Free Shelter Me (Sawtooth Shifters, #6) by Kristen Strassel Page B

afternoon.
    “I can’t believe you two have been here almost a year already. You’ve lasted the longest of everyone who’s worked for me.” Trina grinned, gripping the leashes and digging in her heels. Four dogs packed a lot of power, and it was easy to be the one getting walked. “The difference in both of you since you got here is like night and day.”
    Kiera glanced over at me. “It’s true, Lyssie.”
    She had the magic touch, and her dogs were the best behaved. I looked up at her, untangling the leashes from around my thigh. A little bit of the panic, the one that even now the girls could leave me behind as they followed the dogs through the lot, crept in. But it faded.
    “What’s the matter?” Trina asked when she looked back at me. “Don’t tell me you’re leaving me.”
    I laughed. Of all the things she could’ve said, that was the most ironic. “Nope, not going anywhere.” I swallowed hard. “A couple weeks ago, I thought I was slipping. I didn’t want to go anywhere or talk to anyone. Even coming to the shelter was a struggle some days. I think the hardest thing is realizing that it never goes away, the thing that got us here. It’s part of us.”
    “That’s pretty genius,” Trina said softly. “I have days and weeks like that, too. We do the best we can. You know what, though? I couldn’t do any of this without the two of you. I’m so glad you guys came here.”
    “Me too.” Kiera’s smile was too big for her face. It took her a long time to be able to do that. When I met her, she was angry a lot. “I’d never had girlfriends before. I had no idea what I was missing.”
    “Right? When I first got here, all I could think about was what I’d lost. Never did I think about what I’d gain. The animals, you girls; Delaney, even though we’re just getting to know her, it’s awesome to see the process all over again. And even the Lowes. I can’t imagine my life without any of you now.” Trina looked like she wanted to give us a hug. None of us were big huggers, but I went over and put my free arm around her shoulder. She laughed and did the same. “Let’s go check the mail. I always mean to do it when I drive by, but I zone out every single time.”
    Only one dog got loose before we got back to the shelter. One of mine, of course, slipped out of his collar. A couple of squirrels may have needed a good, stiff drink after our walk, but all things considered, it went pretty smoothly.
    But the big news was my lingerie came.
    The girls squealed loud enough to get the dogs excited all over again. They took my crew off my hands as soon as we got back inside so I could open the package. Both of them paid more attention to me than the dogs, and got smothered with kisses. Dogs knew a good thing when they saw it.
    I was nervous to open it. Funny. A couple weeks ago, this seemed like a big deal. Like I needed a special uniform to turn Dallas on, and I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own. Now I could see it for what it was: a new toy. Would it change anything? Dallas never cared what I had on, as long as he could take it off. I’d listened to the girls, letting my body take the lead and quieting my mind. This was the prettiest thing I’d ever owned, and it was part of the mind game. It was powerful, holding the tissue-wrapped lace in my hand, knowing it could unlock a piece of me I’d been afraid to explore.
    I held up the teddy. “It’s smaller in person.” It was sheer black lace with no bottom. The bodice ended in four straps that connected to stockings. Those were still in the envelope. The girls could fill in the blanks.
    “Dallas is going to lose his mind when he sees you in that.” Kiera took the lace out of my hand. I gasped as she snapped a piece away from it, and dropped it in my hand. The strap of fabric was actually the tiniest thong I’d ever seen. “Wear this over your garter straps. Because it’s gonna have to go, and you want to keep the rest of it on. So hot.”
    My