Page 128 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“Go on,” Calisto urged. “Open it up.”

Emma bit her bottom lip. “What is it?”

“I’m not telling you, bella.”

She shot him a look as she reached for the top of thebox. Pulling on the bow, the top came away from the gift, exposing the ball offur sleeping inside on top of a fluffy white blanket. The black ball of furbarely even reacted to the loud gasp Emma let out.

Tiny little ears flicked, and hazy blue eyes blinkedup from inside the box. One of Calisto’s workers had found the shaggy puppyhiding under a garbage can in the back of the club. The puppy was nearly frozento death, as it was the first week of March and still quite cold, and it wasyoung.

Too young to be alone.

Calisto didn’t know where its mother was.

He cleaned the puppy up, took it to the vet to have itchecked out, and when he was given the green light, he put it in a gift box injust the nick of time for Emma’s birthday. He knew she was lonely a lot, andthat she needed something to take care of. If she hadn’t lost her second child,she would have been carrying around a newborn baby.

Calisto was hoping the puppy would give her somethingto be happy about.

“Oh, my God,” she mumbled. “It’s so cute.”

“It’s a he,” Calisto corrected, chuckling. “Andhe likes to chew.”

Emma’s hands trembled as she reached inside the box.She plucked the little puppy out, and the damn thing was small enough to fitinside her palms. “What is he?”

“The vet thinks he’s a mix of many things. She didn’thave a definitive breed. But he is healthy.”

Cooing over the puppy, Emma let the dog nibble on herfinger.

“He’s for me?”

“I thought …” Calisto trailed off, unsure.

Emma glanced up at him. “Thought what, Calisto?”

“He lost his mamma somewhere along the way, andyou’re missing something, too,” Calisto said, feeling a little lame. “I thoughtyou two might get along.”

Her smile bloomed instantly.

It was bright and beautiful.

“Really?” she asked.

“Yeah, dolcezza. I was thinking maybe he wouldmake you smile more.”

“You make me smile, Calisto,” Emma murmured.

But he didn’t know how much longer that would last.

Affonso would still come home someday. Calistocouldn’t keep pretending this was forever. He didn’t tell Emma any of that,because she looked far too happy as she fawned over her new pup.

“His fur is so soft,” Emma said, grinning.

“I’ve been calling him whiner, because he whines whenyou don’t hold him.”

She smacked him with her free hand. “Cal!”

“Well, he does.”

“He’s a baby.”