Page 100 of The Lost and the Found

I turned and frowned at him. “Sad?”

“Yeah, you know. More so than usual. She looked sad, and if you’re here to make her happy, good. But if not, you should just leave. Hayden’s had enough to deal with in her life. She doesn’t need some hotshot rich guy to come over and mess it up even more. You know she’s graduating in May, right?”

I nodded, surprised he even knew that. His expression turned pensive then, when he said, “If anyone can get out of this life, it’s her. So just… don’t mess it up.”

I nodded and walked back to her door, his words ringing in my ears. Kenny was much more perceptive than I gave him credit for.

And I didn’t want to mess up Hayden’s life.

I wanted her to thrive.

I knocked again, but I knew she wasn’t going to answer. Either she was sleeping or…

I shook away the thought. Her being anything but safe was unacceptable to me.

Please be in a deep sleep, and that’s why you didn’t hear my knock.

A hand tapped me on the shoulder and turned around, seeing Kenny there. “What?”

“Here. This might help.”

He shoved a small bag in my hand. I opened it and looked back at him in surprise, then a scowl was taking over my face. “Why the fuck do you have a lock-picking kit?”

“Hey, it’s not what you think. Kelly, my girl, likes to lock herself in the bathroom or bedroom whenever she’s pissed at me.”

I didn’t say any more. Picking her lock felt like a huge invasion of privacy, but I needed to know that she was safe.

It didn’t take me long to figure it out. Her locks were flimsy at best, and I never hated that she lived here more than I did now.

I threw the kit back at Kenny and offered a small nod before I shut the door behind me, making my way inside the dark apartment to her bedroom.

The streetlamp outside let a low orange glow in her room, enough for me to make out her small form in the bed.

My shoulders relaxed, and I felt like I could finally breathe for the first time since she left me this morning.

Hayden was safe.

That was all that mattered.

I should leave. I shouldn’t be in her apartment uninvited, but the thought of leaving her held no appeal. I couldn’t make myself do it.

Then, “Logan,” she mumbled softly.

My decision was made.

I stripped out of my jeans and jacket, leaving my shirt and boxer briefs on, before crawling into bed with her. She was shivering slightly, and my heart broke at the sight.

I pulled her carefully into my arms and let out a small sigh of relief.

It took a while for her to stop shivering.

She stirred a little, before her eyes opened and took me in. It was too dark to tell if she was still asleep, but she didn’t sound asleep when she let out a soft sigh, her voice clogging a little.

I didn’t need to see her to know she was crying. Gently, I wiped away her tears with my thumbs.

“Ah, baby. Don’t cry. It’s okay,” I said. She was killing me.

“I’m sorry,” she said, softly. So softly, I almost didn’t hear.

“I’m sorry, too.”

And then I kissed her on the forehead, savoring the feel of her soft skin there, my arms tightening around her a little. I was never letting her go, I vowed it.

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