Chapter 21

I’m not always right, but you’re more not right. Like WAY more.

-Janie to Rafe

Rafe

“How are the dogs?” A man called out, changing the subject.

The man with the multicolor eyes.

He’d obviously read the tension in my shoulders and was offering a change of subject so this wouldn’t get any worse than it already was.

“They’re great, Trance.” Janie smiled. “Rafe’s been really awesome about helping train them. Not to mention it’s awesome since I don’t have to send them away for that to happen.”

Trance’s brows went up. “You train dogs?”

I nodded. “Yeah.” Then paused. “When I first started out as an independent contractor, I went in as a dog trainer. ‘Helping’ other military members learn how to work with their K-9 partners. To do that, I had to have a base knowledge of training, handling, things like that. I went through about six months of training with a certified trainer, and then went in and started with the military while simultaneously looking for a member of that team that was stealing the dogs and giving them to our enemies.”

Trance’s jaw tightened. “Please tell me you caught them.”

I nodded. “Sure did. Found out that he’d stolen four dogs like that, then handed them right on over.”

“And what happened to the dogs?” Janie asked.

I grinned at her and her soft heart.

“Three of the dogs wouldn’t perform for them since they didn’t know the commands. Those dogs were never recovered. Best guess, they killed them when they wouldn’t. But we have no solid evidence to say that they made it. However, one did survive, but only because she was being beaten and forced to perform. They’d learned by the fourth dog. They were able to get the dog back, but she wasn’t the same…they did, however, let the old handler take her home.”

“Who was the old handler?” Janie asked, excitement in her voice.

“You know him. Parker.”

The room went wired at the mention of that name, and it was all centered on the man that hadn’t said much to me since we’d arrived.

His name was Loki. I’d gotten that much out of him.

But not much more.

“Is she okay now? Does she function well with the handler?” Trance asked, ignoring the obvious tension in his friend and fellow club member.

Trance’s curiosity about the dog was too much and overrode his friend’s obvious annoyance about something that I was missing.

“The dog is definitely different. More volatile. She doesn’t work well with other dogs, so any time that she goes out, he has to put a muzzle on her. Women are a no go for her, too. The main abuser must’ve been a woman because Carmen freaks out if a woman is anywhere near her. So, vet visits are not fun for her, but overall, she’s doing well. Watchful, always broody, but she loves Parker. Parker just won’t ever be able to date or bring a female home without Carmen going all Cujo on her.”

“That would suck,” Johnny, Sebastian’s son, said. “Never getting any in your own bed.”

Baylee, Johnny’s mother, slapped him upside the back of the head. “Go away.”

Johnny laughed as he walked away, causing the rest of the group to join in.

Everyone, that was, but Dark and Broody with the throat slash.

But, without straight up asking him what his problem was, I wouldn’t be finding out anytime soon what the fuck his issue was.

Luckily, once the subject changed, throat slash chilled.

He even participated somewhat in our conversation.

We ate. We drank.

And overall, I had a really good time.

Until about four hours into the night and the discussion of which branch of the military we were all in started up. And what we’d originally wanted to be.

“I always wanted to be a doctor in the Army,” I admitted to the room as a whole. “When I was a young kid, that was always my go-to-answer. Then I grew up and found out that I loved computers. From there, I added it to my newly discovered list of skills and kept right on truckin’.”

Torren grunted.

“I have a cousin in the Army right now. He’s a doctor. Layton’s always said that he doesn’t like it,” Torren murmured. “Something about having to work on soldiers that don’t take care of themselves. Then again, Layton’s a complete douchebag, so there’s really no telling if what he says should be taken as true or just his bullshit spilling out.”

“Layton Trammel?” Janie asked, a frown forming on her face.

My heart skipped a beat at hearing that name.

“Actually, yes. That’s my cousin,” Torren said. “Why?”

Janie’s eyes met mine.

“Because that’s the man that cost ol’ Uniball his errr…ball,” Sam offered.

Janie hissed at her uncle. “Stop calling him that, or I’ll kick your ass.”

Sam held up his hands in surrender. “Down girl. I was just sayin’.”

“Well just say it nicer next time,” Janie ordered.

I wrapped my arm around Janie’s waist and pulled her down into my lap.

“What did I tell you?” I whispered into her ear. “It’s okay.”

She turned to me. “It’s not.”

“It is,” I confirmed.

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

We spent the rest of the night like that, blissfully unaware that our lives would change in just twelve short hours.