Page 10 of Shattered Love

She laughs. “Who would've thought badass Stone could be brought to his knees by a puppy? You’ve changed him Avery.”

The man is leaving.

“Wait.” I run toward him waving my hands looking like a complete crazy lady.

He looks up startled, but smiles when he recognize me. “You wanted one, after all.”

I pant and nod. God I really need to start going to the gym again. “Is the little black and tan one still available?”

Frowning putting down the box. “Yeah, but like I said, he is the runt.”

I shake my head. “That’s exactly why I want him. $175, you said?”

He lifts the puppy out of the box. His little tongue hangs out and he’s curled up as if he’s scared.

“Hey, boy.” I hold him close, his little body shaking against mine, as Molly grabs my wallet to pay.

We stop at the store and get what we need for the ride home.

Sneaking into the hotel without the boys seeing us, we set everything up, then Molly goes downstairs to grab Dominic.

I hear the door open.

“Baby…” His voice is wary

Before he can finish, the puppy, who’s been subdued up until now, wags his tail. His head shoots up and he wines and races toward Dominic.

His eyes widen in surprise, but he doesn’t hesitate to pick up the puppy, laughing as it tries to lick his face. “I don’t understand.”

I smile, rubbing the puppy’s head. “Nothing to understand, baby, he’s yours.”

He looks at the puppy. “You’re mine, buddy.” It’s no louder than a whisper and there’s sadness in his eyes.

“Hey, everything okay?”

He looks at the puppy, dragging his teeth over his bottom lip before nodding. “When I was growing up, I always wanted a puppy so I wouldn’t be alone.”

My heart hurts for the little boy Dominic was. “You’re not alone anymore. You’ll never be alone again.”

He’s pulls me against him, holding me tight. “Promise me, because I never want to go back there, not now that I know what’s it’s like to have you. That would destroy me.”

“I promise.” I smile kissing his lips softly. “Now, what are we going to name him?”

He rubs the puppy’s head, smiling. “Cooper.”

Cooper lifts his head, as if he already knows his name, before snuggling into Dom’s chest, yawning.

Dominic buys half of the store, more than any puppy could ever need, but he is having too much fun. The vets look over Cooper, and he is in good health apart from being a little underweight. The vet thinks Cooper is around four months old and is a German Shepherd crossed with Collie.

As soon as we walk in the house, Cooper runs around smelling everything, but he never strays away from Dominic. He lays out the bed, toys and enough food and water for three dogs.

I wake in the middle of the night, the space beside me cold. I get up when I hear the soft rumble of Dom’s voice. Standing at the top of the stairs, I listen. “It’s okay, buddy. We’ve got a home now.” There are shuffling noises. “You’re going to love my girl, but not too much, okay? She’s mine.”

The dog lets out a content sigh and I smile. Leaning over to catch a glimpse of him in the other room, I see him and Cooper snuggled up together on the couch.

“I don’t know what we did to get so lucky. Sometimes I think it’s all a dream, that I’m going wake up and still be living in that broken-down trailer, sleeping on the floor.”

A tear slips down my cheek. I wait a second before making my way down the stairs.

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