Before I could respond, he kissed me again and then hurried up the stairs, taking me along with him.
My head roared. My pulse pounded. So loud, I almost didn’t hear Fluffy opening the front door.
“Hi, Mrs. Walker,” Fluffy said, deep voice a friendly rumble. “I’m—”
A gun fired.
I heard Fluffy grunt.
I heard Lucas swear.
I heard something heavy hit the floor.
All in the heartbeat it took me to step into the living room and see a woman at the open door pointing a gun at Fluffy on the floor.
And then Francis was there, charging at her, teeth bared, snarl ferocious, and the woman raised the gun and fired again.
Chapter 4
I ran. I think Lucas tried to stop me. I think his fingers scraped at my wrist.
I wasn’t thinking about anything but getting to Fluffy, my stare locked on his still body. Blood pooled on the floor beneath him. His eyes were closed.
Closed.
“Ronnie!” Lucas screamed behind me.
And then I was at Fluffy’s side, knees in his warm blood, hands on the bullet hole in his shoulder.
Shoulder. Shoulder. Not chest. That was good. Shoulder.
“Ron…” Fluffy moved on the floor. His eyes opened.
Oh thank God. Thank God…
“Ronnie,” Lucas shouted behind me.
I pressed my hands to the oozing wound in Fluffy’s shoulder and, heart crazy, looked at Francis. The Doberman lay motionless in a pool of blood on the floor a few feet away.
So much blood. Too much.
My throat seized up. I scanned the floor. Where was Groot? Where was my dog?
“Ronnie.”
“Francis,” I called. I didn’t call Groot. I had no clue where he was, but I didn’t want him in here. With the bitch with the gun.
“Francis!”
Francis didn’t move.
“Ronnie!” Lucas shouted. Behind me. Still behind me. Not beside me. Behind. Why was he still—
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Fluffy groaned, the sound weak. He was alive. Francis, however…
I called Francis’s name again.