the man’s white beard, but at the sound of my voice, her one floppy ear twitched. She lifted her head, her dark, glassy eyes locking onto mine. She gave a small, uncertain whimper.
“Her name is Pepper,” I said, tears finally spilling over my cheeks, hot and fast. “She belonged to my wife. My wife passed away, and I… I lost my mind. I couldn’t bear to look at her because it hurt too much. I brought her here. I condemned her.”
Silence stretched across the gravel parking lot, broken only by the hum of the distant highway and the gentle panting of the old black Lab. The three other bikers looked at their leader, waiting for a signal.
The giant looked down at the shivering terrier in his arms, then back up at me. His fierce, weathered expression softened just a fraction, the hardened lines of his face shifting
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