by Calinda B
His green eyes bore into her. Corded veins bulged in his neck. He looked both furious and afraid. “What happened in that bathroom? You’re high as a kite.”
“Oh, Jasmine and Simone sauntered in, filling their noses with white powder. They mentioned you had done Darlene, which I already figured, that one was a no-brainer, and that you’re an incredible fuck, which I’ve had the pleasure of finding out firsthand. Thank you for that, by the way. One and a half weeks and I’m thoroughly wrecked. Completely ruined. Oh, and they mentioned Billy says the trial will be swift and merciless. Billy has a secret weapon for court. Something with you, your sister, and big trouble. They told me you’d be more than happy to help me with my first ever drug trip since you’ve helped virgins all the time. And they also mentioned about your recent sex encounter with Kate.” Her body felt rigid with anger.
Jace looked like he could commit violence. Blood pumped an angry river through the veins in his neck. His jaw muscles twitched like a rattlesnake tail.
She took a step backward, pressing into her car. “I’ve never been so pissed in all my life, Savage.”
“Neither have I,” he snarled. He took a step toward her, crowding her space. Heat rolled from his body as he loomed over her. “I can explain.”
“I don’t want your explanations, Jace! You’re nothing but trouble!”
He dropped his head and growled in her ear. “You liked my kind of trouble.”
Oh, Lord, he’s doing it again, she thought, feeling her goddamned physical response to him, only this time she felt buzzed-out electric, the drugs zinging through her. Don’t let him do this.
“I did. But I didn’t know what I was getting into,” she shot back, breaking the spell he had on her.
He ran his fingertip down her cheek. It felt like he drew a satin ribbon along her insides, making her feel weak and needy.
“Yes, baby, I think you did. You told me you wanted what I had to give.” His voice came out in a dangerous caress as his fingers trailed along her jaw and her neck, landing on the hollow above her breastbone. There, he made sensuous little circles.
Her eyes closed at the touch, wanting to succumb to his hypnotic effect.
“I did.” She shoved his hand away. “But now I don’t!”
“You said yes to me, baby,” he whispered into her hair. “You granted me rights. Please don’t run away.” He sounded almost desperate.
Her core began to throb. Oh, I’ve got to stop this man from getting into my head. She put both hands on his chest and thrust, hard.
He stumbled back a few steps.
He grabbed her wrists. “Don’t you ever get physical with me when you’re pissed, baby.”
She twisted and squirmed in his grasp. “I’m not your baby, Jace. Let me go.”
He released her, throwing his hands in the air. “Let me explain. Please. Don’t run away from this.”
She panted. Don’t look at him. Whatever you do, don’t look at him.
“Eyes up here, baby.”
She squeezed her eyes shut. “No!”
“Eyes up here.”
“No!”
“Please look at me.” His voice cracked.
Her head pinged with a drug-soaked swirl of sensations. She opened her eyes, blinking rapidly, and met his glistening emerald orbs. She struggled to focus. “I can’t do this, Jace.”
His face was inches from hers. “Don’t leave me.” He placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Is everything okay?” Tanya called from the doorway of the bar.
Jace turned to say something, giving Zoé a chance to wrestle free of his grasp. She sprinted away from him, racing down the well-lit, nighttime street.
His boot clad feet thundered after her. He grabbed her arm and whirled her around. “Don’t go, Zoé. Don’t do this. Give me a chance.”
His face looked wild, frantic with grief, alarm, worry…whatever it was it made her stop, her mouth falling open, while her head spun with the effects of everything she’d consumed.
“Don’t do this to me. Please.” His green eyes pooled with unshed tears. “Don’t walk away from you and me,” he said on a whisper. “Not like this. Please, baby. I can explain.”
“You’re hurting my arm,” she hissed, her eyes locked with his.
“Fuck. I didn’t mean to.” Again, he quickly released her, putting his palms out. “I’m sorry. I never want to hurt you. Please don’t walk away. Give me a chance to explain.”
