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CHAPTER ONE

THORA

“You and animals, I swear,” my best friend, Blair, says as we step out of the store, the door swinging shut behind us. “One day it’s going to get you into trouble.”

“Aww, but look at him.” I stare at my current fixation, a massive Cane Corso tied to the post near the side.

As soon as he gave me those puppy dog eyes, I had to stop. It would be a crime not to.

“I can’t just leave him when he’s staring at me like that. It’s like he’s begging me to come over and give him some love.”

Blair snorts. “That thing definitely wants something, and it ain’t love. It’s probably hungry and wants to eat you.”

“Stop it. He does not.” I swing the handbag higher on my arm and head toward him. “He’s just misunderstood. Aren’t you, sweetie?”

Approaching a random dog on the street is probably not my finest moment, but hey, I wouldn’t be Thora Whitlock if I didn’t at least check on him before I left. I mean, how long has he been here in the sun? When is the owner coming back? These are all very valid questions.

When I grow closer, he growls a little, but his tail starts wagging, which could mean two things: he either does want to eat me…or he’s just lonely and wants a hug.

“You do you, but I’m going to hang back.” She flings her wavy blonde tendrils off her shoulder as she shakes her head at me, which actually sums up our friendship quite well.

I see the good in every creature, while she prefers to damn them all to hell. People especially, but who can blame her? We’re the worst.

Up close, the dog’s neck seems even bigger than I thought, his cropped ears flicking when I take another step. He doesn’t bark or throw himself at the end of the chain. He just stands there glaring, his body drawn tight.

“Thora.” Blair’s voice turns edgier behind me. “You need to back the hell up. I don’t want to have to explain to your father why you got eaten by a dog. He has enough on his plate.”

She’s not wrong. But my father always has a lot on his plate between Blackthorn Ridge Ranch back in Texas, the farm here in New Jersey, and of course all the illegal operations my family handles. But still, a dead daughter would probably rank high on his list.

Yet when it comes to animals, I’m a lost cause.

“We’ll just make sure his owner returns, and then we can go.”

“And you can’t do that from next to me? You have to be all up in that thing’s face?”

Letting out a laugh, I lower myself in front of the dog, lifting my hand slowly and giving him all the space in the world to turn away if he wants to. “He won’t hurt me. Right, handsome?”

He watches me with that same heavy stare, dark eyes fixed on me like he’s deciding what kind of person I am. But the longer I stare back, the more I notice his body loosening bit by bit, so slight I might have missed it if I wasn’t watching him this closely.

“There you go. You’re a good boy.” I take another step and let my fingers brush the side of his face, already prepared to pull back if he gives me any sign I’ve pushed too far.

But he doesn’t bare his teeth or jerk away. Instead, he leans into my touch so willingly it steals a laugh out of me, his eyes growing gentler while his massive head angles for more.

Behind me, Blair makes a loud, incredulous sound. “Okay, no. I don’t like that. I really don’t like that.”

I run my palm along the strong line of his jaw before scratching gently behind his ear, and this time his tail gives a slow, almost hesitant wag.

“Don’t listen to her. She can be very dramatic.”

“I heard that.”

“That was the point.” I laugh just as another wag follows, a little stronger this time.

And then, to my complete shock, a low, needy whimper slips out of him that has my whole chest warming.

“Aww, just look at him now.” I give Blair a quick glance. “Tell me you don’t want to get some of this love.”

A sharp snicker comes from her. “No, thank you. And when his owner comes back, he might not like you being all up in his dog’s business. So if I were you, I’d back the hell up so we can go get some shopping done.”