We’re halfway to Peachvale when the cell signal dies. One second, I have three bars, the next, nothing, like a bad omen warning us away.
“That’s normal out here,” Chief says from the back, but his voice is the kind of forced casual that makes everything sound worse.
Then Wrecks starts howling. Not barking. Not whining. A full-throated, mournful howl that raises every hair on my body. My hands grip the oh-shit handle while I scan the windows with my heart slamming against my ribs.
But I get it. I understand it deep in my bones. Peachvale is the perfect place for a serial killer to hide out. And the ominous feeling that triggers my fight-or-flight response hangs resonant in the air around us.
“He smells something,” I say, as a story unfolds in my head. “Or senses something. Animals always know when something’s wrong.”
“Jesus, Clover. You’re even freaking me out,” Valen says.
I shrug because the sensation of…wrongness gets stronger the deeper we travel on this old dirt road. “You never know what goes on behind closed doors. But look around. There’s no oneout here for miles. That cabin up there?” I open my window and point to a long dirt driveway that probably leads to an abandoned home, if the overgrowth of weeds is any indication. “That’s where a stalker would hold his victim.”
“What makes you think it’s ahim?” Valen asks as the RV slowly rolls forward. “Maybe it’s aher? Or a vampire even.”
I whip my head around to find him biting his bottom lip.
“I’ll have you know, eighty-seven percent of stalkers are men. Even when it’s men who are being stalked, forty-eight percent of them are stalked by another man.” My blood pressure rises, and his lip slips from his teeth to form a fully amused grin.
Wrecks’s howl simmers to a whine while he presses his massive head against Chief’s belly.
“I love how your mind works, Honeybee, but one of these days we’re going to fill your head with facts that are less…murdery.”
Frowning, I cross my arms over my chest. “My murdery mind is what pays my bills, thank you very much.”
“And you’re so good at it, but out here? Population 658? Stalking and murder probably wouldn’t be my first thought.”
“Did you see that road?” Indignation rises in my tone again. “Chainsaw-wielding killers are just waiting to jump out of there.”
“It’s okay, boy,” Chief chuckles, scratching behind Wrecks’s ears. “We got you.”
The dog nearly knocks Chief over as he jumps down and runs to the front of the RV, where he climbs into my lap. His weight is crushing.
“Jesus, Wrecks. Knock it off.” Valen leans over and attempts to tug him off me one-handed, but the more he pulls, the more firmly Wrecks presses his weight into my seat.
“Just…leave him,” I pant. “It’s fine. He’s just protecting me. He does this sometimes.”
“He’s crushing you.” Valen shoots a death glare at Wrecks, but the weight of my furry companion soothes me.
“It’s fine. I promise.”
We drive the rest of the way in tense silence, Wrecks whimpering occasionally, Valen muttering about puppy boundaries.
When we pull into the parking lot of the Peachvale general store, Wrecks refuses to get out of the RV.
“Come on, buddy,” Chief urges, tugging gently on his leash. “It’s just a store. Nothing scary.”
Wrecks plants his butt on my lap and won’t budge.
“Maybe he’s not feeling well,” Chief finally says.
“He eats shoes,” I point out. “And doesn’t throw them up.”
“Yeah, well, Wrecks has done stupider things. Wrecks, come.” The demand in Valen’s voice causes an involuntary reaction from me, and I’m suddenly acutely aware of how good a Dom he could be because my body wants to follow his command.
Even Wrecks falls into line and jumps down. I finally feel as though I can breathe as Valen takes control of the leash in one hand and clamps big fingers around my smaller ones with his other.
Daddy Valen is in control of both Wrecks and me, and I’m totally on board with that as he helps me out of the RV to face the Peachvale general store.
