More Than a Hotline Fling

-32-

Juneau's POV

When a knock pounded on the door, I assumed Damian returned to apologize. I was in the kitchen, assembling my lunch because staying in the hospital's cafeteria was easier than arranging a security escort.

I shifted my eyes to the door when Bullet shot up from his bed and belted out loud, booming barks. His short gray hairs raised on the back of his neck and low, loud growls intermixed with the deepest barks I'd ever heard him make.

Weird.

"It's alright, Buddy," I murmured and patted his head.

Ignoring me, his body jumped a foot away. With his front paws spread wide, he bore down and growled again. His wiggly tail curled over his back. The hairs sprung up on the underside.

"Bullet?" I asked when our stupid alarm system fired off.

Loud, rhythmic wails rained down on us, pounding my ears and overwhelming my thoughts. Cupping my hands over my ears muffled the sounds as the pounding on the door continued. "Fuck, what now?"

I didn't hit anything!

My eyes shifted away from the door, and another loud thud, for any sign of what I triggered. All the windows were closed, and the door locked. Bullet hadn't budged, his head lowered and neck muscles pulled in tight chords. His shoulder muscles bulged around his front legs. One menacing growl after another vibrated his body.

Goosebumps raised the hairs on the back of my neck. Shaking my head, I brushed my crumb-covered hands on my light blue scrub pants and walked to the door. Lifting onto the balls of my feet, I peered through the peephole. Seeing three strange figures, dressed in black with masks concealing their faces, my spine froze. One pounded on the door while two more circled in the hallway.

"Oh fuck!" I stepped back one stumbled step at a time.

My eyes shot to the door, which was locked and deadbolted. With a sharp lurch, my heart dropped down into my stomach and a chill ran down my spine. The loud, piercing alarm rings continued, humming in my eardrums.

This can't be happening.

One more thud on the door was the only sign I needed before I jolted into reactive movements.

"Come on, boy!" I yelled at Bullet, snapping my fingers.

He snuffed at the door but trotted after me. As fast as my feet flew, I ran down the hall, thankful for the clicks of his toenails after me. With shaky fingers and my pulse thudding in my ears, I locked the bedroom door, then retreated into the closet. Because there were no sensors in here, the alarm sounds were muffled but continued in their obnoxious, regimented wails.

With trembling fingers, I locked the second door. The click offered both temporary reassurance and a weighted sense of dread.

I'm trapped.

A raspy breath left me as I slid down the door, heaving my chest and ribs. Bullet crawled in between my shaking thighs and offered a lick under my chin. He whined, his brown eyes studying mine. My fingers shook as I petted his coarse, bristly fur, then curled them into fists when I realized I had made the stupidest move possible.

My phone!

Slapping my pockets, my search came up empty. In between alarm bells, I groaned at the faint ringing from the kitchen.

I couldn't... could I? No, the alarm fired off. Damian will check.

He'll know. He has to.