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When I reached Trigger, a sob lodged its way in my throat.
It had always been him and I. Even though we had only known each other for a short time, he was the only thing I needed while I lived out the rest of my days in hiding. I didn’t need a woman. I could pay for sex if I really wanted it. But I didn’t care much about the physical contact of another person. Sure, it felt good, most of the time, but it wasn’t something I had actively gone out of my way for.
But now, knowing that I would lose Trigger, it would force me to reveal myself. To come out of hiding. To start another damn war. One that I would be sure to win or, at least, die trying.
Even though I had visited Rowan every so often to see if he had any news on my club, a part of me just didn’t care. I wasn’t sure why. But I did know that the only thing that mattered at the moment was watching my dog struggle to stay alive.
“I’m so sorry, Trigger.” I ran my fingers through the fur at his neck and down his side.
His breathing became labored, a soft whimper escaping him.
“I’m so fucking sorry.” I leaned my forehead against his. “I’ll find out who set this up. I’ll avenge you. I promise.”
He grunted.
“I’ll be careful.”
He grunted again in response.
“Okay, not too careful.”
He licked my face one last time before the life left his eyes. When he took his final breath, tears rolled down my cheeks. My nose burned, my throat working over the hard lump suddenly lodged in it.
I never wanted this to happen. I had tried so damn hard to give him a good life and then we got attacked.
I didn’t know who all was involved but I knew that there was no way Tommy thought this up on his own.
Even though we had worked together and known each other for years, I still never trusted him. Not completely. I was all about keeping my friends close and my enemies even closer. He was the one who had been with Sunny’s ex. I never pulled the trigger, but I was still there. I knew I had been set up. I just needed to figure out a way to prove it.
Pushing myself to my knees, I reached under Trigger’s big body and lifted him into my arms. The weight of him enhanced the pain in my shoulder but I breathed through it. There was no way that I was leaving him in the alley.
Thankfully it was a little past ten at night and no one would notice me walking out of an alley with a dead dog in my arms. But I needed help and somewhere safe to keep him.
Taking as many of the back alleys as I could, I ended up at Rowan’s again. Once I reached the back of the shop, I kicked the door. Knowing he was watching me through the security camera, I waited for him.
The inside door suddenly unlocked, followed by the second and third door. Most would call him paranoid, but I called him smart. You could never be too safe.
When he appeared in the doorway, his eyes dropped to my arms. “What do you need?”
“Burn him.”
“What happened?” Rowan nodded, taking Trigger from me.
“They stabbed him and left me alive. I need to know why.”
“I’m on it.” Rowan took a step back. “Where am I delivering him?”
“Nowhere yet.” I turned around and went to leave when his next words stopped me.
“You don’t need to do this on your own.”
I looked at him over my shoulder. “Yeah, I do. I also don’t need your mom kicking my ass for putting her son in danger.” His parents had already been through enough. I didn’t know their story, I probably never would, but I did know by the little bits Rowan had revealed, that they didn’t have an easy start. Especially his father.
“I put myself in danger.” Rowan winked, pulling me from my thoughts.
“That’s on you.” I glanced at Trigger, who only looked like he was sleeping. Walking back up to them, I petted a hand down the length of his body. “Send me the bill for getting your clothes cleaned and for putting his ashes in whatever you can find.”
“I’ll find something special. Just for him.”
