Cruelty Read online

  “Steal them back,” I finished for her with a smile.

  “You two are devious, you know that?” Theo pointed out, amusement lacing his tone.

  “We know. It’s what makes us so endearing,” Zoe answered with a wink.

  “Uh huh. Right. So we’re giving it a try?” he asked.

  I nodded. “It’s the best we’ve got. It’s too early to go now. We’ll have to head back and feed the animals, then we can take them.”

  “Unfortunately, I can’t go with you. I’ve gotta prepare for a pretty big case and I’ve been slacking,” Zoe replied sadly.

  When we weren’t off stealing animals from shelters, Zoe worked full time as a lawyer. Hard to believe considering she looks nothing like your usual lawyer. She’s typically dressed in some kind of boho alternative style she insists she invented, has cobalt blue hair braided into her natural black braids, beautifully detailed tattoos sprawling all over her dark skinned body, and has at least four facial piercings—though she takes those out when she’s in court. But unlike a lot of lawyers, she only takes the cases she believes deserve to be defended. She’s one of the best in her field in all of San Francisco and will happily rub that in everyone’s faces. Sometimes when she has downtime, she helps me at my clothing store, Cruel Clothing, in downtown San Francisco.

  While animals have always been a passion of mine, clothing has been the love of my life since I was a kid. I designed alternative clothing that was one hundred percent cruelty free and sold them in a boutique I opened not long after high school. Twenty percent of sales went toward several animal rescues all over the US. Usually, Zoe took care of the store while Theo helped me with my excursions, but Zoe had wanted to tag along this time.

  “Okay. You go take care of the shop and Theo and I will take the animals.”

  “Eh no can do, Two-tone,” Theo responded, using the nickname he affectionately gave me after Zoe dyed my hair with white on one side and black on the other. It was slowly starting to grow on me. “I’ve got work too. I set up like five grooming appointments starting pretty early. And one of them is a Husky needing the works. It’s going to take me all day.”

  “Ugh,” I sighed. “Fine. I can handle it on my own. Shouldn’t be too hard.”

  “You sure?” Zoe asked.

  “I’m sure. There’s no other choice. They can’t stay in the van all day.”

  With plans set in motion, Theo returned to his car and we started the short journey back home. I wasn’t thrilled about going to some unknown ranch alone, but the sooner we got these animals somewhere safe, the better.

  When we finally made it home, Theo stayed outside with the animals as I went inside the two bedroom loft apartment I shared with Zoe. My old, blind pug Gus ran excitedly toward me as we entered, but overshot his trajectory and ended up running directly into the wall.

  “Aw, Gus Gus, you’re such a mess,” I said to him, picking him up and giving him some quick loves. He chuffed at me when I set him down, unfortunately not having the time to give him attention just yet.

  “Can you walk him for me before you go in later?” I asked Zoe as I headed to my room.

  “Sure, no problem. How’s that sound, Gussy? Wanna walk with Zo Zo?” She immediately knelt on her knees and began scratching him all over. Gus ate up the attention.

  While Zoe kept Gus busy, I changed clothes quickly, seeing as how the all black look might set off alarm bells for the shelter owners I’d be visiting later. Satisfied in my much more casual black yoga pants and a simple white V-neck, I left my room and Zoe shoved a to-go cup of coffee into my hands.

  “You’re a lifesaver,” I praised, drinking down a large gulp. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’ll call you when I get there.”

  As I was about to head out the front door, Zoe stopped me with a hand at my elbow and locked me into a crushing hug.

  “You be safe driving and let me know what happens, all right?” She was using her serious voice with me. She only did that when she was legitimately concerned for my wellbeing. I couldn’t blame her. Trouble seemed to follow me everywhere.

  “I will,” I promised, pulling out of the hug and giving her a reassuring smile. I felt a little bit better after that hug, but I still worried if things would go according to plan.

