Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“Darlin’, we need to talk. We gotta protect the boys,” Ty repeated softly.
“We don’t have to. I do. We’re not together anymore, Ty. It’s not your problem.”
Ty’s face grew concerned and he took a step toward me, which set off Max. The dog moved like lightning, striking quickly. He jumped in front of me and snapped his powerful jaws at Ty, who managed to avoid his teeth. In self-defense, Ty caught Max by the nape of his neck and flung him to the side then tried to move in front of me to protect me from Max. Max turned for a repeat performance, so I reached out and grabbed him by his collar, pulling him back so he wouldn’t be hurt. But I wasn’t quick enough to stop Logan. He lunged the moment Ty tried to step in front of me, and just like with Jake he had Ty pinned to the ground in a move executed so smoothly, it was almost a dance.
Ty struggled to get to his feet, but Logan had his arms behind his back, his knee pinning him in place, making it impossible for him to get up.
“Please stop!” I shouted at both men while I struggled to maintain control of Max.
Logan’s hyperalert eyes darted to me at my outburst. He studied me a moment, then he let go of Ty, commanded Max to stand down, and stepped back in front of me. Max continued to growl at Ty with his ears pinned back, his body lower to the ground in an attack position. The expression on his face mimicked his owner’s. He was alert, ready for anything. If he decided to attack Ty, I didn’t think I could control him.
“Go back to work, Ty. I’m fine, as you can see.”
Ty moved slowly as he rose from the floor. When he was fully erect, he spit blood from his mouth onto Logan’s boot. I held my breath, expecting another confrontation, but Logan didn’t move. He was in what looked like a defensive position. One leg back, his body turned at an angle, his muscles coiled, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
Ty glared at Logan long and hard, then glanced at Max with equal disdain before looking back at me with soft eyes. “We need to talk.”
“No. As you can see I don’t need protecting from you or anyone else. Just go before this gets out of hand.”
I expected him to argue, but Ty gawked at me as if I were nuts. After a moment, he looked at Logan and assessed him. I held my breath as they stared hard at each other; sized the other up like two boxers, and didn’t let it out until Ty seemed to come to some sort of decision.
“I can see your busy. We’ll talk later.” He nodded once, then without waiting for a reply from me, pivoted on his heel, and marched out the door without another word.
When Logan turned back to look at me after Ty had left, he winked one of his arctic blue eyes at me. Considering everything that had happened it was the last response I expected from him, but I responded to it nonetheless. I’d had two meltdowns in an hour, I still had to find a way to borrow a gazillion dollars, and yet that wink . . . It made my stomach flip so hard my knees grew weak and my mind blanked.
So I did the only sane thing I could at that moment. “Um . . . Do you want a job?”
_____________
Logan watched as color flooded Skylar’s cheeks while she waited for his answer. The difference in her demeanor was night and day from when he’d first entered the bar. Instead of being panicked and overwhelmed with everything being thrown at her, she’d shored up her backbone and was standing on firmer footing. And all of it, the vulnerable along with the steel, was a turn-on.
He’d known instinctively what had happened when Jamie cried out for help and explained Skylar’s rapid breathing and pale color. Fortunately, he’d known exactly who could break the iron fist panic held Skylar in. Max had been trained to comfort soldiers on and off the battlefield. Logan had seen the shepherd in action before hitting the road to clear his head. They’d visited some of his unit in the hospital, and it had been like watching a magician perform a trick, the way Max brought a panic attack under control.
And he was still working his magic.
Skylar hadn’t let go of Max since Ty had left the bar. Without conscious thought, she kept caressing his head as he leaned against her leg. Dogs could sense all types of medical disorders, including panic attacks, so the fact Max was crowding her meant he still sensed she was nervous about something.