‘So where are these pups?’ Jaden asked, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and shoving the milk back in the fridge.

‘They live in the shed.’ Max didn’t want to show Jaden the pups. Maybe he could get him to play Call of Duty instead. But Jaden was already heading out the back door. Max didn’t like the way the big boy swaggered through the house like he owned it. For once, he wished Dad was home: he would have put Jaden in his place. But Dad was up in the forest cutting down trees, so Max would have to take care of things.

He hurried past Jaden into the shed and sat with the pups, lifting Bonnie onto his lap. ‘Here they are,’ he said. ‘You can hold them, but you have to be gentle.’

Callum went straight for Rosie Junior, smiling and laughing as he rubbed the pup against his cheek. ‘Oh, cool. They’re so soft.’

Jaden picked up Bruiser, and Max wasn’t surprised because Jaden and Bruiser were exactly the same. Bruiser was biggest because he pushed the others aside and claimed whatever he wanted. ‘Let’s take this one home, Callum,’ Jaden said.

‘You can’t,’ Max said. ‘He’s still drinking from Rosie. But in two weeks he’ll need a home.’

‘I don’t want to give him a home,’ Jaden said. ‘I want to feed him to Prince for breakfast.’

Prince was Callum and Jaden’s dog: a bony German shepherd that chased little dogs and bit kids. When Bruiser grew up he’d be a good match for Prince, but now he was too little. Jaden gave Bruiser a shake that made the pup cry, then he started throwing him in the air and catching him.

‘Don’t,’ Max said. ‘You’re hurting him.’

‘It doesn’t hurt. I’m good at catching.’ Jaden tossed the pup higher.

‘Stop it!’ Callum shouted at his brother. ‘He’s not a football.’

‘Just because you two are no good at footy.’

Jaden kept doing it till Max was nearly in tears. ‘Cry-baby,’ Jaden said, thrusting the pup on the ground.

Rosie bared her teeth and snarled—she was a good judge of character.

‘Keep your dog away from me,’ Jaden said. ‘Or I’ll kick her.’

‘She’s only doing it because you were hurting her pup,’ Max retorted. ‘She’s just being a good mum.’

‘Bullshit. She’s a mongrel.’

Jaden went outside and booted Max’s footy over the fence into Leon’s place. Then he chucked Max’s bike over too. He was just about to give the same treatment to Max’s scooter when Mum pulled up in the driveway. Max saw her through the windscreen: she was glaring at Jaden. The big boy stared at her for a moment then set the scooter back on the ground. Mum and Suzie came over straight away.