Chapter 4

I closed my eyes, soothing the frightened baby inside me in my mind.

"Don't be scared, little one.

"Mommy knows what you're worried about," I whispered.

If I didn't let her in, Emily, that lunatic might use David as her trump card to stir up trouble right outside the door.

Then, David would just blame me for making a big deal out of nothing and not being considerate.

"Rather than letting danger lurk where I can't see it," I whispered.

I opened my eyes, my gaze landing on Snowy.

"It's better to keep the threat right in front of me, tightly leashed," I added.

That way, every move it made would be under my control.

Now, the dog wasn't Snowy anymore. It was Jake, that lunatic.

But even a madman like him has his weaknesses.

I headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

I grabbed a big chunk of the top-grade wagyu beef meant for moms-to-be and chopped it up nice and fine.

Mixed in some organic carrot puree, then I poured a splash of imported goat milk on top.

I set the fancy dog food right on the tiles in front of Snowy.

Snowy sniffed at the food, then took a cautious step back, barking.

But I wasn't in a rush. I even smiled; my voice was soft enough to drip honey.

"Snowy, eat your food.

"If you finish your meal, I'll take you to see your mom tomorrow, okay?" I said gently.

Snowy tilted his head, and the whimpering in his throat faded a little.

I crouched down, looking him right in the eyes, as if I were talking to a child.

I said, "You don't know yet, do you?

"Your mom's going on a date tomorrow.

"With a really handsome and rich guy."

Snowy's fur stood on end, and he frantically clawed at his muzzle, like he couldn't wait to break free and sink his teeth into someone.

Chuckling inside, I then let out a gentle sigh, almost talking to myself.

"Honestly, after all those dates Emily's been on, I still liked her ex-boyfriend the most.

"What was his name again? Yeah, Jake."

I made sure to really stress his name.

"He may be gone, but his genuine feelings for her? None of these guys today can even compare.

"What a shame."

Snowy's bark grew even louder, now tinged with a sense of pride and boasting, like he was showing off how important he was.

I knew it. Even as a dog, that ridiculous male ego hadn't faded one bit.

I reached out, ignoring his struggles, and gave his head a gentle pat.

"If you're good tonight and stay quiet.

"Tomorrow, I'll take you to Skyline Café to watch her go on that date.

"Sound good?" I coaxed softly.

Suddenly, a wild, intimidating gleam shot through Snowy's eyes.

Just like I expected, he went quiet.

He locked eyes with me for two seconds, then dropped his head and started wolfing down his food.

Looks like we'd got ourselves a deal.

That night, I didn't even bother going back to my room.

I wrapped myself up in a blanket and crashed on the living room couch for the whole night.

Just the two of us, me and Snowy, keeping our distance in the living room, about 9 feet apart.

Maybe it was my words that worked, or maybe he was just quietly looking forward to tomorrow; either way, he didn't make a peep all night.

Early the next morning, I fed him and got dressed.

After untying the rope from the table leg, I grabbed the leash again.

"Come on, let's go see your mom," I said.

I'd personally lured the chaos magnet out of my house.

Now, it was Emily's turn to face the tidal wave of jealousy and her old flame.

Skyline Café looked every bit as upscale and impressive as its reputation suggested.

I pushed open the door and walked in, Snowy trotting beside me on his leash.

Right away, I spotted Emily sitting in a booth by the window.

She was fully glammed up in a designer dress, makeup on point, giggling uncontrollably across from a man in a sharp suit.

The moment she spotted me, her smile vanished in an instant.

"Sarah, what are you doing here?

"Why on earth did you bring Snowy along?" Emily demanded.

Before I could even say a word, Snowy had already zeroed in on the guy.

The leash jerked free from my hand. With a sharp, tearing sound, Snowy actually ripped right through the sturdy leather muzzle, pure muscle and rage.