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Ian seems to suck all of the air out of the room. Both Annabelle and her mother look up at Ian, shocked.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Annabelle’s mom says. She reaches for her daughter and they step slightly to the side. “This paperwork may take a few minutes. If you have a question, you can skip ahead of us.”

Ian just smiles.

“I’ll wait.”

That’s it.

No more words.

No flowery language.

Annabelle stares at him openly while her mother turns back around.

“I’ll be right with you,” I say to Ian. I speak as though I don’t know who he is. I talk like I don’t know what he’s capable of.

Oh, I know what he’s capable of.

It’s been two weeks, but I haven’t forgotten the way his cock slid so perfectly into my tight, aching pussy. I haven’t forgotten the way Ian’s dick slammed into me so hard I thought I was going to die. His flicks. His roughness. His growls. I remember all of it and more.

And now that he’s here, his presence is threatening to overwhelm me.Whyis Ian here? What could he possibly want with me? Annabelle and her mom seem to notice the fact that I’m shaking now.

“Are you okay?” Annabelle asks loudly. She looks from Ian to me and back again. “Your hand is shaking. You’re going to mess up the stuff you’re writing.”

“I’m fine,” I lie. I’m not fine. Nothing about this is fine. I no longer smell the faint scent of paper bedding or animal food. Instead, my senses are overwhelmed with him. Ian. The way he smells is absolutely incredible. He’s so fucking perfect that it makes my body hurt. I hate the way he’s watching me carefully as I scramble to finish up the paperwork. “I just forgot to eat lunch. I’ll grab some food after I help you and then this gentleman.”

Gentleman.

There’s a word.

There’s something that Ian is decidedlynot.

Annabelle watches me curiously as I finish writing things down and typing other things into the computer.

“All right,” I finally say, handing her mother a stack of papers. “In three days, you can come back and Batman will be officially yours.” We had a mandatory waiting period to make sure someone doesn’t come in an adopt a pet they really aren’t ready for. Sometimes people get overexcited at the possibility of owning a cat or a dog and they just go nuts. Then they realize they aren’t prepared for it and the animal is the one who suffers. We don’t want to see that here, so we make them wait. “Are you going to keep the same name for your kitty?”

“Oh yes,” Annabelle nods. “I’ve always wanted a superhero for a pet.”

Annabelle and her mother slip out of the shelter, careful to avoid Ian as much as possible. He nods to them as they leave. Annabelle gives me one last fearful look like she wonders if I’m going to be okay, and then they’re gone.

And he’s here.

Two long strides and Ian is standing in front of the desk. He places his hands firmly on the desk and looks at me. He juststares. Somehow, I know what he wants and he doesn’t even have to tell me. He’s taking me away. I don’t know where, and I don’t know why, and I don’t know what it’s all about, but he’s going to take me with him.

“I’ll get my purse,” I whisper.

“Tell your boss you have a family emergency.”

He’s thought this through. Well, or maybe he’s done this before. Either way, I go find Sherry and let her know I have to leave unexpectedly. She’s weirdly cool with it, but maybe that’s because she’s got Lorenzo walking the dogs and she has a great view of his tight ass. Nobody ever said mafia guys were ugly. That much is for damn sure.

I grab my little bag and follow Ian out of the shelter. As soon as we step outside, he holds a hand out.

“Bag.”

I hand it to him.

“Phone.”