  Theo followed me again as we rode toward his dog grooming shop that sat right next door to Cruel Clothing. We quickly filled up many plastic dog bowls we had collected over the years with food and water for all the animals. Most of them inhaled the food, obviously starved. We then took turns walking them on leads up and down the back alley, hoping no one would happen upon us so early in the morning.

  Theo made the occasional joke, most likely trying to ease the worry that was probably written clearly across my face. My heart melted just a little when I caught him talking in hushed, loving whispers to the dogs he walked.

  It was a shame the man was such a womanizer. When he wasn’t using his charms to melt the panties of any woman he thought was attractive, he could actually be a genuinely good guy. Sure, he was hot as hell with his floppy, yet stylish blond hair, tall muscular frame, and sage green eyes that could make a nun strip herself bare for him. Those looks were only ever used for evil. He’d tried and failed many times over the years to get into my pants, but I always resisted. I knew his type. Hell, I’d dated his type. He wasn’t meant for anything serious. I doubted he’d ever said anything half as sweet to a human as he did to the animals.

  No. I knew better.

  As much as I’d like a roll in the sheets with him, I knew I’d get attached. And things always turned out bad when I got attached.

  “Okay. I think that’s all of them,” Theo said to me as I walked back toward the van with Pretty Girl at my side.

  I hadn’t really thought of what else to call the Dalmatian, but Pretty Girl seemed good for now. She’d get a new name at the ranch. That was, if they took her and the others.

  “You call and let me know you’re safe, okay? Or if they call the cops on you. I’ve been saving the swear jar money at work just in case I ever needed to bail out your sexy ass.”

  I snorted in amusement. “With how much you swear, I’m sure you could bail me out three times over.”

  He shrugged. “Yeah, probably. Get out of here and drive safe.” He wound an arm around my neck and jerked me into a quick, tight hug, then released me.

  I was almost surprised by the sweet gesture, until he landed a quick slap on my ass as I walked back to the truck. The surprise definitely dissipated after that.

  I tried loading Pretty Girl back in, but she immediately sat down on her rear end and made no inclination that she was going back into the back with the other animals.

  “Fine,” I huffed. “Wanna get in the front with me?” Just like that, she yipped excitedly and followed me quickly to the front of the truck, as if she knew exactly what I had just asked her. I couldn’t really blame her. While the cage had plenty of room for her, she probably wanted to stretch out her belly a bit more. It would surprise the hell out of me if she wasn’t pregnant at this point.

  I loaded her in and started the journey toward the ranch. Pretty Girl’s presence actually helped tame some of the worry fluttering through my mind as we rode. She would occasionally lick the side of my face or lay her head in my lap, making me happy I hadn’t forced her into the back. If she kept this up though, I knew it would be harder to part with her once we got there.

  Please, I chanted to myself. Please let these guys take these animals.

  The trip to the ranch felt like it took forever, and my back and butt were literally killing me from the long night. When I finally pulled up to what I assumed was the ranch, I saw the dirt road leading up to it was closed off by a large wooden gate.

  Rockford Ridge Rescue Ranch was displayed on a sodden sign that was attached to a massive slab of stone. It was inviting and elegant with a touch of country flair, exactly what you’d expect from a place that obviously had a lot of money put into it. There was
no way around the gate since it was encased by thick trees on either side.

  The website had stated the facility opened to the public around six. We still had another hour before anyone would be able to see me, so I cut the engine of the truck and kicked back with my feet on the dash and my back against the door. I peeked through the small window to the back of the truck and smiled. The animals were all calm, most of them sleeping or just lying there and waiting.

  Pretty Girl nudged my hand with her face, basically asking me to move it so she could rest her head in my lap. I snorted and did as she wished, giving her loving strokes along her face and admiring how sweet her little nose was. It broke my heart thinking of what this precious dog had gone through in her short life. She couldn’t have been more than a few years old by the look of her. I would never be able to fathom how she was feeling, but I hoped being here with me she felt comfort. That she knew I wouldn’t let anything happen to her or the others. No matter what.

  They were worth the risk.

