Harlow

It had been three months since I’d brought the dogs over from Mexico. They were mostly adopted. Except one, Sally.

Sally was small, and she was deaf. She needed patience and maybe a household with another dog who could help shepherd her around.

I knew just the people, and luckily, they were coming for a visit.

Three months ago Ruff Life had received a donation that had changed everything. We’d been scraping by, barely able to keep the lights on after I got back from Mexico.

As far as the staff knew, our founder was off on some kind of “find himself” mission and had left us for good to run the operation. And we did, but it was by the skin of our teeth.

Until the donation came in. The donor wanted to remain anonymous, the lawyer said. We got nearly $300,000 for Ruff Life to be spent how the director, me, saw fit. I quizzed the lawyer, but he wouldn’t tell me who had been so kind.

“I can only say the benefactors said I should contact them if you ever had a Chihuahua that you had difficulty placing. They’d step in. But of course, still anonymously.”

Tookie! It had to be the Lovitts.

With the money that the Lovitts donated I did some repairs, bought new supplies, and even hired a new part-time employee. Ruff Life now had a new camera and lighting to make our videos so our puppies could be the true stars that we knew they were.

I was building something here, something better and stronger than what Rudy Walls started. And I was proud of it.

I’d never erase the memory of the innocent animals that my Dad hurt, but I knew I was doing everything for the animals I could help.

I walked into the kennel area and over to the second row of crates. We had a pretty full house right now. I’d be making a run soon.

But there was one puppy I wanted to spend a little time with.

I’d named her Tally. It wasn’t until later I realized that it was because I couldn’t get the name Tahalina out of my mind.

I’d been busy, motivated, and challenged. I filled every second of my days and nights with Ruff Life, but still, Kade’s story and my memories of him found their way into my life, every night and day.

So, Tally, it was. She was so sweet but a handful. Her deafness put her at high risk. She couldn’t hear cars or commands. She wasn’t able to respond to danger. She needed a special family, and there just wasn’t one that was right.

Then the Lovitts arranged a visit. They wanted to see Ruff Life and they were bringing Tookie along.

And that’s when I knew it was time to thank them, and maybe, find a new home for Tally.

“We love our Tookie so much! We just had to stop in when we were coming through Port Az.”

They had Tookie dressed like a princess! She rode in style in a special car seat and had a designer purse for excursions just like this. I laughed out loud to see her Highness!

And I was bursting with love for the Lovitts.

We hugged and seeing them restored my faith in humans. They’d taken in Tookie and had changed the future of Ruff Life and the dozens of animals we were now helping.

“I thought you’d like to meet Tally.” I brought Tally out, and they oohed and ahhed over her.

“Such a pretty girl!”

“She’ll make a wonderful addition to your family, I think.”

The Lovitts looked perplexed at that.

“What?”

“Well, the lawyer said if I had a Chihuahua to place and then… your donation. I let him know that Tally was in need, and now you’re here!”

“You thought we were here to get a new puppy?” Sandy Lovitt looked distressed all of sudden.

Don Lovitt stepped in.

“Ah, unfortunately, it is just the opposite.”

“What?”

“Sandy isn’t feeling well, and we just can’t keep Tookie anymore,” Don said, and I heard a sniffle from Sandy.

“It’s worse than not feeling well I’m afraid.” It was only then that I noticed Sandy was much thinner, and that she had dark circles under her eyes. Whatever was wrong was serious.

“We love Tookie so much, but we can’t give her the care she needs, so...” Don said. He put the car seat, the purse, and a box full of Tookie’s accessories on the counter.

“Whatever you need me to do for you. Your donation has made our work possible for the last three months.”

“What?” Don asked, looking confused by my gratitude.

“The money changed everything for us.”

“Honey, we couldn’t give you any money. Everything we have is going to my treatment right now.” Sandy was in near tears, and I reached out to hug her.

“Well, however, we got it, I’m just glad to see you too, you three,” I reassured them quickly.

Don kissed Tookie on the head and then Sandy took her.

“You’ll find another home. We’ll always love you,” Sandy said, tears in her eyes.

“This is taking a lot out of her. We probably need to get going so she can rest,” Don said to me and gingerly handed Tookie over. I now had both Tookie and Tally in my arms.

“Of course. Please get well soon.”

They hustled out of Ruff Life as fast as they could manage. I understood that. Sometimes leaving fast was the only way I could let go of the animals I’d grown to love while I fostered them.

Tookie began to whine.

“It’s okay, baby, it’s okay.”

But the whining didn’t stop.

I put her in with Tally. For the first time, I appreciated that she couldn’t hear. But the whining continued all day.

“I don’t want to leave her here.”

Jared had looked at Tookie and determined she had a case of a broken heart, but otherwise, she was okay. But she didn’t drink or eat the entire day.

“I’d take her home, but I’ve got an exam tomorrow.”

