Read Online Rival Forces by D. D. Ayres - Free Book Online

around as Lily passed him and charged after her. Taken by surprise, Yardley lost her grip on the leash and the wolfdog was again free. Yard’s shout of surprise echoed his as Kye’s heart went into overdrive.
    Lily snatched up the ball. In true toller fashion, she jerked her head back to toss it skyward, unaware of the menace barreling down on her.
    Oleg hit her low, sweeping Lily’s legs out from under her.
    Lily yelped in surprise as she went tumbling over and over in the grass. The ball landed and bounced away.
    Oleg was making a sharp turn. So did Lily, because the thing she lived for—a toy—was getting away. As she righted herself, Oleg made a sprint to reach the ball before her. He moved around to the other side so the ball was between them.
    Lily paused several feet away, and Oleg, trembling with excitement, seemed unsure of what he was expected to do.
    Kye had waited for his moment, not wanting to distract either dog, which might cause the big one to attack. “Lily—!”
    â€œâ€”Wait.” Yard grabbed Kye’s jacket sleeve. “I think they’re playing.”
    Kye scowled at her. “He’ll snap her in two.”
    â€œMuzzle, big guy.”
    As Kye watched, Lily bent down, bringing her head to Oleg’s level with her rear still in the air, tail down as if about to pounce on the ball.
    The wolfdog matched Lily’s pose, head down near paws, rear end high, tail wagging furiously. Not making eye contact, Oleg growled and jumped toward her. Lily backed up a few steps whining.
    â€œNot yet.” Kye felt Yard’s fingers hard on his arm. He could break her grip easily, but he didn’t. He didn’t trust the wolfdog but he did trust Yard’s judgment about him. That only moderately assured him that his toller wasn’t going to be wolfdog dinner, muzzle or no.
    Lily suddenly grabbed the ball as it lay within a foot of Oleg’s nose then turned and sped away. Lily was fast but Oleg was like a gray flash of fur, smooth and accelerating with every bound. He was on her in no time, all snarls as he tried to nip her hind legs through the muzzle. It was rough-and-tumble, yet Kye noted that the wolfdog wasn’t showing serious aggressive signs. Without the muzzle that might be a different story.
    Yardley spoke. “Oleg, ke mne! ”
    This time the silver dog obeyed instantly. He loped over to her side and fell into heel position. He was breathing a little fast but didn’t appear to be in distress as she attached his leash. Once again, his attention was directed toward the woods in the distance.
    At the same time Lily ran to him, ball in mouth, and jumped up in the full confidence that Kye would catch her, which he did. When she was safe in her handler’s embrace, she looked back over her shoulder and yipped at Oleg.
    Kye grinned at her. “You were right.”
    She smiled back, easily this time. “I’m always right, about dogs.”
    Eye contact. It hit her with the impact of a star falling on her. Something in his gaze, as warm and powerful as a tropical tide, pulling her in despite her misgivings. Like his kiss, everything about Kye McGarren communicated the power of nearly irresistible persuasion. How could she feel like this when David was still a stinging memory of loss?
    The sound of a car horn startled the quiet morning. Humans and dogs turned at the same time to see that a dark sedan had entered the gates. The car rolled to a stop about ten yards away from them. Two men exited, looking for all the world like an reenactment of Men in Black . Kye smirked. “Friends of yours?”
    Yard shook her head, folded her arms, and cocked out a hip. She couldn’t begin to guess what this was about. But she suspected that she wasn’t going to be happy about it.
    The younger of the two men approached while the other, a middle-aged man with a shaved head and brown complexion, remained near the sedan. They both looked