Jaxon simply stared at her in concern, a slight quirk of his lips as he studied her flushed cheeks and bright eyes. “Were you… Crying, Chuck?” came his quiet question. It was filled with soft sincerity, and Malachi narrowed his eyes, thinking that if the dickhead tried to hug her, he would bite him.
Sighing, her shoulders sagged slightly. “A little. I was just so worried about Malachi. I really care about him. He’s a great partner, and he means a lot to me. The thought of him being injured hit me a little hard, but I’m alright now. He’s okay. I’m going to take him home and give him a steak.” She huffed out a little laugh.
Malachi let out a happy-sounding woof at the mention of steak, playing along with the charade. He was careful not to grimace despite the pain the sound caused his ribs.
Smirking now, Jaxon shook his head. “Well, I guess talking to him helps, because he seems to know the S word.” He chuckled and ran a hand through his frosted tips like he was in a re-run of Miami Vice.
Yeah, I know lots of S words, douche,Malachi grumped uncharitably,like stupid simpering smarmy snake and shady slithery shit-head sucker.
Chuck squeaked out a small choking sound, hearing Malachi’s comment. “Yep, he definitely knows S words.”
Smiling, thinking she was amused by him, Jaxon leaned one arm on the door and grinned. “So, how’s the boyfriend?”
Startled, Chuck jerked back. “Boyfriend?” she blurted.
“Yeah, the guy at the store. Malachi’s former owner. What was his name… Evan?”
“Oh, yeah. Evan. Well… I wouldn’t say he’s my boyfriend. More of a friend who’s a boy but um… yeah, he’s fine.”
Malachi chuckled.Oh yeah, Evan’s just fine. Other than lying in the back of a police car with two or three broken ribs, trying not to laugh and make it worse. Not even any handcuffs to keep me entertained.He laughed again as Chuck blushed, then groaned, unable to help it as the movement twinged his broken bones.
Chuck sobered quickly, her eyes flying to him in the mirror. “Yeah, Jax, I gotta go. I need to get Malachi home and comfortable. Maybe take him to the vet if he’s not better by tomorrow. Catch you later!” She jammed her finger on the window button, Jaxon barely jumping back as the glass rose quickly. A half-hearted wave, and she put the car in gear, taking off with a spray of gravel.
After they were back on the main road, she glared in the mirror. “Dammit, Malachi. Broken ribs? I didn’t know it was that bad! I’m taking you to the vet or the hospital. You pick.”
Shimmering back to human form, Malachi grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around his waist, wincing at the movement. “No, Chuck, seriously, I’m okay. I mean, yeah, I’ve got some broken ribs, but there’s nothing a hospital or a vet can do for me. I just need to sleep in this form,and I’ll be fine. I promise. Please, Chuck, just let me get in my bed and take a nap, and I swear I’ll be so much better.”
Meeting his gaze once more, she sighed, her shoulders drooping with resignation. “Fine. I’ll trust you again. But if you’re lying to me, I swear I will take you to the vet and tell them to use the biggest thermometer they have.”
Stifling a smile, he deadpanned, “Don’t threaten me with a good time, sweetheart.”
Another of her cute, choked squeaks escaped her lips, and she finally shook her head. “Malachi…” She paused, then burst into laughter. “You really are something else, Mal.”
“Were you serious about the steak? That sounds really good, you know.” He smiled at her innocently and batted his eyes.
Catching his performance in the mirror, she snorted, then her expression softened. “For saving that little girl and for being brave, yeah, I’d say you deserve a steak. How about this, I’ll go to the store and get some things for dinner while you take this magical restorative nap. Deal?”
“Deal.”
At the house, Malachi shifted back into dog form so the neighbors—especially Muriel—wouldn’t wonder why Chuck was escorting a naked man up her sidewalk. At the last second, he twisted to pick up the bag of evidence, then whimpered at the pain the maneuver caused.
“I got it,” Chuck called softly. She grabbed the bag, then helped him out of the car and into the house. As he went down the hall towards his room,she stopped him. “No, Mal, go lie in my bed. It’s more comfortable, and you’re a big guy, so you need the space.”
Surprised, Malachi shifted to human form and looked up at her from his crouched position on the floor. “Thanks, Chuck.” He rose to his full height and smiled, staring down at her now. Still grinning, he slipped on the shorts she was holding out while studiously averting her gaze. Turning, he walked to her room instead, aware of her gaze on his back where large dark purple bruises spread over his skin like a map of his pain. The ugly marks wrapped from his spine around his side and tapered off around his navel.
“Mal.” Her voice shook with concern, then she choked out: “Oh, the collar.”
He reached up to unfasten it but hissed at the movement, dropping his arm and clutching his side.
“Let me,” she offered softly from behind him.
He could feel the heat of her body close to his skin and closed his eyes, enjoying it.
“Damn, you’re tall,” she muttered, stretching on her toes to reach the buckle.
“Hang on,” he said and turned to face her before slowly sitting on the bed, so she was taller than he was. He stared into her eyes, watching her unblinkingly as she raised her trembling hands to the buckle again.
She fumbled with the fastening a few times until she finally got it undone. Slowly, she pulled the material from around his throat before bunching it between her fists. The tension in the air was thick as she stared at him wordlessly, lips rolling in like she wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say.
