The Ruby Riot Series: Box Set Part 12

"Like I care! You're all leaving tomorrow and we'll both be onto the next girl, won't we?"

a.r.s.ehole. But he's an uncomfortable mirror of myself and how I've treated chicks recently.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Tomas."

"Well, Tomas, I suggest you keep your hands off Tegan." If she could hear him, I doubt she'd want his hands on her anyway. "And don't think she's easy."

He snorts. "Girls like her? They love guys like me. I can be very persuasive." He tips his beer at me. "Tell Tegan I'll see her later."

The douche walks into the crowd where he b.u.mps into another girl, his hand straight onto her a.s.s to steady himself before he walks off again. Tegan will have the measure of him; he has no chance.

Although after spending time talking to other girls, I'm pretty sure I've blown mine too.

I join Tegan on the sofa and hold out the bottle. "Do you want this beer or not?"

Tegan pa.s.ses me her empty beer bottle. "Not. I've had enough. Think I need to stop."

I place the bottle on the floor and pull my legs onto the sofa so I'm facing Tegan. The volume in the room has risen, as the suite crowds with more people attempting to talk over the Ruby Riot tracks Will's playing full volume.

"Didn't think he was your type."

"He's not really," she mumbles.

"What's wrong?" I ask when she refuses to look at me.

She snorts. "You go to find me a drink and it takes you twenty minutes!"

"People wanted to talk to me!"

"Girls?" She slurs the 's'.

"I can't help it if I'm irresistible to women," I say hoping she sees I'm joking.

"Yeah, I know." She leans closer and touches my nose with her finger. "Smoking hot Jaxon Lewis, everybody wants a piece of him."

"You think?"

"Yeah. Especially with your s.h.i.+rt off." With a giggle, she places her lips close to my ear. "I was going to kiss you before. In the hallway. Maybe I will now."

I pull my head back. "This is a bit of a change in att.i.tude."

"Like you're complaining..." Tegan shuffles closer and places a hand on my leg. "Don't you want to kiss me?"

I catch Tegan's hand as it slides up my leg. This is wrong. There's something not right here. Half an hour ago she was lucid and snarky. Now she's slurring and throwing herself at me. "How much have you had to drink, Tegan?"

She holds her hand out and counts fingers with a furrowed brow. "Three. I think. Yeah, three. Why? Do I have to be drunk to want to kiss you?"

Tegan smiles up at me, and my smugness that she's changed her mind disappears. Her pupils are huge.

"Did you take something as well?" I ask her.

"No! I don't do drugs! I'm just a bit drunk, that's all."

I look around the room and Tomas is watching us. When he notices me, he looks away swiftly.

No way.

"Tegan?" She rests her head against my shoulder and I shake her. "Tegan!"

"Mmm?" She rubs her face into my s.h.i.+rt. "You smell good. I bet you taste good too."

"Where did you get the drinks you had tonight?"

"Downstairs at the 'Help the Aged' party." She waves a hand and suppresses a laugh, face remaining against my chest.

"That's all?"

"Yeah. And Tomas brought me one when you were busy hitting on that girl."

"I wasn't hitting on any girl!" I retort.

"Whatever."

An argument over this is not my concern right now. "Wait there." Tegan falls to the side when I stand, head lolling on the arm of the sofa. The girl sitting nearby sn.i.g.g.e.rs at her. I push hair from Tegan's face and look down. I'm no expert but I'm willing to bet this is more than three beers. Her drink's been spiked and I'm pretty d.a.m.n sure I know who by.

Keeping an eye on Tomas, I grab Nate by the arm. "I need to go and find Bryn. Watch Tegan for me."

Nate sways slightly as he looks round, arm firmly around the waist of his chick from last night. "Bryn? Tegan?"

"I think she's high, or something. I'm worried about her."

He waves a hand dismissively. "Loads of people are high. Tell Bryn and he'll lose his s.h.i.+t. Or worse, he'll tell Jem."

"No, this is different." Nate looks back round to his girl and I grab his s.h.i.+rt. "Nate! Just f.u.c.king do it! I'll be five minutes."

He groans and indicates the chick. "C'mon, man, if you're so concerned, you look after Tegan." I glower. "Fine, fine! I'll watch her." He looks over at Tegan. "I doubt she's about to move far."

"Make sure you do!" I spin round and look for Tomas but he's disappeared. Yeah, I bet he has.

TEGAN.

I open my eyes and focus on the ceiling; the world swims above. Scrambling to catch up with where I am, I turn my head. A swathe of people surrounds me; and as I sit, the room tips sideways. My leaden body refuses to move.

Whoa. I place my elbows on my knees and hold my head in my hands, willing the world upright again. Where the h.e.l.l am I?

