“Maddox, stay with Mojo, and get him to a vet. I’ve got to go.” I’m normally not the one giving orders, and the deep frown on his face tells me he doesn’t like this one bit. Still, I trust he is going to do this for me, whether he thinks I’m making a mistake or not.
The cop yells something after me while a second tries to stop me from leaving. I shove him to the ground, leaving him lying in the grass, and get into my truck.
With squealing tires, I take off, leaving my house behind in the rearview mirror and going back to the place I just came from. It’s a twenty-minute drive that only takes me ten minutes this time around.
Fucking Tucker, it has to be him. He is the only asshole brave enough to fuck with me.
When I get back to the Jenkins’ house, I half park in the street, half in the front yard. The truck has barely come to a stop, and I’m out of the car. Running toward the front door, I bang my fists on it hard enough to make the wood crack.
The door flies open, and James stands on the other side, looking at me perplexed. “Ryder?”
“Where is she?” Without an invitation, I push inside the house, frantically looking around.
“Ryder, calm down. What’s wrong?”
“Where is she?” I repeat as I storm into the kitchen.
Laura, Penny’s mom, is sitting at the kitchen table looking at me like she’s seen a ghost. Right next to her is Penny, concern written all over her face.
“What’s wrong?” Penny asks. Her voice has my panic simmering down at last.
She is here. She is fine. No one hurt her.
Relief washes over me, and I sag against the closest wall. Catching my breath, I close my eyes and let my head fall back against the wall.
“Is that blood on your hand?” James asks, and my eyes fly open.
Laura and Penny have gotten up from their seats. Now all three of them are standing in front of me, inspecting me with concerned eyes.
I look down at my hands and find smears of blood.
“Someone shot my dog,” I explain.
“Mojo?” Penny gasps. “Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. Maddox stayed with him. I came here,” I say, still looking at my hands.
“Who would shoot your dog?” Laura asks. The sound of her voice has me looking up at her. Taking her in for the first time. She hasn’t changed one bit.
She reaches for me, placing her hand on my arm and squeezing it lightly. Her touch comforts me like it always has.
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” Laura coaxes, tugging me toward the kitchen sink. She uses a washrag to clean up my hands like I’m a child and not a man three times her size.
Penny moves with us, staying close to me but not close enough to touch.
When Laura is done cleaning me up, we all move into the living room. I take a seat on the couch, and Penny sits down next to me, while Laura and James take the love seat.
“It’s good to see you, Ryder,” Laura starts. “And I’m sorry it’s been so long…”
“It’s good seeing you too, and you don’t have to apologize. It’s in the past.”
“Thank you for taking Penny in when she needed a place to stay,” James says. I grind my teeth together, stopping myself from giving a response.
“I can’t stay long, and I’m taking Penny with me. I don’t think she is safe here right now.”
“What do you mean not safe?” Laura asks, worry lacing her voice.
“The guy who shot my dog, he threatened to hurt her too. I’m taking her somewhere safe. Until…”He is dead.“Until the cops find him.”
