What happened?
Nash steps up and sits on the edge of the bed beside me. “We found you at that bar,” he explains, his voice surprisingly gentle. “You were… you weren’t in good shape. Adam had…”
My heart sinks as the realization hits me.
Roofied.
I was drugged.
“Adam spiked my water,” I whisper, my eyes going from Nash’s to Hunter’s, then North’s, and they all look devastated.
I’ve heard enough horror stories about it, but I never thought it would happen to me. I feel violated, vulnerable, and furious.
“You came and got me,” I breathe out, reaching out to look at Nash’s knuckles, which look angry, red, and swollen.
This is all too much. Why is this happening? Isn’t it enough to be heartbroken over all of them? No, I have to get drugged and almost assaulted in a fucking bar with other people around me because I was polite to a man. Polite because being impolite could have brought even worse things.
Saylor was right.
Fuck polite.
“Why the hell did you guys bring me here?” I demand, my anger rising as I let go of his hand again. “After everything, you think you can just swoop in and be my saviors?”
I know they saved me, and lashing out at them for it is not okay. Of course, I prefer that they found me to what would have happened if they hadn’t.
My rational brain knows that.
But my emotions are going haywire.
Why would they even need to?
Why can’t a woman go out by herself without being at least afraid?
And why can’t I have a fucking break? Why does the universe seem out to get me only to send these guys my way, to make it hurt a little more?
To dig it in a little deeper.
North sighs, his gaze never leaving mine. “We didn’t bring you here to play hero, Sloan. We brought you here because we care about you. We needed to make sure you’re okay. You were completely out of it.”
I clench my fists, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. “Care about me? You called me crazy and kicked me out of your lives!”
I sound like a broken record, but goddammit, they did!
Nash reaches out to touch my hand, and I consider pulling away for a moment. But his touch is gentle, and his voice is soft when he speaks, “We were wrong, and we’re going to make things right.”
For just one second, I falter. His ocean blue eyes are so sincere, and my heart does a flip. But I know deep down that if I give in and let them care for me, they will never let me go again. The part of me that feels so scared knows they just rescued and watched out for me and knows I’m safe with them, wants to cry and throw myself at them.
But thankfully, a cough from Saylor kick-starts my brain before I can do just that, so I pull my hand away. “Why were you even there?” I mumble, looking at my hands. When no one answers for a few moments, I look back up and notice North and Nash glaring at each other.
Hunter sighs, “Those dickheads decided it was a good idea to watch out for you while you had your date. I called it stalking, refused to come with, and stayed here with Lio, but in hindsight, I’m fucking glad they did it.”
Saylor huffs again, still looking at the ground. “Unbelievable.”
“You guys were stalking me?” My voice hitches when I scramble to stand, and all their gazes zero in on my legs. They’re naked, and I’m only wearing white panties.
“There…” Nash points to my jeans, folded over the desk chair, and I hastily grab them, pulling them on.
“You fucking undressed me?” Knowing that one of them could pull my jeans off without me having any recollection ofit freezes my blood, filling my mind with other scenarios I wouldn’t remember now if they hadn’t stepped in in time.
