The warm air hits the puppy’s fur, causing it to freeze for a few seconds. Then it melts into a little puddle of happy goo. Its eyes drift half closed. Christina strokes its head, covering its ears through the noise.
“There you go,” she whispers. “Almost done.”
I keep the dryer on low and slow until the last patch of damp fur fluffs up. When it’s warm and soft, Katie scoops her up.
“Smells good,” Katie says proudly.
“He smells clean,” I correct, but I smile.
“Not he. She,” Katie says stubbornly.
I don’t show her what I found while blow drying all that fur, but I feel compelled to tell her.
“I’m afraid your puppy is a little boy. If you really want a girl, we can trade him out for one of the others.”
She turns and runs off yelling, “No take backs, I love him!” over her shoulder.
Watching Katie play with the puppy causes a rush of emotion I wasn’t expecting to feel. I don’t know what’s going to happen between me and Christina. But whatever the future brings, I have a family. This feels like the dream I was never smart enough to dream.
Chapter 14
Christina
Iwake up with something licking my face. I don’t have to think too hard to realize what that something is. Katie’s new puppy is standing on my pillow, his tail wagging back and forth excitedly. When I give him a gentle shove, he falls into the blankets and begins wallowing around. He’s just playing around this morning because he’s the best boy, I guess.
A quick glance at Katie finds her still fast asleep, her long, dark hair stark against the white pillowcase. My sweet little daughter has no intention of waking up early. She loves sleeping in almost as much as her mother does. I smile to myself when I see she has one hand wrapped around the tiny stuffed dog Slate gave her before gifting her with a real one.
When I hear him enter the room, I sit up. Slate is standing by the dresser, with his hair still wet, sliding his cut over a black t-shirt. His jeans are already on, and his boots are laced tight. When he glances in my direction, his expression is unreadable. I recognize that look in his eyes. It used to happen a lot in Kabul. When he slips into soldier mode, he becomes controlled, quiet, and ultra focused.
He fastens the last snap on his cut before turning to me. “I have a lead on that asshole who’s been stalking you.”
I push the blankets off my legs and slide out of the bed. “Really? What kind of lead?”
He clips his phone to his belt. His hand instinctively checks the folding knife tucked beside it. Then he meets my eyes with that same coldness he’s thrown my way since finding out I lied to him.
“Striker managed to hack into REACH’s corporate database. He searched through their employment records and discovered a subcontractor with the first name of Neal.”
I gasp, “You mean Neal, like the name in my notebook?”
“One and the same. It’s also the name Rivera heard someone call your stalker. We think it might be the same person.”
“What does he do for REACH, is he security or something?”
“He’s a private contractor. His job description had only one line. Something about duties as assigned.”
“That sounds cryptic. Duties as assigned could be anything.”
“Yeah, even stalking you,” he says and jerks his chin towards the door. “We’re heading out now. I’ll let you know if we find out anything useful.”
My fingers curl tighter in the blanket beside me. “You’re really going after him?”
His eyes search mine. “Of course. In case you haven’t noticed, the real shitheads in life never turn themselves in.”
I come to my feet and stammer, “Slate, wait. Slow down a second.”
“I don’t have a second,” he responds, pulling on his gloves. “He has been on your trail for years. If we manage to get ourhands on him, I’ll fuckin’ find out why. It’s the only way to keep them from coming after you, and by extension, my daughter.”
A small part of me wants to pull him back into the bed where he is safe and loved. To hide away in this fortress his family has built for the rest of our lives, so he doesn’t have to risk his life trying to end whatever this is I’ve gotten myself into. But I know Slate would never agree to that. He’s a good man who believes in confronting problems head on and fighting for what’s right. He’s determined to put a stop to the danger we’ve been living with for so long.
