Chapter 5

"So what do you say? Do you want to adopt Capone?" I ask, ignoring whatever the hell it was that just happened.

His brow that was furrowed after I stepped out of his embrace smooths out and he smiles. "I'll take him," he says, looking at Capone then me.

"Really?" I whisper as my heart flutters in my chest.

"I still need a guard dog, but I'll take him too."

"Why do you need a guard dog?"

"I have a shop, and around back, there's a lot with cars. The last couple weeks, someone's jumped the fence and broken into cars, stealing stereos or other parts out of them."

"You can't leave a dog outside." I frown at him.

"Didn't say I was going to. You can even come check it out for yourself."

"That won't be necessary," I mutter as he smirks.

"So do you have another dog? One that is actually dangerous?" he asks, and I frown.

"Dogs are not dangerous. Stupid dog owners are dangerous."

"Okay…do you have a dog that's protective?" He shakes his head, and I let out a breath then lead him to the back of the shelter, where Max is kept. Max was the only dog from the fighting ring that I was able to save. He is blind out of one eye and mean, but I love him and just couldn't bring myself to put him to sleep.

"This is Max." I crouch down in front of Max's cage and press my hand through the bars, rubbing his dark head.

"What happened to him?" Wanda asks, crouching down next to me. I expect Max to growl, but he just looks at Wanda then me. Wanda slowly presses a finger through the cage, and Max starts licking him, making my heart feel lighter. I hate that Max is here and stuck in a kennel all the time.

"He was here one morning when I got into work. He was almost dead, his eye was missing, and he couldn't walk. I realized then that he had been fought and obviously lost."

"Normally when dogs are fought, they kill them for losing," he tells me, something that causes tears to pool in my eyes.

"I know," I whisper, petting Max's head. "He was the first to be brought to me, but every few days, I get to work and there's another. Max is the only one I have been able to save.

"What the fuck?"

"I don't know." I stand up, walk over to one of the visiting rooms, and open the door. "Wait in here. I'll bring Max in so we can make sure you guys get along," I tell him. I wait until he's in the room then shut the door and get Max, taking him into the room with me.

"Hey, bud," Wanda mutters, petting Max's head when he comes to sit in front of him.

I watch them for a few minutes, and then ask, "Do you want to see how he and Capone get along, or were you just saying you wanted them both in order to earn brownie points?"

His head tilts back to look at me. "Go get Capone, babe. I need to make sure my boys are cool," he mutters.

"Be right back," I mumble and head out of the room.

In front of Capone's kennel, I jump up and down, shaking out my hands. He watches silently, while the rest of the dogs go crazy. I make sure Capone is on his leash as I lead him into the room, where he meets Wanda and Max. Max sits nicely, while Capone sniffs around before jumping up to sit on Wanda' lap.

"You guys look good together." I smile at the image, reach into my back pocket, and grab my phone. I slide up the camera, taking a picture before I can think better of it. My head bends and I look at the photo, not quiet sure what the feeling in my stomach means.

"You wanna have dinner with me?"

My head flies up and my gaze collides with his. I have read a lot, and I do mean a lot of biker books, and not once has a biker taken a girl out to dinner. "Um…" I whisper.

"I know a great Mexican spot."

"Mexican?" I repeat.

"Or if you want something else…" He shrugs.

"I like Mexican." I clear my throat and look at Max and Capone.

"Tonight?"

I look at him again, and he has one hand on Capone and the other on Max, two guys I believed would be forced to live out the rest of their lives in cages. He's saving them, so that tells me a lot more than knowing him for weeks could.

"Okay," I agree, then move away from the bench when he stands. "Let's get you guys out of here."

It doesn't take long to fill out the necessary paperwork, and when it's done, I help him get both boys into his Escalade.

"I'll see you tonight."

"See you tonight," I confirm, watching him.

He swings up into his truck and shuts the door, pulling on a pair of sunglasses. His head dips towards me and I wave. The truck fits him as much as his bike does. He looked hot getting behind the wheel.

I feel for my phone in my pocket, making sure it's still where he put it after he programed his number into it. I go inside and come to a complete stop when Kayan looks at me and smiles.

"What?" I ask, and she presses her lips together—to keep from laughing, I'm sure.

"Shut up," I say, walking back into my office and shutting the door.

I have a date. I have a date with a hot biker who just adopted two dogs. Yeah, I was right in my last assessment of him. I'm screwed.

*****

I look at myself in the mirror and turn from side to side, checking myself out. I have on a kimono jacket, and I've paired it with a red tank and dark denim capris. I walk to my closet and pull out my beige wedges that wrap around my ankle and have a peep toe. I slip them on, tie them up and around my ankle, and then walk back to the bathroom. I apply some bronzer, a little blush, and a whole lot of mascara. I tease the top of my head and bend over, using some spray before flipping my head back over, pulling the bottom pieces down over the tops of my breasts.

I do not look like a biker's girl, but I do look cute.

I head out to my Jeep and toss my bag across the seat. It takes ten minutes to get to the restaurant that Wanda asked me to meet him at, and when I arrive, the parking lot is packed with cars and tons of bikes. It's late spring, so the evenings are warm, and the whole outdoor patio is packed with diners wanting to eat outside under the stars. My phone starts to ring, and I answer it without checking who it is.

"Hello?"

"Babe, the lot's full."

"I know; there's no parking."