He sprints forward, his boundless puppy energy filling every corner of our small one-bedroom space. Right now, I have no choice but to embrace it—getting rid of him is out of the question, especially now that he's responsive to every command. Just as I bend down to clip the chain leash onto his studded collar, my bedroom door swings open, and Michael and Kell stroll in—completely surprising me.
"Where are you headed?" Michael asks, mirroring my own surprised expression as we lock eyes.
"I was just about to take Reaper for a walk," I reply, omitting the part about stopping by Scarlett’s to see her, and if Reaper's training has worked..
"Want us to tag along?" Kell asks quietly, his voice almost drowned out by the music blaring from the next room.
I hesitate. Fuck... If I say no, they'll think I want nothing to do with them. But if I say yes, I won’t be able to fully gauge what I’ve taught Reaper. Fuck it.
I shrug, my indifference feigned. "It’s up to you if you want to come. I’m leaving soon, so if you’re in, you better be ready to go."
With four of us vying for Scarlett’s attention, things can get complicated. I’m still trying to decipher the dynamics—does she pick one of us based on how well we connect or after a certain number of times we fuck? It's a peculiar situation, four diverse felons with secrets as complicated as our pasts, all focused on one girl.
"Alright, we're in," Michael says, shooting Kell an eager grin.
Kell shrugs, looking less enthusiastic but ultimately falling in line with the plan. "Might as well," he mumbles, glancing down at Reaper, who's dancing with excitement, tail wagging so hard I fear it might break the fuck off. I clip the leash onto Reaper's collar and watch as he wiggles around me, trying to master the art of controlling his enthusiasm.
"Let’s go, buddy," I say, stepping away from the door.
Reaper almost pulls me off my feet as we head down the hallway, the echoes of indecipherable conversations and laughter fading behind us. The door creaks open as we step outside. The evening air is cool, and it feels refreshing on my skin. Reaper pulls me forward, clearly understanding that walk time translates to playtime—a time for him to explore, sniff out every new scent, and stretch his legs.
"Guess we’ll be training him to behave around Scarlett all together now," Michael quips, jogging to catch up as we walk along the tree-lined street that runs alongside the halfway house. He has always been the lighthearted type, finding humor even in the strangest situations.
"Or he’ll be practicing his 'attack' on all of us if we don’t keep a handle on him," I shoot back, keeping an eye on Reaper as he sniffs at a pile of leaves, clearly contemplating whether he should roll around in them.
Kell, trailing a little behind us, is quiet. I can't help but feel like he seems out of place. Maybe it’s because he’s more reserved, or maybe he’s just naturally suspicious of the group dynamic.Something tells me he wasn't the type who surrounded himself with others, at least not before. This journey through prison and recovery and the nuances of friendships feels foreign to him.
"How's it gone with Scarlett today?" Michael breaks the silence with an expectant glance.
"It's been... okay," I admit, struggling to not let the tension of the situation hang heavily in the air. "She’s a hard nut to crack, but I think she might count on all of us to show her that there’s a way out."
Kell nods, finally breaking his silence, "She needs to feel like she canbtrust us." His quiet voice carries an unexpected weight. "We’ve all got our demons, and the last thing we should do is let them chase her."
I nod at that. That much I can agree on. The pain of our pasts is still fresh, but it’s a common bond—a shared struggle. Walking down this block, beneath the fading evening light, it's as if I can see disappearing shadows of who we were before and who we hope to become. Reaper unexpectedly pulls us off course, chasing after a squirrel that darts across our path, luckily in the direction where Scarlett is. But she isn't alone.
"Come back, Reaper!" I shout, jerking the leash to regain control over my hyperactive companion. He freezes mid-chase, the leash stretching taut for a moment before losing interest and bounding back to my side.
Imitating the excited bark of the dog, Michael laughs, "You might need to show him who's boss."
"Believe me, I’m on it," I retort, a smirk pulling at my lips. "You guys don't know what this little guy is capable of. By the end of this, he’ll be the one pulling you all up to get your feet wet."
“Right, getting dragged by a rottweiler,” Kellin chuckles, surprising me with the lightness in his tone. It feels good to see him break that shell, even if it’s just a little bit.
We stop a ways back, making sure Scarlett and the guy walking behind her don't see us, wondering who the fuck it is and where the fuck she's going. Michael looks livid. Kell looks like he's about to charge over there. Looking down at Reaper, drool hangs in thick strings from the corners of his mouth, his sharp, white teeth showing as a low growl comes from his chest. The guys look down at him, and I smirk, ready to test all the training I've been doing with my pup.
"Wanna see what little old Reaper can do?" I ask, holding his leash tight and close to me as I begin to take small steps in the same direction as Scarlett.
"I'm ready and waiting," Kell spits impatiently, clearly disturbed by the sight of the man following Scarlett.
Luckily, she turns and takes a walk through the park, and the same shady man dressed in all black follows her. I know she knows he's behind her. She isn't stupid, and if I know her at all, I'd bet she's luring him deep into the park so she can kill him. But Reaper is going to beat her to it.
Our walk continues, and I begin to feel anxious—about the strange man, about Reaper’s growth, my own rehabilitation, and the slow burn of a bond forming between us. The streetlights flicker to life, casting a golden glow over Salem, warming the cool evening. As we push forward, my mind flickers briefly to the balaclava tucked inside my pocket. A reminder that while we grow, shadows still linger. The reality is that old habits die hard, and darkness is always lurking.
We take the same path in the park, waiting until we're far enough in so the guy's screams won't be heard. He gets closer to Scarlett and my blood boils, simmering rage wrapping around us all.
"Reaper, good boy," I whisper, gently unclipping his leash from his collar, still holding onto him so he doesn't charge off just yet. "Bad man, Reaper. Go get the bad man after Scarlett."
I rub his head and let go of his collar, grinning as he runs over and pounces on him. Knocking him to the ground, Scarlett stands there with a mix of emotions on her face. She still watches with deep interest as Reaper rips apart the man's flesh piece by piece. As he screams, choking on his own blood, Reaper jumps on top of him and sinks his dagger-sharp teeth into the side of his neck, slicing an artery.
