“We’re having drinks with the gorgeous volleyball players. I thought you’d be happy.”
She wrinkles her nose. “There’s only one problem with your plan. We’re not old enough to drink.”
I wave away her concern. “We can order soda, or cranberry juice. Where is your sense of adventure?”
“I’ve never had one.”
“Please…I know somewhere deep inside you there’s a rebel trying to get out. That’s what Spring Break is for. To let loose and live a little.”
She heaves a resigned sigh. “Fine. I’ll go. But only because you’re my best friend.”
“I’m your only friend.”
She shrugs. “You have a point.”
CHAPTER 3
“ Are you sure I look okay?” Addie asks me for the hundredth time.
“You look great,” I assure her.
Addie looks better than I’ve ever seen her look. Her curly hair is pulled back into a short ponytail and she’s wearing lipstick and eyeliner. Instead of her usual attire of an oversized t-shirt and jeans, she’s wearing a flowered sundress and sandals.
It’s like someone cast a magic spell and replaced my nerdy roommate with a cute co-ed.
“I still feel like your less attractive best friend. You know, the girl who is cast to make the star of the show look even more attractive.”
“You need to have more confidence in yourself,” I tell her.
She gives me an eye roll. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re the pretty one.”
“It’s almost eight. We’d better head down to the pool bar.”
THE OUTDOOR BAR that borders the pool looks a lot different at night. It’s covered with twinkling lights that give it a magical glow, and the flickering candles that line the length of the bar give it an aura of romance.
“Do you see them?” I whisper to Addie as I scan the bar area.
“Over there.” She points to a secluded table in the far corner of the patio where Matteo and two of his friends are seated.
As we head over to the table I do a quick fluff of my hair.
Matteo’s face lights up when he sees us. “Let me grab another seat.” He takes a chair from the empty table next to them and moves it to their table. “Here you go.”
I sit down next to Matteo and Addie takes a seat next to his brawny friend. Matteo is muscular, but this guy is like a brick wall.
“That’s my buddy, Isa.” He points to Mr. Brick Wall. “And that’s Riker.” The third guy is much smaller than his friends, but he looks meaner. He doesn’t bother with a smile. The only acknowledgement he gives us is a slight nod of his head.
“This is Addie.” I point to my roommate.
She gives the guys a wave.
“What do you want to drink?” Matteo asks. “I’ll go up to the bar and get it.”
I glance over at Addie. She must be reading my mind: he’s over twenty-one and can buy us booze. She frowns and shakes her head.
“Ginger ale is fine,” I tell him.
“And for you, lovely lady?” He gestures towards Addie.
“The same,” she says.
Matteo rises from the table and heads towards the bar leaving us with Riker and Isa. Neither of them looks too thrilled with us being there.
“Where do you go to school?” I ask the guys.
Riker laughs. “I haven’t set foot in a school since I was sixteen.”
“Oh…” My voice trails off. “Usually people come to Florida for Spring Break.”
“We’re here on business,” Riker clarifies.
“What business are you in?” I ask.
He rubs his chin. “Asset apprehension.”
“Are you saying you’re a repo man?”
“Something like that.”
When I glance over at Addie her eyes are wide and her mouth is agape.
Matteo comes back to the table and places our drinks in front of us before he sits back down.
“Thank you,” I say.
He gives me a charming grin. “My pleasure.”
Out of the corner of my eye I notice Theo nervously scanning the bar area until his eyes land on me.
He takes a seat at the end of the bar closest to our table. Is that so he can watch me? I’m officially freaked out.
“Is everything okay?” Matteo asks.
“I’m not sure.”
He furrows his brow. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a guy at the bar. I think he might be following me.”
Matteo glances in Theo’s direction. “Are you talking about the guy who looks like he raided his grandfather’s closet?”
“That’s the one.”
“Do you want me to go over there and talk to him?” Matteo offers.
“He might just have a crush on me.” Or he might be serial killer who wants to make a suit out of my skin.
“He looks harmless.” Matteo takes a swig of his beer.
So did Ted Bundy.
When I notice Addie has already downed half of her drink I take a sip of my ginger ale.
“Where are you ladies from?” Matteo asks.
“Arizona,” I reply. “Annadale. Outside of Phoenix.”
“We had a job in Phoenix a few years back. The place is as hot as an oven.”
“Florida’s not cool either,” I say. “But it’s much more humid than Arizona. It’s more like a sauna.”
The guys take sips of their beers. The conversation seems to have come to a halt. When I said I wanted brawn instead of brains I guess I didn’t think it through all that well. There’s not a lot to talk about.
I’m not sure why, but I glance over at Theo. He’s still watching as intently as a guy with huge bet on a football games watches the final minutes of the last quarter.
For a moment I wonder what it would be like talking with him instead of staring awkwardly at Matteo trying to think of something to say. Theo is a graduate student, so he’s probably smart. I’m sure he’d have a lot to say. And he seemed eager to have a conversation with me.
