“Aw baby. You wanna get out of here and go somewhere warm?” The little cutie nipped my finger, but I managed to pick it up, and tuck it inside my leathers. The best thing to do would be to find a vet if one’s still open. God only knows what that fucker did to it.
Chapter Two
Iused to ownmy own business, and now I’m working part time for someone else. How the mighty have fallen, right? All because of a fucking man.
“It’s almost five thirty, V, you want to head off?”
I checked the computer, and shrugged.
“No more bookings. Don’t you have dinner plans with Mike?”
Carly, the clinic manager nodded, and I could see she was harassed and running late.
“Why don’t you head off, and I’ll close at five thirty and follow you. It’s only a few minutes. What can happen in those few minutes?” A lot actually, but she took the bait, and nodded, handing me the keys, and running through the closing process, even though I’d had this masterclass already. It’d been a month or more now, so I think I was pretty clear on what I was doing.
She left at last, and I focused on sweeping up the waiting room, and tidying up the shelves of animal products, and information leaflets.
The door crashed open with a minute to go. One fucking minute, and I turned to see who was about to face my wrath. If they had an animal with them, I’d let it go, but if not… wait, the guy was familiar, but I couldn’t remember why.
He was wearing a leather waistcoat with a patch on it that I recognised though. A Phoenix.Damn.
The guy obviously recognised me, because he sighed with relief.
“Thank fuck. You’re V, right? I’m Rocket. Remember me? We met at Harley’s place before Christmas, and-”
“Breathe, will you? I’m afraid I’m just closing up, so if you can-”
“No. It has to be now. Please! I found the poor thing in an alley, being dumped by some cunt, and-”
“Watch your language,” I snapped, as I stepped around him, flipped the sign, and locked the door.
“Uh… you’re locking me in? Is this a citizen’s arrest? You’re that offended by the C word?”
His leather jacket wiggled a little and a soft whimper filled the air, catching the fucker’s attention instantly.
“Please. I don’t know what he did to the little thing, but…” he reached into his clothes, chuckling at a soft growl, and then winced as he pulled his thumb out and checked it.
“Keeps biting me, but I don’t care. Is it hurt?”
He finally retrieved the little thing. A dachshund puppy, if I’m not mistaken, but small and nervous, and trying to fend us off with the cutest and tiniest of growls.
“Oh my god. You said someone dumped this little sweetheart?”
I reached and took the puppy from his large hands, dodging little needle teeth as I did.
“Pretty nervy, but if they were dumped, that’s no wonder.”
“I heard a yelp. I think he hurt… honestly, I shoulda punched him some more.”
I led him to the treatment room I was assigned to, and set the little baby on the table.
“Can you hold her while I open up a record for her?”
“Her?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry, I know what a female looks like.”
“Me too.”Rocket frowned and rolled his eyes at himself. “Sorry, I’m used to the banter with the guys. Is she okay?” He’d cupped his big hands around the pup, who’d started wriggling closer to him as he did. He looked like a big bear of a guy, but he had the sappiest smile on his face as he gazed down at what he probably didn’t realise was his new furbaby for life.
