I wake up to the smell of dog breath, hot and moist in my face as my asshole dog barks – nay, shrieks – in my ear.

“What?” I demand, pissed to be woken from my peaceful slumber.

Scarlett is gone.

My heart races with panic. Buster is going fucking berserk, running around the apartment, dashing down the hallway, and digging at the front door with his paws. He never acts like this. I’m rushing down the hall when I realize I’m buck naked, and I dash back to my room to throw on my shorts before running back to the door and opening it for Buster.

The dog races down the stairs, still barking like mad. Voices rumble from the first-floor hallway, and I rush down to see the girl who has just snuck out of my bed standing at her front door with a pint-sized blonde woman who looks like she has a huge stick up her ass. Buster is growling at her, which makes me dislike her instantly. She sneers at me as Buster continues to growl at her, pinning her against the wall.

“Can you control your animal, please? There are leash laws, you know.”

I don’t bother answering her, and instead I look at Scarlett. Her eyes are wide as she stares at me, and I remember that I’m not exactly dressed. Not that it matters; she knows what’s underneath.

“You okay?” I ask.

She nods, and the blush on her cheeks indicates she’s embarrassed. I can’t tell what about, though. Is she embarrassed that we slept together, or is she embarrassed that a naked man and his dog are harassing her friend? I look back at the blonde, staring into her emerald green eyes as I give the command.

“Buster, heel.”

My dog’s fur is on end, and he continues to eye the blonde like he wants to mutilate her, even as he backs up and stands by my side. Small growls emanate from him as he locks his eyes on her, and she alternates between glaring at the dog and glaring at me.

“That dog is a hazard. You should have him muzzled.”

“He’s just a great judge of character. That’s all.”

She inhales air in a small hiss, and I barely repress the grin fighting to come to the surface. There is nothing I like more than putting stuck-up bitches in their place. There’s no way this woman can be a friend of Scarlett’s. Is there?

“Chantel, relax. This is my neighbor Isaac. He’s been a huge help through all of this. And his dog is nice, once you get to know him.”

Chantel rolls her eyes, crossing her arms as she continues to glare daggers at the animal.

“I seriously doubt that. Still, I suppose we do owe you a debt of gratitude for looking out for our Scarlett here. As I was just telling her, she should have been dead after everything that happened. I’m Chantel Holmes. I’m a friend of Scarlett’s. Now, are you ready to go?”

Scarlett blinks at this question, and I’m ready to drag her back upstairs where I know she’ll be safe. Instead, I wait for her to answer, interested to see her response.

“Ready to go?” she hedges.

Chantel lets out an annoyed breath. “To brunch. We planned this brunch two weeks ago. You can’t cancel on me. I postponed a face peel for this.”

Scarlett’s eyes dart between us before she nods, clearly pretending to understand what this woman is talking about.

“Yes, of course. I just got a little distracted by that hospital trip, you know.”

Chantel lets out a tinkling laugh, and it grates on my nerves. Buster growls again, and this time, Chantel completely ignores us both.

“So, let’s get going. We’ve had this reservation for long enough, but that doesn’t mean they won’t give up our spot if we’re late.”

Scarlett nods, stepping toward the door with her “friend.”

“Hold on,” I say, and she stops, facing me with that blush again.

What the hell does she have to blush about? This is the second time some rando has been at her door, even though she’s been hospitalized. I was there. She didn’t have any visitors.

“You just said you knew that Scarlett should be dead, yet somehow I never saw you at the hospital to visit her, and then you show up on her front step ready to have brunch?”

Chantel glares at me again, and I’m glad. Let her hate me. I’m going to do what it takes to protect Scarlett, even when it means questioning people who are supposedly her friends.

It could have easily been a friend who tried to kill her.

“Do I have to justify myself to this beefcake, Scarlett? Tell him that we’re friends! You have to remember that much. Anyway, I went over to the hospital, this morning, by the by, and you weren’t there. They said you’d been discharged and you had company.” She sniffs at me.

Scarlett’s skin is pale as she looks me in the eye, taking another step closer to Chantel.

“It’s true, Isaac. I appreciate your concern. I do. But we did have plans, and I think it will be good to spend more time with people from before.”

“What do you mean people from before?” Chantel demands, her green eyes rock hard.

“Nothing. People from before the fire. We had this planned. I’ll be fine, Isaac.”

Buster growls again, and I agree with him. We’re both glowering at the two women as they step toward the front door again, Chantel opening the portal as a rush of frigid air pours inside.

“Scarlett and I are good friends, Beefcake. I don’t know how long you’ve been around but I guarantee you don’t know her like I do. I can take the protecting from here, ‘kay?”

Her tone is dripping with condescension, and I wish she were a man, so I could sock her in the jaw. Scarlett’s hand rests on my forearm, and my eyes search hers for the truth that hides somewhere in there.

She gives my arm a squeeze, and her eyes are pleading. “I’ll be fine.”

She can’t see the fear behind her own eyes but I can. Still, there’s nothing I can do as she leaves my side in the clothes she wore the day before, slightly crumpled from being on my bedroom floor. The door closes behind them, and I’m completely helpless, a feeling I abhor.

What did last night even mean? Images of Scarlett’s sumptuous body dance across my mind, and my dick hardens at the memories. I want her again. I want to fuck her every which way to Sunday. I also want to protect her. I can’t do that when she leaves with every stranger who says they have a connection to her.

How can she be so trusting after what happened? For someone so brave, the fear on her is unmistakable, and there’s no end in sight. I let Buster out to do his morning business, silently hoping that Chantel is still within biting distance but when I glance out, they are already gone.

And I’m alone with fucking nothing to do but sit on my ass and wait to get called back to work. Now all I can do is wait and hope that Scarlett makes it back alive.

How is this my life right now?