Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly

don’t want them to wake.”
“Where should I put Loulou?”
“We lock it in a room because the thing can’t behave itself.”
I pressed my lips together, following Cassio as he led me into the lobby and
motioned at a door.
I pushed it open and my heart clenched. It must have been a storage room
before, judging by the small window and shelves lining the walls. A torn apart
basket, a litter box, and two empty bowls were the only indication that a dog
lived here. There were no toys. I picked up one of the bowls and handed it to
Cassio. “Can you fill it with water?”
Cassio regarded the bowl, then me.
“Please.” Loulou’s living arrangements had to change, and they would
change, but today was only my first day. I’d have to be clever about my battle
against my husband. He took the bowl and disappeared. I headed over to the torn
apart basket and set Loulou down. She curled into herself. She must have let out
her frustration on her basket if its destroyed state was an indication. No wonder
considering she’d probably spent most of her days alone in this room. What had
happened in this house? I stroked her head when Cassio walked back in with the
water bowl. He set it down, and the moment he stepped back, Loulou trotted
over to it and drank.
I straightened. I couldn’t hold back anymore. “How long has she been locked
inside this room?”
Cassio’s expression tightened. “The dog’s out of control. I won’t have it shit
and pee everywhere, not to mention snap at my children and everyone else.”
“How can you expect Loulou to behave if nobody takes care of her? She
isn’t a machine, she’s a living being, and from what I see she hasn’t been treated
the way she was supposed to. If you have an animal, you have to take care of it
and not treat it like a thing you can put in a corner and take out when you feel
like it.”
“I didn’t want the dog! Gaia did, and then I was left to deal with it like
everything else.” He snapped his mouth shut as if he’d said more than he
wanted, breathing harshly. Loulou hid in her basket at his outburst.
I stood my ground. “Then why didn’t you give Loulou to people who want
her?” I kept my voice calm. Meeting Cassio’s anger with my own seemed like an
unwise choice.
Cassio shook his head. “Let’s go upstairs. I have a busy day tomorrow.”
“Why?” I touched his forearm.
“Because Daniele lost his mother. He doesn’t need to lose this too!”
“I thought Loulou snaps at him.”
“She does,” Cassio said. “And she’s not allowed near him.”
“Then why—”
“Enough.” Cassio’s voice could have cut steel. He nodded toward the door. I
walked out of the small room. Cassio closed it, locking Loulou in once more.
“Does Sybil walk her?”