the wound, nodding as she did so. “You’ll need a few stitches and a tetanus shot. Your records say you haven’t had one in the last ten years?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“The doctor will be right in for to administer both, you just sit tight.”
The nurse left and Jenny was once again alone. Tom had stayed out in the waiting area, and Jenny just sat on the exam table motionless. She barely noticed when the doctor came in, once again looking at her arm.
“This might sting a little. It’s a cleaning and numbing salve.”
Jenny nodded that she understood but she didn’t really respond much otherwise, letting the doctor do his job. She felt the sting but apart from a minor flinch she ignored it, meanwhile refusing to look and see what he was doing. She accepted the tetanus shot easily, never having been one to fear needles or shots, and soon she was back out in the waiting area to check out.
“Let me take you home,” Tom said, once again surprising Jenny with the fact that he was still there. Jenny had to tell him where she lived, and while she really shouldn’t for her own safety, at the moment she didn’t care about any of that. She just wanted to get home and crawl under the thick covers of her bed and never come back out.
Chapter Two
“Do you need anything?” Tom asked once he had helped Jenny inside.
“No. Thank you for all your help.”
“You’re welcome. I will be back to check on you, just to make sure you’re alright. Take care of yourself, alright? I know this is hard but you don’t have to go through this alone.”
Tom left and Jenny sank down on the couch, putting the urn on the coffee table in front of her. That was exactly what she had to do, go through this alone. The silence in the home was deafening, and the view of the empty dog bed brought new tears to her eyes. Toto would have jumped on the couch with her by now, and instead she was alone on the couch. No dog, nothing to cuddle. No small movements or disgruntled looks when she jostled her, no wet nose pushing into her hand when she wanted to be petted. Jenny pulled the blanket off the back of her couch and pulled it around her, hoping to find some kind of comfort. Putting her head on the armrest of the couch, she was soon dozing off to sleep, the events of that day finally catching up to her.
She had no idea how long she had been asleep, but when she woke up it was still light out and her head was pounding. Her stomach was growling and letting her know that she had missed breakfast, and poss
ibly lunch, and it was time to find some food. Sitting up she looked at the clock to realize it was almost three in the afternoon and slowly she got up to make something to eat. She almost screamed when she walked into her kitchen to find Tom sitting there, at the table, containers of Chinese food in front of him. “You really should lock your doors,” he said in a slightly admonishing tone.
“You really should learn to knock. You brought me food?”
“I assumed you’d want some by now, and if you didn’t I would have put it in your fridge for later. How are you holding up?”
“I’m alright. I’m a little spooked to find you in my kitchen.”
“I don’t mean harm, honest. I know you have no way of knowing that, and I admit I should have just waited for you to hear me, but I’d been knocking for fifteen minutes and you weren’t answering. The food was starting to get cold and I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
“Thank you, but that’s still a little bit creepy. What did you get?” Jenny sat down across from Tom at the table, and looked at the closed containers in interest.
“Chicken lo mein, pork fried rice, white rice, some fried dumplings, sweet and sour chicken, cheese wontons and szechuan chicken. I didn’t know what you liked.”
“This all sounds good. Those are actually all of my favorites. I’ll get plates.”
Soon they were both putting food on their plates, and Jenny realized she was hungrier than she had thought she was. She decided she wasn’t going to care about eating in front of Tom, especially if he had brought the food, like she normally did with men. Apparently Tom didn’t mind as he put away even more food than she did, and smiled at her throughout. “It’s good to see a woman with an appetite. I hate it when I get food for a girl and she complains about wanting a salad. If we were meant to eat like rabbits, we would have been created that way. Salads are salads, and I always hate when I take the effort to take someone somewhere nice and they order a fifteen dollar salad. Who does that?”
ROMANCE: SHAPESHIFTER ROMANCE: Dragon Baller's Bride (Dragon Shifter Alpha Male Romance) (Paranormal Romantic Suspense) Page 91