Chapter 9 Halo #2
That comment almost knocks me on my ass. So casual but she hit it right on the head. So deep in my own thoughts it takes her poking my arm to catch my attention.
“What’s Bowie’s buddy’s name?”
It takes me a moment to get my brain working again before I’m able to answer.
“Sorry, brain-freeze, nope, fart moment. His name is Moose and, warning you, he is one for damn sure.”
We all smile at my comment while Dani hangs on to Bowie’s leash while talking with Heartbreaker. Dottie moves closer to me without touching me.
“You okay? Was today a rough one or just doing too much? Remember, got to have downtime or else you’ll burn yourself out, Benji.”
“Dottie, are you talking from experience? And yeah, you’re right of course, but lots going on at the sanctuary.
The only way I can show my appreciation for all they are doing for me is to work hard on whatever they tell me to.
Though since you brought it up, when I have some downtime, how about we hang out?
No, wait a minute. Shit, that came out wrong.
I know you’re not one of the guys. I meant, we can go into town and grab another meal together or maybe go hiking, if you like that.
As you can see, I’m about as smooth as a horny teenage boy.
Why I said that, don’t know, ’cause I’m not excited.
Well, I am, but fuck me, I’m totally screwing this up.
Bottom line is, I like you, Dottie, and really want to spend time together so we can get to know each other. If that’s something you’d like too.”
I wait impatiently as she stares at me, her mouth slightly open, though I can barely see her breathing.
She gets a bit closer, a sexy as fuck smile on her face, while this time her one hand slowly moves to my face to caress my cheek.
I lean into her hand and close my eyes. Can’t remember the last time someone touched me with kindness and gentleness.
“Honestly, and this is hard for me, I’d love to hang out and get to know you better. That in itself will take some time as I know how closed up I am, and you are three times worse than me. But it’s a start, right, Benji?”
Then to my shock, she stands on her tippy-toes and presses a very innocent kiss to my cheek before she grabs my hand, taking me with her to talk to her two sisters.
Bowie looks to Dani, who gives him the okay, and the beast runs to me, literally knocking me on my ass, right to the ground.
As I half sit and lie in the grass, Bowie gives me doggie kisses all over my face as the three women giggle.
We’re having a blast until I get that strange feeling again of being watched.
When I glance at Dottie, her eyes are shifting across all the land in front and to the side of us.
When she meets my gaze, she shifts her shoulders up then down, which tells me she can feel it too.
Then Bowie runs back to Dani, immediately sitting down then alerting next to her by letting out two short barks.
That tells me everything I need to know.
“Everyone, get in the cabin now. Heartbreaker, call Spirit and Shadow. Tell them we are about to have a fucking situation. Move now, something ain’t right. See, even Bowie can feel it.”
Before I even finish my last word, I hear it plain as day.
A gunshot echoes through the valley. My eyes immediately search out Dottie, who is herding the other two women to their home, along with Bowie.
That’s when I feel a sharp sting on my outer left thigh, so I look down to see blood on my pant leg.
Fuck, I’m the one who was shot. Stumbling, I make my way to the cabin but another shot sounds off and the same sting is on the outside of the other thigh.
Well, whoever is shooting is consistent, and a goddamn good shot to boot.
Probably an ex-sniper I’m thinking. Before I can fall directly on my face, someone is under my arm, holding me up.
Looking down and to the left, of course, I see Dottie almost dragging me with her up the few stairs and through the doorway, which Heartbreaker slams once we're in.
Not a few seconds later you can hear the pinging of bullets hitting the stairs and outside walls. I look to Dottie, who shrugs.
“When these cabins were built, it was after a few close calls for our club. Between the outer and inner walls is extremely thick metal, encased in very thick, dense wood, which makes it a bit harder to shoot through. Or so we’ve been told, but it seems to be holding up.
Let’s put the shutters over the windows to keep any view from them and protect ourselves. ”
The three women move like this is something they’ve done before, so I move to the wooden rocker off in the corner.
I gingerly sit and feel the burn from torn skin.
Not my first rodeo, that’s for sure. Not sure what’s going on, but we are gonna need to put our heads together before someone else is seriously hurt.
Looking down, it might be too late for that as I watch the blood stains getting larger on my cargos.