I nodded, my throat feeling tight. I didn’t know what else to say.
“I should go get ready for kickball.” Nicky stood, worked his way around to Kwan, and then crouched beside him. He stroked his hair with a gentle touch. “You be good for Brad, okay? It’ll get better, I swear. We’ll get you through this. I’ll let Joe know you won’t be into work this coming week, that you’re sick.”
Kwan leaned up into Nicky’s palm and whined. “Thank you. I promise I’ll be good, not bad like I was with Mark.”
“You weren’t bad,” Nicky whispered with a kiss to Kwan’s forehead. “Rest some. You’re welcome at the game.”
He shook his head and returned his gaze to my ball. “I think I’d like to stay here. I don’t want to go outside right now.”
“That’s fine, Kwan. Whatever you need, buddy.” Brad moved beside Nicky and patted Kwan on the head. His touch was shorter than Nicky’s, and I appreciated that he didn’t stroke the mutt’s hair. My gut churned in jealousy anyway, and I wanted to fall to my knees and hiss at Kwan, and it took everything in my power not to do just that.
Madden, Evan, and Nicky said their goodbyes. Brad followed them through the farmhouse to lead them out the front door while I stayed in my seat, watching the dog and the way he nudged at the toy and then glanced at me, like he expected me to throw it.
“I’m a cat.” I blinked down at him with a nonchalant stare. “I don’t throw balls.”
“Just this once?” His voice lowered and he sounded wretched. I wondered if he always talked this much during puppy playtime, or if it was because he hadn’t delved into his animal fully yet. Sometimes it took a lot of comfort to be your other self. He was in a new home, so I could understand why he was still talking as though human, rather than canine.
Sighing, I grabbed the ball and threw it as far as I could without looking like I was trying to get rid of him. Kwan bounded forward, the pads on his knees sliding on the floor as he raced to grab the ball. The throw ended up being out of the dining room door and into the hallway, rolling along the wooden floor, and he nearly crashed into the opposite wall on his way out of the room.
I shook my head.
Dogs were so dumb.
There was a whine from where I’d thrown the ball, and I rose, walking out of the door and into the hallway until he came into sight, along with Brad. My owner was crouched in front of Kwan, scratching behind his ear as Brad laughed. Something twisted inside me, like a knife to the gut, and I gritted my teeth.
Brad looked toward me and smiled, rising, as though he had no idea the inner turmoil I was fighting as he headed toward me. “How about we get ready to go to the game, Harley cat?”
I nodded, and he kissed me on the forehead. My stomach did a flip-flop and I leaned in closer to him, hooking my arms around him, making it look like I was seeking out a hug, but instead I peered over his shoulder at Kwan with a warning glare.
Brad returned the hug and kissed my cheek.
“I’ll shower first. Can you keep an eye on Kwan?” he asked gently, and even though it was more of a question than a demand, there was heat in his eyes, the kind that belonged to a Dom. Brad seemed soft and gentle, and he was, but his dominance came from that kindness. He didn’t need to snap at me to get what he wanted. I nearly melted right there in his arms.
“Yes, Master.”
He patted me on the butt gently, and I released my possessive hold on him. With a grin, Brad turned around and headed toward the stairs. I watched him go, my gaze glued to his ass and the way it moved in those tight shorts, before my attention slid back to the dog. Kwan sat on his knees near the ball, his head cocked.
“I’m not throwing it again.” I crossed my arms. “And let’s get a couple of things clear, okay? For now, Brad is my owner. Not yours. He’s fostering you until you get back on your feet, so don’t get too cocky and think you can steal him from me.”
He frowned. “I don’t want to steal him.”
“Good. There’s a formal living room in the next room—” I jerked my thumb toward the stairs. “—on the other side of them. The door to it is next to the front door, and there’s one through the dining room too. It’s off-limits. I’m sure Brad will give you a rundown of the rules, but we’re not allowed in there.”
He nodded his head with a sad smile. “Okay. I can follow orders, I swear. I try not to be a bad dog.”
Guilt tugged at my gut, but I’d only just found Brad and didn’t want to lose him. A reasonable part of myself—the human part—knew that I would do exactly that if I kept acting like a possessive cat.
I fell to my knees in front of him and stared. Kwan stared back, not moving, barely breathing. “I know you don’t want to believe it, but you’re not a bad dog. He was a bad owner. You didn’t deserve what happened to you. Was he your first?”
Kwan hesitated before he answered. “Yes. I had a couple of temporary owners before Mark, but they lasted a few weeks before they got bored. I need to be like this whenever I’m home. I can’t be anyone else but a dog. I don’t feel like Kwan Dae when I’m in my private space.”
I understood. While I wasn’t a cat every moment of every day in private, I always had the desire to fall to my hands and knees and become a kitty when I felt overwhelmed or shy. My cat was a safe space for me, as I’m sure the dog was for Kwan too. Except, my safe space had never been compromised like Kwan’s. I’d never had an owner hit me in a way I didn’t want.
I nodded sharply and stood, his gaze following my movements. “Then be a dog, Kwan, whenever you want to be. If whoever you’re with doesn’t like that, they’re not the right owner.”
He smiled and it lit his entire face, but it also made me uncomfortable. I gave him a short nod before I nearly ran upstairs. I knocked into Brad just as he came out of his room with a set of clothes in his hands.
“Do you want to shower with me, kitty?” he asked in a low voice.