“It’s okay, Jared. You’ve done enough.”

I decided Tookie would come with me. I closed up Ruff Life and ensured our night assistant was set. The money we had meant we could keep staff here round the clock. I wondered who the hell had done this for us.

I had been so sure it was the Lovitts. I wondered if it was a mystery I’d ever solve.

I gathered Tookie from Tally’s crate, and then Tally began to cry.

“You too?” I asked her and scooped her up. The two little girls were only happy in their misery together, it appeared.

I resigned myself to having both dogs at my house for the night. It was easier than the stress of worrying about them here.

I got two little leashes and set out for the short walk home. I lived a block away, and with no car and abundant animals to walk, it was for the best to make the trip on foot every day.

I had them sorted and generally walking in the right direction as the sun set over Port Az.

I was focused on the two pups. Maybe that’s why I let my guard down. A car rolled up next to me and quickly stopped. I was startled as a man in leather jumped out and blocked my path. I looked behind me, and another man was standing there.

Tookie started to growl immediately, and she wasn’t wrong. Devil’s Hawks. I didn’t know them by name, but their patches were familiar to me now.

“Get out of my way.”

“Not fucking likely.”

I took a step back, and the man grabbed the leashes out of my hands and threw them to the sidewalk.

“What are you doing?”

I was scared for the dogs; they were too little to fend for themselves.

“They aren’t coming with us.” I took another step back. I had no choice but to try to yell, to run.

I did both, but the man was on me, and I tumbled to the ground face first.

“Time to pay for what you did to Farkus.”

Shit! This was what Maddox had warned me about. That the Hawks would find me.

“Get off her asshole.”

With that, someone else physically propelled the Hawk off me.

Maddox.

“Run, Curly.” And I did what he said. There was a Hawk behind me, so I ran past the car. Hoping Maddox would handle the Hawks who’d come after me, I moved as fast as I could, but it wasn’t enough. The other Hawk must have circled around when he’d seen Maddox. He was now in front of me.

I looked back and saw Maddox in a fist fight with the other Hawk. He wasn’t able to help me, and the dogs were long gone. Shit. What am I going to do?

The second Hawk closed in on me. Then I sensed something else before I saw it. There was a shift in my universe. One I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Kade stepped out of the ally and in front of me. He reached behind him and secured me to his back with his arm.

“I’d get the fuck out of here and stay out of here if you don’t want me to bash your head open on the pavement,” Kade said to the man who just seconds before was likely about to kill me.

“You okay, Kade?” I heard Maddox yell in our direction. He must have handled the other Hawk, but I didn’t dare look backward. The standoff between Kade and this Hawk was about to get bloody.

“Yes, nothing to worry about here.”

“Oh, you gonna bash my head in with one arm around that gash? That’s rich.” The Hawk stepped forward and was in Kade’s face.

Kade pulled me in tight and, almost faster than I could see, Kade swung. His fist landed on the Hawk and he landed on the ground. The force of the movement had me reeling backward.

Kade hurriedly picked up the Hawk and hustled him to Maddox. Both Hawks were bleeding but conscious behind the wheel.

“Next time we see you in Port Az, we’ll kill you,” Maddox said, and the tires squealed as the car sped off.

I stood up. Kade and Maddox had been right there, in a second, as soon as I was in trouble. I wondered how.

My legs wouldn’t move. I stood like a statue and couldn’t help staring at Kade. He was more gorgeous, strong, tortured, dark, more everything than I remembered and I was shocked at the visceral way every part of me responded. If I moved, it would be to run to his arms.

I’d not gotten over him at all. Not one little bit.

I saw Maddox pat him on the shoulder and then nodded to me. Maddox walked away and left Kade and me there, alone on the sidewalk. We were a few feet apart, and worlds, all at the same time.

He walked toward me and I had to try to remember to breathe. He was my oxygen and I’d been without it for months. I blinked and tried to pull myself together.

Kade was so close now I could touch him, but I stayed frozen, struggling not to undo the work I’d done to move past him.

“No more walking by yourself.” He put a hand behind my neck and then leaned in and locked his lips on mine. The impact was overwhelming. My mind, my body, my heart reached out, but only my lips touched his.

Out of nowhere, there was yelping, and the dogs were at our feet. I stepped back. I recovered. I remembered that I wasn’t Kade’s to kiss or to order when to walk.

But Tookie had a memory too. The crying she’d been doing was replaced by furious tail wagging. She was happy for the first time since the Lovitts had left her.

“Who do we have here?” Kade leaned down to scoop her up. My heart exploded, and I tried to put pieces of it back together.

I scooped up Tally and she scrambled to try to get to Kade too. In a very short time span, Tally had become utterly depended on Tookie.

“How’d you get Tookie again?”

“Lovitts couldn’t keep her. This is her new best friend, Tally.” Both dogs squirmed in Kade’s arms like he was their long-lost littermate. Then I remembered the other central mystery of my day: the donation to Ruff Life. Now I had a hunch.

