8

There were times when Derek hated his job. Any time that he had to shower because he was so covered in blood the gloves and the white jacket were pretty much useless—and the life he’d fought for was lost anyway.

His whole body was sore. His eyes burned from the tears he’d barely contained. A dog he’d given first checkups, first shots, and backups. Neutered and watched grow for five years…gone. An open gate and the beagle, Popper, had taken a wild run around the block and gotten hit by a truck. The broken bones would have healed, Derek was confident of that, but the pain and the shock had been too much for the little dog. Hours of surgery and Popper’s heart couldn’t take any more.

The family had refused to let him put the dog down. They didn’t care about the cost—not that he’d had the heart to charge them for his failed attempts. He’d given them a price from the start that they could manage. And if they didn’t pay him at all… Well, he didn’t really care.

Gage would probably be pissed about his coming back so late, but Derek didn’t care about that either. He was housing and treating Matty for free.

If Gage doesn’t appreciate it, fuck him.

Opening his front door, Derek prepared himself for attitude at worst, cold indifference at best. But the house was quiet. Gage didn’t have the key, so he couldn’t have left. The door had been locked.

Boots off, Derek stepped into the living room. And the weight of one dog’s loss lifted, just a little, as he met Matty’s eyes. She stared at him, lifting her head from Gage’s chest where he slept on the floor. The young man was missing one sock, but other than that he was fully clothed, sprawled out on his back.

There was something protective about the way Matty lay beside Gage, so careful not to wake him. Derek couldn’t blame her. Gage had never looked so peaceful.

Moving silently through the house, Derek found a blanket and laid it over Gage and Matty. Matty wagged her tail and rested her head back on Gage’s chest. Derek still hadn’t gotten a hit on her tattoo, and looking at the sweet dog now, he hoped he wouldn’t. Maybe Gage would find a new apartment and keep her.

If not, Derek would keep her. And he wouldn’t pretend part of him didn’t expect Gage to visit.

He had enough experience with dogs to know when one claimed a human. And the young man sleeping in his living room had definitely been claimed.