“June—”
I’ve never heard her growl. Not once. With my pulse speeding, I stand up, clutching the flowers.
“What is it girl?”
She’s fixated on the nearby bushes, her nose working hard.
“Did you see a snake or something?”
Her breathing is loud, sharp snorts. Another low, rumbling growl comes from the deep vee of her chest.
I scoop up the forgotten ball and scan the pasture, the bushes, the trees, with a chill running down my arms.
Maybe it’s one of the guys taking a walk in the pasture. Or a stray dog. Or a… it could be a million things.
I tuck the ball under my arm and reach for my back pocket to get my cell phone. The guys will have a better view from the second floor.
Ohcrap. My phone must be on the desk.
“June. Work.” I use the command that calls her back into duty and she immediately sidesteps closer.
“Alright,” I whisper, “Let’s go.”
June doesn’t follow me.
“June.Work.”
Her ear flicks toward me for half a second, then she goes razor-sharp from head to tail. The black fur at her shoulders rising.
Something is wrong. Really wrong.
I take a few steps backwards toward the building, not sure where to look. Or even if I should turn my back and run.
My legs go numb as panic takes over, my heart thudding loudly in my ears.
Go. Get inside!
I’m about to turn and sprint when a man materializes out of the scrubby brush, the rays of sun making it hard to see him.
For a second I blank.
Is he safe?
Squinting, I raise my hand to block the sun. That’s when the earth beneath my feet seems to crumble.
In a single heartbeat I see past the low baseball cap and the sunglasses. A deep, terrified part of me recognizes the way he moves.
“Miss me, Jade?” Trevor calls across the swaying grass.
Ohgod. My stomach clenches and my legs shudder as I stumble backward.
“Ryker!” The cry scrapes out of my throat. “Ryker!”
The cameras have sound. They’ll pick my screaming up.
But my scream does nothing, Trevor casually walks toward me. Only there’s nothing casual about the way he looks. Trevor’s clothes are filthy, torn, half hanging off his body.
Bruises, green and yellow, cover all of his visible skin.
