Page 60 of Road to Redemption

“Shit, she really needs to go.” I bit my lip, worried about my girl as she whined up at me.

Shrugging, Spencer headed for the front door.

Shaking my head, I scoffed. “Where are you going?”

“To walk the dog.” Spencer gestured to the door.

“But the note…”

Looking back at Leo, Spencer pursed her lips. “Said to stay in at night. Didn’t say anything about day time. Besides, the doors are unlocked.”

Spencer walked closer. “Unless you want to stay inside with the grouch.”

Peeking back at Dom, I watched her scrunched up face, her jaw tense. If Spencer and Leo left me alone with her, I was afraid she’d take me again. And I knew my body couldn’t handle another session with my captor.

“Fine.” I crossed my arms. “But just to let Lady pee.”

“Totally.” Leo nodded, coming with us.

From the couch, Dom slammed her laptop closed and walked over to us. “Let’s go.”

“What?” It was too late to stop the question from leaving my throat.

Dom stopped at the entryway. “Don’t want my company?” The burning in her eyes told me I should lie.

Shrugging, I crossed my arms. “Whatever.”

Leo nudged me. “She can’t resist the bottle toss.”

Dom let out a growl. “I don’t give a fuck about carnival games. I just don’t trust these fuckers with Kiera unattended. Especially after last night.”

Spencer swung open the blast door and let Lady rush past her and down the steps of the dusty saloon below. We’d left a trail in the dirt when we arrived, and I couldn’t tell if there were more footprints now or not.

A part of me wanted to be pleased that Dom cared about my safety. But I knew she was more motivated by the shares that were about to be in my possession than any real affection for me.

Despite the nights we’d spent together, I had a sinking feeling that as soon as all of this was over, Dom would be done with me.

Maybe it was just my anxiety, or maybe she was really shitty about explaining her feelings.

I tried to brush the thought from my mind as Leo pressed the saloon doors open. The sun was bright as it began its descent, casting long shadows over the amusement park.

Desperate to pee, Lady zipped past us and found a patch of weeds growing through the pavement. Once she was done with her business, she ran ahead and got out some of her zoomies. When she would go a little too far away, Dom would give a low whistle that summoned our big rottie right back to our sides.

Spencer guided us back toward the rows of carnival games that we passed on the way in.

“How do you still remember this place so well?” I asked, grabbing her hand and lacing my fingers with hers.

A charming grin rose to Spencer’s cheeks. “I spent like every summer here with Jess. She worked at the admissions desk and would sneak me in sometimes.”

Leo clapped her hands together as we approached the striped canopy tents. “Oh, this one was my favorite!”

Laid out on a table were small fish bowls full of green water. Clumps of algae floated on the surface and lined the edges of the glass. Clearly, it was a far cry from what the place used to be.

I couldn’t stop myself from peering over the edge of the tent's wooden barricade, a way to keep kids at a set distance when playing.

No fish. A sigh slipped from my lips, relieved that the poor creatures weren’t stuck in such a disturbing small bowl.

Dom grumbled. “Probably been picked off by the hawks.”