“Get the fuck away from me, Savage.” She wrenched free of his embrace and dashed into the street, in front of an oncoming car.
The car slammed on the brakes.
She screamed and leaped to the other side of the vehicle, barely missing the passenger door as it swung open in her direction. Billy O’Reilly? For one split second, she paused, her gaze flicking back and forth between Jace and the douchebag in the driver’s seat. Her body buzzed with confusion, fright, and insecurity, enhanced by all the substance humming in her veins.
“Hop in, baby,” a sinister voice said to her.
She looked across the top of the car at Jace’s face, her eyes filling with tears. “Tell Kate hi for me next time you fuck her.”
His expression was beyond fury, beyond pain.
Fueled by her narcotic stupidity, she leaped in the Porsche, turned to Billy, and said, “Take me out of here.”
Chapter 22
Jace
Jace sprinted back to the parking lot, threw his helmet on, fired up the bike, and peeled out, tires screeching. He didn’t know where he was going, what he was doing. He only knew he had to find Zoé. This can’t be happening, can’t be happening, can’t be happening. Not again. After what felt like hours, though it could have been minutes or even seconds, he found Billy’s car in front of one of the places he went to party, in the hills of West Seattle. The engine screamed as he rocketed across the lawn. He threw the bike down and bolted for the door.
Finding it locked, he assaulted it with his fists. “Open the fucking door, O’Reilly! Open the goddamned door!”
He was just about to find something to batter through the door, when a wispy woman opened it.
“Hey, chill, dude,” she said, swimming through her high to attempt communication. “Billy’s in the back.”
Jace pushed past her, practically knocking her into the wall, and raced to the back room.
On a sofa, Billy lay on top of a naked brunette, pounding into her.
Jace launched himself at Billy. He tore the woman from Billy, blinking when he saw it wasn’t Zoé.
Billy scrambled to sitting. “What the fuck, Savage?”
The woman screamed. She tried to cover her breasts.
“Save the modesty. Yours aren’t that special.” He whirled to face Billy. “Where is she, motherfucker? Tell me now or I’ll beat the shit out of you.”
“She’s in the bedroom.”
“What did you do to her?”
“Whatever the fuck I felt like, what do you think?” He leered at Jace.
“So help me, God…” Jace began.
“God can’t help you, I’m afraid,” Billy said. “Now can you let me finish?” He glanced at his swollen cock. “I need some release here. I haven’t had my fill of fucking tonight.”
“I’ll take care of you and your dick.”
“Yeah, yeah, tell it to my lawyers.” He turned to the brunette. “Spread ‘em, baby.”
“No, I’m not in the mood anymore.” The woman appeared terrified, eyeing Jace.
“Listen to her dipshit, she’s scared of you,” Jace said.
“Spread your fucking legs,” he said, as Jace stormed from the room, “before I kick your naked ass out of here.”
Jace dashed into the back bedroom. He noticed an open prescription bottle on the side dresser. Pills were spilled on top and on the floor. A couple empty syringes lay next to them. An elastic band —the kind used to strap around your arm and find a vein —lay on top, along with condom packets, both empty and unopened.
>
Zoé lay lifeless on the bed, her legs splayed, her skirt pushed up.
Jace completely lost it. Please be alive. Please be alive!
He rushed to her side and shook her shoulder. “Baby! Baby, please.”
She stirred and looked at him through a fog-filled gaze.
“Jace?” she said, before her eyelids slammed shut.
You’re completely wrecked, beautiful girl. And I’m the one who wrecked you. Tears stung his eyes as he lifted her and carried her through the house. I dragged her into my troubles.
Billy ignored him, trying to get busy with the frightened brunette.
The girl who opened the door was nowhere to be seen.
Jace pushed outside. Once on the lawn, he fell to his knees, holding her tightly, his chest heaving dry, empty sobs into the air.
Billy called out the front door. “Hey, asshole! Close the door when you’re taking out the trash.”
He slammed it shut.
Jace barely registered the words. His mind raced, but he couldn’t think of what to do, where to go. All he could think to do was sit, holding her tight to his chest, as if that would somehow make a difference.
