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A high-pitched barking filled the air and then there was a small dog at my feet, jumping up on my knees. He, again I was really making some assumptions about their genders, was as small as the other one was large. Without thinking, I bent down and scooped the little guy into my arms. He stuck his tongue into my ear and then yipped practically against my eardrum.
“Ouch, puppers! I need the use of that ear. Mind not screaming directly into it?”
I’d dropped the bat at some point and my guard was fully down, so when a deep male voice spoke from the shadows next to the fence, I used the only defense I had. I screamed at the top of my lungs. The dogs joined me and the three of us created quite the ruckus together.
“General. Captain. Quiet!” A different masculine voice called out abruptly, and then it was just me screaming. “You, too, woman. Quiet.”
I snapped my lips closed and clutched the small dog to my chest. “Who are you and why are you here? These are attack dogs. Come any closer and they’ll eat your face off. Ever seen a man without a face? One wrong move and that’s your life, pal.”
“You just heard me give those dogs commands. You really think you can threaten me with them?” The second voice spoke again, sounding amused rather than murderous. “To answer your first question, we own this house. That’s who we are and why we’re here. Who are you and why are you here?”
Feeling foolish and wishing I’d kept my nosy self upstairs in my apartment, I cleared my throat and put the small dog down. I grabbed the bat while I was bent over and clutched it to my side while backing away. “I’m the new tenant over the garage. I’m really sorry. I heard something and assumed someone was breaking in. Obviously, that’s not the case, so I’ll just be on my way.”
A third voice spoke from not too far away. “You thought you heard someone breaking in so you grabbed a plastic bat and ran down to take care of it?”
I frowned. “Yes. I don’t exactly keep other weapons on hand.”
“Other weapons would imply the bat you’re holding is a weapon.” The first voice sounded like laughter was imminent. “Turn the floodlights on, Ben.”
I wasn’t a fan of being laughed at and I’d just remembered I was wearing my pajamas and a face mask, so I had no desire to hang around. “Well, I should get back to the apartment. Maybe we can meet under—”
The lights flashed on and after a second of being blinded by the brightness, I felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach. All the breath left me and I stumbled back a few steps, setting off that damn squeaky chicken again. My heart hammered painfully in my chest as I saw the owners of the house for the first time. Only it wasn’t the first time I’d ever seen them.
They were three very familiar faces from six years earlier. I’d searched for them then, but I’d given up hope of ever finding them. As I stood there, staring, I knew too much time and life had passed for finally finding them to be a good thing.
So, I did the only thing I could think of. I hoped they didn’t recognize me under the mask, if they even remembered me, and I started backing away faster. Escape was now my goal.
CHAPTER 3
Violet
“Stop.” Benjamin, seemingly still the stoic one, stared across the fence at me with a fierce gaze.
I let out an awkward laugh and tugged at my pajama top. “You know what they say. Early to bed, early to rise… Early bird gets the worm. I’ll just be on my way.”
“Violet.” Mason, who stood closest to me, swept his gaze over my figure in its entirety.
I cleared my throat and considered lying. I was panicking and I didn’t do well while panicking. I couldn’t think straight. Even if I believed lying would help me, I couldn’t think of a lie to save my life. “Um. Yes?”
Justin had been the most forward all those years ago and nothing had changed. He easily hopped the fence and walked right up to me. Standing so close, I could see the gold inside his hazel eyes. “What the hell are you doing here? How are you here?”
I blinked up at him, momentarily taken aback by how handsome he still was. That was why I sounded like an idiot when I answered. “I live here now. I walk the dogs.”
Benjamin moved closer. “What are you doing in Lilyfield?”
It was the sound of small feet shuffling across pavement that broke my stupor. I couldn’t let them see Forrest. Not yet, at least. I needed a plan. I needed a moment to think. I spun around and rushed towards the gate, but Benjamin caught my arm.
“The least you could do is give us an explanation, Violet.” He didn’t understand I was barely able to form two thoughts, much less words. He was asking for too much.
I tried to tug myself free but it was too late. The sound of the gate opening behind me snapped my focus to one singular point: Forrest. “Go back upstairs, Forrest. Now.”
“Whoa! Is that a dog or a horse? Wow!” Ignoring me completely, Forrest hurried over to where the dogs were sitting and watching the back and forth between the humans. “Can I pet your dogs? Mommy told me to always ask first. I asked, so, can I pet them?”
Benjamin’s grip on my arm tightened, not enough to hurt, but enough to let me know he wasn’t blind to what was unfolding before him. I heard his breathing change, becoming ragged, and when I dared a glance up at him, his eyes were drinking Forrest in.
I cleared my throat. “Good job asking, buddy, but you heard what I said. Go back upstairs and wait for me. You weren’t supposed to come down to begin with, were you?”
With his hand out, waiting to pet the larger dog, he looked back at me. “You screamed! Grandpa said I’m the man of the house now. That means I have to take care of you when you scream. Grandpa said so.”
