I hated this feeling. It was heartbreaking, and for every ten times I felt this heartbreak, the one time we won, and a dog went to a good home or made a breakthrough or learned to trust again... That feeling would always outweigh this heartbreak.
Always. No, I’d never give up on them.
There was another problem. A big one. This wasn’t some small operation that only supplied local pet shops. The bay doors. The heavy truck tires that rutted the sides of the road. “This is... It’s big. More than a hundred dogs, maybe. They’re not only supplying to local shops and selling online. This mill could have a pipeline with brokers selling all over the place.”
Even if we managed to find the dogs again, there were way more involved than I was prepared to handle with my connections. Even if local shelters and rescues could take on that many dogs—which wasn’t likely—these were bully breeds. They were going to be very under-socialized dogs that didn’t trust humans. Rescues wouldn’t adopt out a dog that might bite. How many of them would have to be destroyed because they weren’t trustworthy around humans through no fault of their own? Even at a no-kill shelter, they’d be cared for, healthy, but just trading one cage for another.
I wiped at my tears.
I had no idea how to handle a mill this size.
“We need to get out of here. Let me get some pictures.”
I was in over my head.
“Lil.”
“Huh?”
Brody kicked dust and grass over my puke pile. “We have to go, darlin’.”
That’s when I heard the saddest whine. So small and hoarse. Both of our eyes widened. “Did you hear it?”
“Yep.” Within a fraction of a second, Brody moved inside to a pile of milk crates and wooden pallets. Bending down, he slipped his arm behind the pile.
“Brody, it could be rats.”
“Nope.” The most desperate little squeal prickled the air as he pulled his arm back and cradled something to his chest.
A tiny brown bulldog puppy, maybe four or five weeks old. “Ohmygod.”
It wasn’t much bigger than the hand holding it. “Shhh, buddy. It’s okay. Shhh,” Brody whispered, trying to soothe a baby calling for its mama.
Fresh tears tracked down my cheeks as I stroked the puppy’s head. Its own little eyes were crusted over with god knew what. With extra care, I pulled the skin on its back away—it didn’t snap back. The pup was badly dehydrated. As gently as possible, I lifted its lip to check the color of its gums and found them pink with tiny milk teeth, but not as hearty as they should have been. “We need to get it to a vet.”
Brody passed me the pup. “You head back to the truck. I’ll close this up.”
After carefully crawling over the gate, I wrapped the pup in a shirt from Brody’s back seat and settled him on my lap. No, they wouldn’t kill their cash cow.
Watching the little pup wiggle, I knew I couldn’t give up. If I had to start all over again, that’s what I’d do. These dogs deserved justice.
Not every aggressive dog could be rehabilitated, but I was damn good at what I did, and confident that I could train quite a few dogs that other agencies might put down for being aggressive.
What I needed was my own place. A rescue to house the dogs that would be deemed unadoptable elsewhere. Dogs like CC and Mack that took more than a regular rescue could handle. If I had to work with them one at a time, that’s what I’d do. I knew if I told Rob, he’d volunteer to help me. So would the other animal behaviorists I knew.
The problem would be feeding, housing, supplies and medical costs. Money.
Little dude wiggled in my lap. “Shh. It’s okay, baby. We’re going to get you patched up.”
The door opened, and Brody slid in, but I kept comforting the pup. “And when you’re old enough, we’ll find you the bestest home ever. Then we’re going to find your mama and get her patched up, too.”
“How is he?”
“Weak, but she’s a fighter.”
“Let’s get her to the vet, then.” Exhausted, the little pup settled into the blanket and fell asleep as Brody turned and left the way we came.
* * *
We got the baby into Dr. Avalos’s care and made it back to my house physically and emotionally exhausted.
As overcrowded as my queen-sized bed was with dogs and a hulking man, when Brody slipped in and slid his arms around me, there was no place I would have rather been.
Tomorrow, I needed to start making calls, do some research into other organizations, but for tonight I’d sleep in this amazing man’s arms. The one who wanted to make sure I knew I could depend on him. Who’d told Dr. Avalos he was paying for all of the bulldog’s vet bills.
I was completely in love with him. Unequivocally.
Tonight, there was just Brody, and sleep.
I’d save the tough stuff for tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
I thought the full moon was last night.
Brody
“Okay, thanks for the update, Dr. Avalos. Anything she needs, just send me the bill,” I said as I stepped out of my truck. Lily came through the backyard gate as I hung up the call. Relief washed over me. The bulldog pup was getting stronger. I’d even given her a name—Laila, after Laila Ali. Because she was a fighter through and through.
Lily launched into my arms, kissing the shit out of me. Eventually, the whine of a passing car’s power steering in the alley at the back of Lily’s yard brought my head up. She lived in an old part of Frisco with a big yard, but cars were forever traveling up and down the streets and back alleys. Especially with the park across the street from her house.
“Why don’t we take this inside,” I said.
She nodded, hit the keypad to close the garage door before she led me through the backyard and into the kitchen. We barely cleared the door before I slipped an arm around her waist and slid my lips over the back of her bare neck. “Damn, I can’t imagine ever seeing you and not wanting to do that.” She arched her back, pushing her ass against me.
“Mmmm, ditto.” We were at it like rabbits. Every night except the first. We should have been exhausted, but whenever she was near, my cock sprang to life.
“In fact...” I kept walking her forward, whirled her around and sat her butt on the counter with me between her thighs.
“You’re lucky I have a strong sex drive, Shaw. Otherwise, I’d have to kick your ass out just to get some rest.”
I sucked at the skin below her ear, making her hum. There wasn’t a single inch of her I didn’t know. “Why, Ms. Costello. I’m surprised at you.” I feigned offense, but her hands were under my T-shirt exploring my skin and my hands were pulling at her shorts trying to work them off her legs without taking her off the counter. “What’s it gonna be? Make love to me or fuck me till neither of us can walk?”