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Mark stepped out of the ring. “His name is Sullivan, Sully for short. The one with the black tail is called Smooch, because she loves to kiss everyone. The smallest is called Niblet or Her Nibs, because she’s the runt of the litter. You can change the name of whichever dog you choose, of course.”
“Can we have more than one?” Charlie asked, using his best big-eyed pleading look.
“Nope. One is enough.” Theresa smiled as she watched the puppies play. “Let’s go in the ring so we can get to know them better.”
Half an hour later, Theresa paid the adoption fee, and the receptionist handed her an envelope with a record of Sully’s date of birth, his puppy shots, and a list of veterinarians in the area. “Thank you,” Theresa said. “Charlie, hold on tight to Sully’s leash,” she reminded him as they moved as a group toward the exit.
John opened the door and she herded the boys and the puppy outside. He made a growling noise deep in his throat and put his arm out to stop her, just as Theresa caught sight of David. He leaned against her SUV with is arms folded across his chest and his feet crossed at the ankles. He glanced at the puppy, and then at her, a nasty smirk on his face. Did he suspect she’d adopted a dog to warn her of his presence at her home?
“Daddy, Daddy!” Charlie and Jeremy cried in unison.
They ran to David before she could stop them, and he scooped them up into his arms and held them tight. John strode over to the scene of the reunion, and Theresa followed, her heart lodged in her throat.
“I’ve missed you two like crazy,” David said, kissing their sons’ foreheads. “Who’s this little fella?” David crouched down with the boys still in his arms. Sully jumped into the huddle, his traitorous tail wagging.
“What are you doing here?” she bit out.
“I just wanted to see my sons, Theresa. You won’t answer your phone to make arrangements, so here I am.” David glared at John. “Who is this guy anyway? Your new boyfriend?”
“Armed security.” John widened his stance.
David’s eyes narrowed, and he grunted.
“So, you’ve seen them. We need to get going,” she said. “You’re supposed to go through our assigned mediator for visitation, and they’ll contact me. Then I make the arrangements. You know what the requirements are, so follow them in the future. Then you can have a real visit with them.”
“Right.” David kissed the tops of their sons’ heads again, tousled their hair, and stood up. He took a step closer to her, close enough that she could see the pupils of his eyes were dilated. “I shouldn’t have to go through that bullshit to be with my boys. This isn’t over,” he hissed just loud enough for her to hear as John stepped between them.
Adrenaline flooded her system. Somehow she managed to keep quiet. He had no idea what was about to go down, and she had no intention of alerting him that he’d soon be arrested. If he knew, he’d go underground, flee, or do something really stupid. She no longer doubted he’d resort to violence.
“Okay, say goodbye to your dad, kiddos and let’s get this puppy home.”
“See you later, you two,” David said. He leaned over and scratched Sully behind the ears. “Nice to meet you, little guy.”
“I don’t want you to go,” Jeremy sobbed and threw himself at his dad’s legs. “I want you to come home, Daddy!”
David picked him up and hugged Jeremy close, and for a moment, Theresa glimpsed a bit of humanity in her ex’s pained expression, maybe even regret.
“Bye, Dad,” her oldest said.
“See you soon, Charlie.” David’s gaze fixed on their oldest as he set Jeremy back on his feet.
Through all of that, Charlie still managed to keep hold of Sully’s leash, and he’d come to stand beside her. Theresa placed her shaking hand on her son’s shoulder as David turned and strode off. His hands were fisted—his body language gave away the rage coursing through him. He’d kept himself under control only because of her bodyguard’s presence she had no doubt.
David had lost weight, and he looked unkempt. He’d always been trim, but now he appeared gaunt. His usually wavy blond hair hung limp, and his gray eyes—one of his best features—held the frenetic look of an addict.
Jeremy wiped his face and hiccupped. “Does Sully have to go in his crate, Mommy? Can’t he sit in the back seat with me and Charlie?”
“Until he’s housebroken, I think it’s best to put him in the crate.” She sighed and hit the button on her key fob to lift the tailgate. Theresa opened the door to the doggy crate, and Charlie handed Sully’s leash to her. “You two can take him out to the backyard to play as soon as we get home. Let’s get in the car.” Once the puppy and her children were secure, she headed for the driver’s side.
Her phone rang just as she’d opened the car door. She fished it out of her purse and checked the caller ID. Adrenaline shot through her again at the sight of her lawyer’s name. She’d need a snack and a nap after all this stress.
“Hello, Sonya,” she said moving out of hearing range of her car.
“Hey, Theresa. I just wanted to let you know a warrant for David’s arrest is being issued as we speak. I’ll let you know the minute he’s been picked up.”
“Okay. Thanks.” She still suffered the aftereffects of seeing David with her boys, and her throat tightened. “He’ll be able to get out on bail though, won’t he?” she asked as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.
“There’s a good possibility, yes. I’ve pushed for a GPS ankle monitor if that’s the case. It’s time to issue a restraining order, Theresa. If David violates the conditions of release while out on bail, he’ll be put back behind bars to await his trial.”
