He glared, and I tried not to shrink into the chair. And then he laughed.
The sound vibrated and echoed throughout the cavern.
He shook his finger at me. “I see why he’s drawn to you. His mother had that same spirit.”
Then he clamped his mouth shut as if he’d spoken out of turn. Or did the mention of his dead wife affect him in the same way it did Teague? It seemed impossible this man was capable of any sort of feeling, but even monsters could be wounded, couldn’t they?
“You’re going to convince my son to come to work for me.”
“If you changed your tone, you probably wouldn’t need me to do that.” Pepper. I excelled at keeping my mouth closed. My fingers trembled despite sitting on them. Yet I appeared determined to piss this man off.
“And when you do,” he continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “I’m going to let you keep your little mutt house.”
The vision of him kicking Muffy blasted into my brain. How dare he treat my dogs that way, let alone speak of them like that?
“Teague is his own man. Not to mention he already has a job.”
I should be agreeing to whatever his father wanted so I could keep Grey Paws and move on with my life.
But I didn’t trust him.
“I am not a man you want to toy with.”
“I’m aware of that, but I’m afraid you think I hold some power that I don’t.” Why am I still sitting here? Why didn’t he tie me down?
He went to the trouble of kidnapping me yet didn’t seem to be holding me prisoner. He’s a master of mind games.
“For your sake, you should hope you hold that power. If you don’t, I have no reason to . . . show mercy.”
Fear and anger propelled me to my feet. “I have nothing to do with your family drama. Leave mine out of it.”
I stormed in the opposite direction of where he stood, hoping there was a door.
“Oh my dear, how wrong you are.” His voice stopped me when I’d reached the shadows. “Did Miss Adeline tell you about her recent visit to her physician?”
What visit?
“Hmm. I didn’t think so. Wouldn’t it be a shame . . . well, you should probably discuss it with her.”
I couldn’t move. Was he lying? Or worse . . . was he telling the truth?
“And don’t think you fooled anyone regarding the whereabouts of those other mutts. I have to hand it to you. Daniel Elliott isn’t someone I want to cross, but rules are rules. I hear the city shelter is intensely overpopulated. How many animals do they exterminate a day?”
A violent trembling rattled my core. Whether or not he was being honest about Miss Adeline didn’t matter. I understood every unspoken syllable.
He’d hurt my family.
He’d hurt my dogs.
He’d hurt my friends.
And he’d do God knew what to Teague.
This man redefined the word manipulation.
“And Pepper?” I closed my eyes. This couldn’t be happening. “You will make sure my son is my employee within twenty-four hours. It’s mind-boggling how many accidents happen these days . . . to the elderly. To animals. Safety is such an illusion.”
Chapter Four
Pepper
Brooklyn.
He’d taken me to Brooklyn with no money or phone to get back to Grey Paws.
It was late. I had no idea where a subway station might be, and there wasn’t a cab in sight.
Twenty-four hours.
I had twenty-four hours to convince Teague to go to work for his family business.
Or I would lose everything.
And I couldn’t do either.
How was I supposed to tell him the position his father had put us in? He’d quit the job he loved for me and the dogs.
Everything he’d done proved he’d make the sacrifice.
I couldn’t let him be miserable for us.
But if he didn’t, where did that leave Miss Adeline and me and Grey Paws? Teague’s father had already divided us. He took me tonight. What else was he capable of?
And why? What wouldn’t he stop at? What accidents? Crap.
You could run.
I leaned against a light pole.
For twelve years I’d had a home. Could I pack up the dogs and Miss Adeline and find somewhere to start over?
I kicked at the pole.
Why should we be the ones to give up everything?
We’d worked hard to build the happy life we had. And we were happy.
Of course we could have that anywhere. But we had it here.
I just wasn’t sure how to keep it.
I pushed forward with determined steps.
The last time I’d run, it had been easy. I’d been embarrassed, humiliated, ashamed, and it wasn’t hard to hide from that. In fact, disappearing had been easy, but cowardly.
Leaving everything hadn’t mattered because I’d had nothing left.
Now, there was so much to lose.
And what guarantee did we have that Teague’s father would keep his end of the deal?
None.
What would be the next hoop to jump through? Not that I’d dealt with anyone like that man, but for people like him, there was never enough. We’d just keep giving and giving until there was nothing left.
“We need a miracle.” I spoke softly to the sky, hoping someone or something would hear me.
I’d been saved before by Miss Adeline. Was I out of favors? Or did I have another hand to play?
A dull throb pulsed between my temples. Whatever they’d given me to knock me out had almost completely worn off. I had no idea if I’d been gone for hours or days.
But I needed to be home.
To see Miss Adeline.
The dogs.
Teague.
Guilt that he was in this horrible position washed over me. Why wouldn’t his father just let him live his life?
Up ahead, a staircase leading down to the underbelly of the city appeared. I quickened my steps in hope.
The subway.
I jogged down the steps. The station was deserted, so I hopped over the turnstile and promised myself I’d pay back the fare later.
I bolted from the Eighteenth Street station. The sky was still pitch black save a few clouds and stars.
Relief coursed through me at being back in a familiar space.
I raced down the sidewalk as fast as my feet would carry me.
Almost there. Almost. There.
I rounded the corner and flew toward safety. Toward home.
As I grew closer, I noticed that all the lights were on. A figure moved inside.
And then paws landed on the window.
The bark I loved so very much was such a sweet sound.
I’d made it.
Home.
Chapter Five
Teague
Woof. Woof. Woof.
Sadie jumped, placing her big paws on the window. She threw her head back and barked.
“It’s not time yet,” Miss Adeline said.
That dog had a built-in clock for mealtime.
I checked my watch. A little after five.
It would be daylight soon, and there was still no sign of Pepper.
Sadie dug at the glass. Her nails slipped on the surface, and her barking grew more intense.
I moved beside her and glanced out the window.
“What’s got you so stirred up?” I touched her head, though that did nothing to calm her.