Dark Destiny by Avelyn Paige

Delilah

“She looks like a drowned rat.”I look down at Penelope in the small basin I had brought with me to groom her. None of the other dogs in the program require the extensive grooming she does, which is why I normally use those dogs in the program. But with Penelope, I had to switch things up a bit. It took a little convincing, but Jessica finally relented in letting me give StoneFace a one-on-one lesson under the watchful eyes of two guards. She’s set us up in a rec room instead of in the kennels.

I had to stifle a laugh as I watched him wrestle with her to keep her in the tub. Between jumping in and out, and shaking water all over him, she’s having just as much fun as I am watching the show. Who’d have thought such a tiny little creature could frustrate such a big man?

“Stay in the damn tub,” he orders when she hops out again. Running around the room in a wide circle, she shakes off the water every step of the way, her feet sliding all over the floor. When she comes close to him, he snatches her up and tosses her back into the soapy water. Her fur is plastered to her tiny little body as she shivers, staring up at him like he’s a traitor for keeping this up. He gives her one last rinse before pulling her from the tub and wrapping her body in the fluffy tie-dye towel I’d brought with me.

“Explain to me why the fuck I have to do this?”

“Her breed requires regular grooming. If her hair gets too long, it’ll mat. Let that go too long, she’ll have to be shaved.”

“So she’s high-maintenance?” he quips jokingly. “Just like all females.”

“Oh, it’s not just baths, big guy. She needs to be brushed daily.”

“Next thing you’re going to tell me is that she needs bows.”

Stifling my laughter, I reach into my pocket and pull out two sets. “Hot pink or purple?”

“Ah, hell no,” he groans. “I draw the line at bows. Not doing that shit.” He tries to puff out his chest, but it only makes me want to poke the bear more.

“Big guy like you afraid of bows? That’s a first.”

“I’m not afraid of shit,” he growls, narrowing his eyes. Penelope wiggles in his arms, and he lowers her down to the floor between us, setting her free of the towel. Her wet fur, though starting to dry, resembles a bad morning of bed hair.

“Except for bows on a teacup size dog.”

“If you haven’t noticed, this is a jail, not some high-end fashion mall, Flower Child. I have a reputation to uphold.”

He has to be joking, right? Other than Buddy, he’s the biggest guy I’ve seen here. I don’t think two little bows on a froufrou dog is going to hurt him in any way. Except for maybe bruising his ego.

“You know, jail makes so much more sense. I just thought you all liked wearing matching outfits and playing with handcuffs like some kinky school girl fetish sex club.” His mouth drops before he lets out a hearty laugh. It makes me smile more than it should. “So you do know how to laugh.”

He falls silent, but his lips twitch when he says, “Don’t get used to it.”

“Is that why you want to be called StoneFace?”

StoneFace rolls his eyes at me and crosses his arms over his expansive muscular chest. Large veins pop at his biceps, and I have to divert my eyes from them to keep from staring. The water from Penelope’s escapes have soaked his shirt, highlighting every bulging ripple of his chest under his white cotton T-shirt. Whatever he did before being locked up, apparently a healthy gym routine was a part of it, and it’s distracting the fuck out of me. Abort. Look away. He instantly takes notice. Shit. Too late.

“Like what you see, Flower Child?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I reply. The room feels like it’s gone up several degrees as heat pools between my legs. Rule four. Rule four. Rule four. Don’t fall in love with an inmate.

He inches closer to me, but the guards clear their throats in a warning. He lowers his voice to a deep whisper. “You look a little flushed.”

“I do not.”

“Lying’s not your strong suit, Flower Child.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“Because I can.”

“I wish you wouldn’t.”

“Too bad.” Pivoting away from me, he leans down and picks up the water basin. With him, it’s like trying to talk to a moody teenager. He’s figured out how to press my buttons, and he keeps smashing away at them for sport.

“Wow. All show and no go, big guy.”

Shaking his head, he passes by me with the tub full of water, pretending to stumble and splashing it all over me before I can move out of the way. “Oops.” Soaking through my T-shirt, it drips down my jeans and into my socks.

He laughs. “My kind of show, Flower Child.”

I glare at him, but the guards rush over and push him away from me, barking at him to step back and drop the basin onto the ground.

“You okay, Miss Walker?”

I try to wave them off. “I’m fine, guys. It was an accident.”

StoneFace huffs loud enough for all of us to hear. The guard takes a long look at him before turning back to me. “I think we’re done here.”

“We were just starting to have some fun, fellas.”

“Get your animal,” the larger guard orders.

StoneFace whistles, and Penelope comes running, stopping next to his feet. “Good girl. You come when you’re told.” The way he says it sends goose bumps up and down my arms.

He’s talking to the dog. Stop making out that every little thing the man says is him flirting, because he’s not flirting with me. He’s an inmate. End of story. Walk away before you fall too far down the rabbit hole.

“Hang on,” I tell the guard before turning to our makeshift wash station. Grabbing her collar, leash, and brush, as well as the bows, I hand them all to him under the watchful eyes of the guards.

“Don’t forget to brush her.” His hand brushes against mine, and a charge of electricity zings down my spine at his touch. Winking, he pulls away. “And the bows.”

“No bows,” he declares as the guard shoves him toward the door.

I watch him walk out the door before I allow myself to relax from the runaway train wreck that’s coming my way if I don’t pump the brakes, and fast. Whatever happened today with StoneFace ends now. I just wish my head agreed with the rest of my body.