“Baby, please come back to me. Don’t leave me.” He didn’t know how he could get her to the hospital on his bike in her comatose state. I’ll call for an ambulance. He dug for his phone. When he retrieved it, her eyelids fluttered open.
“Shit,” she said. “My head hurts. Where are we?”
“You’re with me. You’re safe.”
“That’s debatable,” she said, pushing away from him. She rolled up to sitting, and dropped her head in her hands. “Shit.”
“Ask me questions. I’ll answer anything.”
“I don’t even remember what day it is. Let’s start with that.”
“We went out for drinks with your friends tonight.”
Her face squeezed as she thought. “I’m so stupid!” Tears began tracking down her face. “I can’t believe I let you get under my skin! You’re as bad as Billy!”
Jace reeled back as if she’d hit him.
She scrambled to her feet unsteadily. “Where am I?”
“I told you. You’re with me. You’re safe.”
“No, I’m not. I’m not in the least bit safe with you. Take me away from here. Take me back to my Jeep.”
“No, baby, let’s talk. I’ll answer all your questions.”
“Jace, get me out of here! I need to go back to my Jeep! Get me out of here.” Her voice grew loud, verging on hysteria.
“Shhh, baby, shhh.”
She strode up to him, hauled back, and landed a stinging slap on his face. “I said get me out of here. Take me back, or I’ll find my way to wherever my vehicle is!”
“Don’t get physical with me, Zoé.” He began to shake with rage. “Ever.”
“Take. Me. Back,” she said, inches from his face, her eyes insane fury.
He hesitated. Clearly, she was out of control.
“Take me back to my fucking vehicle.” Her face had grown nearly purple with rage.
“Okay, okay. I’ll do it.” He stood up and reached for her hand. “But you’re not driving home in this condition.”
“Don’t touch me.”
“You can barely walk. Let me help you.” He led her to where his bike lay. Then, he picked up his motorcycle, and handed her the helmet. “Put this on.”
“No!”
“Baby, put the fucking helmet on or you can walk home.”
She jammed it on her head. “There. Are you happy?”
“No. I won’t be happy until you’re happy.” He slung his leg over the bike seat. “Climb on.”
She got behind him, putting as much room as she could between them.
“You have to hang on if you want me to start this bike.”
“No!”
He grabbed one of her hands, wrapped it around his torso, and gripped it tightly.
She wrestled and pulled like a she-demon.
“I’m not letting you go, so calm the fuck down.” He stuck the key in the ignition, fired up the motor, and made tire tracks in the lawn, heading down the hill to the club.
Once they reached her Jeep, the sky in its deep night slumber, she leaped off the bike and stormed to the driver’s side.
“Let me drive you.”
“No!”
“At least give me a chance to explain,” he said.
“No!”
“Zoé, please. You can ask me anything. Then, if you don’t like the answers, I’ll leave you alone.”
“I don’t want you to leave me alone,” she sobbed. “I want you to let me in.”
“So, give me a chance to do that,” he said, exasperated.
“No! You’ve had plenty of chances. I don’t care anymore!”
Her answer landed solidly in his chest like a bullet. He staggered backward. “You don’t mean that. You can’t mean that.”
“Yes, Jace. I can and I do. Get away from me, now.”
Chapter 23
Jace
Jace got on his bike, numb, enraged, hurt. Keeping a discreet distance away, he followed Zoé home. Once she eased into her driveway, he relaxed—somewhat.
After that, he drove aimlessly through the streets of Seattle. How did this happen…again? He pictured his sister, lying limply in his arms. He envisioned Zoé, doing the same. Both high as fucking kites.
“Son of a goddamned bitch. Holy hell. I may as well join the party.” He pointed the Deus toward Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle, known for drug deals to go down. He had a plan. It was risky, but it might work. And, at this point, it might be his only shot.
