“How do you think I feel knowing he’s going to hurt you?”
“That’s different.” I pace to the window, trying not to seriously lose it.
“How?”
Silence.
Jordyn sighs and I hear her lie back on her bed.
“What?” I say.
“I’m afraid to say anything else.”
I shoot her a “spit it out” look.
She rolls onto her side, propping her head up with her hand. “What if my mom became, like, your legal guardian or something?”
“Jordyn, I—” I sigh, turning back to the window. “Can we please stop fighting about this?”
She doesn’t want to let it go, I can tell, but she does. For now.
Our—well, Jordyn’s cover story for Captain involves him having to climb down too many stairs to reach my backyard. It’s not true, and if Kelly were to come over for any reason, she’d clearly see why, but it works for now. Kelly insists he stay with them. Also, she’s home all day and loves having him to dote on. She’s really getting attached. Sure, it makes me a little jealous when Captain occasionally runs to greet her before he greets me, but I know he’s so much better off here.
As for me, I have to find an adequate lock to keep Dad out now that he’s destroyed mine. Also, a new door. Jordyn and I scour the Internet trying to locate the best lock for the job. It’s her treat. She’s insisted. It’s my Christmas present, even though all I was able to get her was a set of charcoals I saw her eyeing and then she got all distracted and forgot to buy them. She went crazy when she opened it. She was impressed that I remembered.
The lock and door are, like, two hundred times more expensive, but she has absolutely insisted on helping to keep me and the rest of my things safe.
? ? ?
We found the perfect lock and she’s having it installed today along with a solid wood door. We’re on our way to meet the guy. I just hope Dad didn’t choose today to stay home from work.
Thankfully, his car is gone when we pull into the driveway, because there’s a white van waiting out front.
Max, the guy Jordyn called to install the lock, strides over and gives Jordyn a hug.
“Max is one of Henry’s fishing buddies. He did the locks at the studio,” she says after introducing us.
Max wastes no time getting to work. He lets out a low whistle when he sees the damage done to my previous lock and door, but doesn’t say a word.
Jordyn and I sit at the kitchen table and I mostly stare at the front door just in case Dad walks in for some reason. Well, that and the red-stained grout on the tile next to my foot.
“He’s not going to tell Henry about this, is he?” I whisper.
“I told him you had a break-in and they only went for your room. I told him we think it was one of the guys you got into a fight with trying to retaliate.”
I brush her hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek with my thumb. “Thank you.”
? ? ?
Max is done in a little less than two hours. “Give me your phone.” He holds out his palm.
Jordyn digs it out of my pocket and places it in his hand while I try to figure out why the hell he needs my phone. He tap-tap-taps and hands it back to me with a new icon on it.
“Tap there.”
I do.
A screen comes up that reads: User: One. Name: Tyler Blackwell. Access: Unlimited.
“This shows that you are the only person able to access this lock. Ever. Now I’ll just program a spare key in the event that you lose that one and be on my way.”
I nod. He takes another key from the box the lock came in as well as my phone, then he taps around some more before handing both back to me.
“If anyone tries to jimmy it, you’ll get an alert on your phone and the lock’ll shut down, so it is virtually impossible to open without your master key. And this door should hold, good choice. It’s not a steel door, but I think nothing short of an ax will go through this bad boy. You should be all set. I programmed my number in your phone so if anything happens, call me and I’ll talk you through it.” He hands me a thick manual.
“Thanks, Max.” Jordyn throws her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek.
He laughs. “You got some girl here,” he says to me.
“Don’t I know it.” I shake his hand. “Thanks, man.”
“Let’s celebrate.” Jordyn takes my hand and suggestively pulls me down to my dungeon as soon as Max is on his way. But the mood is killed when she sees the damage Dad’s done to my room. “Oh my god.”
“It wasn’t this bad before I left.”
Along with all the contents of my shelves and drawers scattered all around the room, there are now two holes punched in the drywall above the paneling. And the paneling has been kicked and crushed in in several spots.
“Tyler . . .”
“It’s all cosmetic. Don’t worry about it.” I can see the fright clear on her face. “I’ll be fine. I promise. I just wish I knew what the hell he’s looking for.”