“Yes. My mother,” she said again.“She looks great, doesn’t she? Well, my dad isn’t exactly old either. They had me young.”
For a moment, Nina stared at Lynn in mild disbelief. She realized Lynn was using her as a shield—against Veronica, against her interest in Jasper.
And somehow… it didn’t hurt.
On the contrary, it felt oddly sweet.
A small, instinctive act of protection. Her way of saying she didn’t want anyone else stepping into that space beside her father.
It didn’t mean Lynn had fully accepted her yet—but itwas a step forward. And Nina was ready for steps like that.
Even if, sometimes, they came wrapped in strange little games like this one.
CHAPTER 55
Nina walked along the rows of kennels, brushing the cold metal bars with her fingertips, studying the dogs’faces. They reached for her, pushed their noses between the bars, some even bared their teeth—but she didn’t feel afraid. These animals, for all their wildness, felt understandable to her. Simple. Honest in their emotions. And lonely, just like she was.
She stopped in front of one enclosure. A large German shepherd stood inside, beautiful and well cared for, watching her without moving.
“Hey,” Nina whispered, leaning closer to the bars.“What’s your name?”
The dog slowly rose to its feet, its gaze never leaving her. Without really thinking, Nina reached out her hand.
“Sorry, I didn’t bring any treats,” she said with a small, apologetic smile, leaning in a bit more.“Maybe next time—”
The shepherd lunged without warning. Its massive body slammed into the bars, teeth snapping inches from her hand. Nina gasped, jerking back, losing her balance. The world tilted, the ground dropped out from under her, and she was already bracing for her head to hit the concrete—
Strong arms caught her at the last second.
Warm. Solid. They wrapped firmly around her waist, stopping her fall. Nina sucked in a sharp breath, her heart pounding, and looked up.
It was Jasper.
He stood so close she could feel his breath against her skin, the heat of his body, see the way his eyes scanned her face, checking for injuries. His fingers tightened instinctively, and Nina grabbed onto his forearms without thinking, just to steady herself.
His mouth was far too close. She unconsciously wet her lips—and noticed his throat bob as he swallowed.
Dangerous.
Way too dangerous.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke. Breathing felt difficult.
“You okay?” he asked finally, his voice low and tight.
Nina shook her head quickly, heat rushing to her cheeks.
“Yes—sorry—I just… I didn’t expect that.”
Jasper released her slowly, but his hands lingered a second longer than necessary. Then he stepped back, as if realizing how close they were. His fingers were still slightly unsteady, though he tried to hide it.
“That shepherd isn’t very friendly,” he said shortly, straightening and looking away.“Better not touch her. She had a bad history with her previous owners.”
Nina nodded, keeping her eyes down, feeling the blood thrum in her temples. She didn’t understand what was happening to her—or why a single touch from him threw her so completely off balance.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asked again, studying her face.
“Yes,” she exhaled, taking a step back as her knees threatened to give out.“Where’s Lynn?”
