A stray who’s misplaced his owner.
I’ll probably need to clean up his diet, too. Knowing him, he’s likely eating garbage and not taking care of himself.
“Are yousureabout this?” I ask him as I go back to holding his necktie. “Are yousurethis is what you want?”
“Yes, Sir. It’s what’s best for all of us.”
“I’m going to be tough on you.”
Although I’m not exactly sure how I’ll accomplishthat.
Especially with Elliot.
“Yes, Sir,” he quietly says. “I know. I need that. Leo hasn’t been around much to be tough on me. I miss that.”
I take a chance and risk going there. Better to figure this out sooner rather than later. “What if Leo orders you to fire me?”
“He won’t, Sir.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because this is about work, Sir. He never interferes with work.”
“Well that’s certainly romantic,” I snark.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Sir. I promise, you’ll be with me as long as I’m in office. I will not fire you. Ever.”
He’s not one to make promises lightly, but it’s not a promise I’m sure I can hold him to.
His first loyaltyisto Leo, after all.
Truth be told, so is mine.
I leave him sitting like that for another five minutes before I motion for him to rise. I slide to the far-right end of the sofa, leaving him enough room to climb up on it with me. He does, and curls onto his left side, facing me, his head in my lap.
I stroke his hair. “That’s my good boy.”
He stares up at me as tears well in his eyes. “Thank you, Sir,” he hoarsely whispers.
“Oh, you thank menow.” I sigh. “I guess I really am a glutton for punishment. Hope you’re willing to be patient with me, especially at first.”
That earns me a choked laugh.
“What’s so funny, boy?”
He smiles. “Don’t worry. I can train you to be my Sir.”
