When the guy we’ve been trailing stops at the back, and turns our way, my heart stutters. More people dance in my vision, then leave me with a clear view of him again. I halt, realizing Liem is no longer holding my hand and I’m dead center in the flock of partiers. I try to force my way forward, while keeping my eyes locked on the man. There’s something oddly familiar about him and my stomach twists in a knowing feeling. I yell at someone who blocks my view to move, and he pays me no mind, but finally steps away. I keep pushing through, hoping to get a clear view. He’s reaching into his pockets while another man is hovering against the wall. They do a quick exchangewhile also paying close attention to a woman who’s talking with her girlfriend. The first thing I notice are their drinks left unattended.
Shit.
Another body blocks my path, and I curse. They glance down at me with a roll of their eyes, but dance away.
My heart races desperately trying to get there before the same thing happens to them that happened to me.
I shuffle through the crowd and when a man steps in my path, he grabs my waist. But I don’t hesitate to shove him off earning an annoyed look from him, then soon wandering off.
Christ.
Now with a perfect shot of the guy, I know for sure he’s familiar, too familiar. Instant flashbacks ofhimon top of me floods my mind.
“Little rabbit. Does that feel good for you?”
Nausea swirls in the pit of my stomach and a clammy, cold sweat trickles down my neck and back. I’ve stopped dead center. Bad move because someone slams into me and I lose my footing. I go down, hitting the wood floor hard and landing on my shoulder. The pain shoots up my neck.
A panic attack takes over, and someone’s heel clips my hand. I yell out, fighting like hell to stand. But then I fold myself into a fetal position, rocking back and forth. “Gracie,” I slur her name for only me to hear.
I wasn’t fully ready. Not entirely recovered nor equipped to handle this.
Bodies are being pushed aside, and the voice, usually soft and gruff, is loud and fierce.
Liem.
He bends down, scooping me up, and before I can protest, he’s already getting me out of there. Pine and tobacco mix through my senses as I cling to him. I’m being cradled into hisarms, into his chest and he takes me away from the mass amount of people toward the back, opposite where I hallucinated my attacker.
“Danika, can you hear me?” His voice sounds like I’m underwater. But it’s softer now and I smile at the familiar tone.
My ears ring but then subside slowly. I look around forhim, knowing damn well, I won’t find who I’m looking for.
“You were having a panic attack.” His hands close around my arms and I wince. “What hurts?” Liem’s voice frantic as he scans me.
“My shoulder.” I dismiss his concern and search again. “Where did he go?”
“Gone. I turned around when I lost you.” Liem’s chest moves rapidly, and I feel bad for making him worry but when I spot the woman about to take a drink from the glass I saw being spiked, I sprint forward and don’t stop until I grab it from her, throwing it to the floor.
It shatters and people jump to avoid the pieces of shrapnel.
“Hey! What the hell is your deal?” She looks disgusted and pissed.
“I’m saving your ass. Your drink was spiked.”
The fury washes away, and she glances at the remains of her future trauma on the ground. “Oh my God… fuck this place.” Her and her friend scramble away without even a sparing glance.
“A thank you would have been nice,” I murmur.
Liem glances at the broken glass while everyone goes back to what they were doing moments before. He spins me to face him. “Who did you see?”
I stare at the back hallway that leads to the outside and make a bee line for it as Liem calls my name. The emergency exit light is the only way to see as I push open the door, and I’m hit with a burst of cold. I check in every direction, but no one is here.
“Danika. Who did you see?” His voice is more demanding this time.
“Him.I thought I sawhim.”
My leg bounces a mile a minute as I take a sip of the ice water one of Alexander’s girls generously handed me. But of course, not before Liem tasted it himself. A highly offended Alexander decided to pour himself a glass from the same pitcher and gulp it down in front of him, proving to us he does not want to hurt me.
“Is that your guy?” Alexander points to the shadowy figure in the security camera play by play.
