Part 3The Predator

Hearing Adrian’s voice instead of just reading his texts made me so nervous my fingertips went numb. I stammered, “N-no, no more problems.”

I took a deep breath to steady myself, Sarah’s instructions echoing in my head.

“Wait, actually, yes, Mr. Vance. I do have a few more questions.”

His tone on the other end of the line was still gentle. “Don’t rush. Take your time. I’m listening.”

“Mr. Vance, have you ever owned a puppy before?”

“To be honest, no,” he admitted. “But I’m willing to learn. Can you teach me? I promise I’ll be a good master.”

“Of course, no problem,” I said. “First, you need to have plenty of food and water ready. That’s the most basic thing.”

Adrian agreed.

“Second, you’ll need to buy a crate, a collar, and a leash.”

He sounded surprised. “The puppy has to live in a crate? Isn’t that… cruel? I could prepare a separate house for the puppy if it needs its own space.”

Oh, my god. Mr. Vance was so kind and thoughtful, and so ridiculously rich. He was really thinking this much about a dog. But a whole house? That was insane.

“That’s really not necessary,” I advised. “A new puppy often feels safer in a crate. It gives them a sense of security.”

“Okay, noted. I’ll buy a crate,” he said. “What about the collar and leash? Does the puppy have a preference? Oh, and should I get things like a muzzle, a whip, or a paddle?”

I blinked. “The collar and leash can be whatever you like, Mr. Vance. The puppy won’t care about the style. It just wants to be with its master. A muzzle is fine, but I’d advise against using a whip. Puppies are fragile, and you wouldn’t want to hurt it. A paddle… sounds like it wouldn’t be too painful. The puppy could probably handle that.”

“Understood,” he said seriously. “I’ll be gentle when I discipline it.”

“Mr. Vance, you’re such a good person!” I exclaimed. “I can’t believe you’re willing to take in a puppy that anyone else would see as… broken.”

For the first time, Adrian cut me off, his voice firm. “In my eyes, my puppy will always be the best puppy. I hope you can change your perspective and stop saying such things. It lacks confidence.”

Huh? That was… bossy. What did my confidence have to do with anything? Was I supposed to lie and pretend Buddy was perfect? By any normal standard, he was a difficult dog.

But judging by Adrian’s tone, he truly believed it.

Fine. When it came to loving this puppy, I had to admit he had me beat.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Vance. You’re right,” I said quickly. “Your puppy is the best puppy in the world.”

A soft chuckle came through the line. “Not quite.”

“What’s not right?” I asked, confused.

“My puppy,” he replied, his voice a low, mesmerizing hum, slightly distorted by the connection, “is the best puppy in the entire universe.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re right. Your puppy is definitely the best puppy in the entire universe.”

Hearing my simple agreement, Adrian laughed, a warm, genuine sound. He spoke to me like I was a child he was coaxing.

“So, have I passed your inspection?”