  I didn’t know how long we sat like that, but I had begun to doze off. Just as I was about to fall into a deep sleep, loud knocking on my window startled me fully awake. The dogs in the back began to bark and Pretty Girl stood on the seat next to me, alert.

  I wiped my face of any drool that may have been there and turned to see two women in scrubs standing there, both eyeing me suspiciously.

  I quickly rolled down the window, smiling nervously as the two women flicked their eyes back and forth between me and the truck.

  “Can we help you with something?” the woman who had knocked asked politely, but with an edge to her tone. I didn’t blame her. I looked like a straight up creeper parked on the side of the road by the gate.

  “Yes actually. Sorry it’s been a long night and I’m running low on energy. I was hoping to speak with the owner of the ranch about taking in some new cats and dogs.”

  The women looked at each other and began whispering. I took their distraction to read the name tags attached to the pockets of their grey scrubs. They were the vet staff. I swallowed hard, hoping my politeness would show I was here for good reasons.

  Finally, the women stopped whispering and the quiet one pulled out her phone and walked back to their car that was parked in front of me. The woman who had knocked then spoke. “Look, we may be out in the middle of nowhere, but we hear things out here. It’s uncommon for someone to show up with a truck load of dogs, which by the sound of it, you have a lot. There’s been reports of shelters being broken into and the animals being stolen.”

  Shit. I felt my stomach practically fall out of my butt. Fear shot through me as I realized the other woman was probably calling the police. I tried to school my face, but it was hard. It was over. These poor animals would be returned to the shelter with those wicked people, I would go to jail, and I’d lose my business.

  “However,” the woman continued, “we don’t really want to know where you got the animals. Polly is calling the owners to see if they can meet with you. They live on the ranch, so we don’t want to buzz you in unless they approve it. You actually came at a good time. They left a couple of days ago for business and will be back soon. Are you good with waiting a minute?”

  It was as if the ember in my heart that had begun to fade was suddenly reignited with a burning hope so bright, I could feel it’s warmth radiating from beneath my skin. The breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding was released and I nodded, adding a wide grin. The woman smiled back and shot me a wink, then walked back to the car.

  She slid into the passenger seat, and after a few minutes, waved for me to follow. I started the engine and gave Pretty Girl an excited scratch behind the ear, before pulling up behind the other car. The other woman leaned out and pressed some buttons on the intercom system. It only took a second before the gates began to swing open.

  My heart raced in my chest as I followed them along the dirt road until the ranch came into view. The air whooshed out of me at the sight of the expansive property. The pictures hadn’t done its beauty justice.

  Once we’d passed the trees, the whole area opened up and revealed what seemed like endless fields with a few large hills rolling in the distance. There were several barn like structures scattered around the property, each encased by its own fence. At the end of the long, dirt road was a house that could only be described as a small mansion. It was two stories tall and at least a few thousand square feet. It was done in a modern country style that fit, yet didn’t, with its surroundings.

  I marveled at everything as I followed the car to the end of the drive. They pulled off toward a smaller building, signaling for me to go ahead and stop where I was. I kept the truck running as the woman who had spoken to me exited the car and came to my window.

  “The owners will be here in about fifteen minutes. Are you okay with waiting?”

  “Oh, yes. Definitely. I drove a ways to get here, so it’s fine.”

  Once the woman seemed satisfied I was good to go, she and the other woman entered the small building they’d parked in front of. A little sign was hung on the wall by the front door that said Clinic. Even though it was smaller than the other places here, it was still quite large. Whoever these owners were, they were really well off.

  I kicked back once again, my nerves going haywire as I thought about meeting these brothers. My leg bounced a bit as the sun began to rise, peeking over the trees. Fifteen minutes seemed to fly by before the sound of an approaching vehicle alerted me to the owners’ arrival. I looked through my side view mirror, but the headlights were hitting it at the perfect spot to blind me. I could only make out that it was a large truck of some sort. My window was still rolled down from talking to the vet, so when one of the truck doors opened and closed and the tell tale sounds of boots crunching on the rocks came, my heart jumped into my throat. It was the moment of truth.

