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They felt rather than saw Chris’s eyes burning into them. The corner of Kane’s mouth pulled down with annoyance, but Lexi shot him a silent plea that asked for his patience. She knew exactly what was going on with the kid, but didn’t want to make a thing of it.
Work continued. Kane’s mind wandered when he noticed that Bud had moved. No longer sleeping, he had moved across to the section with the more nervous dogs. His tail wagged in a friendly manner as he tried to engage the young black and brown collie inside.
Lexi crouched by his side, murmuring at the collie, but he bared sharp teeth at Bud, threatened by the other dog’s nearness. Kane pursed his lips, preparing to whistle for him to retreat when Bud backed up anyway, tail sinking between his legs.
His head was hanging low, saddened that he wasn’t able to befriend the collie, but he knew enough to understand that his presence was only making the other dog more edgy.
He padded to Kane’s side, tossing a look at him that asked why the collie didn’t want to be friends.
“Some dogs need more time. He’ll get there.”
Bud chuffed in answer and pressed against him when the hackles on Kane’s neck stiffened like icy pins. The collie’s growling hadn’t lessened, instead it seemed to have become more insistent.
And it was all directed at Lexi, who was now inside his kennel with him.
She froze just inside, talking in her calm, reassuring voice. The door to the kennel opened inward in order to make it harder for dogs to escape — but it also meant that Lexi would have to move a foot or twocloserto the collie before she could open the door wide enough to leave.
She continued talking as she inched back, though there was a slight tremble in her voice now that he picked up on.
Which wasn’t good.
If he heard it so would the dog and the worst thing a person could do when up against one who felt threatened was to show any weakness.
Kane swore and looked around for Chris, but the kid was outside somewhere walking another of the dogs.
There would be no help coming.
Moving slowly so as not to alarm the collie further, Kane pulled a clean towel from the cart and started for the cage, gesturing silently at Bud to stay. The collie was nervous enough without adding him to the mix.
Bud plopped his butt down but whined, not liking the command but having to obey.
Lexi moved another foot back, feeling blindly behind her for the door, but it was still a few feet away. She kept her eyes on the dog, knowing that turning her back on him would only make her more vulnerable.
“Keep coming back slowly. I’m almost there. I’ll open the door for you. All you have to do is keep moving back just as you are.”
She nodded stiffly, her shoulders so tense that any movement seemed as if it would crack her body in two.
A blanket of tension covered the air. Though the radio still played, its bubbly pop music seemed suddenly distorted, as if being played from far away.
But the dog’s growling was broadcasting loud and terrifyingly clear.
She moved another step back when her ankle twisted to the side. She flung out her arms for balance but fell, careening into the kennel.
Startling the already frayed nerves of the dog.
Opening his jaws, the collie lunged.
12
The world slowed to a crawl as Kane watched Lexi falling backward.
The dog had hunkered down onto his haunches, muscles rippling in his legs, preparing to attack.
Relying on those blazing fast instincts that had kept him alive, Kane wrapped the towel around his left arm, bolting the last few steps to the kennel. There was no time for stealthiness now. His only hope of getting her out unharmed was to reach her as soon as possible.
Even if that meant alarming the dog further.
Throwing the door open, he thrust his hastily padded arm in front of Lexi as a last line of defense just as the dog’s jaws clamped down around it.
