Chapter Three
They walked in silencefor a few minutes as Snake beat himself up over never telling this girl how he’d felt all those years back.After the close calls they all had in that damned desert, Saint told them,don’t have regrets, say what you need to when you have the chance.Well, Snake didn’t tell this girl that he cared a lot for her.Then he thought about her on and off for a long time.No other woman had held his attention for more than a few days.Now she had someone and it was too late.Disappointment rolled through him as he walked beside her.
“I really love him though,” Della went on talking about her boyfriend.“He’s been with me for a while now.He needs me as much as I need him.”
Snake nodded and he tried to sound supportive even though chest hurt from this new development.“That is all that counts.So he has moved with you?Like he doesn’t mind that you are always, well...on the run?”
She laughed.“He loves new adventures and he always seems to settle down right away.It’s too bad really, cause he really likes the apartment and the yard.”
“Well, he will like it out on the farm, probably.Although lots of guys aren’t cut out for farm work.”Snake hoped the guy wouldn’t like it honestly and maybe he would just leave on his own.Yes, it was a mean thought but damn, Snake felt let down by this new wrinkle.
“Guy?”Della laughed.“He’s just an old mutt I picked up along the way.His name is Bucky.”
Jack tried to hide his immense relief as he smiled.Oh, wow.He felt really dumbass now.He actually laughed at his own stupidity.Talk about lame jealousy.She had been talking about a dog.“Well, we can stop and take him with us.”He offered with a lot of new enthusiasm.
Della halted in her tracks and then stared at him in shock.“You would do that?For me?”
If only she knew he had been willing to accept a boyfriend, so that he could keep her safe.Feeling damn glad he didn’t have to after all, Jack wrapped his arm around her and told her, “There is very little I wouldn’t do for you, Della.Except for one thing.I won’t let you leave on your own.Not with Jesse hunting you.Please don’t ask me to do that?”
Della nodded then she whispered a thank you and started walking again.“Come on, it’s close by.”
After a few more minutes, she stopped at a small house and dug her keys out of her pocket.Then she looked at him and said, “It’s not much but its home.I rent the front part and Jillian rents the back part.”She shrugged and added, “It’s better than many places I’ve lived in.So, I was grateful to get it.This twon has been home to me and Bucky.”She stuck the key in the lock and turned it.
Now they both heard the barking.
When the door opened, a large hound lunged toward Della.
She stumbled back while laughing.“Hey ya Bucky.I’m happy to see you too.”She gently pushed the dog off her.
Now Bucky noticed Snake.He immediately got in front of Della and growled at Snake.
Della set her hand onto the dog’s head and spoke softly to him, “Calm down, Buck.I want you to meet my friend Jack...Jack, this is Bucky.As you can see, he’s also my protecter.”
Snake knelt in front of the dog and held his hand out for the hound to smell.“Hello Bucky, I’m very glad you protect Della.”He paused to think just how glad he felt about this fact.That he was a dog and not a man.He smirked a bi and added, “But I need you to know that I would never hurt her.Maybe together, we can protect her even better.”
Bucky stared at him for a tense minute or two then he lowered his ears and his tail thumped on the floor.He brought his snout closer to sniff Snake all over then at long last, he licked his face.
Della watched her dog as he accept Jack into their lives.Now, she looked relieved.She smiled hugely at Jack and nodded.
He gently told her to get her things together.
Nodding, she went about gathering her clothes and toiletries.She emptied her closet and tossed everything into a duffle bag then she gathered Bucky’s bowls, his food and toys.She had a few large tote bags for everything and was used to moving fast when it was time to go.
Looking around at the small apartment one last time, she remembered something she couldn’t leave behind.She disappeared into the small bedroom again and when she returned, she was smiling.“All ready.”
Snake nodded then reached for the doorknob.
Suddenly, Bucky growled and lunged at the closed door.He barked loudly and scratched at the door, almost as if he knew danger was on the other side.
