Scum (Wrong Side of the Tracks 1) - Page 74
Shane’s profile was so handsome, with a strong brow line and a nose with a bump, but regardless of how difficult it would be to keep his hands to himself around him, Ros had a firm conviction to be a responsible adult. He nudged Shane with his elbow. “Will you show me around after breakfast?”
The tense features relaxed, and Shane squeezed Ros’s hand, though it lingered longer than it would have if it were just a friendly gesture.
He swallowed and downed his coffee before flashing Ros one of the handsome smiles that put hooks in his heart at the very start of their relationship. “Yeah. I’m free all day. If you need anything, we could go to the shopping too.”
Ros wanted nothing more than to spend all day with Shane, and all night under him. He missed his touch, missed the closeness, missed the kisses. Missed the time before finding out that Shane used to have a hidden agenda. But avoiding the truth wouldn’t have gotten him anywhere, so he took away his hand and continued to clear his plate.
The breakfast carried on as they chatted about the junkyard and gossiped about Dex’s new flame—a security officer whom Dex had gotten frisky with when caught shoplifting. Frank had a lot of bad things to say about the whole thing.
Once Ros was done washing the dishes, the guys equipped him with winter boots, a coat, gloves, and even a fur hat that was apparently lined with the fur of a rabbit Jag had hunted and skinned himself.
Cerberus started barking in excitement the moment they stepped out into the cold and the first snowflakes hit their faces.
“We’re coming, boy,” Shane said, gently taking hold of Ros’s shoulder and dragging him off the porch. The dog had spent the evening indoors but, according to Shane, was restless at night, which had prompted the construction of the pen at the back of the house in the first place.
“He must have been kept outside since he was small. Got used to it,” Shane theorized and opened the gate as the black beast stood on its hind legs, resting the front paws on the mesh fence surrounding its home. But once the pen opened, Cerberus spilled out like a wiggly croissant, twisting his body while his long tail wagged at record-breaking speed.
“There you are, boy! How are you?” Shane whispered, rubbing the dog’s side in long strokes.
Ros smiled and scooted next to Cerberus who remembered him very well despite Ros’s long absence “Yes, I know, you love going for walks!” Ros offered the dog a bit of plain pancake, which got Cerberus so excited he snorted with joy as he consumed the treat at record-breaking speed. Ros looked up at Shane. “Have you taught him any tricks yet?”
Shane smirked. “Of course. Look. Cer, down. And now roll,” he said, watching the dog flawlessly do as he was asked.
Ros laughed, and the dog let out a happy bark as if he were proud of being the reason for such glee. But as excited as Cerberus was about the new person in the pack, when Shane whistled, he instantly focused on his leader. And Ros followed Shane too, drawn by his powerful charisma.
“That’s so good! Do you remember how skinny he was just two months ago?” he asked, itching to slide his arm under Shane’s as if nothing had changed. As if they were still lovers.
“Yeah, he’s doing so good now, aren’t you, boy?” Shane hummed as Cerberus rolled into the fresh snow and showed them his pale belly. “I’d break every tooth of the fucker who left him to die.”
Ros smiled at him as they started walking farther from the house and its heat. The mounds of junk protected them from the worst of the wind, but the snow kept falling as they strode through the landscape of endless artistic possibility. But how was Ros to focus on giving new life to cans, springs, and discarded tyres when Shane was close enough to touch?
“Do you still want to train dogs for a living, like you told me?”
Shane exhaled, watching Cerberus climb a slope and push his long muzzle into an empty mini fridge dumped there. His brows pinched, but after a moment’s pause, he nodded and glanced at Ros. “Yeah. I like dogs. You always know what they’re thinking. They won’t plot against you, use you, or stab you in the back. You treat them right, and they will love you forever.”
Ros bit his lip and pulled the fur-lined hat down to protect his ears from the biting chill. “Did you have a boyfriend in prison?”
Shane’s pace changed, but before Ros could have slowed down to match it, Shane ran up to him, clearing his throat. “There’s no one else, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m just trying to work out… I guess, if you’ve ever been in love.”
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