Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
I haven’t found a home for him, which is a problem, since my apartment doesn’t allow pets. So far, I’ve smuggled him in each night then brought him with me to Billy’s. I didn’t even have to use Billy’s credit card to buy food and toys because all that stuff arrived at my door as if delivered by magical fairies.
I suspect the magical fairy was Billy’s assistant. Am I surprised Billy went out of his way to help take care of a little puppy? Maybe a little, but less than I thought I’d be. Billy acts grouchy, but he seems to care more than he lets on. He pretends to be annoyed by Pepper, but when he washed the little dog, he was gentle. I think deep down I knew Billy would have hidden depths of kindness; otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought a poor, defenseless puppy to his door.
But I still need to find a puppy-sitter for tonight. Pepper is doing well–he’s already learned to only pee on the puppy pads or go outside. I was hoping if Madi and I left here together, I could leave Pepper with either Billy or Brick, but that plan didn’t come together.
Which means…I could really annoy the hell out of Billy and just leave him a puppy surprise when he comes home tonight. While I sort of love the idea of being that obnoxious, I don’t want Pepper to have a terrible time.
Hmm…decisions, decisions.
I help myself to Billy’s razor–committing the cardinal sin of dulling a man’s face razor by shaving my legs and bikini area then get out of the shower and help myself to a fluffy towel. I take my time getting dressed, rocking the skin-tight light gray t-shirt dress with the white go-go boots.
I rummage through Billy’s refrigerator for dinner. He still hasn’t shown up by 6:30, and it’s time to go, so I put Pepper in the little carrier that I bought for him to sneak him in and out of the building–it could pass for a duffel bag if you don’t look too closely–and I leave it by the door.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m leaving you with the monster tonight. Hopefully he’ll be nice and feed you something in the morning, but I’ll come early to make sure you get taken out, okay?”
Pepper gives a little chirp of a bark.
“I know. I love you, too. Be good.” I make kissing noises and swallow the pound of guilt coming up my gullet as I shut the door.
It will be fine. Pepper will be okay, and annoying Billy is worth it.
Especially after the disappearing act he played this week.
I step into the elevator, trying to ignore my misgivings. Everything about tonight feels wrong. Billy disappeared. Madi couldn’t meet me here to go together. I hate leaving Pepper without being sure someone can watch him.
I feel off track.
I don’t even know what I’m doing screwing around in Billy’s building when I should be focusing on the Sentience case.
Saturday is their gala, and they will be unveiling my mural. That will be my chance to get the evidence we need for the case.
It will be my biggest risk yet, but there’s no one else who can do it. As the artist, I have an invite. I also have a security pass.
It’s the best chance we have at bringing them down.
Billy
I walk into my apartment at seven, knowing from the tracker on her phone that Aubrey just left.
It was purposeful timing on my part. I require a full reset where it comes to that female, and that means avoiding the temptation of her nutmeg scent and delectable body.
I lift my nose to drink in her scent. It’s mingled with the flavor of drying paint, the damp of a fresh shower, and dog.
A small duffel bag is by the door, positioned over a puppy pad. Right. It’s a dog carrier.
Pepper gives a sharp yip of joy at my entrance.
“Hey.” I make my voice sharp, and Pepper whines.
I tug off my tie. Aubrey showered here and left the damn dog. Why in the hell would she do that? Does she not care about the well-being of this rug rat? Or does she harbor a higher opinion of my compassion for small animals than is justified?
Or…is she hoping to tempt me into punishing her? That thought gets my dick hard.
I unzip the carrier and lift the tiny fuzz ball out. “You don’t bark at me.”
He wags his body violently as he tries desperately to lick my face, my hands, any part of me that he can reach.
“I’m your alpha. Don’t forget it.”
More wagging.
He may be young and a mutt, but he’s smart. I can see in his big brown eyes that he understands me perfectly. I give him a scratch behind the ears.
“Do you need to go outside?” I send the mental image of peeing on the grass in Central Park. That’s how shifters communicate when we’re in wolf form. We’re not psychic by any means, but you can get a simple idea across well enough. Usually it’s which direction to run or which animal to hunt.