Second Chances by Andrea Speed, A.B. Gayle, Jessie Blackwood, Katisha Moreish, J.J. Levesque Page A

there, either.
    It’s going to be one hell of a long night.
    Maybe calling Flynn’s house wouldn’t get him answers, but what if he went there…
    He’d have to get past the guard stationed at his door, but that shouldn’t be too difficult. He’d learned a little about sneaking around from Flynn, and the man outside didn’t seem to be too much of a threat.
    Rousing Dante, he grabbed his leash and clipped it to his collar. Outside the guard was sitting on a chair beside the door, seemingly asleep. Aiden crept out, holding tightly to Dante’s leash and hoping it wouldn’t make a sound. As soon as he placed his foot on the first step, however, the man jumped up.
    “Where are you going?” the man asked gruffly.
    What was his name again? Matthews? Madden? Something with an M… Oh hell.
“Dante needs to go for a walk.”
    “Can’t you just let him out back?”
    “Dogs need to be exercised properly. He’s a big dog,” Aiden argued. “If I don’t walk him now, he’ll be wired for the flight.”
    The man grunted and fell into step next to Aiden. Aiden frowned but kept going. The night air was cool and silent aside from their footsteps and breathing. Dante panted happily, seemingly oblivious to the tension in his owner.
    He had Flynn’s address memorized from their first date, when he had written it on the back of an old receipt. The receipt was still in his possession, too. Upstairs in his dresser. He wasn’t sure why he kept it. Maybe as a memento?
    Aiden took a left down a side street, and then a right at the next, letting Dante pull ahead. Just two more blocks and they would be at Flynn’s apartment building.
How am I going to get rid of this agent?
    “We’ve been away from your place too long. It’s not safe out here,” the agent said, putting a hand on Aiden’s arm.
    “Look, Agent Matthews, I need to walk Dante. Just two more blocks and we’ll go back.”
    “Then let’s go this way,” Matthews suggested, turning him down a side street. He hadn’t corrected the name, so Aiden’s guess was right. But the tightening grip on his arm and the direction he tried to force him set his alarm bells off.
    He’s trying to keep me from Flynn’s place. What the hell?
    “I don’t see what difference it makes,” Aiden argued, trying to turn back. The grip on his arm only tightened.
Okay, not going to work.
He went along with it and walked down the street, getting only further from his destination. Dante gave a sharp tug on his leash, scenting something in the air, and in that moment, he had a burst of inspiration. He dropped the leash, letting Dante run. “Dante, come back!” He took off after him, and sure enough, Matthews ran after them.
    Aiden had no idea where Dante would run to, but he knew the dog would make it home. He was smart enough, and even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t leave him behind. Putting on a burst of speed and letting his legs stretch out, he settled into a full out sprint and dashed down a narrow alley.
    Behind him, Matthews cursed and his footsteps faded. Aiden didn’t stop running until he reached Flynn’s apartment building. There was no sign of the agent or his dog, and he hoped the latter would be okay.
    Now that he was in front of the building, though, he realized he had a problem. Before he’d had to ring up to Flynn’s apartment. The doors were locked and had to be opened by a key or someone from inside. He didn’t know a damn thing about picking locks, unlike Flynn, and he doubted he could just buzz someone else and demand entry, either.
    “Shit, I didn’t think of this.” Feeling foolish, he put his hand on the door handle and tugged. He expected it to be solidly locked, and fell back when the door moved suddenly. Aiden froze with the door wide open before him.
That’s so strange…. This door should be locked.
    Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Aiden headed inside and up to the apartment that Flynn said was his. Even though the front door had been