Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Zero jogs back out, phone in hand. "No luck, but they said there’s a rescue a few blocks over that might still be open. They’ll either know what to do or where to point us if they can’t take her. She might be chipped, and if she’s got someone looking for her, it’s better that she’s somewhere they can check."
I nod. "You got a name, girl?" The second I stop rubbing her ears, she shoves her head into my palm. With a chuckle, I get back to it. "How about Junkyard? You look like maybe someone was using you as a guard dog, and you remind me of the old mutt we had at my Dad’s scrap lot."
She doesn't seem to care as long as I keep petting her.
Amazingly enough, she doesn’t complain when I scoop her up, and aside from some whining and a little wiggling, she lets me settle her into my jacket. I can’t close it, but having the bottom zipped is enough to partly hold her in place. She nearly jumps out of my arms when I start my bike, but holding her close and staying calm gets her settling down again. "Alright, let’s take it slow and I’ll stick curbside in case she makes a run for it."
Zero leads the way as we roll barely above walking speed down the road. Some asshole honks as passes us and Beast gives him the finger, but a few minutes later we pull into a small parking lot.
Squeezed into the shadow of a delivery depot, the rescue is a blocky, mint green building that’s covered in blobs of slightly lighter and darker paint from endless graffiti cover-ups. It’s not much to look at, but there’s a fenced in yard in the back, stuffed animals hanging in the windows, and a cartoon dog painted on the front door. Over it, a sign reads Detch Canine Rescue in big block letters lit up from below by a solitary flickering light.
Beast looks around. “You sure we shouldn’t bring her back to the club?”
“Come on. We’re already here,” Zero says.
I carry Junkyard close to my chest and try the front door. It's locked, but there’s a ‘Press to call staff” sign over a button to the side. A shadow moves behind the frosted glass in the door. “Give it a go.”
Zero pushes the doorbell. It buzzes loud. After a few minutes of nothing, he pushes it again. A face peeks out the window, wearing headphones. Ruby lips, glittery green eyeshadow over pretty brown eyes with a delicate gold loop in her right eyebrow, and bottle black hair with a hint of purple peeking through from beneath.
Hello, beautiful.
Her eyes skim over us before darting to the dog in my arms, and a moment later the door clicks open. She pulls off the headphones and I hear a faint strain of heavy club music. She glances at the three of us, probably weighing if we’re a threat or not, but if she’s intimidated by finding three bikers on her doorstep, it doesn’t show. Junkyard has her full attention. “Where’d they find you, sweetie?” she purrs, reaching out and rubbing Junkyard’s ears.
"She was hiding in the parking lot outside Hal’s." I shrug and smile. Bikers on our best behavior. No danger here, unless you want to get a little dirty. "Her front paw’s hurt, but she was running around so I don’t think it’s broken. Do you guys take in strays, or?"
“Yeah, absolutely. We have room.”
“You wouldn’t put her down, right?” Beast asks. “Cause we’ll take her with us if that’s—”
The woman’s eyes go wide. “What? Oh my God, no. All strays get at least a week while we wait to see if someone’s looking for them, then they go up for adoption or fostering if everything checks out. If you’re worried, you can leave a number and I’ll let you know what happens, and if you want, you can get priority for adoption after the wait is over. I’m Sandra, by the way. Come on, let’s get her checked into Hotel Detch.”
Sandra turns and motions for us to follow her inside. Faded black jeans hug her curvy hips, and the name of the rescue is printed on the back of a black t-shirt that’s tied at the waist, cinching it in. She has a black choker around her neck with small silver spikes, along with a silver chain with a sparkling moon pendant.
Zero raises his eyebrows and Beast shrugs. Our gear proudly proclaims our association with the MC, which is usually enough to earn some healthy caution, but she doesn’t seem to care. It makes me curious, because I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen her around. Pretty face, a little attitude and a sexy body? I think I’d remember.
I give Junkyard a squeeze and chuckle softly to myself. "Maybe you aren’t the only one getting lucky.”