Page 225 of Love Me in the Dark

“His temp is good.” I removed the device and tossed it into the small sink. “I think it’s just the kennel cough making him miserable.” I grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. “I want you to stop at the pharmacy and pick up some Robitussin DM. Givehim one millilitertwice a day. It should help with the coughing and thin out the mucus so he can actually get some of that up.”

“Robitussin, really?”

“Yeah. It works well for puppies, but don’t go over that dose, all right? And if you have a humidifier, put that near his crate.” I handed him the scratch paper with the instructions. “How’re the other dogs?” Scott’s dog, Maxine, had just had a litter of puppies. Scrappy was the only one giving him any trouble.

“They’re all fine. Maxine’s taking to being a mama real easy. Now if only I could get them to sleep longer through the night.” He yawned as he gave his complaints.

“Puppies do that.” I laughed. “If he’s not better in a few days, bring him to the office, but I think he’ll start improving soon.”

“Good.” He heaved a heavy sigh of relief. Scott was built like a Chicago Bears linebacker, but when it came to his dogs, he was more of a teddy bear. “Sorry to have bugged you about this. I was just so scared and then I couldn’t get you on the phone.”

I patted his back as we made our way back through the kitchen. “Not a problem, Scott. Any time.”

He paused at the counter, glancing down at the bowl of scrambled eggs next to my plate.

“Did you get a dog?”

“No.” I laughed. “I put that bowl of scraps out by the shed in the back. There’s always a few strays running through the woods back there.”

“You’re a good man, David.” He held out his hand for me. If I had any part of my soul left, he might have been right.

“Thanks.” I walked him out to his truck and helped him get Scrappy settled in his travel crate in the back.

Scott beeped the horn once more as he backed out of the long drive and gave me a wave as he turned around and disappeared down the road.

I remained frozen in place for a long moment, waiting to see if he’d come back. Did he forget something?

After enough time went by to make me feel safe, I jogged back into the house and went straight for the bedroom.

Breakfast would have to wait. I needed to teach my pup a new lesson.

She was going to learn about the command, come.

8

Gabby

He sounded almostlike a decent guy. The walls weren’t thick in the old cabin, so I could hear almost everything going on in the next room. There was another man inside with us, and a puppy—a real puppy. My captor’s voice was even and soft, like he actually had some sort of feelings for the little dog. No wonder he put the damn shock collar around my throat, if I made any noise, the guy surely would hear me.

When he’d left me alone at first, I tried it. Making only a small sound at first to test if it was live. It was. And I wasn’t willing to test it anymore.

Long minutes after the horn blared again outside, the bedroom door swung open, and my captor came to the crate. He had the leash in his hand again.

Silently, he opened the door and gestured for me to come out. Like a good pup, I crawled forward and sat on my heels at his feet. I’d heard the soft nature he’d had with the man and his sickdog. Maybe if I just gave in a little, he’d have the same rapport with me, and I could find a way to get out of this nightmare.

“That’s a good girl.” He snapped the leash on the ring of the collar and fiddled with the box pressed against my skin. “I turned it down. It will still give you a little zap if you’re noisy, but it won’t hurt as much.”

How nice of him.

I nodded. What the hell else was I going to do? Wag my ass? Just thinking about it made my cheeks flame.

“Up on the bed, Gabby.” He patted the mattress. “On your back,” he said as soon as I climbed up onto the soft bed.

My insides tightened, unsure of what was coming and knowing what the possibilities were.

“You’re going to learn the word come.” He grinned as he walked around the bed and tied the end of the leash to the bars of his headboard.

He pulled off his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor, then shucked off his jeans. The entire time, keeping his eyes focused on me. I glance down and bit the inside of my cheek. His thick, long cock hung free from his pants. He fisted his hard length and climbed up on the bed, one knee at a time.