Page 36 of Lochlan

“This is the Stonerock apartments, what's your emergency?”

“My apartment is 502. I've locked myself out.”

“Sure, I can have the locksmith meet you. Let me radio him. I've got to put you on hold.”

There's silence on the line. I stand on the other side of the door, my back against the wall. He's giving me a look like he’s wondering what's going on. Before I can answer, the guy’s back on the line.

“Hello?”

“Yeah, I'm here.”

“Sorry, no one is available tonight. Try back tomorrow.”

“I need to get into my apartment now.”

“It's after hours; most locksmiths aren't open. You can try to find one that's open twenty-four hours, but it will cost you.”

“Let me talk to the manager.”

“Look, lady, the office is closed. We're the service that answers after hours.”

I hang up on the asshole.

Lochlan pushes away from the door frame. “Is he coming?”

“No, they said no one is available until tomorrow.”

“Come with me.” He extends his hand. “You can stay with me until they open your door or I'll take you to a hotel and you can stay there for the night.”

I can't go to a hotel. I'm on a limited budget. If I call my dad for the extra money, I'll have to explain this night.

“Which is it?” he asks.

“Your place.”

The driver must have fallen asleep waiting, because he's still there when we come back to the rideshare.

If it surprised the driver to see me back in the car, he didn't show it. Lochlan gives him the address. Curled into the corner, I endure a nearly silent ride back to MacTavish Cellars.

CHAPTER16

WALLS OF JERICHO

LOCHLAN

An uncertain Kenzie standsin the middle of my room, chewing her bottom lip and appearing far less confident than earlier. I don't know how to take care of someone; I can barely do that for myself.

“You can take my bed for the night,” I say, moving toward the chest of drawers. I don't sleep in pajamas; it's usually boxers for me or nothing at all. I find one of my old shirts and hand it to her. “You can use this to sleep in.”

She stares at the shirt, then nods. “Thank you. I'll change in the bathroom.”

“There's a new toothbrush in the drawer. Use anything of mine you need.”

She slips into the bathroom while I walk to the screen that hides my gym equipment. The gigantic piece is light and opaque. I place it a few feet from the bed to give her some privacy. I find a blanket in back of the wardrobe and pull one of the two pillows from the bed, then drop them on the couch.

The kitchen has little to offer, except for an abundance of whiskey, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I search through the cabinets and there in a corner is a tin of cocoa that I bought on a whim, thinking that some mornings I would have that for breakfast.

I swipe a bottle of milk from the refrigerator that I keep for my oats and pull out a saucepan. I'm pouring the cocoa into the heated milk when Kenzie emerges from the bathroom in my shirt, cuffing the long sleeves.

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