I sighed in frustration. I hoped she would be here. It may sound crazy, but this isn’t how I imagined her losing it, if that’s what was going on. I hopped in the shower for a quick one. I threw on my sweats and laid on her bed—she wouldn’t mind. I kept checking my phone, over and over until it fell against my chest and I fell asleep.

Course, I didn’t know I fell asleep until my buzzing phone snapped me out of it. It was Lori.

“Hey, you okay?” I heard her breathing but didn’t hear anything. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Dillon…” I shot up, her voice was laced with fear and uneasiness.

“Lori, I’m here. What’s wrong?” I rushed.

“I…can you pick me up?” I rushed to find the keys.

“Yeah, where are you?” She coughed.

“I don’t know…Jared lived like, a couple minutes from the bar. I really don’t know.” Her voice cracked.

“That’s okay, just stay wherever you are and I’ll find you, okay? I’ll find you.” I was already out the door.

“Okay.” She hung up. I wanted to stay on the phone with her but I was driving too fast to try and call her back. Shit, it’s cold. I glanced down. Good hell, I didn’t put on a shirt.

I went to the bar and then drove down the street, right on to the apartments. Nothing. I circled back and went the other way but still nothing. There was a neighborhood with smaller houses a few more miles down but she didn’t say it was that far. But was her perception of time that good?

I stalled the car and called her back, it rang so long I didn’t think she would pick up.

“Lori, I can’t…just, do you know your way back to the bar?”

“Uh, I…I don’t know.” Damnit.

“Just try okay? I’m going to circle around again.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t hang up this time.”

She didn’t reply but she didn’t hang up either. I went back the first way, most people lived here if they weren’t in Woodmont, he had to live here. And where was the prick anyway? She would have to explain it to me because this is a dick move.

My eyes searched in the darkness over and over. I saw something moving, finally. I drove slower and slower.

“Is that you? Turn around.” I said to Lori. She turned around. I sighed with relief.

She ran towards the car and got in quickly. I drove off.

“Where’s your shirt?” It was barely a whisper.

“I was rushing. What happened?” She shook her head and looked out the window. She didn’t want to talk about it yet.

I got back to the house and helped her out. She wouldn’t let me get any closer to her than inches apart. I didn’t like how she looked. Her eyeliner was smudged, she had obviously been crying and her eyes were red—from alcohol and from the crying. Once we got back into her bedroom, I shut the door behind us. She was consciously avoiding my gaze.

“I’m going to run you a bath, then we can talk.” She didn’t reply, she was still hugging herself pretty tight. Shivering. My blood boiled with anger…if I ever see that guy again…

I searched under her sink for a bath bomb, she always had them somewhere. I ran the water and plugged the drain. It filled up, I dropped it in.

“It’s ready.”

She nodded once and brushed past me. I touched her arm lightly as she stood in the doorway, she looked up at me, her blue eyes touched with a world of pain.

“Are you okay, Lorraine?” She nodded, I didn’t believe her. But I couldn’t argue with her before she shut the door.

I sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard as I waited for her. I was tired before but I’m wide awake now. I was worried about her. I didn’t have any other way to say it, but she’s just…fragile. But also strong. Lori holds her own, she really does. She has great street smarts, good judge of character; her dad taught her that. But when it comes to guys, she gets a little dopey eyed. Thinking it can happen just like it does in her books she reads, and writes. But it doesn’t. She hasn’t had a good relationship that could teach her that.

She had been in there for maybe ten minutes so I knocked on the door.

“Are there enough bubbles for me to come in?” I called through the door. It wasn’t the first time she took a soothing bath while I sat on her toilet seat.

“Yeah.”

I came in. She rested her head on a towel and had her eyes closed. I sat on the toilet seat next to the tub where her feet were.

“Lori, look at me.” She didn’t. I took a deep breath. I hate when she closes up like this—one day she’ll get an ulcer from holding her emotions in.

“Lorraine.” I said again. Finally, she looked at me.

The bubbles were still up to her neck and she slunk further into the tub. I fought my gaze from sticking on her bare skin. Her collarbone rose as she breathed. She took a deep breath, the center of her chest hollowing. I wanted so badly to just reach out and kiss her right there.

“You want to tell me what happened?”

She shook her head, glaring up at the ceiling.

“Nothing. I just…I just needed a ride home.” I scoffed.

“No, you were crying. Just…” it made me sick to even think about it, but I had to ask. She stared right into my eyes now.

I really didn’t want to ask. “Did he…did he force you to--”

“No!” She cut me off, “no. Nothing like that.” I nodded and relaxed a bit, my fists came unclenched.

“Okay. Good. Then why…”

“Can I finish first? I swear I’ll tell you everything when I get out.” Her eyes pleaded with me. I nodded and stood up. I kissed the top of her head before leaving her alone.

I waited for her on the bed. Still feeling like shit.