Double Trouble (The Sinful 7 of Delite, Texas 5)

“Get out of the truck and come with me. They won’t hurt you.”

She shook her head.

He released an annoyed sigh and Steven gave his brother a slight tap on his side.

“They won’t hurt you,” Steven told her.

“They will. They’re huge.”

“They’re big babies. I promise you that they will not hurt you. They listen to our orders and directions,” Mason stated firmly with his hands on his hips. He was staring at her like he was trying to read her mind.

“Like that’s supposed to make me feel better,” she stated sarcastically, and Mason appeared as if he were grinding his teeth.

“Sally, we wouldn’t sic them on you. Plus they wouldn’t hurt you anyway. They’re trained special. It’s what I do. I train dogs for SWAT, for the military to help run missions, and for therapy. Mine included.”

She wondered what he might need therapy for.

She swallowed hard. She couldn’t stop the shaking. God, she hated this feeling of fear, and she hated Mason thinking that she was such a wimp.

“Let’s go and you’ll see what we mean,” Mason stated firmly. He had very little patience with her right now.

“I was bitten badly by dogs.” She stared back out the window toward the dogs.

“What do you mean dogs? When?” Steven asked, and now Mason looked more angry, as if that were possible.

“Long story, but I am truly frightened of dogs. I have avoided them everywhere I’ve gone since moving to Delite. I don’t know if I can handle five around and as big as them. What are they anyway?”

Mason released a sigh and somehow appeared a little less aggravated.

“They’re Rottweilers. They come from Germany and I’ve been raising them and training them for about seven years now. Please come down from the cab and meet them. They’re our family and each of them has a special story of survival.”

That got her attention. She wondered what they had to survive from.

She could feel her teeth rattling as she slowly unfolded her legs and began to inch her way across the seat. A glance toward the window and the dogs watched her intently.

“Oh God, they’re watching me. They’re going to bite.”

Mason reached his hand out to her.

“They won’t bite you.” She reached the door, held on, and stepped on the side step of the SUV.

Mason reached for her.

“Trust Steven and me. We will never place you in harm’s way. That’s why we’re here, Sally. Remember that.”

She saw the intensity in his gaze and also in Steven’s as she looked at him.

Stepping down, she immediately sensed how small she was compared to both men. Standing between them as they made their way around the front of the SUV, she was sandwiched between them. Mason held her hand and Steven had his hands on her waist. His chest was very near her back, and she found herself leaning back to feel the heat of his body and the security his presence provided.

He was close to her.

She realized too late that she was gripping Steven’s arm that now wrapped around her waist. She used her other hand to grip Mason’s T-shirt by his waist.

“They will not hurt you, but they can sense how intimidated you are of them. They know you are fearful and they are very smart dogs. Be strong here.”

Mason reached back and gently pulled her hand from his shirt. Steven released her as Mason placed her in front of him.

“Zeus, come,” Mason commanded, and Sally tensed as one of the dogs slowly walked forward. He appeared as if she interested him very much.