by Sierra Hill
She wasn’t going to stand for this. How dare he call her names and make assumptions about who or what she was. She’d been doing just fine without him and would continue doing so. Who did he think he was?
Kenzie pushed past him and quickly moved down the hallway. She pulled the keys from her purse, ready to slide it in the lock when she came up short, a loud gasp escaping her lips. The door’s lock was splintered and broken, the wood scraps strewn around the entryway. The door had obviously been busted in, but stood slightly ajar.
Remy was immediately at her back, gently shoving her aside in a show of protection.
“Call 911 now.”
She did as he said and pulled her phone from her purse, dialing the three-digit number with shaking fingers. Tears began to sting the back of her eyes and a small shiver of fear ran down her spine.
With a sudden force, Remy kicked open the door to her room and flicked on the overhead light.
“Holy fuck”
“Oh my God.” They both cursed in unison.
The tears of fear and anger that she had been unsuccessfully trying to stave off were now flowing down her cheeks, a river of anguish. Remy was still hovering in the doorway when she stepped over the threshold, her mouth gaping open, the phone still to her ear. A sharp voice jarred her thoughts as the 911 operator came on the line.
“911 – what’s your emergency?”
Kenzie had to search to find her voice but quickly collected herself as she answered the operator’s questions. The destruction of her room was almost laughable. She had very little to begin with, so what could anyone think they were going to gain by ransacking her room? And then it hit her. Oh no.
No, no, no, no, no.
Kenzie rushed forward to her open closet door and sunk down to her knees when she saw that it was missing. Her only true possession worth anything. An irreplaceable gift that had fueled her hopes and dreams since she was a child. The one memento that held any value to her in this life. It was her past, and her present, and represented her future.
But now it was gone. Stolen from her. Ruthlessly ripped from her heart.
Her body was racked with sobs, as she bent over in a childlike pose, her hands covering her face. She felt so violated. So angry. So lost. It was then that she felt the warmth of his leather jacket being placed over her hunched frame, his hand gently laid on top, rubbing circles on her back to comfort her.
Remy’s hand came to smooth the fallen wisps of hair from her face. He was so tender and sweet. “Are you okay, Kenz? What can I do for you?”
She hiccupped, another sob escaping from her throat, as she lifted herself to a sitting position, blinking back the tears and managing to take in the disarray of the room.
The damage seemed to be limited to the busted front door, a broken lamp, her clothes strewn haphazardly on the floor, and the mattress upended from the box spring. The cupboards in the bathroom were left open, as were the dresser drawers and her nightstand.
She didn’t even have to check to know that her money was gone. She’d only brought forty dollars with her to the show and the remainder of her savings had been stashed away in a hollowed out book in the night table. They were sure to have found that.
Remy placed his hands on her shoulders, squarely turning her to look at him. His face was etched with concern and compassion.
“You’re staying with me tonight – don’t even try to argue,” he stated. “And we’ll work out the details of our living arrangement tomorrow. There is no way in hell that I’d ever let you come back to this godforsaken rat trap.”
She nodded her head in agreement. Even she was smart enough to know that she would never feel safe again living here. She’d somehow gotten through the last three months by erecting a thin layer of naivety and ignorance over her eyes, choosing to only see the positive. Once the shroud came down and she saw the harsh reality of the situation, she could move on and leave it all behind.
Her mouth was dry and felt like sandpaper when she responded.
“Okay. Let me just pack up some things I need right now and I can get the rest later.”
“Nope. Take it all. You’re not coming back here.”
She was about to argue. To stand up for herself and defend her rights to do whatever she damn well wanted to do, but it was a lost cause. She may not know this man from Adam, but with his clenched jaw and stern eyes, she knew he there wasn’t any room for disagreement.
Remy helped her shove all her clothes, food and personal belongings that she could fit into garbage bags, since her luggage had also been stolen, and brought them down to her car.
The police finally arrived to take Kenzie’s and Remy’s statements, but spent only five minutes discussing the details with them. It was obvious from their tone, which was clipped and hurried, that this was the lowest task on their priority list.
Kenzie didn’t begrudge them. She understood they had much bigger fish to fry – and with no trauma or injury to report – it wasn’t a fire that needed to be extinguished immediately. The likelihood of her ever getting back any of her stolen items was nil to zilch.
Once the police left, Remy shut the door behind them and walked her down to her car, his comforting presence made known to her with his warm hand on the small of her back. In the midst of all of the chaos, his touch kept her calm and focused. Had she gone through this alone, she would’ve fallen apart.
“Give me your phone and I’ll plug in my address so you can use your GPS if you get lost,” he informed her, as he entered the information into her Contacts list. “Otherwise, just follow me. My place is in the West End.”
Kenzie gaped at him. She’d may have only lived in the area for three months, but she knew the West End was reserved for the wealthier set. Not a neighborhood that she could ever afford, especially not now, with no money to her name.
“Wow – remind me again what you do? If you think I can afford that type of rent, you’re obviously high or stupid. You did see where I was living until just five minutes ago, right?”
