Jade’s hand left Zeus’s head. “Same page for next Tuesday?”
“Yeah, same page.”
Maddox moved toward the door, and Zeus stood slowly and reluctantly, glancing back at Jade before following his handler.
Traitor, Maddox thought, but without any real heat.
In the hallway, she didn’t look back, couldn’t afford to because Jade was still sitting in that office probably smiling that small knowing smile and seeing exactly what Maddox was trying so hard not to see.
That Zeus had just chosen Jade, and Maddox had no idea what to do about any of it.
Maddox spent Friday avoiding the problem by drowning herself in paperwork and patrol calls. By Saturday morning, avoidance had morphed into over-preparation, which was how she found herself at the K-9 training facility running Zeus through drills for the third time.
“You’re over-preparing,” Riley said from the doorway.
Maddox didn’t break stride. “I want it smooth.”
“It’s an elementary school, not a tactical assessment.” Riley crossed her arms, leaning against the frame. “You do these demos twice a month. What’s different?”
Maddox sent Zeus to find the hidden training sleeve. He located it in seconds, returning to heel position with perfect precision. “Nothing’s different.”
“Right” Riley’s tone suggested she wasn’t buying it. “So you always run the same drill three times in a row?”
Zeus sat, watching Maddox, waiting for the next command. She could feel Riley’s eyes on her, too, reading the situation the way good cops did.
“The therapist is coming,” Maddox said finally. “Jade.”
“Ah.” Riley’s expression shifted to something knowing. “And you’re worried about…what, exactly?”
“Nothing. I just want it professional.”
“You’re always professional.” Riley pushed off the frame, moving closer. “You’re worried she’ll see something.”
That was a direct hit. Maddox lasered her focus on Zeus, not Riley.
“She seems solid,” Riley continued. “I saw her stand up to Torres in the parking lot at the safety event in the park. Didn’t back down, even when she got in her face about the group sessions.”
Maddox remembered. She’d been loading Zeus in the K-9 vehicle, close enough to hear Jade’s firm voice explaining that officer wellness wasn’t optional and Torres could take her complaints to Chief Marten if she had a problem with the program.
Instead, Torres had walked away.
“She has a backbone,” Maddox admitted. “Doesn’t mean I want her analyzing me in front of kids.”
“Maybe she won’t. Maybe she’ll just do her job and you’ll do yours.” Riley studied her for another moment, then nodded. “Zeus looks good. The demo will be fine.” She headed for the door and paused. “For what it’s worth, Jade’s not the enemy. She’s just trying to help.”
After Riley left, Maddox ran Zeus through one more drill, and his performance was flawless as always. The problem wasn’t Zeus; it never was.
She packed up and headed home.
Evening settled around the house, quiet except for Zeus’s steady breathing from his bed in the corner. Maddox tried to relax—TV on, dinner eaten, routine followed—but her mind kept circling back to the planning meeting.
To the way Jade had reached for Zeus without hesitation, the way Zeus had leaned into her touch like he’d been waiting for it, that soft sound he’d made that he only made for Maddox. Except now he’d made it with Jade too.
Zeus had never been wrong about people, and he had an accuracy that Maddox had learned to trust absolutely. If he’d accepted Jade that completely, that quickly…
What did that mean?
Maddox shifted on the couch, irritated with herself. This didn’t matter. Tuesday’s demo was just work. Except Zeus had chosen Jade, and Maddox couldn’t stop ruminating about it.
