“You’re welcome. I’ll see you next week,” I said with a smile before wandering off without a second thought for the grumpy alpha glaring at me.
The stalking bastard didn’t deserve a goodbye. As I turned on my heel, I could feel his piercing gaze burning into my back. It was both unsettling and oddly satisfying.
With each step, my heart raced a little faster. I could almost hear the low growl of frustration escaping his lips.
Let him stew in it.
On my way back to my apartment, I took a slight detour. Well, not that slight—it took a half-hour bus ride to get where I wanted to go, but the old hardware store was just what I needed.
“Hello, miss. How can I help you?” the elderly man behind the counter asked as I entered. He had graying hair and kind eyes that immediately put me at ease.
“Hi, yeah, sorry to bother you. I was hoping to pick up a deadbolt for my door. I live off the university campus and wanted to have a little extra security,” I explained.
The older man nodded appreciatively. “Smart girl,” he said. “Now, there are a few things I’d recommend. First would be reinforcing your current lock with longer screws.” He moved from behind the counter to a wall full of various small parts and hardware I wouldn’t have been able to name in a million years.
“Is that complicated?” I asked. While I was determined to improve the security of my apartment, I wasn’t exactly a handyman. I was much more likely to harm myself than to make my place more secure.
He chuckled good-naturedly. His rich, buttery scent was comforting and warm. It was the kind of scent that put you at ease. “No. I’ve learned over the years not to recommend anything overly complicated to the students who come in. All this requires is undoing the four screws and replacing them with longer ones.”
“Oh, I’m sure I can do that,” I said, perking up.
“And you want a deadbolt?”
“That’s right—something I can use from the inside so nobody can get in when I’m home. You never know who had keys to the door before you,” I said, trailingoff.
He shook his head. “Say no more. I completely understand. Do you have a drill?”
“I don’t. I was hoping to pick up a cheap one,” I said. “If they’re too expensive, I can always use brute force,” I added brightly, not wanting to admit I was broke as a joke.
“Well, you’re in luck. I’ve got one you can have for free.”
“Oh no, I can’t ask that,” I said, waving my hands.
“You’re not asking—I’m offering,” he replied. “I’ve got a few guys who give me their old tools when they upgrade. So, I give them to people who need them. I’ve helped a few university girls improve their security. Also, if you talk to campus police, they’ll often install deadbolts for you.”
I had thought of that. “Unfortunately, I live off campus, so they’re not too eager to help.” Campus police tended to focus on the more central campus buildings, not those who lived just off campus.
The kind old man huffed. “That’s ridiculous. Just because you live a little off campus shouldn’t change a thing. In my opinion, they shouldn’t let girls live off campus at all for safety reasons. Does that make me sound like a sexist pig?” he asked, his brow furrowing. There was no malice in his tone, only pure concern.
“Not at all.” I giggled. “It makes you sound like you care about people’s safety.”
“I do,” he agreed. “I’ve got a granddaughter a few years younger than you. You can bet your backside that when she goes to college, I’ll deck out her dorm with every security measure known to man.”
“She’s a lucky girl.”
“Oh, she doesn’t see it that way.” He laughed.
Twenty minutes later, I was on my way home with a secondhand drill, a deadbolt, and a new set of screws. He’dtalked me through everything several times and told me to come back if I needed any help.
The advice he had given me was solid, and I was easily able to install the deadbolt. After sliding it closed, I smirked to myself and settled down in my nest, feeling safe for the first time in ages.
There was no way Spencer would be getting into my apartment now.
Chapter 14
Spencer
“Anything?” I called out as the kettle boiled. I didn’t like stepping away from the computer when I knew Flora was alone and vulnerable in that shithole of an apartment, but even I needed to eat, and protein bars weren’t cutting it anymore.
