“Trigger, I come in peace. Thought you might like something to eat.” Diggs eased the water bowl to the floor first and scooted it a few inches fromhim.
Trigger didn’t even glance down at the bowl, his intense black gaze locked completely onDiggs.
“Brought you some food too. I think you’re gonna like it.” Diggs kept his voice as calm as possible and eased the bowl of food before him, pushing this one a few feet away because he wasn’t worried about itspilling.
Trigger’s gaze fell to the food but it bounced right back up to Diggs, his expression baleful. Diggs took a couple of steps back, giving Trigger plenty of room, making sure he didn’t appear threatening at all. He found a stool close to the door and eased onto it, sitting there withoutmoving.
Trigger lifted his nose into the air and sniffed, obviously tempted by the assortment of meat. He hopped forward a step and stopped, looking at Diggs then back at thefood.
“It’s all yours,buddy.”
Trigger gave him a snarl but then he hopped forward closer and closer until he was standing directly over the bowl of food. He stared up at Diggs as he lowered his head, keeping an eye on him as he devoured the entire bowl in under aminute.
Hopeful, Diggs eased a foot to the floor and rose into a standing position, keeping his hands out at his sides and his shoulders relaxed. He didn’t want to give off any threatening vibes. Trigger kept his head low, his chest over the empty bowl. “It’sokay– “
The door clanged open behind him and bounced off the wall with a loud boom. Trigger started to growl, his black and tan lips curling back from his canines, drool forming at hismouth.
Hicks froze on the spot in the doorway. “Mybad.”
Trigger let out a ferocious snarl, muscles bunching thick and tight under hisfur.
Diggs kept his voice low. “Back out,slowly.”
For the first time in his life, Hicks kept quiet and did as Diggs ordered, grabbing the doorknob and easing the door shut behind him, leaving Trigger alone in the room withDiggs.
“Easy boy, he didn’t mean to startle you.” Diggs’ words seemed to have no effect whatsoever—he could smell the sanity slipping from Trigger’s mind. He had to do something fast, or that bite on the hand he’d gotten earlier was about to make a ferocious repeat. Orworse.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bacon, slowly unwrapping the paper towel. There were four slices. Diggs ripped one in half and tossed it to the dog. Trigger somehow managed to snarl and scarf up the piece of food off the floor at the sametime.
“Good boy, there’s more where that came from.” Diggs held up the other half, dangling it for the dog to see before tossing him that piecetoo.
Trigger devoured it with his eyes on Diggs the whole time. He gave the dog the next piece and watched as the hair down the dog’s back smoothed from standing straight up. He felt the waves of madness recede slightly. The bacon seemed to be working, but he only had two piecesleft.
Diggs tore the next piece in half, and tossed it a little bit closer between them, forcing Trigger to come off his guard over his empty bowl of food to get it. The bacon lay on the floor between them untouched for long, endless minutes. Finally Trigger limped forward, on what was left of his bandaged front leg, moving slowly as hewalked.
Diggs held tense and ready to spring for the door if Trigger turned the least bit violent. He had no intention of going head-to-head with the dog, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to stand there and let him bite himagain.
He leaned down and scooped up the bacon, giving Diggs a long stare as if he were trying to figure out hisgame.
Diggs tossed him the other half of the piece, cutting the distance between them again. Trigger limpedcloser.
“Good boy, that’s it. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to help you.” Diggs gentled his voice and held out the last piece of bacon, keeping it between his fingers thistime.
Trigger moved closer, stopping about a foot away. Diggs slowly stretched out his arm, inch by torturous inch, keeping his gaze locked on the dog the entire time. He did his best to put off as many waves of friendliness as possible, hoping the dog could read hisintentions.
Trigger stretched out his neck, took the piece of bacon between his front teeth and pulled it from Diggs’ hand before scurrying back to thecorner.
Diggs blew out a tense breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Knowing Trigger had trusted him enough not to attack meant there was maybe hope for the dog’s future afterall.
