Beneath the Scars (Masters of the Shadowlands #13)(93)

His woman wouldn’t turn down a good cause.

As he hung up, he smiled. Fuck, he really did love her—although sometimes she looked at him as if she was thinking about fleeing the city, if not the state. Poor little subbie. She loved him. She might not say the words, but her body and emotions didn’t lie.

On Friday and Saturday, he’d spent time with her at the Shadowlands, and after they returned home, he’d jumped the fence and used the sliding glass doors on her patio. He’d gone back home before Carson returned from Stella’s place.

Someday, Josie would realize he was in her life to stay, and the sneaking around could end.

He could think of nothing finer than to wake with her in his arms every morning for the rest of their lives. When her worries weren’t running through her head, she was funny, logical, caring, cute, smart, and strong enough to hold her own…or to let him take control.

However, when her past came to the forefront, she tried to pull away. Old hurts took time to heal.

When Beth and Nolan had adopted two abused boys, their social worker told them trust wouldn’t happen completely until the children had lived with them for as many years as they’d been abused.

Holt shook his head. Just as well he was a patient Dom. Josie—and Carson—were worth waiting for.

Today, he’d go over and talk them into helping facilitate furball adoptions.

*

Followed by her son and great-aunt, Josie accompanied Holt through the pet store. Near the center, dogs in crates and on leashes filled the fenced-off area normally used for dog training. An eight-feet-high, transparent mesh tent held cats in carriers. At the opening in the fenced-off area, several people sat at a long table to handle with the pet adoption paperwork.

The adoption event appeared to be off to a fine start. Several potential adopters were already visiting with the animals. One young man was on his knees, crooning to a big mixed-breed dog. “Wanna go home with me, boy? I’ve got a big backyard and—”

“Holt, Josie, you came!” Hazel eyes bright with enthusiasm, Rainie motioned them into the fenced-off area. She was in jeans with a peasant shirt under a blue vest bearing the name of Jake’s vet clinic and “ADOPTION STAFF”. Her colorful brown hair was pulled back. “I’m sorry to mess up your Sunday. Whoever heard of everyone getting sick at once?”

“It happens during flu season. We had some firefighters out last week.” Holt turned to Oma. “Stella, this is Rainie who manages a vet clinic near here. Rainie, this is Stella Avery, Josie’s great-aunt, and this young man is Josie’s son Carson.”

“I’m delighted to meet you both.” Rainie gave Oma an assessing look. “Mrs. Avery, how would you feel about helping with the screening paperwork and fee? Marcus can show you the ropes since he’s handled the last three adoptions on his own.”

Oma nodded. “I’m very good with paperwork. Lead me to it.”

“Perfect.” Rainie offered Oma her arm and called, “Gabi, can you put Holt and his crew to work?”

“You bet.” Also in a blue vest, the strawberry blonde with a teal streak in her hair was easy to recognize. Gabi and her Dom, Marcus, had been the ones to stand up for Josie against Amber. “Welcome to insanity, you guys. I’m so glad you came.”

Carson eyed Gabi’s temp tattoos—orange kittens spiraled around her forearms—and grinned.

Josie put a hand on his shoulder. “Gabi, this is my son, Carson.”

Gabi delighted Carson by shaking his hand. “It’s good to meet you, Carson. You’re going to have fun today. Our job is helping match people with pets, supervising the meetings, and escorting the new family to the front to get their paperwork done.”

Carson stuck his hands in his pockets. “Sounds cool.”

“It really is.” Gabi dug into a box under the paperwork table and handed over blue vests. “Here, this makes you look official.”

Josie pulled on the vest, saw Holt had moved to talk with Marcus, and Carson was…

Already in his blue vest, Carson was down on his knees in front of a cat carrier.

Josie, you idiot. Major parenting blunder. Their apartment hadn’t allowed animals, but they lived in a house now, and her boy would spend the next few hours surrounded by adorable fur babies longing for a home.

Stepping back beside her, Holt followed her gaze. “You’re so screwed.”

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

“Sweetheart. A boy needs a pet.” As he put an arm around her, and she saw the devilish quirk of his lips.

“You…evil person.” She considered kicking him in the shin. No, that would set a bad example for her baby. “I’m going to add you into my book. As a villain. And have you dismembered. And de-dicked.”

“Aren’t you a vicious one? Ouch.” Maybe Holt was evil, but his warm, masculine laughter could pull angels from the sky.

Gabi snickered. “I’m so going to read your books.”

“You know I’m an author?”

“Holt told us how good your series is, and I love YA.”

Holt told people about her writing? Boasted about her? Her next breath fought for room with the burgeoning happiness in her heart.

Gabi hooked her arm in Josie’s. “If Carson is good with cats, how about you three help with the felines. Kim and Raoul and some of the others are handling the dogs.”