Remy must have noticed her reservation and downplayed his living arrangement. “It’s an older building, and I know the landlord. He gives me a good deal. Now come on – let’s get the hell out of here before someone tries to steal your garbage bags.”
She threw her head back and laughed at the plausibility of his statement. She certainly wouldn’t put it past anyone at this point.
Sliding the key into the ignition and turning the engine on, she followed Remy’s motorcycle out of the parking lot and onto the main street. Looking in the rearview mirror and watching the hotel grow smaller and smaller the further she drove, she began to hum the Coldplay tune, Everything’s Not Lost.
She’d lost herself before and had to pick herself up off the ground when she could’ve easily let herself drown. So this would surely serve as proof that she could do it once again.
Although this time, it appeared she would have a little help from a friend.
Chapter Six
“So this is the kitchen, which I rarely use except for storing Red Bulls and beer in the fridge. I’m not much of a cook – obviously, since I’m eating my breakfasts at the diner every day.”
Kenzie dropped the bags she’d been carrying onto the hardwood floor and stepped into the kitchen, moving around Remy who was blocking her entry.
“This kitchen is huge – industrial sized. Me likey!” she said, clapping her hands together with glee, opening cupboards and the fridge to peek inside. “I love to cook but couldn’t where I was living because all I had was a hotplate. Did you and your roommate split grocery bills, or did you just do your own thing?”
“No, we didn’t split anything. I’d usually eat take-out or grab a sandwich to eat at the studio when I worked late. Sometimes, but not often, if we were both home at the same time, we’d share a pizza. But that’s about it.”
Remy’s heart was racing with a mixture of tension and an unexplained nervousness now that Kenzie was in such close proximity. He�
�d been put through the ringer tonight with an array of emotions brought on by the night’s events. He needed to get his thoughts under control in order to ensure Kenzie felt comfortable and protected.
After the police left with their statements and they packed up all her belongings, he had her follow him home. He was now giving her the grand tour of his two-bedroom apartment. He’d been there for over two years, so to now see it through her eyes, especially after where she’d been living, it did look pretty good. Nice appliances, modern and open-floor plan, lots of natural light. And the furnishings didn’t come cheap. The money from his mother’s house had helped cover a lot of what he now had.
“Well, if I’m not paying rent this first month, I’ll pitch in with some cooking. What’s your favorite food?” she asked, playing with the knob on the utensil drawer.
“I eat just about anything. Except asparagus and broccoli. They’re just gross and make your pee smell funny.”
She lifted her eyes which were brimming with laughter to him. Her smile nearly did him in. What the hell had he gotten himself into? How was he going to manage his obvious attraction to her when he saw her every day? He was going to have to address the elephant in the room, the sooner the better.
He must either draw a line firmly down the center and not cross over that shit, or just fuck her and turn their little living arrangement into a friends-with-benefits thing. Anything more would be fraught with complications and would be dangerous. And he didn’t want any part of that.
“Sounds good. I’ll keep those two veggies off the shopping list,” she agreed with a slight nod. “So, how about showing me the rest of the place?”
“Yeah, of course. It’s getting late, and I know you’ve got to get some sleep soon.” Remy moved out of the kitchen and started down the hallway. Reaching the door to the bathroom, he flipped on the light switch.
“Here’s the shared bathroom. Notice the toilet seat down? See, I can be trained.”
Kenzie let out a cute giggle, which did nothing for his resolve to draw the line. He wanted to kiss that giggle right from her mouth and turn it into a sexy, I’m-about-to-come, moan. He groaned inwardly at the direction of his thoughts.
She examined the bathroom facilities, turning again to face him. Remy was leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded over his chest, watching her as she chewed her bottom lip.
“I’ve never shared a bathroom with a guy,” she said.
“Well, I’m pretty familiar with all the extra things you girls have to stock. I’ll clear out the top drawer for you and the bottom shelves of the medicine cabinet. I’m sure you’ll have some, um, personal products and you can keep that stuff under the sink. I promise I won’t steal any, as long as you leave my razors alone.” He gently nudged her with his shoulder in jest.
“That’s good to know. I hope the same goes for my clothes. You’re not into wearing girl’s panties, are you?”
Well shit, that just messed with his head. The visual of her panties and other lingerie had him close to dropping to his knees and begging her to let him see what she wore under her clothes.
He coughed and turned his head toward the closet door, averting his face so she wouldn’t see his thoughts flash across it. “And there are clean towels and washrags in the hall closet.”
“Thanks. I have two that I brought with me. They’re pink – so I’m sure we won’t get ours confused.”
He could tell that Kenzie liked the color pink. It suited her. She was soft and feminine and it was just pretty, like her.
“And across the hall is your bedroom. Come on, I’ll show you.”
They exited the doorway and crossed the threshold of what had been Nelson’s room until a few days ago. It was sparsely furnished, with a double bed, which was a bit old and sagging in the middle, but still had some life in it; a chest of drawers that had been purchased at Ikea, and a small matching nightstand with a lamp whose shade was crooked and bent. If those walls could talk.
