“I don’t want it,” Clara said.
“I know!” Glo wailed. “And Lizzy already has a kitty. I’m so screwed. I don’t know what to do.”
“Just give it back to the rescue people,” Clara said.
Glo buttoned her smock. “I tried that. They said possession was nine-tenths of the law, and they wouldn’t take it back. I guess some of these animals have behavioral problems.”
“And you agreed to take on a pet with behavioral problems?”
“Did I mention how cute the guy was? And that he drove a Corvette?”
Clara and I exchanged glances.
“Where’s the problem child now?” Clara asked.
“In my car,” Glo said.
I had a vision of some poor, scared kitten locked up in Glo’s car all day.
“You can’t leave it in your car,” I told her. “I suppose I could see if it gets along with Cat 7143.”
Glo’s eyes opened wide. “Omigosh, that would be so awesome. That would be amazing!”
Glo ran out the door, and a moment later, she returned with a monkey on a leash.
“That’s a monkey,” I said to her.
“Yeah.”
“I thought you got something from animal rescue.”
“Actually, it was Monkey Rescue.”
“I don’t want a monkey,” I told her. “I’m not a monkey person.”
The monkey did a gruesome monkey smile, its lips pulled back to reveal a mouthful of monkey teeth, his monkey eyes overly big and bright, as if he was trying hard to look happy but was completely insane.
“Look how cute he is,” Glo said. “And he likes you. He’s smiling.”
I thought he looked like he was planning to chop me up into little pieces and stuff me into the blender.
“I have to open the bakery,” Clara said. “You guys are going to have to work something out with the monkey. He can’t stay here.” Her attention moved to the back door and her mouth dropped open. “Holy cow,” she said.
It was Wulf. He was standing in the doorway, his dark eyes fixed on me. He was wearing a black leather jacket, black slacks, black boots, and his glossy black hair was tied back at the nape of his neck. I felt a chill run through me, and I went breathless at the sight of him. He was terrifyingly compelling.
“I believe you have something that belongs to me,” Wulf said.
I opened my mouth to deny it, but it took a while for sound to come out. “N-n-no,” I finally said.
Wulf moved toward me. “We’ll see.”
I scrambled to the other side of the workstation, putting the island between us. “I swear I haven’t got anything.”
“Stay away from her,” Glo said. “Or else.”
Wulf’s focus never wavered. His eyes were fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.
“Come here,” he said. “Trust me, you don’t want to make me angry.”