Cursed by Nicole Camden Read Free Book Online Page A

bounded toward the two of them with the same unbridled enthusiasm as the dogs, though his was tinged with anxiety. He scooped up Kim, ignoring her protests, and swung her around as he cradled the back of her skull.
    â€œAre you okay?”
    Kim, after several token protests, hugged him back. “I’m fine.”
    Max watched their reunion with interest, raising one eyebrow at Kim, who looked away.
    Excited by Jordan’s tone, the dogs were more high-strung than usual. Atticus wouldn’t stop barking, and Bambi whined low in her throat.
    The new kid, Tyler, approached behind the dogs, his hands shoved in the pockets of too-big jeans. Max had met him only a couple of times.
    â€œHey,” Tyler mumbled.
    â€œHey,” Max replied. “Everything all right here tonight?”
    The kid shrugged, but Jordan answered. “We got a few calls here when the video went live, and a couple cops stopped by on the way back to the station from the pub, just to make sure everything was okay.”
    â€œDid they?” Max was surprised; most of the cops he knew wouldn’t bother.
    â€œThey said they know John.”
    â€œThat makes sense, then,” Max agreed. He looked down at the dogs. “You have their leashes?”
    â€œUnder the counter.”
    Max took that as his cue to fetch the leashes himself; Jordan appeared to have his hands full with Kim, who seemed unusually patient tonight.
    He walked to the back and bent over the counter to grab the leashes, which most often hung on two hooks shaped like bones. He found them and leashed up the dogs, who’d followed him over to the desk, tails wagging, knowing, as they always did, that it was time to go.
    â€œAll right, lads.” Max wrapped both leashes in one fist. “Call if anything strange happens. Store’s closed tomorrow, yes?”
    Jordan nodded, and Max had to take pity on him; fuck it if Lille got pissed. “Go ahead and close up, then. It’s been a long night for everyone.”
    A brief expression of relief crossed Jordan’s face, and Max felt like a shit for not suggesting it earlier.
    â€œNeed any help closing up?” he offered, though he was anxious to get back, not that Lille was going to let him . . . well, comfort her, he supposed. He felt a bit out of his depth, thinking about comforting a woman. Max scowled. All he knew how to do was fuck, but maybe that would help. Hell, he didn’t know. Didn’t think she was looking for that tonight. Still, there was always a chance, wasn’t there? That she’d be waiting for him.
    â€œNah, we’ll be fine.” Jordan released Kim. “See you later.”
    â€œAll right, then,” Max agreed, and whistled for the dogs to follow him out.
    Max pulled into his own driveway, but he texted John to find out if they were all still up.
    This is Mary. Lille went for a walk on the beach. John followed her.
    Max grimaced and texted back, although he hated texting.
    Fine. I’ll collect her.
    Okay.
    Stepping down from his truck, Max let Bambi jump out ahead of him, while he picked up the white dog, stroking his soft ears. When they were both safely on the ground, he leashed them again and locked up the car.
    He walked to the corner, fast enough that the dogs started to run, thinking it was some kind of game.
    He hadn’t gone halfway down the block when he encountered John, who appeared from the shadows of a tree that hung partway out into the street. The rustle of the trees in the wind made it difficult to hear, and John knew how to stay hidden. Consequently, Max nearly pissed his pants when John stepped into the light of a sodium lamp.
    â€œHey, glad you’re here.” John reached for the leashes.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Max handed them over.
    John shrugged. “She wanted to go for a walk by herself. I couldn’t let her, you know that, but I feel like a creeper, following her like this.”
    â€œThanks for