8. Reghan
8
REGHAN
Ava held a treat in her hand and raised it, telling the puppy without words to sit, which she readily did. Ava beamed, then set the treat on the floor, not releasing Morgan from her sit yet. The puppy’s eyes were intent on that treat, waiting for the command to devour it.
“Okay,” Ava said.
Morgan sprang forward to get the treat then sat again, hoping for more.
“You’re doing great,” I told Ava.
She’d come a long way from the girl she was when she first arrived here. Losing her mom was hard on her. Hell, if I lost my mom, I’d be a mess. Ava was still a child. She’d been through a lot and was still going strong. She behaved in school. Vail never got calls about her getting into trouble.
I still noticed, occasionally, how the three of them struggled with her. They were raising a preteen. Ava was only twelve. Anyone would find it difficult. Not that I knew from personal experience.
“Can we take her for a walk?” she asked.
Looking out the window, I saw the sun was still up. I quickly pulled out my phone to check the temperature. Not awful. “Let me ask the boss or see if there’s someone else around?—”
“You can go,” Jordan said, exiting his office. “Ollie’s on his way up with Vail.”
I nodded. Jordan always had a guard who could step in. “Are you sure you don’t want to go with Vail?” I asked Ava.
She tilted her head as she stared at me. “Why wouldn’t I want to go with you? You’re here all the time. You’re family.” She went to the hooks on the wall where all the leashes were stored. Having four dogs in one home was a lot for anyone. Irene, Jordan’s housekeeper, made sure everything had a place.
My heart warmed at Ava calling me family. I hadn’t referred to anyone that way except my blood relatives. Ava had no direct family she spoke to. Those of us who worked for Jordan were around her as much as family would be.
“I’ll need to stop by my apartment and get my coat,” I told her.
The elevator doors opened before I could press the button, and Vail and Oleander were inside.
“Where are you two off to?” Vail asked. There wasn’t a kinder man in the building. To know what he’d been through, who hurt him, if Jordan wouldn’t have killed Vail’s ex, there was a line of us who would have waited for the honor.
“Reghan’s coming with me while I walk Morgan.”
Vail smiled. “Make sure you wear a coat. It’s chilly out.”
Ava lifted it where she had the fabric of the collar bunched in her hand. “I know.”
Vail just chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder on the way past. “Have fun,” he whispered.
Ava and I got in the elevator along with Morgan, who was now on her leash. The puppy had a habit of nibbling on it when it was in front of her face. Ava was good about correcting the behavior when she did it.
We only went down a floor to my place so I could run in and grab my coat. When I came back out, Ava still didn’t have hers on.
“We can’t go outside until you’re ready,” I said.
She huffed out a breath but complied and put it on. I wouldn’t be responsible for her being cold. Jordan would have my head.
On the ground level, I went to turn left, and she went right.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“I want to walk out there this time.” She pointed to the busy street that ran in front of the building. The one where anyone could see her and have a gun. No, there hadn’t been threats against Jordan or his family recently, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
“You don’t go that way with Julia.” She was off for the day, or she’d be the one walking with Ava.
“I do sometimes.”
“No, you don’t. Don't lie to me. Either follow me or get back in the elevator. You know the rules.”
If she would have been capable of it, she would have breathed fire. “This isn’t fair. Everyone else gets to walk wherever they want, but I’m treated like a baby.” Why did I have to deal with this? I wasn’t good with kids.
I inhaled a long, slow breath and let it out before responding, “I told you. There are two choices. It’s up to you which you choose.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she ended up walking toward the rear of the building where there wasn’t anyone who didn’t work for Jordan. The road that ran along it was much quieter. No one drove back here unless that was where they were supposed to be.
Ava stomped down the street, her hand gripping Morgan’s leash tightly in anger. She wasn’t watching where she was going, although I was. And I was giving her ten seconds before she ran headfirst into another person who was also walking a dog.
“Whoa,” Dash said.
Ava let out a little squeak and froze, her head tipping back to look up at Dash. He was the rock god drummer for Ruined & Relinquished, and Ava loved the band.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Dash asked. He was walking Romeo’s dog, Latte. She was a beautiful white ball of fluff. One of the happiest dogs ever. Her tongue was out, and her tail wagged. The Samoyed was itching for a chance to get attention from Ava and the puppy.
“I… uh… I was just… walking Morgan,” Ava said, partially stumbling over her words, starstruck at seeing Dash. It wasn’t the first time she’d met him, but he still had an effect on her.
“Romeo told me Jordy gave you a puppy. She’s very cute. Can I say hi to her?” Romeo was one of Dash’s partners and a dancer at Untouchable. It never failed to make me hold in a laugh when Dash referred to Jordan as Jordy. He did it to drive Jordan crazy. It had the desired effect.
“Of course.” At least Ava wasn’t angry anymore.
“Latte, sit.” Latte still stood, wagging her tail. “Sit.” That time she did, though I could tell she was ready to leap forward.
