What Love Is | ✅

34 | M I S S I N G

When Hayze came back from his wonderful vacation hand in hand with his beautiful, little wife; it all felt like a dream. A wonderful dream that he wished he didn't have to wake up from.

When Hayze came back from his vacation, he didn't expect there to have been a tropical storm that ruined River's flower garden that she had brought back to life and he didn't expect for his dog to be missing.

He didn't expect to find:

Missing dog. Have you seen him?-

Signs to be plastered all over the neighborhood.

Blue was his bestfriend and the fact that he was missing sent him into a panicked frenzy.

"Vito! Where the hell is my dog?" Hayze said as he stormed into his house, River scurrying in behind him.

Vito came flying out of the living room, his salt and pepper hair spikey and dull. His usually dapper, form fitted shirt was wrinkled and under his eyes were dark circles. "There was a tropical storm and he must have heard the thunder and made a run for it."

Hayze tugged at his hair and paced the hall, his dress shoes clicking against the marble floor.

"Hayze," River said cautiously. "I'll go check under the beds to see if he's there and if he isn't, i'll go look for him at the park. Don't worry, he'll turn up."

He looked down at her as she looked up at him with her sweet, doe honey eyes and suddenly relaxed.

"Yes. Thank you, pretty girl," he said as he leaned down for a kiss. She pecked his lips before sprinting up the stairs to go look for Blue.

"Have you gone to the neighbors?" Hayze asked Vito.

"Yes. Every single one within three miles."

"Alright. Well, we need to find him. I've had him since i moved here."

"Yes sir."

The fact that his dog was missing bothered him a lot more than he led on. Blue had been by his side since he was a puppy and since Hayze had started his business when he was just a young boy with a silly dream.

Blue had been with him through his stress and struggles. He wasn't just a dog, he was his bestfriend.

°•○●○•°

Hayze was not only worried about Blue, but River as well.

It was starting to get dark and River hadn't come back from the park yet.

A sudden ringing of the phone made Hayze jump in his seat and lunge for the source of the noise.

"River! Where the he-"

There was a sniffle and a hiccup. "H-h-hayze," she cried. "You have to come get me and Blue from the park. He's hurt," she sobbed.

He could hear the sound of his dog whimpering through the phone.

"Alright, shhh. Don't cry pretty girl. Are you safe?"

There was silence on the end of the phone that made Hayze's body fill with anxiety.

"Are you safe?" He repeated.

And then he heard her voice which barely a whisper through the phone. "I didn't know Nico was out of jail already."

Hayze's blood ran cold at the sound of the mans name. In fact, Nico was no man. He was a coward.

"You've seen him?" Hayze whispered.

"Can you just get here, please," she pleaded. 

"Yes of course. I'm coming."

"And bring a blanket for Blue," she said before hanging up.

Hayze quickly grabbed some things before running out to the car which Vito already had started. They practically sped all the way there and as soon as they arrived, Hayze jumped out and he immediately saw two figures sitting in the grass.

He ran over and engulfed River in a hug.

"Dios mios bella rosa. If you scare me like that again, i'll have you over my knee with a sore ass."

"I scared you?" She giggled.

He glared at her hard with his icy blue eyes before letting go and turning to Blue.

"What happened?" He asked softly as he stroked his pups belly. He took note of the whimpering and the way he leaned away from his right back leg.

"Nico saw me walking down here looking for Blue and he followed me i guess. He came up to me and i started crying when he tried to talk to me. And then all of a sudden he was grabbing me and Blue came out of no where and he's like a little husky super dog," she said as she ruffled his fur playfully.

"Nico grabbed you?" He frowned.

"Y-yeah."

"I'll f~cking kill that bastardo. You have a restraining order," he growled.

"I'd rather him just get sent back to jail instead of you going there for killing him," she said as she stood up and brushed her clothes off. "Come on, we need to take Blue to the vet."

°•○●○•°

Hayze couldn't beleive he was jealous of his own dog. His own dog.

"Keep giving me that smug look and i'll stop buying you those bone treats," Hayze brooded as he glared at his pup who was sitting comfortably on his side of the bed happily. 

Blue barked and his tail wagged against the bed.

"Shut up," Hayze growled as he crossed his arms and sank back in his seat.

"Are you arguing with your dog again?" River laughed as she walked in with new bandanges and dog treats.

"He's being unfair," Hayze said childishly. "You bought him a huge dog bed yet he's sitting like a king on my side of the bed. The one we're supposed to be making love on."

She gasped and dropped the bandages on the bed. "Hayze!"

"What?" He chuckled. "Is Blue going to be jealous of what we have?" He asked as he got up and strolled over to her with a smirk on his face.

She visbly swallowed as his large hands fell to her waist. "I- we shouldn-"

"We should make love. I think so to," he grinned as he snaked his arm around her waist and gave her bum a squeeze.

After taking a few deep breaths, she finally freed herself from his hold. "I have to help Blue."

He clenched his jaw and glared at his pup who seemed to be mocking him with the way he cocked his head and hung his tongue out of his mouth. His front paws were crossed over one another as he gave Hayze a single bark.

"You know what. Forget you two. I'm going to my gym. Neither of you come downstairs looking for me."

He left the room as River laughed at him, not before sticking his tongue out at her.