TAMMY’S POVI sit down on the barstool next to Gideon. How could I pass up his offer to grab a drink after he helped me save Rain from the shelter?I make sure Rain is securely fastened to the open barstool next to me with a bowl of water that the bar staff didn’t mind pouring for him. He promptly falls asleep on the floor, exhausted after what he’d been through today.It’s pretty late but the last place I want to be right now is home. I’m not sure if Sean and Sue are back from their run to the hospital for her ‘bite’ and I definitely didn’t want Sean to see that I’d rescued Rain from the shelter. I order a cocktail as Gideon sips on his beer. “High-risk adoption, huh?” I ask, circling back to why he was at the shelter when I arrived there an hour ago.“Yeah, I was locating two wild lynxes that were being circulated through a trade syndicate. They ended up in that kill shelter. After we get them out of there and into our rehabilitation centre, we go after the sick fucks that put them
TAMMY’S POVHow the hell did Sean find me here at this pub with Gideon?“Sean, how did yo…?”Sean cuts me off, knowing exactly what I was about to ask, “I put a tracker in that new car I bought you.”“That’s a complete violation of privacy, Sean!” I bark at him.“It’s for your own safety, Tammy. For instance, this little encounter with your friend.” Sean says, sneering at Gideon.As shocked and upset as I am, I’m almost moved by his caring about my safety. To know he still cares lights a little flame inside of me. With the way Sean’s been acting recently, I don’t know how he feels about me anymore. Anger builds back up inside of me as I say, “Why don’t you go and make sure Sue is safe? That’s what your priority has been recently. I’m perfectly fine on my own.”Sean just shook his head at me and continued, pointing once again to Gideon standing next to me, bracing for the conflict, “And you call this fine, do you? Drinking with a complete stranger in a pub in the early hours of the mor
TAMMY’S POVThe drive to Gideon’s house with Gideon and Rain in the back seat was awkward. Probably just because I was overthinking everything. And after he helped me save Rain from the shelter, he was repaid with an uppercut to the jaw by my husband.He directs me all the way and eventually I stop at his driveway. “Thanks again, Gid. You can just grab his bed and food out of the trunk.” I say shyly.“No problem, Tammy.” he says, opening the back door and ushering himself and rain out onto the sidewalk. Before he closes the door, he leans in and says, “And, Tam? Good luck. With everything. I’ll take good care of your boy. See ya around.”The door slams closed, probably just because Gideon is too strong for his own good and didn’t know these damn car doors are so light. He grabs Rain's things from out the trunk and makes his way to his front door. I wait for them to step inside the house before I take a big sigh and head home.My heart feels heavy as I pull into the basement parking g
TAMMY’S POVI follow Sean out of the basement parking lot and into the elevator that leads to our penthouse apartment.He ignores me the whole ride up until the elevator stops and the metal doors slide open into the foyer. Sean walks left toward our room and I head straight for the kitchen, needing a long glass of water.As I enter the dimly lit kitchen, I see Sue leaning against the granite bar counter with her usual dirty martini in hand. Great, just when I thought this day had finally come to an end, I have to deal with her.Sue looks up at me from her drink. “Darling! I was oh so worried! I’ve been waiting up all night for you.” her expression sounding deliberately insincere. Or maybe it’s just that my bullshit meter has reached its maximum capacity. “I’m alive, don’t worry.” I say sarcastically as I skulk to the refrigerator and grab a bottle of water to take to my room. I start making my way to my room to avoid any further conversation but she has more to say.“Well, listen, I
TAMMY’S POVI’m so grateful to be back at work today. Even though last night felt like a triumph for me, I still enjoy getting out of the apartment, away from Sue and all the recent drama.I just discharged my first patient of the day, a ferret that needed her annual blood test. As I’m cleaning up the table in my exam room, my boss, Dr Genti, poked his head into the doorway.“Tammy, good to see you.” he holds out a piece of paper to hand it to me.“Are you signing up to the Exotics Workshop in Kenya this year? I’m going around the office getting everyone’s applications.”I remember the same month-long training opportunity was available to sign up for a year ago when I first started at Dr Genti’s veterinary clinic. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn medical and rehabilitation skills on exotic animals for veterinarians practicing on this side of the world, where the trade is booming and the demand for these skills is increasing.I didn’t apply last year. Back then, I couldn’t imagi
TAMMY’S POVI pull up to Gideon’s house, still pissed off at another failure of an evening with Sean. But right now, my mind is more focused on Rain and making sure he’s okay.I run up to the door and knock. Gideon opens almost immediately.“Tammy, hey, come in.” Gideon welcomes me inside and shows me to where Rain is lying on a big suede sofa, panting heavily, his eyes glazed over.“His temperature has shot up to a hundred-and-four degrees. I’ve been keeping track of his other symptoms and I think he’s contracted distemper from the kill shelter.” Gideon says.“Shit!” I say, bending down in front of the soft to rest a hand on Rain, let him know that I’m here and it’s going to be okay. I check a few more symptoms that Rain has been experiencing over the last twenty four hours and Gideon seems to be right about the diagnoses here. I’ve seen distemper in other rescued dogs and this is it. I have to act fast if I want to save Rain.“Gid, grab some cold water and a few towels. Pat him dow
TAMMY’S POVSean is shouting my name, louder and more aggressively than before I woke from my dream.I run to the window that looks out to the front lawn of Gideon’s house. I see Sean pacing on the lawn in the darkness beyond the porch lights. Suddenly I hear Gideon breathing behind me, peering through the same window, looking at Sean.“Jesus, Tammy, he’s insane.” he says, still groggy from also being shouted awake by Sean. “Don’t open the door.” I say softly, closing the curtain that we were peering through. I look at Gideon, standing shirtless in front of me and can’t help but run my eyes down the full length of his abdomen.Sean shouts my name again, even louder.“Shit! He’s going to wake up the entire neighborhood.” I say, thinking of a way to quickly calm the situation to avoid more embarrassment. All of a sudden, I hear a loud CRACK right at the window Gideon and I were peering out of. We both jump with a start and I look over to the sofa to see Rain’s head pop up at the loud
SEAN’S POVI pull away from Gideon’s house so fast that the wheels spin, leaving smoke in my car’s wake. I’ll have Tito buy me a fresh set of tires tomorrow.I should have pulled Tammy home, kicking and screaming, rather than leave her there with that idiotic brute, Gideon. Who the hell is he anyway? But when Sue called saying she urgently needs meds after getting some vaccine at the hospital because of Tammy’s mutt biting her, I knew I had to just leave that escalating situation at Gideon’s house and help Sue. Before stopping at the twenty-four-hour pharmacy, I grab a spare shirt out of my trunk (seeing as though I just left mine with Tammy). I grab painkillers, anti-nausea and some sleeping pills from the tired looking pharmacist before I finally head home. I make sure to give her the right doses and help Sue to bed. I make my way to my bedroom, slowly unbuttoning my shirt as I pass the empty King-sized bed on my way to the closet. Tammy’s not here and it makes my blood boil. Wh