Dash took a few steps and crouched, his hand still on Latte’s leash. Morgan walked to him, her tail going wild while Dash gave her attention. “Let’s switch. You take Latte and give her kisses, and I’ll love up on Morgan.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.” He handed her the leash and took Morgan's.
Latte was beside herself having another person around. Whenever Romeo visited, which was rare since no one was supposed to know about his connection to Jordan, he didn’t have Latte with him. But Latte knew Jordan well. Jordan visited Romeo often in Romeo's home, when they were here. The band was currently touring with breaks in between. When Dash was gone, so were Romeo and Tristan, Dash’s other partner. Jordan had watched Latte once when they were on tour. Now they had another place to take her when they were gone.
Dash scooped Morgan up in his arms and stood, holding the puppy toward me. “How can you resist this face? Look how sweet she is.”
“Dash,” I said in greeting.
“You’re not a man of many words, are you?”
“Depends on who I’m talking to.”
“And who you’re with.” He wasn’t wrong. When I was protecting Jordan, I stayed quiet for the most part. “Morgan should come over for playdates once we’re home for a while.”
“Seriously?” Ava asked.
“We’ll let Jordy know when we’re home and we can set something up.” If anyone asked Ava about her connection to the band, she always said it was due to Vail knowing them. While that was true, it also had to do with Jordan’s family-type relationship with Romeo, which was a long story for another day.
“Wow,” Ava whispered. “I still can’t believe I know you.”
“I can’t believe I know you.”
Ava laughed. I’d take this version of her over the angry one any day. “Do you want to walk with us? Reghan won’t let me go on the other side of the building.”
Without missing a beat, Dash said, “I get it. Why do you think I’m walking Latte back here?”
“You live on the same block?”
“Only part time. But it’s also because I enjoy doing things without people recognizing me and wanting photos. How about we stay back here where no one will see us, or less people will anyway?” He tugged on his baseball cap, bringing it down over his forehead more.
“Okay,” she replied, no longer hesitant.
Dash shot me a wink then the three of us were on our way down the street.
We walked a few blocks, even going behind Hartley’s studio, where he was busy working. Ava said she didn’t want to bother him. He was working on multiple projects and had been coming home late, causing Jordan to grumble and growl more. He’d also tried to hire additional employees for Hartley, so he’d have help. Hartley wouldn’t hear of it, saying he could hire his own staff.
It was interesting to listen to their conversations. I’d never repeat them, but damn, some of the stuff I heard, the arguments, it was a lot.
“What’s your favorite day of the week?” Dash asked Ava. He was a good guy, always happy, always ready to lift the mood.
“Saturday. I can sleep in, and I don’t have to go to school.”
“That’s a good one. I’m partial to Mondays. It’s weird, I know, but hear me out. My schedule isn’t the same as most people’s. I work when the moment strikes or when the recording studio needs us there, when the tour is going on, and I have to be on a bus or a plane. Everything I do is on a strict schedule. Mondays are usually lighter though. After a busy weekend of playing, we travel, or we rest. It’s nice not having to always be on. Mondays are a fresh start. A new beginning to every week where I can leave the previous one behind and focus on what’s to come.”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“You will now.” He grinned. “Besides, it’s not fair that Monday gets all the hate. It’s just hanging out, trying to get it done, and everyone gives it shit. Poor Monday.”
“It’s still a school day.”
“Yeah, there is that, but it’s not forever. You won’t be in school for the rest of your life. Plus, there’s always summer.”
Ava stopped so Morgan could go to the bathroom. She was good about picking up after her. Vail had explicitly told every guard in the building no one is to take care of the dog unless Ava isn’t physically able to or isn’t home. She’s responsible for her dog.
Luckily, there was a dumpster up ahead that she threw the bag into when she got there.
“What’s your favorite time?” Dash asked.
“Time?”
“Yeah. I love it when it’s noon, then I know it’s lunchtime. Not first thing in the morning when I’m still tired, or late in the day, or very early the next morning when I’m winding down. Noon is the happy middle point.”
“I guess if I had to pick, nine at night, maybe? By then I’m in my room and can message my friends. We play games together and talk.”
“That sounds nice. It’s how you relax. School isn’t easy. I don’t miss it one bit, but you have to go. You never know where you’ll end up in the future. It’s good to have an education.”
“I know. Vail tells me all the time and reminds me how important my grades are.”
“Then I don’t need to.” He winked.
Ava gaped like he just bestowed something amazing on her.
“How about your favorite flower?”
Dash kept asking her questions while I scanned the area. My lips quirked up every now and then from the questions he asked her. By the time we got back to the building, Ava was in a much better mood. Upstairs, she couldn’t wait to tell Vail and Jordan about seeing Dash and Latte during our walk.
“He called you Jordy,” Ava said. “I’ve never heard anyone call you that before.”
I swore I could hear Jordan grinding his teeth.
Vail laughed. “And you won’t. That’s just between Dash and Jordan.”