Collared (Going to the Dogs) Read Online Free PDF

and melt. He wasn’t the kind of man who fit into her world. A working professional, a cop. But that made him all the more appealing. He was rugged and raw.
    It had been wonderful to see his face when he realized she wasn’t the maid. Served him right with his preconceived notions of who she was. ‘Lady of the manor,’ indeed.
    “Uh-oh. What’s wrong?” Brooke said.
    Drew and Owen took one look at her face and exchanged a glance with raised eyebrows.
    Damn Brooke and her maternal radar. “I was robbed.”
    “Oh, my God,” Callie said, putting her hand on Harper’s arm as she sat down. “What happened?”
    Drew said, “Someone got through your security system and your safe to get at your valuables? Damn. That couldn’t have been easy.”
    Harper’s stomach jumped when he said that, then clenched as she remembered finding Blue lying so still, but it was anger that was evident in her voice when she spoke. “They drugged Blue, too. I thought they had killed her.”
    “Oh, that must have been awful. But Blue’s okay?” Brooke said sidling closer and putting her arm around Harper.
    Brooke was the only one who could get away with this kind of affection. In fact, she included Callie and Harper as well. Never before had Harper had such steadfast friends. She loved them all. “Yes, she’s fine now. I wish I’d had Poe to hold my hand, though, and take care of Blue…and Jared, too. He could have handled the police. But I took Blue to St. Mark’s Animal Hospital, and they gave her a clean bill of health”
    “It is tough without our resident vet, but I just know she and Jared must be basking in sybaritic pleasures courtesy of your dad.” Brooke said.
    Drew said, “It seems to me this must have been professionals—”
    “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Caleb Shaw said, his deep voice rumbling through her and vibrating against her nerves until they were jangling. She looked up and had to catch her breath once again.
    “What are you doing here?” she said.
    He looked around the table, and she liked that he didn’t seem to feel out of place. But showing up here set Harper on edge. She’d been hoping for a little fun.
    “I need to talk to you about the breakin.”
    “How did you find me?” Her question sounded harsher than she meant it to.
    He smiled at her like she was the village idiot. “I actually earned my shield, Ms. Sinclair.”
    Her lips tightened when he threw her own mocking words back at her. He was pushing her buttons and she was actually feeling a bit…threatened. “How did you get into this club? It’s exclusive,” she snapped.
    All four of her friends looked at her in surprise and Caleb’s eyes shuttered. She felt ashamed of the way she’d made it sound, like he was a nobody and didn’t belong here.
    “I have a special pass to hang out with the popular people,” he said, tapping his badge, totally unaffected by the tension radiating off of her.
    Owen stood up and reached out his hand. “Owen McKay, I’m the owner of the club. Welcome. This is my fiancée Callie Lassiter, and this is Drew Hudson and his fiancée, Brooke Palmer. We’re Harper’s friends and are willing to do anything to help her.”
    “Sorry we had to meet under these circumstances. I’m Detective Caleb Shaw, and I’ve been assigned to Ms. Sinclair’s case.” He nodded to everyone around the table after clasping Owen’s hand. Then he turned back to Harper. “Ms. Sinclair. A word?”
    Harper, trying to calm herself down after her rude behavior, got up and walked with him a few paces away from the table, close to the dance floor. The music was loud, but they were able to hear each other.
    He wasted no time. “My preliminary conclusion is that this might have been an inside job.”
    “What?” Dread settled in her stomach, along with outrage. Everyone who worked for her had impeccable credentials. They’d been vetted. “Are you telling me that there was no breakin, that someone got the security