Breaking Alexandria
Page 26
I pulled into the dorm parking lot and shut off my car. I stared at the dorm in front of me, unable to move. I didn’t want to face Chloe right now. I loved her more than anything, but I also hated her at the moment. We’d finally found happiness, and she had to go and screw it all up. If she had stayed away from Drake, we’d still be in her room together right now.
I opened my door when I saw Drake walking past my car. I followed as he walked into the dorm. I wasn’t about to let him see her alone either. I couldn’t handle that yet. We were both silent as we walked up the stairs and onto her floor. Once we reached the door, Drake knocked. A minute later, the door swung open, and Chloe was standing in front of us. Even though I was pissed, the mere sight of her took my breath away.
She smiled at both of us as soon as she saw us. “Hey, guys! How are you?” She giggled. “Actually, never mind. You’re both pretty damn fine, like always.”
She turned without another word and made her way back to her bed. She fell on top of it, and she glanced back at us, still smiling.
“What the hell is wrong with her?” I mumbled to Drake as I stepped into the room. “Are you all right, Chloe?” I asked, my voice louder.
“I’m great! I had a couple of shots, and now, I’m all set.” She smiled brightly at us. “What are you guys doing here? Wait, you’re together, and there’s no blood!”
Both of us continued to stare at her. I glanced around the room to see a bottle of vodka on her nightstand. Shit, she’s drunk. That was what the warm welcome had been all about.
I leaned down beside her bed and looked into her glassy eyes. “Just how many shots have you had, love?”
“Only a couple.” She motioned to the bottle on the nightstand. “See? It’s still full. I just opened it tonight.”
Drake glanced at the stand before looking back at her. “Uh, Chloe, the bottle is empty.”
She stared at the bottle, realizing that he was right. She slapped her hand across her face before laughing. “Whoops! Guess it’s a good thing it was the cheap stuff. Otherwise, I’d be seriously drunk right now.”
Drake and I exchanged looks with each other, both of our expressions filled with concern. She was past drunk and moving into wasted.
“Chloe, honey, you are drunk, excessively drunk actually,” I said as I watched her.
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously, guys, I’m fine. Why are you here?”
Drake spoke up from his spot in front of the bed. “Look, Chloe, you’re trashed, so I don’t think right now is a good time to talk, like Logan and I planned. We’ll come back tomorrow”—he glanced at the bottle again—“or the day after. I’m pretty sure you aren’t going to be up to any talking tomorrow.”
“I said, I’m fine!” she grumbled as she sat up.
Two seconds later, she grabbed the garbage can beside the bed and threw up violently into it. I jumped back a couple of feet as she continued to throw up. It seemed like hours passed until she finished.
Jesus. I’d never seen her like this.
Finally, there seemed to be nothing left in her stomach, and she rolled back onto her bed, groaning, “Fuck. Maybe I am drunk.”
Drake chuckled quietly. “No shit, Chloe.”
She glared at him. “Just say what you came here to say, asshole.”
“We came to tell you to decide who you want. Both of us want you, but who you want is what really matters. Whoever you don’t choose will back off—no questions asked.”
She looked back and forth between us. “What if I want both of you?”
And then, she passed out.
Fuck.
To me, this is the hardest part of a book to write. There are so many people who have helped me, and I know I will miss a few.
To my husband—Without you, I would never have finished any of my books. You’re my rock.
To my parents—You listen to me and help me with everything I need. I wouldn’t be who I am today without you.
To my blogger friends—Gah! I can’t say thanks enough times to all of you. You’re not just bloggers to me. You’re my friends. Without you, no one would even know who K.A. Robinson is. No one would know who Drake is. (That would be a damn shame right there, wouldn’t it?) Your support means so much to me.
To my “real-life” friends—Thank you for dealing with my constant absence. I know it’s hard to get a hold of me. I get so into writing that I forget to live sometimes. You’re always there to drag me back to reality. I love you!
To my author friends: Tabatha, Katelynn, Sophie, Tijan, Teresa, Sara, Jamie, Debra, L.B., and several others I know I’m forgetting—I love you. Seriously. You guys keep me calm, help me when I need it, and remind me to eat. I feel so blessed to call you my friends.
To my readers—Your response to my books has been overwhelming. I never imagined that so many of you would care about these characters the way you do. You guys continue to rock my world on a daily basis. I love you all to pieces.
To Letitia—You make the best covers. Ever. Thank you!
To Jovana—You deserve a medal for dealing with my crazy self and for reading the unedited mess of a book that I send to you. You rock!
K.A. Robinson is twenty-three years old and lives in a small town in West Virginia with her toddler son and husband. She is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of The Torn Series and The Ties Series. When she’s not writing, she loves to read, usually something with zombies in it. She is also addicted to coffee, mainly Starbucks and Caribou Coffee.
Her latest novel, Twisted Ties, was released on February 12, 2014.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karobinson13
Twitter: @karobinsonautho
Blog: www.authorkarobinson.blogspot.com