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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
I CARRIED IN THE armful of stuff that Gem had purchased on behalf of Fang, depositing it all in the middle of the living room. Fang instantly went to sniff everything, biting at the fluffy silver bed that’d cost Gem seventy-eight dollars.
My head hurt.
My balance wasn’t the best.
And the whiteouts I suffered when I was overtired had come and gone throughout the day.
But fuck me, what a day.
It’d been my favorite.
The best day of my godforsaken life—spending it with Gem and a dog I didn’t even know I needed. We’d been collected from the hotel parking lot by a woman who reeked of cigarettes and didn’t care about Fang’s stench in her run-down car, dropping us off at the closest vet.
We’d waited our turn, then endured multiple questions that we couldn’t answer about Fang’s age, health condition, and where his old owner was, until we were finally ushered into a room where he was bathed with medicated shampoo, given injections for stuff I didn’t understand, and his wounded neck clipped, cleaned, and bandaged.
The entire time, the poor dog cowered into me. We’d been a right pair as we cringed away from people getting too close, enduring it all because it was for his own good.
Once he was a much cleaner, healthier dog, we’d headed to the till to pay. The vet who’d treated Fang gave me a T-shirt that came as a bonus for some local cat food—seeing as I was still shirtless—and Gem laughed at the graphic of a tuna head on my chest. I couldn’t care less what I wore; her laughter was totally worth it.
Swiping her plastic card, she tried to hide the bill from me, but I noticed the tally. I’d tried to add the fifteen-hundred dollar cost to the many thousands I already owed her, but the numbers were getting too big to keep track, granting an even deeper headache.
Even if I had the funds, I would’ve felt indebted to her for the rest of my life—not only for letting me keep Fang but also for welcoming him into our family as if he’d always meant to find us.
Once we left the vet, Gem decided it was my turn to be poked and prodded, summoning yet another car to drive us to a doctor’s clinic that accepted walk-ins. Fang wasn’t allowed in, and no way in hell was I going to risk him being stolen and hurt again while waiting outside for us, so I did something I didn’t think I was capable of.
I kissed Gem goodbye.
I left her on the sidewalk with the dog.
And I headed into the clinic on my own.
Through a miracle or perhaps sheer determination to finally be normal, I kept my triggers and panic in control all while a kind-eyed female doctor cleaned my bite, gave me a packet of antibiotics, and stabbed me with a needle that ensured I wouldn’t die if Fang had something contagious.
I wouldn’t lie, I’d almost bolted out of the clinic once she was done, desperate to be away from strangers and back with Gem. But I hadn’t killed anyone. I’d let someone I didn’t know be in my personal space and touch me.
Progress.
Afterward, Gem finally decided she’d tortured Fang and me enough, permitting us to find something to eat. I had no idea what to feed him, but Gem bought him a blue-rare steak from a local restaurant, all while we indulged in burgers with all the trimmings.
The eatery was busy, even where we sat outside in the sun.
Bike riders sat in their tight neon outfits sipping coffees and other dog walkers shot wary glances at my tuna head T-shirt, Gemma’s stu
It was the most interaction I’d had in one spot, and even though people milled around, waitstaff brought us food, and my instincts were on high alert, not once did I feel threatened. It wasn’t me I was worried about for once. It wasn’t Gemma or my Fable family. It was a dog who rested his chin on my thigh and let out the biggest sigh of relief as I rubbed his head.
I stayed sane for him.
I noticed everything, judged everyone, yet I wasn’t afraid.
I knew I could protect him if needed.
Fang never left my side as we finished our lunch and walked the short distance to a pet store Gem had found on her phone.
And...without even thinking about it, without second-guessing my violent reactions or how smart it was putting me in a busy retail environment, I stepped into my first official store and fucking loved it. Any whispers of my past and how I’d been stolen vanished. I didn’t care how I’d first been kidnapped. I no longer needed to chase such nightmares.
I was just there.
Present.
Loving the way Fang’s tail wagged as he sniffed toys, food, and beds. He had my entire attention as we went down aisles, filling a cart full of dog stuff, grabbing almost everything that Fang nosed.
Someone brushed by me, and I didn’t flinch in disgust. A man smiled at me, and I didn’t hear voices in my head. It was as if all my panic had been cha
To be normal in a busy store of other like-minded, pet-loving individuals.
I felt kinship as I caught the gaze of a young girl who reminded me of Nyx when we first met, cuddling a tiny puppy gnawing on her yellow jacket. I nodded at an elderly woman as she hobbled down the aisle with her equally elderly dog.
There was nothing to fear.
Nothing to lash out at.
And by the time Gem slipped her hand into mine and we caught another ride home, and Fang curled up beside me with bags full of stuff for him in the trunk, I had a heat inside my heart.
