Emily is in her own little world, half in and half out of reality, until the door click shuts.
She sits up, looks our way and waves. Then, as if she looked right through us, she flops down on the bed, smiling to herself while gazing at the ceiling, as if it’s the most fascinating thing.
Her voice is pretty as she softly starts singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Sam and I exchange a sad look.
What the fuck happened to her to cause her to turn to drugs and booze? Who would willingly do this? And how often does she indulge?Zach is one of my best clients, and he buys regularly. I’ve long suspected he’s supplying the girls, because Scar and Emily rarely buy directly from me, and this confirms it.
“She’s been singing that over and over again,” Sam says. “She’s also asking for Wrangler. Who’s that? And what is going on?”
My blood turns to ice at the mention of my street name. Sam can’t know what I’ve been doing every night coming in late. He’s a cool guy and leaves my business to me. But I’m not sure how long I can keep lying to him.
My body is frozen solid until Emily levels me with those big blue eyes that always suck me in. Now, my legs are moving until I’m kneeling in front of her.
Tears cascade down her cheeks as she reaches out to touch me. The minute her clammy fingers land on my face, my heart falls out of my chest.
Sam comes closer. “We need to do something.”
The only thing we can do is let her come down off her high, and no fucking way she’s leaving until then, especially with the guys in the dorm. The last thing the three of us need is for anyone to know she’s here. Sam can’t afford to get in the middle of my shit or Emily’s. He’s got his future all mapped out with his plans to start his own tech company. He’s dead set on moving to Silicon Valley and becoming the next Steve Jobs.
“Did anyone see you come in?” The question is aimed at Emily, but it’s Sam who answers.
“The whole dorm probably did.”
No doubt. The guys would notice a beautiful girl walking the halls. I suspect some of them know who Emily is too, and that makes my pulse stop for a beat.
Emily giggles then cries. “Wes didn’t see me. He doesn’t live...” Her angelic voice trails off.
I grit my teeth. “Did Wes do something to you?” I emit a low growl. The need to find the fuckwad and beat him to a pulp is strong.
I steal a glance at Sam. He’s sweating, and his blue eyes are drenched in fear.
“T-the Molly is gone.” Emily slurs her words, and it’s clear she’s drunk. If she’s mixed it with drugs, she’s in a bad way, but I doubt I’ll get anything coherent out of her in this state. “I need more.”
“Sam, can you get a wet washcloth?” I ask in a calm voice even though I’m trying like hell to keep my shit together.
She’s worse off than I thought, and panic swirls in my gut. I can’t see straight. I’m not sure I can even breathe. I’ve seen addicts strung out on street corners and in dark alleys, but to see someone I know go down this path is heart-wrenching.
And I’m pissed at myself.
Ray is right.
The world of drugs is different now.
Maybe it’s because I’m older, wiser, and an adult. But I care what I’m putting into people.
When I worked for Donnie, I was a novice and too young to care.
“She’s on Molly?” Sam’s voice rises in pitch as he threads shaky fingers through his blond hair.
I shrug, because I honestly don’t know. She said the Molly was gone, but there’s no way of knowing when she last took it. Sam’s been a great friend, and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like he means nothing to me. But I can’t bring myself to tell him the truth. Not yet anyway, and Emily is my first priority right now.
“Washcloth, Sam,” I repeat, more harshly than I meant to.
He nods as he rushes out of the room.
I climb up on my bed, leaning my back against the wall. As if we’ve done this a thousand times, Emily snuggles up to me. I drape my arm around her, rubbing my hand up and down her arm. Her skin is piping hot, and her hair is sticky with sweat as I rest my chin on her head. Alcohol fumes cling to her clothes and her sweat-slickened skin, and I wonder what could’ve happened to send her into such a dark pit.
