Page 49
Jules notices, and he steps closer, lowering his voice while his eyes move over my face, my hands, and my clothes, like he’s checking for damage he can’t see. “You okay?”
I straighten and brush dog hair from my jeans. “No.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah.”
“But I’m here.”
“That part I can see.” He reaches out and fixes a strand of hair that’s escaped near my cheek. “And for the record, you look like somebody dragged you through emotional hell and then handed you coffee instead of therapy.”
“That’s oddly specific.”
“I’m gifted.”
His attention slides past me toward Luka and the men positioned throughout the shelter. Luka stands near the entrance with his hands relaxed at his sides. One security man stays close to the front desk, another watches the hallway leading toward the kennel wing, and the fourth is outside somewhere near the parking lot. Jules’s mouth slowly falls open as he takes inventory.
“Sweet baby Jesus.”
I sigh because I know exactly where this is headed. “Don’t start.”
He points openly toward Luka. “You brought a small military operation.”
“I did not.” I adjust the strap of my bag higher on my shoulder and try to walk past him, but Jules steps with me, matching my pace because apparently this conversation is happening whether I want it or not.
“Maggie.”
“They came with me.”
“That is not helpin’ your argument.” His eyes jump from Luka to the man near the front desk and then back to me. “Nothin’ says welcome back to the shelter like tactical personnel guardin’ the cat room.”
“I didn’t ask for them,” I insist.
“Somehow that’s worse.”
“Tell Alexei.”
“Oh, I plan to.” Jules lifts his chin toward Luka, studying him with blatant curiosity now. “Is that the scary one?”
“There are four scary ones.”
“No, I mean the scary scary one.”
Luka looks toward us. “I can hear you.”
Jules gives him a bright smile that has never once meant anything good. “Wonderful. The assassin talks.”
“I’m not an assassin.”
“That sounded exactly like somethin’ an assassin would say.”
A tiny movement tugs at the corner of Luka’s mouth before he controls it. Jules gasps and grabs my arm like he’s just witnessed a miracle in the wild.
“Oh, my word. He smiled.”
Luka folds his arms. “No.”
“You absolutely did.”
“No,” Luka repeats.
