Page 106 of Off Limits

Chelsea looks at Lochlyn, the first glance I’ve seen between them that isn’t filled with irritation and disdain. Instead, it’s filled with worry.

“Are you having trouble in your classes?”

“No, Chelsea, that would be you.” My rebuttal catches even me off guard.

“Wow, Shay. If you’re mad at me about something, just say so.”

“I’m not mad! Christ, can’t you just see I’m tired of being talked about like an object rather than a damn person who has opinions and can make her own decisions about who she sees and what she does and when!”

Lochlyn hops off the bed and grabs my hand, dragging me out the door. He doesn’t slow down or talk to me until we’re outside, where he loosens his grip. I yank my hand from his and spin away from him.

He stands right behind me, so close that when he speaks, his breath tickles the nape of my neck. “Talk. Now.”

Incapable of doing that, I move away from him. He follows, putting his hand around my bicep, pulling me toward him. I spin to face him, pushing against his chest and out of his grasp.

“Go away, Lochlyn! Leave me alone.”

Both his hands land on my arms, tugging me closer. “Talk to me.”

“I said, leave mealone!”I push against him, hard, almost tumbling backward as I force myself away from him.

Instead of listening, both of his hands latch completely around my biceps and he yanks me into his chest. He wraps his arms so tightly around me, I can’t move. I thrash around, trying to break free. When that doesn’t work, I smack his chest with open palms. After a minute like that, I fist my hands and hit him, but he doesn’t relent.

“Let go of me!”

“No. Something is going on and you’re going to talk to me.” His words come out broken as I continue to wriggle, and he has to keep up with my movements.

“I said let go!” I scream. An outsider would think he’s harming me with the way I'm flailing about and struggling.

“Shay. You need to talk to me. What the hell is going on with you? I know Chelsea and I can’t possibly be pissing you off this much. There’s something else and you’re not telling me what it is.”

Puffs of air leave my mouth instead of words, and I burst into tears, my thrashing turning into grasping fistfuls of his shirt. He supports me as my knees lose their balance, keeping his arms tight around me.

I don’t know how long he holds me for, how long I just let the tears pour out of me without pause. He never asks me what’s wrong, doesn’t ask me to talk, just lets me sob uncontrollably into his chest outside my dorm.

As the tears start to subside, I’m left with just the shallow breathing and salt-stained cheeks. Lochlyn senses the calm and loosens his grip, hands cupping my cheeks as he wipes under my eyes. His face is full of worry.

“Baby,whatis going on?”

“Tomorrow’s…the anniversary…of…" I try to get it out between ragged breaths.

But I don’t need to finish. “Your dad’s death. Oh, baby girl, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to the date. Fuck.”

Lochlyn looks up at the sky, and his jaw tightens as he pulls me back against him, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and head, boxing me into him. I take a few moments to just breathe him in, using his steady breathing to calm my own, feeling his heartbeat beneath my fingers to ground myself to him, and letting the sandalwood scent overwhelm me and allowing me to get lost in him.

When my breaths are no longer hitching, he lowers his hands, trailing my arms to take my hands in his. He leans his forehead against mine. It’s the sweetest thing he does to me, making me feel so close to him.

“Are you okay to go inside? Or do you want to go back to my apartment?”

“Inside’s fine.”

“You sure?”

I nod silently.

Wrapping his arm around my waist, he leads me back upstairs to my room.

As soon as I’m through the door, Chelsea takes one look at me and rushes to envelop me in a hug. Lochlyn letting go of my waist. As much as I love Chelsea, I need him more, so I extend my hand back to find his.

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