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Yeah. He would.
Because he had only a few days to figure out how to make himself walk back into that station and return to the life that had nearly destroyed him.
CHAPTER TWO
Declan's house was gorgeous.
Truly breathtaking.
Piper couldn't help but pause to breathe in the magic of his home when she stepped into his family room through the patio doors. He was such a sweaty grump that she would have expected the house to be a sparsely decorated man cave.
But it was the exact opposite.
The kitchen was spacious and bright, with sky lights, huge windows, and granite counters. A huge, beautiful stone fireplace took up almost the entire end of the adjoining family room, which was filled with a cozy sectional couch big enough for a thousand dogs…but only one was on it.
A large, black, shaggy dog lifted her head to stare at Piper.
Piper paused. She'd met Angel a couple times when Declan had been walking her, but invading the rescue dog's home unescorted was different. With the exception of her friend Maddie's therapy dog, Violet, Piper wasn't a dog person. They didn't like her, and she had no idea how to interact with them.
So, yay for this moment of personal growth or death. "Hi, Angel," she said softly. "We met before, remember?"
Angel slowly rose to her feet, her fur up.
A low growl echoed from her throat.
Umm..."Angel," she said again. "I'm not the enemy. It's okay. Violet loves me, and Violet doesn't like most people."
Angel growled again, then lowered into a crouch position, as if she were preparing to launch.
"Angel," she said, taking on a firmer voice. "Sit."
Angel didn't move.
"Angel.Sit."
Slowly, Angel lowered her butt to the couch. Piper almost started laughing at how slowly the dog sat. "I get it," she said. "Who likes authority? How about we be friends?"
The tip of Angel's tail wagged once, and Piper relaxed. She went down on one knee and held out her hand, palm up. "Friends, sweetheart. Girl power means we need to stick together."
Angel watched her for a moment, then eased off the couch, and slunk across the room toward Piper, almost crouching. Piper's heart turned over for the dog. She knew Declan had rescued her, but it was clear the pup still lived in the shadows of her past.
That was something she understood. "Come on, Angel," she said gently. "You're safe now. Declan will never let any harm come to you, and neither will I."
The dog reached her, and instead of pausing, she pushed right into Piper's chest, and buried her face against her.
Piper's heart softened, and she wrapped her arms around the dog. "I've got you," she whispered. "You're so beautiful, Angel." It felt so good to hug the dog. She felt settled, safe, for the first time since everything had fallen apart. Months. Maybe longer, because things had been falling apart long before the world found out.
For the first time, she fully understood why Maddie had her therapy pit bull, Violet. Hugging Angel felt like a part of her soul could breathe for the first time in months.
She took a moment to sit with Angel, to remember what it felt like not to have tension radiating through every muscle in herbody. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe she had a chance. Maybe she would feel okay again someday.
Piper wanted to stay there forever, but she knew the clock was ticking on Declan's return. The last thing she needed was his royal moodiness invading this precarious moment of peace. She kissed Angel's head. "I gotta go shower." She stood up, patted Angel, and then headed for the stairs.
Angel trotted along beside her, so close that her fur was brushing against Piper's leg.
Piper knew what the dog was feeling. Safety was precious, and Angel didn't want to leave it. "I get that, honey. You can stay with me."
Angel followed her up the beautiful, curved front stairs and right into the most gorgeous bathroom Piper had ever been in. Angel curled up on the thick, blue bathmat as Piper shut the door.
