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I pried my eyes open.
For the second day in a row, Teague’s beautiful face was my welcome to the land of the living. This morning, there was no peace in his features. He was draped across me as if afraid I’d escape.
Muffy sniffed more urgently. I cupped his face in a silentI’ll take you out.
Maneuvering so I didn’t wake Teague? That was going to be an interesting feat.
The second I moved, his lids popped open.
“Sorry.” I screwed my face up in apology. “Muffy’s got to go out.”
He blinked a few times as if trying to get his bearings. “I’ll take him.”
Like he understood, Muffy leaped off the bed and stood at Teague’s side, wagging his tail.
He slid to his feet. In the light of day, I had a much better look at his chiseled torso. Bruises, now turning yellow, spread across his stomach.
“Does that hurt?” I pointed at his skin but didn’t touch it.
He looked down as if attempting to figure out what I meant, then shrugged. “Don’t think about it anymore.”
Robotically, he tugged on his jeans and sweater. He was silent, closed off. But I wasn’t sure if it was because he was tired or something else.
I hopped up. “I’ll go with you.”
I layered up, and after a peek out the window, I put on my heavy coat instead of my rain jacket.
Excited dogs trotted to the front door. The old pipes creaked through the walls.Miss Adeline must be in the shower.
I scribbled a quick note and left it propped against her favorite tea mug.
“I’ll take three, you take two?” I offered Teague Ash’s leash.
He grunted a response. Maybe he wasn’t a morning person. But this was the opposite of the man I’d been with yesterday.
Once we burst out into the alley, the dogs pulled and yanked, anxious to go. Muffy stopped and lifted his leg on a patch of weeds growing next to the building.
Teague and Ash patiently waited but quickly caught up to us. Out of habit and routine, the dogs led us in the direction of the park.
“Don’t do this.”
His voice was rough, pleading.
“I need to see it.”
The dogs didn’t realize what lay ahead. And I hated for them to find out. Because they would know their favorite place was gone.
Selfishly, I had to see what was left. Just how bad it was.
I smelled the destruction before I saw it.
Smoldering ashes dotted what used to be the park. Everything was charred. The trees. The gate, which was a tangled heap.
Nothing but a metal leg remained of the bench I’d sat on with Teague what seemed like a lifetime ago.
I was rooted on the sidewalk across the street, unable to do anything but stare in horror. Muffy sat and cocked his head. Sadie pointed her nose to the air and sniffed. Ash was glued to Teague’s side. She knew what that scent was all too well.
“How do you do this?” The wreckage was almost crippling.