  The dogs all began to bark once again as a light like a flashlight lit up through the back of the truck. I tried peering through the tiny window that led to the back, but still, I couldn’t see who these guys were through the headlights. I just knew they were checking out what I had and were slowly making their way to the front. Pretty Girl stood alert, but she still hadn’t barked.

  Finally, I heard a gruff voice say, “Shit. Rollins, look at this.”

  Rollins? No fucking way. I only knew of one Rollins in the California area, and if this was him, then I was beyond screwed.

  With a deep breath in and out, I shut off the truck and prepared to step out.

  I jumped from the truck, trying to keep Pretty Girl from coming out with me. I was unsuccessful though and she managed to hop from the truck just as I closed the door behind me.

  Alrighty then. I couldn’t tell if she was just as curious as me, or if she was trying to protect me. Either way, she sat protectively next to me practically on my right foot. I snorted at her need to be so close just as a large figure stepped into the light from the headlights.

  Sweat beaded at my neck as the figure approached. He stopped a couple feet away from me and I could’ve sworn his expression of shock mirrored mine.

  “Ella?” he asked in that deliciously gravelly voice I remembered well. A second figure appeared behind him and I was suddenly reliving memories that I thought I’d long forgotten.

  Before me were Luca and Rollins Baden, or the Baden Brothers, as I’d affectionately called them in another life. One filled with more passion and pain than I had experienced in a long time.

  I’d met the brothers when we were in high school, and they had clawed their way viciously into my very soul at that first meeting. I lived by my own creed all my life, doing whatever I wanted no matter what people thought of me. Sometimes, it got me into trouble, effectively giving me a reputation that most girls liked to exploit. Other times, it brought me the best things. Like the brothers.

  I had fallen head over heels in love with them. Yes. That’s right. Them. From my freshmen year and their sophomore year, up until they graduated, I had be
en involved with them both. They had been my first everything.

  My first crushes. My first kisses. My first loves. My first time. And my first heartbreaks.

  They had ravaged not only my body, but my heart in those years with them. Then they had cut out of my life like bats out of hell, leaving me behind with bitterness and rage. It was after they left me that I earned the nickname that inspired my clothing line.

  Cruel Ella. I wore that brand like a badge though, using it to pull me out of the ugliness and push me to be better. To not put all of my trust in any man ever again. Sure, I’d had lovers over the years. But I never loved again like I had loved them. And even now, even after all these years, seeing them both standing there before me set into motion all those emotions I’d left behind.

  But I forced them back down. I was here for the animals. I could hold my ground with them long enough to make sure these animals were safe and would be cared for.

  “Luca. Rollins. Surprised to see you own this place,” I said to them cooly. I mentally patted myself on the back for restraining the bitterness I really wanted to put into my tone.

  “Well I’ll be damned!” Luca said, his tone amused—and I dared say excited? “Hold on, let me shut the truck off.” He rushed back to the truck.

  Just as the headlights went out, Rollins stepped closer to me and gave me an appreciative once over. “You’ve changed,” he said in a way that showed he didn’t seem surprised. Could he tell how badly the hurt of them leaving still affected me?

  “Yep. It’s been ten years. That happens.” Shit. That had sounded a bit bitchier than it should’ve. I needed to keep the fuck calm. My feelings couldn’t get in the way of what was important.

  “Well, I for one think ten years did great things for you,” Luca replied as he came back to stand next to his brother.

  They had changed as well. The brothers weren’t twins—though they had looked like they could be when I knew them. Then again, they were only separated by a year. They both had the same bright, green eyes that could suck you in the second yours made contact with them, and sometimes the same wicked smiles. Rollins had always been taller than Luca by almost a foot. Now, however, they were separated by maybe an inch or two, both towering over me at least six feet in height. Rollins used to wear his hair long but now had it cropped short with the top being just a bit longer. Luca still sported the same shaved sides of his hair, but his once light brown locks were now dark. Whether it be because of aging or dye, I wasn’t certain.