She nods excitedly. Her enthusiasm makes me laugh as she launches herself off me. I miss her on my lap already, the soft curves of her body under my hands and the vanilla smell of her perfume tickling my nose.
She slips on a pair of flip flops and whistles.
Hawkeye’s paws tap along the stairs as he darts to our bedroom. He immediately launches himself onto our bedspread and stretches out, denting the covers.
No matter how much encouragement, Hawkeye won’t bother sleeping on the dog bed on the other side of the room. He’s used to sleeping with Daphne and me. I don’t mind.
The three of us jump into my truck and make the short trip to the dog shelter. Hawkeye sticks his head out the window, the wind whipping through his hair, and Daphne laughs at him.
God, I want to bottle moments like this and store them away. Daphne looks so damn happy; she’s radiant.
“We’re here,” I tell them as I pull into the parking lot of Furever Love. I rest my arm behind Daphne’s seat and check through the back windshield as I reverse into a parking spot on the far side of the lot.
Daphne grabs Hawkeye’s leash, and the two of them dart into the shelter, starting a barking frenzy in the back room.
Slinging my laptop bag over my shoulder, I smile at Marcia, who’s manning the front desk.
I hang back to chat with her, and she shows me pictures of her nephew’s first day in kindergarten, which are damn cute. She’s a proud wine auntie, as she likes to call herself.
Soon, I’m headed to the back, where my little office is. Daphne and Hawkeye are already playing with a couple of dogs out in the yard from the back window.
Daphne glances up and waves at me with a brilliant grin.
I wave back and settle in.
I should be focusing on reviewing emails, but I pop ontothe dark webpage and find another new comment from Ghost.
Ghost_M110
News Update: Bradshaw Bill is going to the Senate for a vote at the end of the month. Time to end this once and for all
Bracing myself, I do one thing I told myself I’d never do. Time’s running out, and desperation closes in like an impending thunderstorm.
I message Ghost.
AFG
I’ve got the Bill under control. Stand down
Ghost_M110
Negative. You took too long. Had your chance. Now it’s my turn
AFG
This isn’t about ego, soldier. Stand the fuck down
Ghost_M110
You’re not my CO. You don’t give the orders here.
AFG
Fine. What’s your plan? Let’s team up
The thought of teaming up with this scum-of-the-Earth has my stomach rolling, but maybe he’ll clue me in on his plans. Honestly, without killing the president, I don’t know how else to stop the bill now. It’s going to vote, and I don’t trust the senators not to be corralled by Fox.
Killing the President might be my only chance at stopping this bill.
