Page 31 of Operation K-9 Brothers
Nichole glared at her brother.“My private life is none of Lane’s business.Or yours.You can stay here tonight, but I want you gone tomorrow.”
When he was six, Mark had been diagnosed with leukemia.Both she and her parents had catered to him from that time on, even after he’d been declared cancer free a few years later.That had been a mistake.Not during the time he was sick, but their continuing to baby him once he was well hadn’t done Mark any favors.The brother she’d once adored had grown up to be a selfish, weak man.He couldn’t keep a job and blamed everyone but himself for that.
What he couldn’t see, wouldn’t believe, was that Lane played him like a fiddle.He also refused to believe that Lane had gotten violent with her because Lane swore he never had.It made her angry that her brother would take Lane’s word over hers.
“He loves you, Nic.”
“No, he doesn’t.Lane doesn’t know how to love.He only wants what he can’t have.And if you think he’s been celibate since we broke up, then you’re stupider than I thought.”
Mark shrugged.“He’s a man.It doesn’t mean anything.”
“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.”She stared at him as sadness filled her heart.Her parents refused to admit it, but they really had lost him.The little boy who used to idolize his big sister was gone, replaced by a brother she could barely tolerate.She couldn’t blame Lane for that.Mark had been well on his way to being a poor excuse for a man before Lane entered the picture.
Lane, a master manipulator, recognized a puppet when he saw one, and hadn’t wasted any time getting his hooks in Mark.When Lane pulled Mark’s strings now, Mark danced.
“I’m going to bed.When I get up in the morning, I don’t want to see you here.”
“And where am I supposed to go?”
“I assume you left a good job because Lane beckoned.Go stay with him.”She walked past him, heading for her bedroom.
He grabbed her arm.“Stop being a bitch.You—”
A low growl had both of them swinging their heads toward the sound.Dakota sat in front of Rambo’s kennel, her attention on Mark.Nichole hadn’t even realized that Jack had left without his dog.She wouldn’t attack, would she?Jack had said she only attacked on command, but with the way she was looking at Mark with cold, alert eyes and her ears pinned back, Nichole wasn’t so sure about that.Mark was being an ass, but she didn’t want him mauled by a dog.
“You should let go of my arm,” she quietly told her brother.
As soon as he dropped his hand, Dakota relaxed, but kept her intense focus on Mark.Rambo stuck his nose between the slats and whined, apparently picking up on the tension in the air.
“I’ll take the dogs to my room with me.”She was leery of Dakota for the first time, so she approached slowly.“It’s okay, girl.He’s not going to hurt me.”She opened the kennel door and let Rambo out.“Come on, guys.”
Both dogs followed her down the hallway and into her room.Nichole closed the door, locking it behind her.Rambo licked her legs, ran in a few circles, and then headed for Dakota, who’d parked herself at the door, putting in mind a sentry on guard.
The evening sure hadn’t turned out the way she’d expected or wanted, and what a disappointment that was.She needed to call Jack and see what he wanted to do about Dakota.Both dogs probably had to go out, but first she needed to change into something more comfortable.
She groaned in pleasure after taking off her heels.They were definitely not shoes to spend the night dancing in, but the pain had been worth it with the way Jack’s eyes had devoured her from head to shoes.She slipped on leggings and a T-shirt, then slid her feet into a pair of flip-flops.When she reached the door, she heard voices.She put her ear against the wood.
The hell!Furious at hearing Lane talking to Mark, she jerked open the door, forgetting about Dakota.The dog raced out in front of her.“Dakota, stop.Sit.”Surprising her, the dog dropped her butt to the floor at the end of the hallway.Rambo barreled past, but came to a stop next to Dakota, mimicking her.Nichole stood behind them.
“You’re not welcome here, Lane.”She glanced at her brother.“You had no right to let him in.”
“He just wants to talk to you, Nic.”
“There’s not a thing he can say that I want to hear.”When Lane took a step toward her, Dakota growled.“You’d be smart to leave.”She put her hand on Dakota’s head.“This is my guard dog, specifically trained to keep you away from me.”
Rage flashed in Lane’s eyes before he hid it.“Baby, put the damn dogs away.”
“No.Get out of my house.Both of you.”
When Jack reached Nichole’s house, he scowled at seeing the motorcycle parked behind her car.Stealth was the best plan when one didn’t have intel.He parked on the street in front of the neighbor’s, then eased up to Nichole’s door.Whoever had come in last hadn’t closed it completely, leaving about three inches of space to look through.
The only thing he could see was Nichole’s brother, but the voice speaking was that of her ex.At hearing him call herbaby, Jack forgot his stealth plan.He stormed inside, all warrior as he locked eyes on the enemy.
“The lady wants you out of her house.”
Dakota, recognizing they were working a mission, rose from her sitting position, her teeth bared.
Jack let his voice go hard and cold.“My dog wants to sink her teeth into you real bad.You have exactly three seconds to disappear before I give her the command to attack.”
