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Four sets of eyes turned to look as the door bounced off the wall behind it. Jasmine’s, Ike’s, Desi’s and Nala’s.
“Hurry! Get in here and close the door!” Desi cried out holding the cat in her arms, where she was crouched on the floor in front of a carrier.
Ava dragged a chair and propped it under the doorknob, just as the cat scratched its way out of Desi’s hold.
Lane was still holding the 9 iron as if he were waiting for a pitcher to toss him a ball. Dropping it, he looked at Desi as she lunged for Nala. Strangely enough, the cat decided he was the perfect person to climb and did so. Straight up the back of his leg, over his back and sat perched on his shoulder, her claws kneading the muscles on his chest.
Ava looked up at the cat and giggled, “Oh look Lane, she likes you!”
“Lane...don’t... move,” Desi whispered as she picked up the cat carrier off the floor.
“Ah babe...er, Desi.” Lane grimaced. “You didn’t tell me how big she was....”
Desi sat the carrier on a table and slowly reached up to scruff Nala’s neck. “Yeah, well she’s on the larger size, like her owner.”
“Destiny...” Lane murmured a warning when she started putting herself down again.
Thinking he was complaining that Nala decided to take up residence on his shoulder, she said, “I know, I’m sorry! I’m too short I can’t reach enough to get her off you.” For the first time since they burst into the room, Desi looked at Ava and the man standing behind her. “You have to be Luke, my god you twoareidentical,” she said. “Can you scruff her by the neck while I unhook her from Lane?”
“Absolutely!” Luke said, taking the fur where Desi had a firm grip on. “Although I think he deserves a little pain.”
“Very funny,” Lane muttered.
Desi quickly pressed on Nala’s paws, dislodging her nails from his chest, then looked at Luke, “Now if you can just bring her over here, we’ll stick her in the cage.”
They worked together until the door was securely shut with Nala inside.
Wiping her arm across her brow, she smiled at Lane. The smile instantly disappeared when she saw the look of fury on his face.
His touch thankfully didn’t match his mood when he took hold of her chin and turned her face towards the light. “Who did this to you?”
She touched the wound on her jaw. She’d forgotten all about it the second she saw Nala in her cage. Looking at her fingers, she saw that it was still bleeding...badly. “No one.”
Lane dropped his hand, then looked accusingly at Ike, taking a step towards him, Lane grabbed the front of his coat and jerked the man towards him. “I heard her crying. It was you, wasn’t it?”
“NO!” Desi grabbed Lane by the arm as Ike stood there, cowering.
For the first time since they had come into the room Jasmine spoke. “It was my brother. We heard him yelling at Desi from down here.”
Lane swung his gaze to Desi. “Was it him?”
She hadn’t known him for long, but she knew when he was mad. The crazed look in his eyes was beyond anger, it was rage. And she was worried what the outcome of his wrath would be.
“Desi, was it?” he repeated.
As she slowly nodded, Ike said, “Yes, it was. It was Mr. Brian, the boss man.”
Lane let go of Ike and turned towards Desi. “Brian... your ex?”
“Yes, my ex.”
Luke held up a hand. “Wait a minute. If he is your brother, Jasmine and your ex, Desi, how did you two not know each other before all this happened?”
Never taking his eyes from Desi’s, Lane said, “Yeah, care to explain that?”
“I never really knew Brian, he’s older than me and moved out when I was five. My dad and I moved here six months ago. He thought he could make it profitable raising emus like the old owners. But when he realized the expense, he called Brian in Montreal. Then he left and Brian took it over.” Jasmine half shrugged, “Now we are a boarding kennel, and it is working I guess, we’re always fully booked.”
Lane’s eyes softened for a second at her naivety, at least she didn’t know the real reason.
