“Then go ahead.”
Stump held the dog closer to the water bowl for Hannibal to drink. He had fed and watered the dog before he’d taken off, but he still felt guilty when he finished the water and she had to pour more into the bowl.
Recognizing the car turning down the street, he waved as it approached. When Max pulled alongside him, he got off his bike, then put Hannibal in the back seat.
“Do not let him out of the car until I get there,” he warned Max. “I’m right behind you.”
“I wasn’t going to. Shut the fucking door before he takes off again.”
Max gave him an irritated glance when Hannibal started whining.
Stump closed the door, going to his bike as Max drove away.
“Hannibal likes riding in the front seat.”
At her observation, Stump looked to where she stood on the sidewalk. “When he learns to drive, he can sit wherever he wants to. Until then, he’ll sit wherever the fuck I put him.”
Ignoring her furious glare, he got on his bike and started it. Twisting the throttle, he let out a rev bomb so he wouldn’t be able to hear the words coming out of her mouth.
Smirking, he drove away, leaving her behind, unconcerned about what she was saying. When he got back to the clubhouse, he was going to fix it so that Zoey and Grace knew without a shadow of a doubt who Hannibal belonged to.
8
Mom,
Please call! Please! I don’t want to stay with Dad anymore! He made me leave Bandit behind with Macy. I hate her. She’ll be mean to Bandit. If you won’t come and get me, will you please call Dad and make him give Bandit back to me? He’s my best friend, and he doesn’t like to asleep alone. If you get him back for me, I promise I’ll stop asking you to call and come for a visit. He’s a good dog and gives me lots of kisses, and he will be missing me as much as I miss him. Please, Mommy. I want him back. He’s my best friend. Please, Mom.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo
Love,
Zoey
Seeing the door open, Zoey went into Penni’s office. Grace was sitting behind the computer, looking up when she saw her come inside.
“Penni in?”
Grace nodded. “She’s in her office, talking to Ice. Can I help you with something?”
“No, I was just going to have a quick chat with her. I’ll catch her later. How are you doing today?”
“I’m doing great. You want to get lunch this afternoon?”
“I wish I could, but I have too many appointments to take lunch today.”
“I could pick something up for you if you want?”
“No thanks. I had a big breakfast, so I’m good until dinner.”
“Let me know if you change your mind.”
“I will. Thanks, Grace.”
Her first two appointments went smoothly. She began to get hungry for lunch as she took notes while her third appointment talked about his job.
“Should I take the promotion?”
“That’s a question only you can answer. Moving into a higher position wasn’t one of the goals you set and—”
The blaring of the fire alarm had her and Marc rising to their feet.
“The fire escape is outside my door.”
Going into the hallway, Marc turned toward the stairway, holding the door open for her.
“You go ahead. I want to make sure Penni and Grace left.”
“I’ll wait.”
Marc’s frightened face had her shaking her head at him. “No, you go ahead. I won’t be but a moment.”
She didn’t have to tell him again; he rushed out the door.
Zoey heard the sounds of feet and excited voices in the stairwell as the door closed behind him.
Knocking on Penni’s door, she then tried the doorknob. Relieved that the women must be out for lunch, she ran toward the stairwell, slowing down when she reached the now empty steps so she wouldn’t fall down.
Her gaze focused on the steps, she had gone down two flights when she felt a hard shove against her back as she passed a stairway door.
Feeling herself tumbling down the steps, she unconsciously screamed. Her body hit the steps, landing awkwardly on the landing between the two floors. Whimpering at the pain in her knee, she rose onto one forearm to stare up at the landing from where she had fallen. Thinking that she had been knocked down the steps by someone fleeing the fire, she was stunned to see no one was there and no one had gone past her.
Reaching for the handrail, she pulled herself to her feet. Then, forcing the wrenching pain aside, she hobbled down the steps, keeping a firm grip on the handrail.
As she passed the next floor’s door, she kept her eyes on it, making sure no one came at her a second time.
Counting the landings off one by one, she was grateful when she reached the door to the outside.
Shoving the metal bar to open the door, she pushed it twice before she realized it was locked. The fire alarm still going off spurred her into action.