Page 10 of Always My Love

Then Hailey glanced over at her and started laughing. “Because I love Lucy,” she said, and rolled her eyes as she rushed to let the little dog outside.

As she watched the little dog run to the grassy area and finish her business, Hailey cleaned up the mess on the hardwood floor.

“I love her,” Hailey said, wrapping her arms around her.

“Yeah.” Harper sighed. “I figured we deserve a little normality. She’s a little normality. Even if we end up cleaning up after her. A lot.”

Hailey chuckled and moved over to sit down on the two chairs they had in the backyard so they could enjoy the firepit they’d made to burn all the crap their uncle had left in his house.

“How was work?” Harper asked as she played tug-of-war with Lucy.

“Good.” Hailey glanced at her sideways. “I heard a funny rumor today.”

“Oh?” Harper asked, glancing over at her sister.

While Harper had allowed her dull brown hair to grow longer, Hailey had chopped hers into a fun short spring style and had added a few streaks to lighten the overall color.

Harper didn’t want to put in the effort to maintain any color and barely had enough time to do anything with it other than a messy bun or a loose French braid.

Both of them were around five-foot-five with their mother’s dull brown hair. Hailey looked more like their mother than Harper did. Harper’s eyes were dark brown while Hailey’s were a soft caramel color.

“Yeah,” Hailey answered. “The rumor was that you went on a date this morning with Nick the cop?”

Harper’s heart did a little skip. “It wasn’t a date.”

Hailey’s eyes narrowed at her. “Then what was it?”

Harper thought for a moment. “I helped him pick a dog.”

Hailey glanced down at Lucy. “And ended up getting one in return?”

Harper groaned. “I couldn’t help it. She was just too cute.” She bent down and picked the little furball up.

Lucy must have still been tired because she curled into a tight ball and fell asleep in her lap.

“She is cute,” Hailey said softly. “What are we going to do with her when we’re away at work?”

“I bought a kennel.” She motioned towards the back door. “I put it in my bedroom for now. Nick says it’s best to introduce them to a smaller area at first at night so they can feel comfortable. I figure I can come let her out on my lunch breaks.”

“I can as well,” Hailey said with a smile. “She won’t be in the crate for long with us around.”

“Nick says that after she gets used to the house, she won’t destroy everything. As long as we train her. Look, I’ve already taught her a few tricks.”

While Harper ran Lucy through the new tricks she’d taught her, Hailey watched and clapped each time the little dog obeyed.

“Nick says…” Harper started, but when Hailey made a strange noise, she glanced over at her sister.

“I don’t need to remind you what could happen to us if he found out anything about our past.” Hailey picked up the small dog and held onto her.

“I know.” Harper practically growled it. “And it’s not our past we have to worry about… just mine.”

Hailey shook her head and then reached over to lay her hand over Harper’s. “Whatever happens, we’re in this together. To the end.” The small dog leaned over and placed her paw over their joined hands, causing the sisters to smile. “All three of us,” Hailey added.

Harper relaxed back in the chair and sighed. “Yeah, right.”

She always verbally agreed whenever Hailey said those words, but in her heart, Harper knew that if it came down to it, she would do everything in her power to protect her sister. After all, she’d been doing just that since the moment she’d been born and especially after that fateful night.

The night Harper had killed.