Paint Me Claimed - Book 2

15 | Fused at heart

Zemira

By the time we raced towards Leo's apartment door, Amara swung it open.

It was a welcoming sight to see Romeo jumping on his feet and thrashing his tail on the couch. He howled upon seeing Leo.

Leo ran to him, dropping the bag of food on the glass table. He nuzzled his head into the thick fur on the dog's neck, whispering something.

Romeo's excitement saw no bounds.

He hopped off the couch and stood on his hind legs, trying his best to embrace me. He then ran circles around the couch, sniffing Leo, barking at me, licking Leo's hand, and nibbling at my knee before doing it all over again.

"Buddy, you need to calm down." Leo pointed a finger up, wagging a no.

The dog adhered instantly, drooling, panting.

Then, as he did always, he broke command and hopped over to the bag on the table which had our date-night food.

"Stop it." Leo's instructions fell on Romeo's deaf ear.

Amara and I couldn't help but laugh as we watched Leo struggle to grab the creme-colored tote bag out of the vicious hold of his pet's jaw.

"Romeo. Drop it."

Nothing.

Leo struggled, tugging the bag to his side while the dog pulled on the opposite.

"I'm telling you Rome, you're going to lose your teeth. Then you'll be put on a water diet. I swear."

As if Romeo understood Leo's intentions, the wide black of his irises dilating further when he unclasped his jaw, tilting his head.

With a soft woof, Romeo dropped the bag and leaned on the grey carpet, head resting on his paws.

"Good boy..." Leo tried leaning but arrested his steps at the last moment.

His left leg trembled like a dead leaf in autumn. Steadying his arm on the transparent coffee table, he leaned back.

Romeo must have understood his master's apprehension. He crawled over the carpet, head dipped lower than usual, till he reached Leo's feet.

"Very good boy..." Leo panted. "Let's get you some medicines."

Holding the back of the couch, Leo stood up.

My eyes remained trained on his left leg, having observed a certain drag to it for the first time.

"He's going to make such a good dad," Amara addressed Leo and Romeo's retreating figure, a smile drawn across her face. "He loves Romeo like his son."

I smiled but my insides felt rotten.

Amara was Leo's friend who helped him through his struggling period. Some part of me felt a pang of jealousy, knowing she knew him better.

She witnessed his suffering. She was there to hold him in the middle of the night.

Did something happen between them?

Just as doubts encircled my mind, the predatory instinct to protect what was mine rose from the back of my body.

"How long have you been friends?" I asked, turning to Amara. "With Leo?"

She had pretty, brown eyes, hazel-colored skin and a soft mole on the left side of her upper lip that made her look a lot like Cindy Crawford.