Gage nodded. “Yeah, I know. I guess I just didn't feel like bringin' anyone. Hey, I'll catch you later. I'm gonna go mingle a little.” He needed to get away before he said or did something to embarrass himself.
“Sure.” She watched him go with a puzzled look. It really was surprising that he was there alone. Surely he could have easily gotten a date with so many girls in school panting after him. She didn't get much time to think about it before Cole was whisking her out onto the dance floor.
Mia
Mia kept hoping to talk to Gage again but either he was avoiding her or Cole was steering them away from him at every turn. Perhaps it was a bit of both. They danced, enjoyed some of the refreshments, and she stood by while he and his buddies talked about their plans for the weekend. What was she thinking, accepting Cole's invitation to the prom? She didn't fit in with him or his friends and they had nothing in common. If she was honest with herself, she'd accepted the invitation because she'd never expected Gage to do it and she'd wanted to see him in a tux. Now she was feeling like a fool.
“Hey, I'm going to get some punch, do you want a glass?”
She glanced up at Cole from where she was sitting at their table. “”Yes, thank you.”
“I'll be right back.” He winked at her and headed into the crowd toward the refreshment table.
Twenty minutes later, her punch glass was empty and Mia was feeling...odd. “I tink I need some air.” She was warmer than she should be. Maybe she was just overheated from all the people around them.
“No problem.” Cole wrapped his arm around her waist and headed for the door.
Her steps felt off. She'd never been drunk before but she wondered if this was what it felt like. She let Cole lead her outside to the parking lot and his car. When he opened the door for her to get in she was grateful to be sitting. “I don't feel so good,” she murmured.
Cole slid into the driver's side of his car and reached for Mia. “Just relax, baby. You'll be fine. It's just something to help you relax a little, that's all.” He didn't give her the chance to respond before he kissed her.
It took a couple of seconds for his words to sink in. He'd drugged her. She was a shifter so the drugs would wear off faster than he would be expecting, but her coordination was off and she felt as weak as a newborn kitten. “Stop.” She tried to push his hand away when he slid it beneath her dress but all she succeeded in doing was to make the situation even more precarious. Her struggling caused her to slide down in the seat which allowed him to put it back so she was pinned beneath him. “No...I don't...I don't want dis...Stop...”
Gage
Something was wrong. Gage wasn't entirely sure what it was, but his leopard was all but growling at him to react; to find the problem and fix it. His gaze went around the gym where prom was taking place and he frowned. All night, no matter where he was, he'd been able to spot Mia quickly. Now it was as if she'd disappeared.
Todd Stevens, resident geek of senior year, and top photographer for both the school's newspaper and yearbook, was torn. He'd spotted Cole slip something in the cup of punch he'd given his date. Cole Ambrose was on the football team. He was one of the jocks. If he spoke up, he was likely to get his ass kicked. At the same time...it wasn't right. If the girl wasn't willing on her own, what Cole was doing was criminal. “Be a man, Todd,” he muttered to himself and went in search of the one person he was sure would listen to him. Gage Delacroix. He knew Gage and Mia, Cole's date, were friends. “Hey, Gage, I need to speak to you for a sec.”
“Not right now. I'm lookin' for someone.” Gage didn't have time for questions for an article on the prom.
“Mia, right? That's why I need to talk to you. Look, dude, don't shoot the messenger here, but, uh...a little bit ago I saw Cole put something in a punch glass and I think he gave it to her to drink.”
“What?” Gage suddenly turned on him. You saw him fuckin'druggin'her 'a little bit ago' and you're just now mentionin' it?” Gage bit back a snarl. “I'll deal wit' you later.” He made a beeline for the doors. Cole often bragged about the girls he'd fucked in his car. If he drugged Mia, that must be where they were. And if he drugged Mia...how many other girls had he done this to?
Gage stalked through the parking lot. His leopard was very close to the surface and he had to reign in his control before he did something that would ruin way too many lives. When he spotted Cole's car, his hackles rose and he approached on silent feet.
“No...I don't...I don't want dis...Stop...”
Even with the enhanced hearing of a shifter, Gage almost didn't hear Mia's words because her voice was so faint. Rage unlike anything he'd ever known filled him and he nearly tore the car door off the frame when he jerked it open. “She said no,” he snarled as he reached in, pulled Cole away from her, and threw him on the ground.
In the seconds Gage spared to look in at Mia, Cole got to his feet. “What the fuck, dude?”
Gage rounded on him. “You worthless piece of shit,” he snarled. “Is dis how you got all dose other girls to fuck you in your car? You DRUGGED them?? You sick son of a bitch.” Gage swung and in the last second he reigned in his anger just enough to keep from shattering Cole's jaw. Or worse, breaking his neck. Cole fought back, punches were thrown on both sides, and soon they had a small crowd gathered around to watch the fight. Gage could have ended the fight quickly, but if Cole really had drugged and raped other girls, he needed a real ass kicking, not a quick knock out.
Remy
Ah, Ben Franklin High. He thought he'd seen the last of this place when he graduated the year before. He wouldn't be there now if not for the fact he needed to fetch his brother. It was a shitty thing to do, it was prom after all, but Remy knew Gage didn't have a date so at least he wasn't going to tear him away from some sweet young thing. A commotion in the parking lot drew his attention as he headed towards the gymnasium where all the dances were held. He started to ignore what was obviously a fight but then he caught a glimpse of his brother. “Aw hell, what's dat fool got hisself into?” he muttered and changed direction. “Lemme through,” he said as he pushed his way through the small crowd. The other boy, Cole, wasn't looking so good. Remy didn't know what he'd done to piss Gage off but if his brother didn't stop pounding on him he was going to end up in prison for murder. “Dat's enough!”
Gage was rearing back to hit Cole again when he heard his brother's voice. He froze and turned his gaze to the crowd gathered there. “Remy? What are you doin' here?”
“Stoppin' you from killin' dat boy, by da looks of it.”
“Dis filth would deserve it,” Gage growled. “Oh, fuck. Mia.” Now that the red haze was gone his brain was working right again and he realized he didn't see Mia. He scrambled to the car and found her curled up on the seat with her arms wrapped around her knees. The tremor that went through her nearly broke his heart. “It's okay, Mia. You're okay. He won't ever touch you again.” He kept his voice soothing and gentle. He could see her cat in her eyes. The leopard was taking over as the drugs slowly left her system.
“What da hell happened?” Remy stood behind Gage and kept looking between the car and Cole, who was being helped up off the ground by a couple of the guys on the football team.
“Not now.” Then Gage thought better of what he said. Maybe the others needed to know the truth. “Cole drugged her. I heard her tellin' him no and he ignored her. Makes you wonder how many other girls he's done dis to. All da girls he's bragged about bangin' in his car.” When Mia whimpered he gentled his tone and focused on her again. “Come on, cher. Let's get you home.”
