gloves he promised me a few weeks ago.
Darren surprised me when he said Scott had a gift for me. It was a colorful hacky
sack, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“Ha! Now, this brings back memories,” I said with a genuine smile.
I used to play hacky sack with some guy friends during my undergraduate days
while we waited for class to start. They were impressed I could kick the sack at
weird angles they couldn’t even comprehend. That was where I was able to improve
my scorpion kick. I planned to spend a lot of time with this little gift.
When all was said and done, I thought all the presents were opened, but Darren
still had one hiding in the branches of the tree. This present was tiny, just fitting in
the palm of my hand. I pulled the wrapping away to find a small ring box, and I felt
my stomach immediately rip apart.
Oh, God, no…
Like defusing a bomb, I pulled the lid to the box back and breathed a slight sigh
of relief when I saw it was only my old Tiffany’s infinity ring that Darren had given
me months ago. I’d been wearing it when I’d escaped but woke up without it on the
island. I hadn’t even wondered what happened to it, too happy it was off my finger.
And now, it was back.
I stared at the ring until Darren finally got up to sit next to me, pulled the ring
out of the box, and placed it on my left hand. He then kissed me on the temple.
“Back where it belongs,” he said, but there was no mistaking the warning in his
tone. “Just like you.”
I gulped back the sickness in my stomach. The joy was so real…
“I didn’t get you anything,” I said, hoping to change the subject.
“Oh, but you did,” Darren said, that shark grin reappearing again. “And I’m
going to love it.”
Fantastic.
“I’m sure you will,” I said carefully.
“Now,” he said, slapping my knee playfully and getting up. “There’s just one
gift left.”
“Still?” I asked him as he walked out of the room and down one of the halls. I
couldn’t believe he still had more bullshit to give me. As if I didn’t have enough.
A few moments later, he came back holding a large box that looked like a
wrapped present in his arms and sat down on the couch, placing the box in front of
me. I moved closer to examine the box when it suddenly moved on its own. I
immediately pulled myself back.
“Why is it moving?” I asked, looking at Darren who seemed perfectly pleased
with himself.
“Just open it,” he urged.
Just then, I heard a muffled little yelp come from the box. Was that a bark?
Gripping the lid of the box, I cautiously pulled it up and leaned forward to look
inside. My heart instantly swelled, and my eyes grew wide with unabashed
excitement and then immediate confusion.
“You got me a puppy?”
35
GUARD DOG
I had to admit Jaden’s tone of voice was not what I initially expected. I’d expected
immediate swoon and giddiness, but I should have learned never to expect the
expected with her. She was definitely excited, but she was so reserved now; she
never fully gave in to all her emotions unless it was anger and directed at me. It was
difficult for her to give into happiness and excitement, and I understood this, but …
come on! This was a fucking puppy! Girls were supposed to love puppies.
“You said you were lonely,” I answered. “I hope this is a satisfying
compromise.”
She looked back down at the puppy as it barked in the box, wanting out. It was a
purebred twelve-week-old female Rottweiler that I’d personally selected from the
breeder in Anchorage yesterday afternoon. It was the first pup that came up to me
while all of the siblings continued to play within a safe distance of the mother. But
this one was brave as it barked at me, and it immediately reminded me of Jaden.
Easy pick.
Jaden timidly reached into the box to lift the puppy and held her in her arms.
And there was the swoon I was looking for. I felt triumphant as Jaden finally
revealed the smile she had been concealing, and it made me want to kiss her until I
couldn’t feel my lips anymore.
“So this is my dog now?” Jaden asked, her eyes almost hopeful. “Like a pet?”
I nodded. “She is your responsibility to take care of, but yes. She is your dog.”
“It’s a girl?” she asked. Now, she was even more excited. I nodded. Jaden needed
more estrogen in her life, and the female dog would be easier to train anyway.
“How old?”
“Twelve weeks. Do you like her?”
Her mouth wanted to say no. She