Before I blew him off anyway.
When I hear Addie moan I turn my attention back towards her.
“Are you okay?” He normally pale face looks even whiter. All of the color has drained from her cheeks.
“I’m not feeling very well.” Her speech is slurred. “I think I should go back to our room.”
“You just got here,” Riker grabs her arm. “Don’t go.”
“My head is spinning and I feel like I’m going to barf. Maybe I got too much sun this afternoon.”
“I’ll go with you.” As I rise from the table Matteo also rises and blocks my view of Addie.
“Stay and finish your drink,” Matteo says. “Riker can walk her back. I promise she’ll be in good hands.”
I’m conflicted. I don’t feel completely comfortable with the idea of having a guy we just met and hardly know walking Addie back to our room. But I also don’t want to stand Matteo up. Especially when he just bought us drinks.
He raises a hand like a Boy Scout giving a pledge. “You have my word. Addie will be fine.”
“It’s okay, Brooklyn. You stay and have fun.”
“Are you sure?” I’m worried about her. She can barely keep her head up straight.
She rubs her temple. “My head is killing me. I really have to go.”
“Okay. Text me if you need anything.”
“I will.”
Riker helps Addie out of her chair then puts his arm around her so that she won’t fall as he guides her through the bar area.
“It’s pretty common for people to get sun poisoning their first day on the island.”
I tilt my head and narrow my gaze at Matteo. “How did you know it was our first day on the island?”
He slowly runs a finger down the length of my arm. “You barely have any tan.”
I get shivery in response to his touch.
“That’s my cue,” Isa says as he rises from his chair. “I’ll let the two of you have some alone ti
me. See you back at the room.”
Isa disappears into the dark night before Matteo has a chance to respond.
He moves in closer to me and whispers in my ear. “Guess that leaves just the two of us.”
Things are moving a lot faster than I thought they would. I’m not sure I’m ready for what Matteo seems to have on his mind. As much as I may have wanted a Spring Break fling I’m having serious doubts that I want it to be with Matteo.
“Are you sharing a room with your friends?” I ask.
“Isa is going to take a long walk on the beach.”
I gulp. I’m definitely not ready to go back to Matteo’s room with him. I take another sip of my drink.
“So, you’re a college girl.” It’s a statement not a question.
“A freshman.”
“You don’t have a boyfriend?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Lucky me.” This time when he whispers in my ear he places a kiss on my neck.
That’s a huge step too far. I need to get out of this situation and fast.
I try to discreetly inch away from him, but I’m obviously not subtle enough. He grabs my upper arm. “Where do you think you’re going?”
I’m startled by his sudden angry gesture. He’s clamped down on my arm like a vice. “You’re hurting me.”
He releases me from his grasp. “Finish your drink.”
As I gulp down the remainder of the ginger ale I start to feel woozy. The world begins to spin around me.
“Gotta go,” I hear Matteo whisper as my forehead hits the table. “I have some business to attend to.”
CHAPTER 4
I bolt up in a panic. It takes me a moment to remember that I’m in Florida on vacation. But as I look around I realize I’m not in my room. I’m on someone else’s couch.
I immediately check to make sure I’m fully clothed. Everything appears to be intact.
Then I wipe at the drool on the side of my face.
My temples are throbbing. It feels like there’s a heavy metal drummer doing a solo in my head.
“You’re awake,” a male voice says.
It’s Theo. What am I doing in his room? How did I get here?
“I think that guy you met for drinks drugged you.”
I rub my forehead in an attempt to get the pounding to stop. “What time is it?”
“Four in the morning.”
“My roommate.” Panic rises in my voice. “I have to find her.”
“You need to take it slow. Let me get you a drink of water.”
“No.” When I try to rise from the couch I feel faint, and my legs feel like gelatin.
Luckily Theo grabs ahold of me before I land on my butt. He helps me back down onto the couch. “You’re probably dehydrated.”
He hurries over to the small resort fridge and removes a sports drink. He twists the cap off then hands me the plastic bottle. “Drink this.”
I down the bright red electrolyte-filled beverage in a few big gulps. I guess I was thirstier than I thought.
“How did I get in your room?” I ask.
“I saw the guy who bought you the drinks take off. You were planted face down on the table. So I hurried over to help you. You were completely out of it. I carried you back here because I didn’t want to go rummaging through your pockets to find your room key. And I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” I assure him. Or I should be in a few hours anyway. “Do you have some Advil?”
“I don’t think you should take anything like that on an empty stomach. I have half of a turkey sandwich in the fridge.”
“I’m worried about my roommate.”
“Eat first. You can’t go anywhere if you’re still faint and dizzy.”
When I nod in agreement he hurries back over to the fridge and grabs the leftover half of his sandwich. He removes it from the plastic container, places it on a napkin then hands it to me.
I’m not sure why, but I sniff it before I take a bite.
