Page 58 of Off Limits

“Let’s sleep. Maybe you’ll feel better after some sleep.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“You can. You will. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. Just relax.”

Lochlyn starts twisting some of my hair around his fingers, slowly straightening the curl and trailing his finger down my spine as he lets go, then starting over in a slow rhythmic movement. As my muscles start to loosen, his other hand starts grazing up and down the arm that’s draped over his chest. Within minutes, my eyes flutter closed.

Chapter 11

Hewasright.Bythe time I wake up in the morning, I feel better. Waking up next to the person you love has a way to make your worries fade.

The first thing I do when we get downstairs is check my phone. I hadn’t let Mom know I’d be spending the night, and part of me hopes for a message wondering where I am. But…nothing.

“I’m sure she just knew you were spending the night here,” Lochlyn says as he wraps his arms around my waist. I hadn’t even told him what I was doing. As usual, he just knows.

We spend the next two days together, mostly at his house, mostly in bed. When I go home to get some clothes, I leave Mom a note. She may not be wondering where I am, but I feel like I need to tell her. Ever the responsible daughter. Lochlyn is my shadow the whole time we’re at my house. Standing right behind me as I shift through the rooms, trying to convince me I don’t need clothes, then trying to pick them out when I insist I do.

All the while, he makes me laugh, reminding me that we’re happy together.

Two days after Chelsea left, I get a text message from her.

On my way home. Be at my house in twenty minutes. Need to talk to you.

Lochlyn and I are on the couch watching a movie, my legs draped over his lap, when the message comes in. We read it cheek to cheek, looking at each other with pinched brows and tight lips once we finish.

My mouth is arid, and for a minute, I think I’ve forgotten how to breathe. I’m so sure we’ve been made, and that she’s coming back to fully express her feelings.

When she storms through the door twenty minutes later, I’m able to take the first real breath since I read her message. It’s very clearlynotabout me and Lochlyn.

“I told you to go away, Brendan. Just leave!” she shouts as she marches into the house and starts up the stairs.

“Chelsea, we need to talk about this!”

“I said, GO AWAY!”

Lochlyn and I lock eyes on each other before glancing over at Brendan, standing at the bottom of the stairs as Chelsea storms up them. We’d gotten up from the couch and are standing behind it, watching the scene unfold in front of us. A quick look at Lochlyn, and I just know things are not going to go well in the next few minutes.

“What did you do to my sister?” His voice is filled with rage.

“I didn’t do anything, we go into a fight and—"

“She’s storming up the stairs telling you to leave! What the fuck was the fight about?”

“It’s none of your business what happens between me and Chelsea.”

That’s the wrong thing to say. And Brendan realizes it the second Lochlyn’s eyes widen, and he starts making a beeline for Brendan.

I put my arms out and press against Lochlyn’s chest, but he keeps walking. I have to apply some force in pushing him back. “Lochlyn, stop.”

His eyes flash to mine. “Are you serious? He did something to Chelsea!”

“I didn’tdoanything to her,” Brendan immediately defends himself.

I whip my head around to look at Brendan, hands still against Lochlyn’s chest, giving a firm push as he tries to move again.

“Then why the hell are you back a day early and she’s racing up the stairs?” I seethe.

“I don’t know. You know she can be crazy sometimes.” He waves his hand toward the stairs while his face scrunches.

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