{"id":21223,"date":"2025-11-26T18:41:28","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=21223"},"modified":"2025-11-26T18:41:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:41:28","slug":"21223","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=21223","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"

Ray\u2019s shoulders dropped a fraction. \u201cThanks, ma\u2019am,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

He guided Shadow toward the corner table facing the street. That spot had become his refuge\u2014good sightlines, back to the wall, dog tucked under the table like a dark shadow of his own.<\/p>\n

Grace watched him settle, did a silent mental check: coffee soon, no sudden noises near his table. She didn\u2019t know all of his story. Just knew that he\u2019d spent too many nights on missions no one talked about, that he woke shaking sometimes, that Shadow seemed to feel his pulse through the leash before anyone else saw his hands tremble.<\/p>\n

She grabbed a mug and started pouring.<\/p>\n

That was when the front door opened again, and the temperature in the room changed.<\/p>\n

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Ray\u2019s shoulders dropped a fraction. \u201cThanks, ma\u2019am,\u201d he muttered. He guided Shadow toward the corner table facing the street. That spot had become his refuge\u2014good sightlines, back to the wall, dog tucked under the table like a dark shadow of his own. Grace watched him settle, did a silent mental check: coffee soon, no sudden…<\/p>\n

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