“Good to see you Tookie, sorry about the Lovitts. I’m walking you three to your place.” This wasn’t a question: it was an order. A classic Kade order.

“I’m around the corner, thanks.” And we walked together, quiet for a moment. Kade managed the dogs, and I opened the door to my new brownstone apartment. I’d been able to pay myself for the first time, which meant the first apartment with more than one room, and an actual couch. I was okay.

I wasn’t okay. I knew that with every step I took in stride with Kade.

Kade put the dogs down and there was so much I wanted to say to him. So much I wished I knew about him. But I didn’t know where to start.

“Well, it was good to see you. I had to kiss you. It was probably rude. But I don’t regret it.”

I’d given him nothing of myself but that kiss since he’d stepped in front of danger for me again.

“No, I… Uh. It was good to see you, too.”

“I’ve never seen you in a skirt. You look very pretty.”

“I’m the boss at Ruff Life, so you know, grown-up work clothes,” I was self-conscious and shy. And I was stupidly blushing under his intense stare.

“Just be more careful, okay? You walk home alone. You work late. It’s dangerous.”

“How do you know what I do?”

“I’m never going to let the Hawks get to you. None of The Saints will. That’s all.”

He’d been watching out for me, and so had the MC.

“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say.

“Just be careful.” He turned his back to me and started to walk out my door. The dogs went crazy. Tookie, who’d been an emotional drama queen all day, lost it again, and Tally did what Tookie did.

I didn’t analyze it, except I knew exactly what Tookie felt like. She was doing what I wanted to do: make Kade stay.

So I did.

“Kade?”

He stopped and turned to look at me. I took a giant step forward, and then I was in his arms. Our lips met and he lifted me off the floor. His tongue and mine swirled around each other. Before I knew we’d moved my back was to my kitchen wall, and Kade’s powerful body held me there. His lips traveled to my neck, my chest, and I felt his hands rip open my sensible blouse. My nipples pebbled as he took each of them in his mouth.

I was out of breath and gasping for more of Kade. My legs were open, and I felt his strong body push close to me. The skirt that he said he’d liked was shoved up over my thighs.

I was moving with him, taking his jacket off, dragging my hands across his back, and tasting his skin everywhere my lips could find it.

“Kade, my God. I’ve missed you so much,” I said, and I felt every cell in my body come alive.

He looked up at me and stared into my eyes.

“Are you sure? I can’t lose you again. It will kill me.” His words tore my guts out. He had been in the same misery I’d been in.

“I’m sure, I need you.”

Kade pressed his lips on mine and ripped what was left of my blouse off. He feasted on my breasts, and I cried out.

“Where?” he asked, and I pointed to the bedroom. He lifted me again and carried me there. Then he closed the door to Tookie and Tally. If they cried about it, I didn’t hear it.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Kade growled the words into my neck. His body felt so right next to mine. I slid the rest of my annoying clothes off, and we were together, moving, drowning, and coming up for air, all at the same time.

His hands touched every part of me. His mouth never stopped exploring, but finally, I couldn’t wait any longer. It had been so long without him.

“It’s good, now Harlow, now.”

“You sure like to order me around.”

I felt my own growl escape as waves of pleasure crashed over me, in me. Kade and I had been together for such a short time, but my body knew his, answered to his and responded to every pulse. We both climaxed together in a release that was months in the making, but also, a lifetime.

“I love you, Kade.” And I meant it.

“You have to know I love you too. That I was here the whole time, just waiting, making sure those Hawks didn’t touch you.”

“I do now.”

I heard a little crying again. The dogs! They’d lost patience with us. Kade stood up and opened the bedroom door and then climbed back in behind me.

“You two over there,” I said and the two dogs curled up on the dog blanket I had in the corner.

“Tookie was a wreck until you showed up today.”

“I was a wreck after you left me.” Kade smoothed my hair and kissed my earlobe. I sank into his strong chest.

“I’m not sure where this is going, but I just need to be with you,” I said this out loud, even though I was not a fan of being vulnerable. I’d learned to protect myself. But Kade had broken down those walls and found me.

“I need you. However, you’ll have me, Harlow.”

“So it was you who gave the donation to Ruff Life?”

“Well, me and the club. It’s the money we got from the guns.”

“I’d say we’re even then.”

“Never, but it was unanimous. They never meant to put you in harm's way. Neither did I.”

“Thank you. What’s next? Will the Hawks be back?”

“I’m not going to lie, probably, but I’ll always be here.”

“Good.” There were questions I should ask. There were loose ends that were probably frayed. I would get to that. I knew that Kade’s bed, Kade’s arms, Kade’s life was where I wanted to be.

And if there was trouble, I could handle it.

Tookie was the smallest dog in Ruff Life, but I had no doubt she was the scrappiest. I was the same.