While usually that was a wonderful thing, I really had to wonder if whatever the hell he had in that bedroom would qualify for the “dog walking” portion of my mate’s portfolio. I watched with trepidation as Savla entered the bedroom and winced as more noises, thumps and crashes were heard from inside.
“Got him!” Savla exclaimed and I looked heavenward.
What have I gotten myself into?
Savla exited the bedroom, beaming with pride, his hands thrust forward as he held out a…wait a minute.
“Is that the trichot that I told you to get rid of?” I demanded, standing and facing my brother and the little beastie he was holding.
“No,” he insisted, cuddling the little monstrosity closer to his chest. “You said that I couldn’t keep it in the cave anymore. And Ididn’t. I found another cave nearby and I—”
“Youkept it?” I asked, spreading my arms out in shock. “And how the hell did you get it here?”
The guilt that flashed across his face was answer enough. “Yousmuggled it, didn’t you?”
“Zara said it wasn’t smuggling,” he answered in a low mutter. “I told her about him and asked if I could bring him over. I had his location and everything. He would have been therealone. He never would have survived.” All of this was said as my logical brother stroked a palm over the little creature’s head. It closed its little bug eyes with pleasure.
My eyebrows raised and I sighed, scrubbing my face with my palm again. “Okay, so he’s here. And he’s… a pet.” I tilted my head at it before remembering the pictures of the dogs. “Are you sure she’s not going to realize he’s not a dog?”
Savla grinned at me, shaking his head. “There’s no way.”
CHAPTER 11
Emma
Iwas still flushed with joy as I ran toward my newest dog walking client’s home. I’d had such an amazing conversation with my grandma the night before. I hadn’t told her aboutallof my jobs.
She was under the impression that my father had left us with a nice nest egg. I wouldnotbe correcting that assumption.
She did not need to know that it was a struggle for us to just survive. She’d had it bad enough, losing her husband, then daughter-in-law, and finally her son, my father. With her health deteriorating, I was going to make sure she had all the care she needed.
As I neared thehome, I slowed, staring up in awe at the intimidating chrome and glass building, my eyes bugging out of my head. Holy shit, my new client had to beloaded.
I looked down at my outfit—threadbare shorts and a hoodie—wondering if I should go home to change. This was anintroductory walk that I did with all of my new clients, to make sure that we were both a fit for each other. Then they would be introduced to the rest of the squad—their new walk mates—and if we all did well, they’d be welcomed into the group with licks, butt sniffs and hugs.
I looked around, searching for the number on the building, almost certain that I’d taken a wrong turn at some point, but there it was, huge and metallic on the front of the building. I blinked, stepping with hesitancy toward the front doors.
They swung open and a huge orc stood inside. My heart stopped in my chest until I realized that it wasn’tmyorc.I froze, slapping myself internally.Ididn’t have an orc.Linhad an orc.
The orc who filled the doorway eyed me with curiosity before asking, “Are you Emma?”
I gave him an uncertain nod becausewas I Emma? Was I awake right now? Had I fallen into an alternative universe where I was being hired by billionaires to walk their overly pampered pooches?
He grunted, opening the door to let me in and I tiptoed inside, feeling filthy in comparison. I hadn’t cleaned my shoes enough to be stepping on these marble floors. Who the hell had this kind of money?
“You can come with me,” the intimidating male said, not smiling at all as he stalked toward a bank of silver elevators.
I followed, not sure if I was going to be kicked out for the hole under my armpit—the one that I had beensureno one could see, but now I didn’t know. Once inside, we flew up the stories, and I glanced over at the male.
He didn’t even bother looking my way, focused straight ahead as if I was nothing more than a slightly annoying chore to him—and that was probably true. The ding that announced our arrival to the seventeenth floor was loud and I flinched as the doors slid open soundlessly.
A long, wide corridor was open ahead of me and I could see wooden doors dotting either side with large gaps between. This had to be some kind of massive apartment building for the super rich. That was the only explanation.
I considered the possibility that my dog walking ad was being used against me to harvest my organs. IknewI should have asked to meet at the dog park.
The male cleared his throat next to me, and I realized that I was still standing there inside the elevator while he had his hand on the door, keeping it open. Feeling a flush of embarrassed heat rush up my face, I stumbled outside.
“It’s the first door on your right,” he said, his voice neutral but I wassurethat I could sense some curiosity there. “You can knock and he’ll be right out.”