He thought of Marni, being watched by his aunt. Don’t worry. Uncle Jace won’t do anything stupid. Maybe…
Once he arrived, he sat on his bike and watched. At 2:30 a.m., a group of very drunk women staggered by him.
“Hey, handsome,” one of them called. “Want to play?”
He stared at them like they spoke another language.
“I guess the answer’s no,” another said.
“He’s probably not worth the trouble,” a third slurred.
They laughed and wobbled away.
A homeless woman known in this part of town as “Weeping Wendy” shuffled over in filthy clothes, her dirty hands outstretched in an endless plea.
“Please help me,” she sobbed. “I’ve got no place to go.”
“Help yourself, Wendy. I can’t do it for you,” Jace said with a disgusted sneer. “I can’t even save my own goddamned life.”
Across the darkened park, a couple of men approached one another, conversed, shook hands, and walked away in opposite directions.
Jace swung his leg off the bike and sauntered over.
“Want something?” a small, skeevy looking guy in a hooded sweatshirt asked him.
“What do you got?” Jace asked, conflict and heartbreak screwing with his reason. Don’t do this, dipshit. His heart raced.
“What do you want? I’ll see if I got it,” the guy answered, his skin greasy and pale, even in the dim streetlight. His eyes looked wild and unfocused.
“Coke, weed…I’ll take anything.”
The guy’s eyes glittered. “Your lucky day, then.”
Jace reached in his pocket, pulled out a wad of cash, and said, “How much will this get me?”
The guy studied the cash hungrily. “Not much. I’ll need a little more.”
Jace grabbed the guy’s collar and pulled him up to his face. “Wrong answer, dickwad. I said, how much will this get me?”
The guy’s eyes grew so wide the whites glistened in the streetlight. “That should get you a decent high.”
Jace dropped him. “Give me everything you’ve got.”
The guy staggered to catch his balance, fished in his pocket, and pulled out a bag of weed, some pills, and a small bag of white powder. “Will this do?’
“For starters.” Jace took the drugs and shoved them in his pocket. “Get outta here.”
/> “Wait a minute. I need to get paid.”
Jace got in his face again.
“Wrong again. What you need is to stop selling this shit, got it?” He pulled out the tiny plastic bag and waved the white powder in the dude’s skinny ass face.
“Hey. If shitheads like you didn’t buy, I wouldn’t sell.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. I think I saw a police officer around the corner. Want me to go check? We can ask him who’s right, how’s that?”
The guy’s jaw fell open and he skittered away like a dead leaf in the wind.
Jace strode back to his Deus and took off. He stopped at a liquor store for whiskey, rolling papers, and a pack of matches before heading to Zoé’s.
He powered the bike next to her Jeep, which sat crooked in her driveway illumined by street lights. Her head lay against the window, which was streaked wet from tears. She didn’t look up.
He stalked to the passenger side and yanked on the door handle. Locked. “Open up, Zoé.”
“Go to hell!”
“Open the goddamned door, or I’ll break the fucking window.”
She pressed the unlock button and it snicked open.
He slid in next to her, brown paper bag in tow. “Want to increase your dosage? Let’s see what I’ve got.”
Her eyes grew wide and she sat up straight in her seat. “What are you doing?”
“I figured you were going to wreck yourself, I may as well join you.”
“Right, you help all the virgin drug users,” she said, a pout on her pretty face.
“Damn straight.” He placed the pills and the coke on the dash. “Which to you want to start with? Want to go up? These are your best bet. Want to get mellow? Here’s what I’ve got for that.” He tossed the baggie of green bud in the space between the seats. “Want me to roll you a fat one? I’m really good at it.”
“No, I…”
“I brought whisky, too, if that’s how you want to play it. Just in case you want to stick with tradition.” He pulled free the bottle, leaned across, and pried her legs apart. “Here,” he said, shoving the bottle between her legs. “Something big and hard for you.”
Her mouth fell open. “Why are you doing this?”
“I figured I may as well join the party. Let’s get high together.” He grabbed the white powder, sprinkled some on the webbing between his thumb and index finger, and held it up to her nose. “You first.”