Page 49 (1/2)

Three days had passed since un to scab over and heal, the soreness in er to er I hadn’t had to take anything to sleep the last two nights Of course, it didn’t hurt that Deacon slept byme feel secure and protected

I hadn’t been back hoain When I closed my eyes, I could still see Atticus’s lifeless form and the horrible man who had attacked ht I was ready, but I wasn’t sure when that would be

It had worked out al October break, so I didn’t have to worry aboutan excuse to one in to work bruised and battered It would have raised tooin hts "Hey," he said, an irin on his face

"Hey to you, too"

He walked down the length of the porch with a large wooden crate in his ar my chin at the box, I asked, "What’s in there?"

"A present for you"

My brows shot up in surprise "You got me a present?"

"You act like I would never do soled "I am a little surprised"

With a scowl, he said, "I do have a few decent bones inthe box down atbecause I knew he usually did it when he was nervous "I’ive it to someone else"

I shook my head at him "Oh no, you don’t Besides, I’ed on the hair at the base of his neck "I hope you do Ito do"

Withso I could open the box The ed at lanced down, a wriggling, whining, black pit bull puppy sniffed at ?"

His hand started for the back of his neck again If he kept that up, he was going to have a bald spot "I kno , and well, after what happened to hi had a litter of puppies a while back, and he’s the pick of them all"

As the puppy nibbled on hed "Hey, now, those aren’t for eating," I said, bending down to pick him up He stared at me with deep blue eyes, and it was instant love "Aren’t you a pretty boy, huh?"

His response was to open histhe wondrous sled hilanced up, Deacon was eyeing me curiously "Does that mean you like hiood?"