AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You fuckin’ want Hell’s Jury to invest in your pet shop?” Hangman bellows.
The man is pushing the edges of my patience and no one, not even the president of Hell’s Jury, wants to piss me off. To centre myself, I squeeze my fingernails into the palms of my hands and let the pain remind me of my mission. Still, I can’t let a remark like that pass. “I take issue with you calling Sweet Tidings Animal Hospital a pet shop. Not only is it demeaning to myself as a certified veterinarian who worked her ass off to get her degrees, pet shops are notorious for selling dogs that come from puppy mills. The puppy mills themself can be negligent of the animals, and some are downright abusive.”
I take a breath, but no one interjects.
“And you are so keen on protecting the businesses of Sagebrush, yet you allow Wally’s Pet Emporium free hand to sell these poor animals in your town.” My palms thank me as I unclench my hands. “As a potential investor in a legitimate, well-run, and animal-welfare focused clinic, you may want to consider emancipating the animals at Wally’s and maybe breaking his legs for good measure.”
Tigger squeezes my arms tighter, and I try to keep the wince on the inside as Hangman explodes. “I ain’t investing in your fuckinglegitimatevet shop, you crazy bitch, and I‘m not about to close down a business that is profitable to this club!”
Perhaps I should not consider him a good candidate, especially since his club turns a blind eye to Wally’s bullshit, but the little devil on my shoulder whispers that once I have him on board, I can talk him around to my way of thinking.
This seems like a reasonable plan of attack, so instead of responding to Hangman’s aggressiveness, I reply as if he never uttered a word. “If you invest in my veterinarian business, then, of course, when the business turns a profit, you will see a return on your money. At that point, I think we could pay protection, but like any other expense it would have to come out of the bottom line. Also, and forgive me for stating the obvious, paying protection for a business you’ve invested in would be like me charging myself when I have to express the anal glands of one of my own dogs.”
Reaper groans and looks a little green. I throw a bright smile at him for knowing what I’m talking about.
Hangman puts the conversation back on track. “Why the fuck open a business if you don’t have enough money? Why not just work for someone?” He looks at Reaper. “Isn’t there another vet store in Sagebrush?”
Reaper shrugs. “I have no need for a vet, so how would I know?”
“Because you’re in charge of the fuckin’ collection agency!” Hangman snarls.
“Eight’s more involved than me. I got the legit business to run.”
“There is another clinic,” I interject before Hangman gets sidetracked. The man has a remarkably short attention span. Maybe not that of a goldfish, but still. “Dr. Broughton is not only a moon-sized asshole, but he’s also my ex. In addition, so there’s no misunderstanding, I have no wish to work for another vet.”
“Why’s he an asshole?” Reaper asks.
“Too many reasons to list,” I say to Reaper.
“List them anyway,” Trigger growls.
I’m immediately pissed off at Trigger. Turning so we’re almost nose-to-nose, I say, “We’re not beyond the sexual tension part of our relationship to have meaningful conversations about our personal lives.”
It appears I’ve offended him. He shoves his face in mine as he leans his big body over me in an effort to intimidate me. “Be careful with me Evanee. We don’t know each other well enough for you to start being disrespectful.”
“My point exactly,” I say for the benefit of Hangman and Reaper, but at the same time I can’t help but be a little turned on so I lean closer to Trigger and whisper in his ear, “If I were wearing panties, they’d be so wet by now.”
Trigger rears back, his eyes darkening. “You’re playing with fire.”
I smirk. “I certainly hope so.”
Reaper clears his throat. “Move on. I got places to be.”
Hangman gets all growly. “Trigger, step back!” He points his finger to the wall and Trigger gives me space as he redirects his scowl to Hangman.
I turn my back on my future lover. “I forgot where we were.”
Reaper heaves a sigh.
I’m not entirely sure why he’s here in the first place but decide not to redirect the conversation. I don’t need to strike a match to the testosterone-fueled discussion.
Hangman pulls our attention back to him. “So you don’t got the money to open the shop, but you’re gonna anyway.”
I clear up his misapprehension. “I’ve already opened the business. The problem is that I can’t afford to set up the surgery and until I do, I have no choice but to send my patients to Erik.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Trigger exclaims as he whirls me around to face him. “You’re fucking around with your ex-boyfriend?”
It’s like we’ve known each other for years. “I’m not exactly fucking around with him,” I say in answer to both questions. “But what else can I do?”
