I turn to look over my shoulder at the entrance to the kitchen. “Blane!” I yell out. My voice cracks and I give myself a second and swallow before taking a deep breath. “Blane!” I yell so loud my entire body strains and my throat burns.
Seconds later, Blane comes running into the kitchen, his socks sliding on the tile. “He won’t wake up,” I say as I reach up and wipe the tears from my eyes.
“Go to you room!” he orders as he falls down beside me.
“But …”
“Go to your room!” he yells in my face.
I stand up on shaky legs and take a step back from them. Blane places his hands on him and shakes him rougher than I did.
I look up at the kitchen table and see lines of what looks like white powder covering it.
“Dad!” Blane demands. “Dad!” He shouts so loud I place my hands over my ears as I sob. When he doesn’t respond, Blane slaps him across the face. I gasp, but my father moves slightly as he lets out a muffled moan.
“Daddy?” I cry happily. “What’s wrong with him?”
Blane turns to look up at me, and his blue eyes narrow. “I said go to your room, Taylor. Now!”
I slowly start to back out of the kitchen, and once I’m out, I peek my head around the corner to see what they’re going to do. Blane talks to him and my father lifts his right hand then he helps him to sit up. With a tear-streaked face, I turn around and do what Blane told me to do.
That is the first memory I have of ever seeing my father on drugs. I was twelve, and Blane was sixteen. We had just buried my mother a week before that. And it only took me another week to find out the white powder stuff on our kitchen table was cocaine.
“Go ahead,” the Rox guy urges with a smile. “Have whatever you want.”
I turn my wide eyes over at Case, and I breathe heavily. Now, I realize why he squeezed my hand. Don’t make a scene, Taylor. Keep your mouth shut. But what am I gonna do? I refuse to do any drugs. What will happen if Case does them? Will he want me to do them as well? Is that why he told me not to say anything? He doesn’t want me to argue when I’m offered? My chest tightens and my stomach drops.
“Not tonight,” Case says and I close my eyes for a brief second as I take in a shaky breath. I wanna cry I’m so nervous right now. What next?
Rox frowns but then shrugs. “As you wish.” Then he looks at the woman who brought in the tray. “Why don’t you get this lovely lady a drink?” He gestures to me.
I don’t normally drink. I’ve just never been a drinker, but I am gonna take this opportunity and drink up. My nerves sure could use a little numbing, and alcohol is the only thing I am willing to put in this body to accomplish that.
“What would you like, miss?” she asks as she places her hands in front of her with a nod of her head. Her accent is just as rich. And even though she is already sexy, with her jet-black hair that lies on her back and her big brown eyes, her accent makes her seem exotic. Almost as if she’s his treasure.
“Vodka,” I say without thought. She nods her head once again and then disappears out into the hall. Vodka? Why did I just order that? I hate vodka. Well, technically, I hate almost anything alcohol.
“Please have a seat.” He gestures to a couch that sits back against the far wall.
Case leads me over there with his hand on the small of my back, and I take the second to wipe my sweaty hands on my dress and take a deep breath.Stay calm and keep your mouth shut.“What can I do for you, Case?” The guy, Rox, asks cutting straight to the point.
Case sits down beside me and places his hand on my left thigh. I know he can feel my nervousness. Hell, I’m fucking sweating. I take a quick sniff to see if I stink. Nope, not yet.
“Whatcanyou do for me, Rox?”
My eyes widen at how hard his voice has become. All business like before.
Rox doesn’t seem affected by it, though. He just smiles at Case and leans back in his chair, getting comfortable. “Let’s not play coy, Case. You know I can get you anything that you want.”
My throat goes dry, and all of a sudden, I feel claustrophobic. I reach up to grab the collar of my dress but Case intervenes and grabs my hand, lacing his fingers in mine. He holds them prisoner in a vise-like grip.
Thankfully, the woman in the black dress comes back and has my drink in her hand. As soon as she hands it to me, I take a big gulp through the straw. I cringe as my throat burns from the vodka. Shit! What in the hell did she put in this? Vodka and just fucking ice? I take another sip, and it burns even more.
My chest tightens and my body breaks out in goosebumps as the drink warms up my entire body. I feel like I was just lit on fire from the inside out.
“What I want is a shipment worth my time,” Case snaps.
I look down at my lap as I take another big sip. A few seconds later, my head starts to spin. Can it work this fast? No, it’s just me being paranoid. Or maybe it’s the fact I’m holding my breath.
