Same Time

six.

"Typical."

"You want to get out of here? Shayden would kill me if he thought I'd left you alone." Tory gestures for me to follow him, walking off before I even have the chance to answer.

Fuck it. If Shayden trusted him, maybe I could too.

We walked around the corner to a white, blacked out Tesla. My jaw dropped as I climbed into the passenger seat, amazed by the beauty of a car.

"How the fuck did you afford this?" I pretty much splutter out, eyeing Tory from the corner of my eyes.

"Rich Mom." He shrugs. The expression on his face told me to drop it. "Do you want me to drop you at your place? Or Shaydens?"

I smothered out my shirt, wrapping my camo jacket further around me. "I-"

"You can chill at mine for a while, if you want." He seems to realize that the idea of going home with someone I barely knew petrified me, so he continued. "I've got food and Shayden lives close, in case you change your mind about going to see him once he's home."

Nodding my head, I just watched as the streets roared past us. Adrenaline courses through my veins at the fact I'm actually in a car with someone I barely know and a man at that, my therapist would be so happy that I'd stopped 'believing the worst in absolutely everyone I meet'. But it didn't stop the caution lights flashing in my head. Tory just didn't seem to have bad intentions and I'm not drunk this time, if he did I could run.

We pulled up to the same apartment complex that Shayden lives in. His eyes were on me, and he was smiling. "I live at the top. Shayden's on the floor below me."

My head snapped over at him, "Let's go then."

We get the elevator up to the top floor. He holds the door open for me, and once we're both inside the apartment, he just closes the front door without locking it, which makes me feel strangely at ease.

Without warning, I see a little black and white dog running up to us, it's tail wagging furiously as it starts to jump up at me.

I sit on the floor without hesitating, picking the pup up and scratching behind his ears as he tries desperately to lick my face.

"He's so beautiful." My nose scrunches up as I start to laugh.

"That's Rocky, he's half corgi and half husky." Tory leans down and pets him before going to walk into what I presumed was the kitchen. "I'm getting a drink, do you want anything?"

"Just water, please." I replied, pulling my jacket off, hanging it up on the coat rack, and carried Rocky over to the couch. "You're so beautiful. Yes, you are. Yes, you are."

"Thank you." Tory chuckles jokingly as he hands me a bottle of water. "Good dog voice."

"Thanks." My lips tug up unconsciously, "I work in an Elementary School but I swear dogs are so much better than kids."

"Can't argue with that logic," He shrugs, "Are you staying the night? I'll need to get-" He stops, looking at the repulsion and slight panic on my face. "No, not to do anything. I mean because I'm going to drink and I can't let you walk home or Uber at this time. You can stay in my room, there's a lock on the door I promise."

I take a deep breath, diverting my attention back to the puppy to try and relax the tension seeping through my body. "We met like a few weeks ago."

He shrugged, "Okay, and? I wouldn't let anyone walk home this late at night and, as I said, I've just had a drink and I refuse to drive once I've drank. So I'll sleep on the couch or we can see if Shayden's home and sobered up? And, if you're more comfortable, you can stay with him?"