Page 63 of Scarred Ruin

“I do and you’re welcome. She deserves to have anything she wants.”

“I’m surprised a woman of your virtue could lie so easily.”

She folded her arms, heading toward where the woman had gone. Just before moving out of earshot, she threw her head over her shoulder. “You’d be surprised at the number of skills I have hiding in plain sight.”

No, I would not. A black belt and a consummate liar. I couldn’t wait to uncover her other hidden talents.

I remained where I was until my dick decided to behave. When I found the group, all I could do was sigh.

There was no doubt Shadow belonged to Mina. As soon as the all-black puppy was in my daughter’s arms, wiggling up a storm, I knew there was no leaving the facility without him.

It would seem my guardian angel wasn’t yet finished with her duties.

* * *

“I was certain you were going to put a choke hold on Carrie.”

Isabel’s voice was full of both amusement and ire, the latter more substantial. “Carrie?”

“The woman at the shelter.”

“She was irritating.”

“Everything irritates you from what I’ve seen.” She moved to the side of the basket where Shadow was attempting to escape. He had his front paws on the plastic edge, his entire backside wiggling. “You are so adorable.”

Mina rushed toward us, her arms full of dog toys. She didn’t ask, just dropped them into the basket. “Mina. Vy ne mozhete vykupit’ ves’ magazin.”

“Isabel said I could.” My daughter ran down the aisle away from me before I could stop her.

“What did you say to her?”

I shook my head before answering the sly woman. She’d made the suggestion to stop at the pet store. Granted, we needed a few things, but soon there’d be no room for the puppy in the cart. “I told her she wasn’t supposed to buy the entire store.”

“Oh,” Isabel said, biting her lower lip. “Yes, I did tell her that.”

When I turned my head slowly toward her, she shrugged while a wash of blushing pink dotted her cheeks. My desire came roaring to the surface much like before.

“Don’t worry. I’ll pull out my credit card if you’re that incensed.”

She was even more defiant. As if our intimacy had offered her a place no one else had been given. “That won’t be necessary.”

“You should be smiling. You’ve doing a wonderful thing, not only for your daughter but for Shadow. As if the little family was meant to be together. Now, push.” She pointed toward the cart, her eyebrows lifting.

“Had I known you were this pushy, I wouldn’t have invited you.”

“You didn’t. Your daughter did.” We walked down the aisle in silence. “Can you believe someone set this amazing, sweet puppy on fire?”

“I can believe anything.”

“He’ll bear the scars of monsters for life.” She caught herself, immediately stopping short and taking a deep breath.

“You don’t need to feel embarrassed by what you said, Isabel. I’m also scarred for life for the very same reason. The only difference is that I deserved it.”

She turned and in an unexpected reaction, she moved closer instead of pulling away as everyone else did. At that point, she looked directly at my face, holding the stare before allowing her gaze to fall down the length of my arm. “No, Maxsim. You didn’t deserve what you suffered. However, as with Shadow, your scars don’t define you. They only enhance your beauty.”

There was no time for me to respond before Mina appeared again, but that didn’t halt the moment shared between us.

“That’s Fred.”