Page 46 of Let Me Protect You

Harmony suddenly collapses. I catch her a nanosecond before she hits the floor. Her cranberry vodka crashes to the floor, spilling all its contents over a dozen random people’s feet. I check her pulse, still strong. A double and a tube shot may affect her, but not make her fall. And she barely touched her second drink.

No one sees us, or they just don’t care. Lifting her into my arms, I carry her off the dance floor, shoving through any dancer in my way. A couple of people throw glares at me when Harmony’s feet hit them. I make it outside and we’re immediately enveloped by the freezing winter air and I hold her closer to keep her warm. The moon beams down on us, giving me more light than those blinding flashing lights inside. I turn her to face me, but her eyes are closed.

Harmony mumbles something incoherent, and my chest tightens. Blood roars in my ears. I have to get her to somewhere safe. She is alive, but she seems … confused? This is too much, even if she is a lightweight. That can’t be why …

Her breathing staggers, and my heart twists.

“My head hurts.” Her eyes open for a moment and then flutter shut again. “Bring me to my mom.”

I heave out a breath of relief that she’s still conscious. But her words don’t make sense. All of this is too much for the amount of alcohol consumed.

“Can you hear me, Harmony?”

“Mom, I’m so happy you’re here.” Her words come out like she’s out of breath. “Do you have ibuprofen?”

Shit. Is she hallucinating?

Then reality slaps me in the face. She’s been drugged.

Chapter 24

Elias

Different voices try to filter through my brain, but none makes any sense as I stand outside of Harmony’s emergency hospital room. The sterile smell throws me back to the days of Tía Vicki’s treatments, and I clench my fists. Now isn’t the time to go there.

Harmony is hurt because of me. End of story. I didn’t do my job properly because I allowed her to distract me. I got lost in the illusion.

Nurses walk past me, mostly leaving me to my thoughts, and Serenity steps out of Harmony’s room. Guilt gnaws at me that Serenity is forced to come to the hospital on her day off. Her work as a registered nurse keeps her here enough without me adding to it. Over the years, I oftentimes saw her here when I was volunteering.

“She’s asking for you,” Serenity says.

My stomach twists until I feel like it’s about to tear apart. “Abigail is with her.” Abigail immediately found me, and we were able to leave right away. I try to keep my tone firm as I ask, “What did the doctors say?”

“You were right. She was roofied.” Serenity shakes her head. “What were you thinking to let her go to a night club?”

I shake my head. “I’m really sorry. So damn sorry.”

I’ll take everything she has to throw at me.

Serenity blows out a sigh. “I should’ve known Abigail would’ve been a bad influence on her. She always was.” She shoots a glare at me. “If you were there, how the hell did someone put something in her drink?”

I rub my jaw and drop my gaze. If I could go back, I’d say no. No matter how much she protested. “I honestly don’t know. She was with me the whole time and never left her drink unattended.”

My words spark an idea. I go to pull out my phone, but the person I want to call catches my attention when he stops at the nurses’ station.

How odd. Why is he here?

Sully nods at something and turns down the hallway toward us. He’s in blue and black plaid pajamas, and his eyebrows pinch together with concern. Harmony’s question back at the club shoots to the front of my mind.

I shake my head. He’s probably doing it as a favor Harmony after how close they got when we worked for him at Cutesy’s. His kind and generous heart knows no bounds.

Behind him, a man with dark hair that’s peppered with gray strides in our direction. His sharp gaze narrows in on Harmony’s hospital room as he nears us. But when he meets my gaze, he turns down another hall. I don’t stop watching him until he turns, disappearing out of sight.

Sully stops in front of me and rubs his eyes. “Is Harmony okay?”

I relay what happened, and he shakes his head.

“How is that even possible? I know you. You are one of my best bodyguards, and you don’t make these kinds of mistakes.”