Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
With hands clenched in frustration, he sat down and shut his eyes, but even trying to steady his breathing didn’t help. The soft pad of massive paws made him look up in time to see Bandit dropping his massive form closer to the bars separating them, and he started licking his leg. His fur was still fluffy, but did that mean he still had a long time to live or that he wasn’t getting life-saving treatment reserved for people?
“I know, I fucked up,” Dex said, pulling a blanket over his shoulders. He should have taken socks too, but all his clothes had been left behind in Hammer’s bathroom, which was a definite no-go zone.
“I pushed too hard, and now the one guy that seems to be on the same wavelength as me hates me. Why couldn’t I just back off? I need him to like me, but now he thinks I’m some insatiable slut with no brain and a tiger lover. No offense.”
Bandit yawned, showing off his teeth. Half his paw rested inside Dex’s cell, barely fitting between the bars, and it immediately reminded Dex of Hammer telling him to hold the tiger’s paw. With the blanket on his back, Dex slid closer to the animal on all fours.
“Maybe you need that though? Some love?”
Golden eyes watched him from the big orange, white, and black face resting atop the other paw, and once the claws that had just been out for a quick clean retracted, Dex was tempted to push his hand in and boop Bandit’s nose.
What could this sick animal do to him? And since Baby was used to humans, wouldn’t Bandit be too? On top of that, he was very well fed and surely satiated after tonight’s late dinner, so he should hardly have interest in becoming a killing machine.
“I’m sorry you’re in there, all alone,” Dex said, cautiously extending his hand toward the animal.
The cat raised his head, and his nostrils widened as he leaned closer to the bars, catching Dex’s scent at a distance. Encouraged, Dex pushed his arm through the bars. The scent of fur and hay swirled in his brain as he watched the tiger rise. “I know. I’m sorry you’re unwell.”
The poor thing was just six years old, but Cora had told Dex that it was hard to predict how much longer he had. Bandit was such a majestic beast and deserved a good death. Dex could only hope that he’d enjoy the stream of human mince coming his way in the next few days.
“I don’t know how long I can stay, but I’m here for you,” he said, glancing into the golden eyes.
Bandit sank lower and crooked his head, watching Dex as if he understood every word. He might not be human, but didn’t animals have emotions too? Wouldn’t he be afraid of what was coming?
Dex scratched the floor, as if he were inviting a housecat over, but as Bandit lowered his body, the door to the cat house swung open, and Hammer dashed inside in a pair of black trunks.
“Get away!” he yelled, heading for Dex like a cannonball.
“What?” Dex frowned when Bandit growled and bared his teeth. “You’ll scare him!”
But Hammer wasn’t taking no for an answer and scooped Dex up by the waist, pulling him away from the bars. The blanket fell, revealing Dex’s naked legs and all his dangly bits.
The massive paw pushed through the bars and clawed the floor between Dex’s spread legs, missing his dick by three inches.
“You damn idiot,” Hammer growled, dragging Dex all the way to the bed as Bandit let out a bone-chilling grunt before retreating.
Dex went limp in Hammer’s arms, and remained breathless with terror until they both fell onto the clean bedding.
He wanted to bark back at Hammer, but he was right. What idiocy had possessed him that he’d approached a caged predator?
“It… it made sense at the time,” he uttered
Hammer shot up. “It’s a fucking miracle it hasn’t eaten you yet. Thank fuck for that camera,” he roared, gesturing to the device attached under the ceiling. He paced in a motion very similar to the way Bandit moved beyond the bars. “You are not sleeping here.”
Despite his earlier anger, Dex did not feel like fighting Hammer. He pulled the T-shirt lower to cover his crotch. “Okay. Maybe you’re right. I’ll just visit him during the day,” he muttered. “You wanted to watch me sleep or something, you creeper?” He gave a weak snort and threw a pillow at Hammer’s legs, but didn’t dare look up.
Hammer shoved him out of the cage. “No. I fucking knew you’d do something stupid. What possessed you to put your arm into that cage?”
Dex shrugged, not even bothering to pick up his beer and chips. “I don’t know. He… he looked sad, and I was sad, and kinda felt we had a connection.”