Roman’s POV
Just then, a full grown, big-sized golden retriever entered the drawing room, barking in delight as Lucian followed behind.
Fluffy—Alice’s dog. After she was gone, Lucian and Jason always kept him with them, and he spent most of his time along the border security camps. Even now, he was there, but it seemed like Lucian had decided to bring him back.
Lucian entered the house as well and warned him, "Calm down. You are finally home."
Fluffy stopped barking and I went to him. He almost jumped on me, clearly happy to see me, so was I.
"Yes, I missed you as well," I told him as I ruffled his fur, "...good to see you back."
His barking got Rafe out of his room as well, yawning, stretching his arms, and wearing just a boxer. Bastard just woke up.
"What’s the chaos?" he asked, and looked at Fluffy.
The delighted dog hurried to him and jumped on him as well, starting to lick Rafe’s face.
Annoyed, Rafe warned, though he didn’t push Fluffy away. "Stop it unless you want me to chop your tongue."
We knew, Rafe didn’t really mean it. It was his usual way of talking to everyone, and it was impossible to hear any pleasant word from him, even by a mistake.
Fluffy stopped and looked at him, as if waiting for him to pet him. Rafe caressed Fluffy’s head. "Happy? Now go away. Or better—go out and play in the garden. Your barking is annoying me."
As Rafe said it, Fluffy looked toward the way to the garden, which was through the wall-sized glass window that directed toward the side house.
Fluffy’s eyes brightened up, as if he had seen his most favorite thing, and rushed to go out.
The next thing we knew, he was in front of Eira, already demanding her attention as he placed his front paws on her thighs and licked her cheek.
"He recognized her even now?" I asked—but more like a conclusion I’d already made.
In the past Fluffy was as close to Eira as he was to Alice, and liked her a lot.
I glanced at Lucian. "Did you bring him here for Eira? Because yesterday, Liam mentioned bringing something—or someone—to keep her company."
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Lucian snapped, his expression twisted in disbelief, like I’d said something utterly insane. "Staying around that mad-woman must’ve fucked with your brain. You’re losing your damn mind."
But then....
"Our Luke must be missing his dear pet desperately to travel overnight back and forth to the farthest security training camp," Rafe commented with a smirk. "What a desperately loving master—to miss his pet with such dedication! I’m touched."
Lucian offered him an annoyed and icy glare. "Say a word more, I will make sure nothing of you is left untouched."
Rafe gave a lazy shrug and disappeared into his room, entirely unfazed.
"Keep your bitch away from my pet," Lucian warned me, before heading upstairs to go to his room.
"That’s your dog who has gone to my bitch, so you better control him," I retorted with a knowing smirk as I watched him leave.
He looked travel worn and needed to freshen up. As rafe said, he truly travelled overnight without even taking a stop to return by the morning.
Pretentious bastard! Will never admit the truth.
Whatever!
Now that he was home, my only concern was finding a way to make that stubborn bastard cook for Eira again.
----
Eira’s POV
I was relieved when Roman finally left me alone.
I no longer had to endure his fake concern towards me. Last night he finally showed his true colour of how desperate he was to get inside me, just like all other men.
But he was so good at pretending, that he acted as if he was not like them. Well, I have been with so many of his kinds, to fall for his act.
’He want my consent?’
What a Joke! That word itself was a joke. Men didn’t need consent from a woman. It was just a some foolish word created by some equally foolish person.
So he should just drop the act and get done with it.
I stopped thinking about him focussed on where I was.
It had been ages since I last felt sunlight so directly on my skin. The warmth, paired with the gentle breeze, felt like a forgotten luxury.
I closed my eyes, savoring the moment, afraid it might be my last time basking in the light.
I heard a distant barking sound, but I ignored it. Probably just one of the security dogs around the estate.
But as the sound grew closer, more distinct, I opened my eyes. Standing in front of me was a beautiful dog, his tail wagging eagerly. His eyes were soft, his body relaxed, yet there was an unmistakable excitement in his posture.
The moment our eyes met, he spun in a circle like he was chasing his own tail.
"Fluffy... Is that you?" I breathed.
At the sound of his name, he stopped instantly and bounded toward me. He nearly climbed into my lap, pressing half his weight against me as he licked my cheek.
It was really him.
For the first time in so long, my heart stirred with something close to joy. I had found someone from my past—someone I didn’t hate.
I cupped his head and pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "You’ve grown up so big," I whispered.
When I met him the first time, he was barely a year old. I adored him. He was the pet I was never allowed to have. My grandparents detested animals, so I lived out that wish through Alice’s dog, pretending he was mine.
Now, he felt even more precious. Because he had belonged to my Alice.
"Where have you been?" I whispered again, gently cradling his face in my palm. "Did you miss me?"
He answered by sticking out his tongue and giving my face another slobbery lick.
"I missed you too," I murmured.
With him beside me, it felt like I had something of my own again. Someone familiar. Someone who wouldn’t hurt me.
Every other person from my past had changed and detested me, but this mute animal’s emotions towards me remained the same.
If there was someone I would ever be happy to see other than my son Ray, it was Fluffy.
I just hoped they wouldn’t take him away from me.