Just a Pucking Kiss [COMPLETED]

Chapter 30 - Dog trouble

"Then I guess it's up to us." I hurry to hold the door open as someone leaves.

Lydia takes a deep breath and follows me inside. The entire elevator ride, she fiddles with her mittens. I put an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry, we got this."

She gives me a shaky smile and we leave the elevator. Her hand only shakes a little when she knocks on the door. A dog barks inside, followed by a harsh command.

"What do you want?" A beautiful redhead sneers at Lydia. Her skin is pale and perfect, but her eyes are cold.

"Are you selling Max?" Lydia asks.

"What if I am?" Chloe crosses her arms, but Max almost knocks her over as he tries to get to Lydia.

Lydia kneels to pet her, but Chloe grabs her collar and pulls her back.

"Why wouldn't you ask us first? Wes loves her and you know we'll take good care of her."

Chloe shrugs. "Too much drama." She's studying her nails. "And I need to get rid of her now."

"We'll take her now," I say. "You'll never have to worry about her ever again."

"Get rid of her," comes a male voice from inside the apartment. "That dog is a nuisance."

Chloe rolls her eyes. "I already got an offer," she yells back inside.

"How much?" I ask, loud enough for the man inside to hear. "What if we pay you?" I make sure he can hear that we're offering money. If Chloe's boyfriend wants to get rid of the dog that badly, then the added incentive of money and us taking her now should do it.

"Yeah," Lydia agrees. "We'll buy her from you."

"Do it, babe," he yells.

"Fine. You can have her for two thousand dollars."

My jaw drops. I knew dogs were expensive, but two thousand seems like a lot.

"Two thousand?" Lydia says, and sounds as shocked as I am.

We look at each other.

"We don't have that on us," I say. "But maybe we can pay in installments?"

"Yes," Lydia says hopefully. "I'm sure we can find a way to get the money."

"Tonight," Chloe says.

"What?"

"I want two thousand dollars tonight. If you don't get me the money before nine, I'll just sell her to the guy I found online."

"No, don't do that," Lydia says.

"We'll get the money."

"Sure," Chloe says and closes the door, ending the conversation abruptly.

"What do we do?" Lydia asks as Max whines inside. "I don't have that much. I think I could get maybe two hundred."

"Same." We walk to the elevator. I check the time. "It's twenty past seven. The game starts at eight, which pretty much rules out the boys."

"Do you think Kat might have any money?"

I nod and get out my phone. "I'll call her." We wait by the elevator as I hold the phone to my ear. "Shit, it's straight to voicemail. She must be at the game watching the warm-ups already."

I look at the panic on Lydia's face. "We have time," I say. "We can go to the Den and ask her in person."

Never has a bus ride felt so long. I check my balance, but there is no way for me to get two thousand dollars together.