“It’s still good,” Theo says. “I bought it last night.”
“I know…” The expiration date isn’t the issue. I just found out I was drugged by a guy I thought I could trust.
I take a few nibbles of the sandwich and place the remainder on the coffee table.
Theo furrows his brow. “You’re going to leave behind two bites?”
“I guess not.” I pick up what’s left of the sandwich and force it down. “Better?”
“Much.”
“Now will you help me up so I can find my roommate?”
“Maybe she’s safe and sound in her bed,” he offers.
I’m unconvinced. “I need to check for myself.”
Theo extends an elbow. I grab on to it as I lift myself up from the couch.
Between the sports drink and the turkey sandwich I’m not nearly as wobbly on my feet as I was before.
“Thanks again for your help,” I tell him. “I really didn’t deserve it after I was so mean to you.”
“You weren’t that mean. Maybe I was coming on a bit too strong. You might find this hard to believe, but I don’t have a lot of experience with women.”
I put my hand to my chest and feign surprise. “No! Really?”
He cracks the slightest smile. “Shocking. I know.”
I place my hand on his upper arm. “You’re a really sweet guy.”
He shakes his head. “The kiss of death. With just one offhand remark you’ve relegated me to the friend zone.”
“I didn’t mean to come across that way. I meant it as a compliment.”
Even though he shakes his head I’m not sure he understands what I’m saying. But now is not the time to discuss the psychology of male-female relationships. “I need to make sure my roommate is okay.”
“I’m coming with you.” I’m surprised by the authority in his voice.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine…”
“What if those three thugs are in your room? Will you be able to defend yourself?”
Against one, maybe. Against all three at once, probably not. “Fine. You can come with me.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
When our eyes meet I see something in Theo that I didn’t see before. There’s a little bit of an alpha male inside that nerdy exterior.
As the two of us exit his room, I reach into my pocket, remove my room key, and unlock the front door of my suite.
The room is quiet. Too quiet. In my heart I know Addie isn’t here but I do a quick search of the place anyway. There are no signs of her anywhere. Both of our beds are made. I know I haven’t slept in mine, and hers doesn’t look slept in either.
“We need to find Matteo’s room,” I say.
“Do you know what room he’s staying in?” Theo asks.
I shake my head. “I never asked.”
“Are you sure he and his friends are really staying at the resort?”
My stomach knots. I’m not sure at all. Who knows if anything he and his friends said is true?
I rub my temples. “I really need an Advil.” I rummage around in my tote bag until I find a small travel size bottle of painkillers. I pop two in my mouth and swallow them dry.
“How did you do that?” Theo winces.
“Do what?”
“Swallow those pills without any water.”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“Don’t you have any bottled water in your fridge?” he asks.
I shake my head. “We haven’t picked up anything at the store yet.”
“I would have gone over to my room to get you something to drink. All you would have had to do was ask.”
“As much as I appreciate the chivalrous gesture, we don’t have time for that right now. We have to find Addie. First stop, the front desk. Let’s see if Matteo and his buddies are actually guests here.”
CHAPTER 5
“What do you mean you can’t release that information?” I glare at the young guy standing at the f
ront desk.
He glowers right back at me. “I cannot release any information about our guests.”
“So you’re confirming that he’s a guest?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Well if he’s not a guest, you have no obligation to keep that confidential, do you?” I place my hands on my hips in a defiant gesture.
He puckers his lips like a fish. “I guess not.”
“Good. Tell me if Matteo is not registered as a guest.”
He heaves a sigh. “Is that his first name or his last name?”
“First name.”
He looks up at me from his computer screen. “Do you have a last name?”
“How many people do you know with the name Matteo?”
He types for a few moments on his keyboard. “There are no guests registered with the first name Matteo. Happy?”
“Not quite. Would you also look up the names Isa and Riker?”
He shakes his head. “You’re a real piece of work.”
I smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t meant that way.” He types for several more seconds. “Nope. We have no guests name Isa or Riker. Now will you leave me alone?”
“I appreciate your help.”
He grunts in response.
As Theo follows me out of the lobby he asks, “What next?”
I shake my head. “I have no idea. Maybe I should phone the police.”
“Does Addie have her cellphone with her?”
I shrug. “I guess so. I didn’t see it in our room. She had it with her when we went down to the pool bar for drinks.”
“We could try to track her phone.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Do you know how to do that?”
He nods. “I’m a graduate student in computer science. I know how to do a lot of things.”
“Is it legal?” I ask.
He gives me the hint of a smile. “Why don’t you let me worry about that?”
We head back to our rooms.
As I’m unlocking my door, Theo says, “Let me grab my laptop and I’ll meet you in your room.”
“Okay.”
Once I’m inside I lock the door with the bolt just to be safe. But I still don’t feel comfortable. My father and his brother are all personal security specialists. Their job is to keep their clients safe. My whole life I’ve felt protected. This is the first time that I’ve felt so vulnerable.
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