Chapter Two
“Hey, hey, hey,” Jocksaid softly, holding his hands out in front of him.“What a pretty boy.Shhhh.”He moved slowly and squatted low in an effort to make himself seem smaller, less intimidating.And this is a skill I haven’t had to use in a while.Not since coming home.“Look at how pretty you are,” he whispered, wincing as his gaze traveled over the body lying in the alley in front of him.
The cream-colored dog lay on its side, ribs moving with each labored breath.Its skin looked burned in spots, blistered and raw, and Jock knew it would be painful to the dog to touch it.A thump of the twisted tail elicited a whine from the dog, but that didn’t stop the slow rat-a-tat of welcome aimed at Jock.
“Oh, you’re a pretty boy.Hey, hey.What happened to you?Huh?What happened to the pretty boy?”
An aborted lift of the dog’s head accompanied another whine and a long sigh as it settled back on the ground.Jock held out a hand, fingers curled into his palm and knuckled a slow stroke between the dog’s eyes, confounded when the dog sighed again, eyes closing in what looked like peace.Yup.You’re coming with me.“I’m gonna get you some help, pretty boy.Gonna get you outta here.”
He mentally ran through his available options, which were slim.Jock was out on his bike today, and carrying a dog in this condition on that machine would be impossible.He rested one knee on the greasy alley floor and dug his phone from his front pocket.Eyes still on the dog, he dialed one of his best friends, who was not in the Incoherent MC but a close club friend and a man who had taken him under his wing.Since he’d moved to Louisiana, Ace had become so much more than a friend, and Jock knew he was building up a debt owed he’d probably never be able to repay.
He also knew Ace was a dog lover, and if possible, he would be here before Jock could blink.
The call connected, and Ace greeted him with a rumbling “Brother.”
Jock smiled because that sound, that word, meant the world these days.They might not share a patch, but what he’d learned over the past months was that the single piece of fabric didn’t always define where a man found his own brotherhood.
“Hey, brother,” he said, then paused a breath.“I got a need.Where are you?”
Ace, as he always did, gave Jock everything.“I am wherever you need me, brother.Where do I need to be?All you gotta do is tell me.”
Jock rattled off the address and took a deep breath before he passed along to Ace the why of the need.“Bring a cage and a dog carrier.”He considered a moment.“One that can accommodate about forty pounds, give or take.I’ve got a dog here that’s hurt bad.Malnourished and hurt real bad.You’ll see my bike out on the curb.We’re up here in the alley right next to Miss Danielle’s shop.”He paused and shook his head and then continued.“Not sure what happened to the poor mutt.Looks almost boiled alive in spots.He’s a good boy.”Jock reached out and trailed his fingers on the dog’s face again, one of few places that still had a continuous thick coat of fur.Too much of the rest of the animal’s body was covered only by patches, alternating with shiny, weeping flesh.“He’s a real good boy, Ace.We need you.”When he heard himself, he knew he’d spoken into existence his ownership of this beast and would be the dog’s advocate in whatever fight lay ahead.
Ace’s voice was filled with gravel and rage when he said, “I’ll be right fucking there.”
The call disconnected, and Jock immediately dialed again.
The answering voice also simply said, “Brother.”Another reminder of found family loyalty.
“Wildman, I need a good vet here in Hammond.ASAP.Got any recommendations?”Wildman had been Jock’s sponsor into the Incoherent MC.His partying might live up to his name, but Jock had found that underneath that façade was a steady and true friend who was unflappable under stress, and his amusing persona masked a man who’d suffered unimaginable loss.
“The fuck is wrong with Tank?”He heard a rattle of keys.“Where are you?I’m coming to you.”
“No, man.It’s not Tank.I found a pitty who’s taken some abuse, looks like.I want to get him in to a good vet before it’s too late.”He hesitated, then finished with “It’s stomach-turning, brother.How are humans this vile?”
“Because they don’t have a connection with a single good person in their lives.”The keys rattled again.“If you need me, say the word.”
“I have Ace coming with a cage.I just need to know where to take the dog.”
“I’ll text you the information and let him know you’re calling.Just in case he’s feeling all ignory, given it’s the weekend.Bastard can’t escape me.”