A heat that could only be described as joy.
“He’s making himself right at home, I see.” Gem laughed as Fang dragged his new bed to the window and promptly curled up in it, his gray and white coat almost vanishing into the silver plushness.
The heat in my chest expanded until I burned with it. Until my fingertips throbbed and my body hardened with so, so much fucking gratitude. Grabbing Gem by the waist as she bent to grab the bag of dog food, I nuzzled her neck, feeling the satin of her ball gown catching on the roughness of my fingers. “Thank you, Gem. For all of it.”
“I enjoyed today just as much as you.” She spun in my hold, looping her arms around my neck. “I can’t tell you how much pleasure it gave me to go shopping with you. To eat out in public with you—even if we are dressed like maniacs and haven’t slept. I didn’t think that would happen for a very long time.”
“I’m sorry it took the time it did.”
“I’m not.” Gemma yawned, shaking her head. “It made today all the sweeter.” Her eyes unfocused a little as I kissed her, exhaustion evident on her face.
“You’re almost asleep standing.”
She yawned again. “Sorry. I must admit, being back home again, after such a busy twenty-four hours...it’s just hit me out of nowhere.”
I glanced outside, guessing with the sun’s angle that it was close to four p.m. Not bedtime but after the stressful evening and the entertaining day, she could be forgiven for crashing early. I needed to sleep too, even though I was still flying on joy—that joy strong enough to cancel out the tiredness of my lingering concussion.
“Come. Let’s get you into bed.” I kissed the tip of her nose, taking her hand and guiding her down the corridor to her room.
Fang’s claws sounded immediately behind us, never letting us out of his sight.
Gemma swayed on her feet as we entered her bedroom. She shivered as I removed my shirt that she still wore then pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders.
I bit my bottom lip as it pooled to the floor.
Christ, I’d forgotten she wore nothing beneath it.
Her curves, her muscles...she was so strong yet so feminine.
I wanted her.
So fucking much.
Kissing her, I cupped her breasts and ran my thumbs over her nipples.
Her back arched, pressing more of her body into my hands. “Kas...”
“Shower.” I hoisted her from the floor and carried her into the bathroom. Fang once again followed us, sitting on the bathmat as I turned on the shower, stripped off my ruined clothes, and pulled Gemma into the water with me.
Hot spray hit my head and rained down my back.
I shuddered at the wonderfulness of it. I’d never take hot water for granted. Never get used to the bliss of a shower instead of icy pain, thanks to the wintery water at Fables.
Gem moaned as I brought her under the spray, drenching both of us before rubbing sweet-smelling soap all over her delicious body. As much as I wanted her, I kept it purely platonic. Not from lack of needing her but purely because I loved her.
I loved her enough to wait. Because right now, she was asleep standing.
Once we were both clean, I bundled her in a towel, guided her from the bathroom with Fang on our heels, and pulled back her bedding.
She slipped out of the towel and dived straight into the covers.
Snuggling into her pillow, she patted the empty bed behind her. “Join me...please?”
I stiffened.
I hadn’t slept in a long time.
I’d dealt with a bunch of shit today that would no doubt cause a nightmare or two to rear their ugly heads.
“I’m not safe, Gem.”
She groaned in defeat, her tiredness removing some of her understanding. “Can’t you try...just for one night? I miss you.”
Christ.
I raked my fingers through my short hair, every instinct telling me to climb into bed with my girl and cuddle her close.
But I don’t want to hurt her.
Fang snuffled at my leg, his fur tickling me as he suddenly pushed past me and leaped into the space that Gem had just patted.
With a glint in his dark eyes, he walked in a circle, once, twice, three times, before plopping into a ball with his back along Gemma’s.
“Traitor.” I bared my teeth.
Fang just sighed and closed his eyes.
Gem sighed too, sounding perfectly content and at peace. Jealousy tugged my heart. I was fucking jealous of the damn dog taking my spot.
It hurt to physically remove myself and slink off to spend another uncomfortable, lonely night on the couch, but I would do it to keep Gem safe. I would do it for however long it took to be better.
With a heavy sigh, I bent over, ready to give Gem a kiss goodnight.
A low-pitched growl sounded, wrenching my head up, coming face-to-face with Fang. He’d leaped to his feet, his sharp teeth visible as his gums pulled back in warning.
Gem’s eyes popped open, sleep fading as she went to look behind her, flinching at the warning rumble coming from Fang. “What’s he doing? What’s wrong?”
“Don’t move.” I held her down with my hand on her shoulder, never taking my eyes off the dog. We shared a long stare. I cocked my head; he cocked his. I looked at Gem, he looked at where I touched her.
I risked another bite as I leaned down and kissed Gemma on the cheek.
“Kas...what’s he growling at?”