A party.

The world blurs into a smear of colour. Is Jax here? Did I kiss him? I wanted to kiss him.

s.h.i.+t, Tegan. Get back to your room before things go really badly.

Summoning up strength into my jelly legs, I heave myself upright and focus hard on the doorway. Key card. Phone. I grope in my back pocket and pull out the card, clutching it.

"Tegan?"

I blink up at Nate's blurred face. Or Will. I don't know. "Oh, hey."

"Jax asked me to watch you."

"Oh-really-did-he?" I slur back. "I'm going."

"Where?"

"Room. Feel sick." I wave the keycard at him.

"You need some help?"

"No, s'okay. Not far."

I stumble away b.u.mping into people and throwing apologies. Outside, the hallway stretches in either direction; and though I know which way I'm going, all the beige coloured doors look the same and I can't read the numbers above them.

Left. My door is on the left. I follow the maroon and yellow carpet, the spotted pattern dancing around as I stumble along. This is why I don't drink. I trip over one of the spots on the carpet.

"Hey." A strong pair of arms catches me around the waist and pulls me upright. "You all right?"

I squint at the blurry face at a guy I recognise. The guy from last night. Tomas? Was talking to him earlier. "Um."

"Need help?"

"S'okay."

Tomas takes my keycard. "What's your room number?"

"1671." I think.

"Come on, I'll help you back to your room."

"It's near here."

"Yeah."

The remaining energy in my legs dissipates and I slump forward. "s.h.i.+t."

"Funny girl." He hauls me upright again and I watch the carpet sweep past my feet as we head along the hallway. A door beeps and, with a click, opens. Suddenly, I'm dropped on the floor. I land with an 'oof' but it feels good to relax.

"What the f.u.c.k do you think you're doing?" yells a voice.

I twist my head. Jax is in the doorway, face to face with the guy who was helping me. Jax looks over, I can't make out his expression as the world blurs again.

A sound of something being slammed against a wall is followed by shouting and swearing. G.o.d, are they fighting over me? I push onto my hands and knees and start to crawl towards the bedroom. Pathetic. Not like I'm up for anything with either of them in this state.

Attempting to piece together the evening, I close my eyes.

JAX.

Halfway down in the elevator, I changed my mind and slammed my hand on the silver b.u.t.tons, to return to the 16th floor. What was I thinking? I can't leave Tegan on her own. Maybe at this point I should've gone straight to security or looked for Bryn, but I panicked. If anything happens, it will be my fault because I knew - and I left her.

When I returned to the party, I couldn't find Tegan - or Nate. Ready to inflict serious damage on Nate if I see him and with no idea where Tegan is, I stormed into the corridor.

Drunk, my confusion grew as I headed toward Tegan's room, where I found Tomas dragging her inside. I'm not a violent person, drunk even less so because my co-ordination is f.u.c.ked; but anger blinds me, and I grab him by the back of his designer s.h.i.+rt. Taken by surprise, he stumbles as I push him into the wall, asking him what the f.u.c.k he thinks he's doing.

"Helping Tegan," replies Tomas.

"Like h.e.l.l you are! Get your f.u.c.king hands off her."

"The girl is very drunk. I'm helping her."

"Yeah, I bet you are. Get the f.u.c.k out of here before I call security on you," I step back and attempt to disguise the fact I'm drunker than he is.

"What? You want me to leave so you can take over?" he asks with a sneer.

I look behind him where Tegan's collapsed on the floor. "Did you give her something? She's in no state to consent to anything! "

"Yeah? You sure about that. If it's such a big deal, you have a go, be my guest, plenty more like her around."

f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.d. A split-second later, my fist collides with Tomas's face; he steps to one side, laughing at me. "That's a pretty pathetic punch." He wipes the blood from beneath his nose. "I'm going before I'm tempted to thump you back."

I'm torn. Deal with him or help Tegan?

I shove Tomas out of the way and storm into the room, slamming the door behind. I have no proof about the drink spiking, but something's off. At least he hasn't a.s.saulted her; if this is drugs, she needs help.

"Tegan," I say softly and kneel on the floor next to her crumpled figure.

She opens her eyes and mumbles, "I shouldn't feel like this."

"I know. Let me help you up."

Tegan's eyes flutter closed again. Sliding my arms under her, I lift Tegan to her feet; but she can't stand. Her head lolls against my shoulder and my anger grows. This beautiful, smart girl almost ended up a.s.saulted by some d.i.c.khead, and it's partly my fault.

Although Tegan is light, her heavy unconsciousness is obvious as I head toward the suite bedroom. When I place her on the plushly furnished bed, Tegan immediately sits and stares at me in confusion.

"Jax?"