“Really? Now?” But I was already reaching for the leash.
He was annoyingly leisurely about sniffing around for a spot to do his business. Then he insisted on stopping by every tree to lift his leg, even when he ran out of pee to mark with.
It was like he sensed my urgency and was doing everything in his power to slow me down.
My mind was racing as I moved past the apartment building, the police tape down, the police presence gone for the day.
What was in the box? Was there a secret compartment with cash or jewels inside? Stolen goods, maybe?
Whatever it was, it was mine now.
Robin wasn’t going to be coming back for it.
Those guys, though?
Who knew.
All the more reason to hurry up, get in there, find the box and what was hidden inside, then figure out what I was going to do about it.
“Seriously?” I grumbled when Tuna stopped to sniff a piece of paper stuck to the sidewalk.
Impatient, I was leaning down to scoop him up when he stiffened, then lurched away from me.
My hold on the leash was loose at best, since I didn’t have to worry about Tuna being aggressive. So when he ran, the leash slipped right out of my hold.
“No!” I shrieked.
Sure, he was moody and demanding, and he barely tolerated me. But he was my little dude. I loved him.
“Tuna!” I yelled, making a few passersby shoot me a weird look before carrying on.
I’d just straightened when I noticed Tuna had stopped running. Because he was busy jumping up on a pair of skinny, jean-clad legs.
My gaze tracked upward.
And there he was.
The only person in the world my dog loved.
Liam.
I hated how my gaze shot around, looking for someone who will not be named. And not only because he’d been starring in all my sweaty, needy dreams, despite my decision to dislike him until the end of time.
But he wasn’t there.
Neither was Charlotte.
Liam was in my neighborhood alone.
“Liam, what the hell are you doing here?” I asked.
“Hey, Alara,” he greeted me as he reached down to scoop up the demanding Tuna Roll.
“Are you here looking for me?”
“Uh, no.”
His gaze moved past me, then quickly away. His feet shifted. His posture was tight enough to snap.