“I washed the sheets the other day, so no Nelson cooties,” he smiled. “And the closet is empty except for a few hangers you can use.”
Kenzie stood in the middle of the room looking small and forlorn. The circumstances that brought them together were a bit unnerving, and he wanted to make her feel as comfortable as possible. She seemed to have come to terms with things pretty well, but still appeared a bit rattled.
Her hands clasped and unclasped in front of her. Lifting her head, her big green eyes pierced him with emotion.
“Remy – I can’t thank you enough. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. You didn’t have to…”
He took two steps toward her, hoping not to frighten her, and grabbed one of her hands in his. “Kenzie, I’m just glad you’re safe and out of that horrible place. This room and apartment are yours for as long as you need them – to give you time to get back on your feet.”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly began to crackle with an electrifying current – like you might feel in the plains of Kansas right before a storm was unleashed. Kenzie moved closer, her body just inches from where he stood. He felt the heat radiating from her hand, which was still in his grasp, and her breath was warm and sweet.
She pushed to her tiptoes and placed her soft lips against his cheek, giving him a chaste peck. Then she pulled her hand away before swinging her arms around his middle and hugging him tightly. He could only reciprocate, and his arms made their way around her small frame, his fingers brushing the silky skin on her back. She was still wearing the baby doll outfit from earlier, which was sexy as hell and exposed areas on her body that he wanted to ravage.
Remy cleared his throat, commandeering his thoughts so he didn’t do anything that would jeopardize their living arrangement at the moment. “Well, I should let you get settled and ready for bed. I’m kind of a night owl, but I’m usually pretty quiet. I’ll plug my headphones in so you won’t hear me playing, okay?”
Kenzie nodded her head, as she slowly removed her hands from around him and stepped back.
“Thanks. I’m a pretty sound sleeper, though. So you don’t have to tiptoe around here on my account. Just go about your normal activities like I’m not even here.”
Yeah, like there was any chance of that.
“Yeah, okay.” He took a step out the door and then turned around. “Oh, and Kenzie?
“Mmm-hmm?”
“I overheard you mention to the police that one of the items stolen was an acoustic guitar that your grandmother gave you.” He watched as her eyes registered a flash of sorrow. “I know it’s no consolation, but you are welcome to borrow one of mine whenever you want. I have three, and they are in my room in the corner. Seriously – I want you to use them. And I hope to hear you play sometime soon.”
Remy said his goodnight and left Kenzie standing in her room looking a bit bewildered and lost. It slayed him. There was something about this girl that made him want to protect her. To help her out. To be close to her in every way possible.
Even though he knew that wouldn’t be possible.
****
Donita eyed Kenzie suspiciously as she walked behind the café counter the next morning. Kenzie shoved her purse in the cubby hole underneath and out of the way, turning around to face her co-worker.
“What?”
“You know what!” She placed her hands on her hips, huffing out her exclamation. “You know I’m dying to hear about what happened last night, darlin’. Are you going to spill the beans? Because you know I’ll get it out of you one way or another.”
Kenzie smeared some berry-flavored lip gloss over her lips, smacking them loudly and smirked. “Nope.”
“You little brat!” she chided, yanking the back of Kenzie’s ponytail with a quick snap.
“Owww! Well, you’re a brat, too. I see you found a handsome cowboy to replace Fabio. That was quick. Did you have fun last night?”
Donita poured some coffee and handed the mug to Kenzie, a bright smile flashing across her face.
“Now don’t you go trying to change the subject,” Donita stressed, wagging a finger at Kenzie. “Because if you don’t tell me, I know there’s a certain customer who should be coming in within the hour who can give me the scoop. So start talking, you beastly wench.”
Kenzie grabbed an apron that was hanging on a hook and tied it around her waist. She might as well get this over with before Donita started making up her own wild stories in her head. And those sordid tales would certainly be a lot racier than anything that might have happened between her and Remy if things had been different.
Blowing out a long breath, she took a sip of the hot coffee Don had just poured for her before turning her head back up to face her. Donita was nearly buzzing with anticipation.
“Well, I hate to burst your dirty-minded bubble, but nothing happened.” Donita’s sigh of frustration raised a few heads. Kenzie smiled coyly before continuing with her story. “With the exception of finding my place burglarized, all my money and belongings taken, and then being forced to move all my stuff in with a new roommate.”
Kenzie gave it a few moments for all of that to sink in, as Donita twirled a lock of her dark red hair, which was falling loosely across her shoulders. Donita’s rich brown eyes widened, registered in shock, and then narrowed again, as if she were trying to figure out a “who-done-it” movie.
“Holy shit, sweetie. Are you okay? What in the world happened?”
Kenzie could feel her hands start to tremor, reliving the memory of last night’s break-in. Even though she hadn’t been there when it happened, it was still traumatizing and made her feel violated.
