“Like a semitruck ran me over, then backed up and did it again.” She accepted the glass of water with shaky hands. “Thank you,” she croaked. The cup shook as she brought the glass to her lips, but it did not spill. The cool liquid soothed her dry mouth, but before she could finish the cup, Quynh gently pried it out of her hands.
“Careful. You don’t want to drink too fast and get sick again.”
Her brows pinched together.When was I sick?“Again?”
“Yes, unfortunately.” Quynh turned to place the cup back on the bedside table before sitting down next to Gia on the bed. She realized she wasn’t in her bed at her parents’ house, but in Jake’s.
“Where’s Jake?” She dragged her gaze around the otherwise empty room, heart dropping when she didn’t find him.
Quynh placed a warm hand over hers. “He’s downstairs giving his statement to the sheriff.”
“The sheriff? What happened?” Feeling her eyelids getting heavy, she leaned back against the headboard, too tired to keep herself upright.
Quynh squeezed her hand. “I know you have a lot of questions, but Jake will be up shortly, and I think it’s best he tells you.” She leaned forward, eyes glistening as she whispered, “I’m so sorry. I wish I had been able to stop him.”
“Stop who?”What the hell is she talking about?
Quynh shook her head as if she’d said too much. “Is it okay if I give you a hug?”
Dumbfounded by the request, Gia could only nod as Quynh leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Gia.
When she pulled away with a sniffle, Quynh wiped her tears away with a hand. “Let me tell Jake you’re awake. He’s been so worried about you.”
What the hell was going on, and why couldn’t she remember anything from the past twenty-four hours? The last thing she remembered was waking up in Jake’s bed in this exact spot.
Soft footsteps were the only warning she had before a large presence made itself known. Her eyelids fluttered open; she hadn’t realized she’d shut them.
She sighed breathily at the newcomer. “Jake.”
The bed dipped as Jake sat beside her. Lines bracketed his lips as his worried gaze scanned her face. “How are you feeling, Kitten?”
She opened her mouth, ready to tell him she was fine—but that was a lie, and she was done lying to him. “Like crap, honestly.”
Jake nodded as if he suspected nothing else. “Yeah, I bet you do.”
“What’s wrong, Jake?” His silence worried her. “What happened?”
“Can I hold you first?” His voice cracked on the last word.
“Of course,” she said, even as a wave of panic surged through her.
He bent over her, carefully wrapping his arms around her, holding her tightly against his chest. She melted, the hint of sandalwood instantly calming her anxiety. “Jake, you’re scaring me.” Her voice muffled against his white shirt.
“I’m sorry, Kitten.” He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. She got the sense he was apologizing for more than the obvious. “I need to tell you something.”
He pulled back, hands squeezing her arms gently. “What’s the matter, Jake?”
His eyes reflected concern and regret. As he described the events that had brought her there, she watched him intently. He explained how he had raced there after receiving a message from Clay, but by the time he arrived, it was too late.
Jake told her that when he’d realized something was wrong, he punched Alex. Then, after he got her back to his house, how Quynh and Emily helped him take care of her throughout the night as she got sick, taking turns to check in on her. He reassured her the women got her cleaned up, which explained why she felt so queasy. At the end, he apologized for not having been there to protect her.
She listened with rapt attention. Disgust washed over her in waves, followed by the crushing weight of betrayal.
Nothing compared to the red-hot anger—at Alex, but mainly at herself for putting herself in another unsafe situation.
How could I have been so stupid as to trust him after everything he put me through?
It defied logic. She even entertained the thought of seeing Alex again, but self-doubt crept in, making her feel unworthy of Jake’s attention. The icy grip of disbelief struck her like a physical blow. Here she was blaming herself, and Jake feltresponsiblefor what happened.
