“Shit, you were drugged,” I hear whispered, but I don’t take it in, I can’t, I feel like I can’t breathe.
“Trick,” I choke out, fear tightening my throat.
He quickly cups my cheek, his eyes scanning my face. Panic floods his features as he says, “We need to get her to the hospital,” just as dizziness sweeps over me, bile rising in my throat. I can't stop it as it comes out making me cough and I begin to shake and my eyes roll back.
“Clark!” I hear my brother roar and everything goes black.
***
Beep, beep, beep…
I squeeze my eyes tight, the beeping feeling like a dump truck bashing into my head and I slowly move with a groan and pain hits me through my stomach and chest making me groan even louder.
Oh, ouch.
What?
Where?
I feel pressure on my hand just as I hear, “Clark?”
I blink, then blink again before I lock eyes with Trick’s—tortured gray ones that tear up. I squeeze his hand in support and confusion.
“What happened?” I choke, and he looks down, shaking his head, while mine is thumping, and I look around the room to see I’m in the hospital, and a drip is attached to my hand, and I try to swallow.
My throat is dry, and my stomach is killing me, my memory seems to be nonexistent.
“My scotch was laced, buttercup,” Trick whispers, and I look at him in shock as we lock eyes. He rasps, “Date rape drug, cocaine, and Viagra, I had two gulps, enough to hit me, you had three-quarters of the glass, and you nearly died.”
The beeping in the room picks up as my heart pounds with fear, and Trick squeezes my hand tighter as tears brim his eyes.
“Your body apparently had a delayed reaction. They had to pump your stomach after getting your heart started again,” he admits and tears fall down his cheeks. He whispers, “Last night, I took your virginity and didn’t know because I was drugged just enough to have sex with you—enough that I didn’t know whatI was doing. If I had drunk the whole glass, I would have been dead.”
My body trembles, and tears instantly fall.
I was saving myself for marriage, I was saving myself for true love because of course I’m still that girl that wants the princess dream and did I sometimes envision Trick? Yeah, I mean who wouldn’t, the man is gorgeous, he makes me laugh, but we never looked at each other and thought ‘oh yeah we’re going to fall in love’.
I’m his best friend’s little sister, the club’s princess, he never looked at me with want.
“Who?” I choke, and he sniffs hard.
“I don’t know, the camera above the bar, the feed was cut deliberately, as well as the one across the room. I have an idea, but the officer brothers have stated, despite what has happened, without proof, we can’t accuse anyone,” he sneers full of anger, and a sob releases, causing Trick to move quickly.
He climbs onto the bed and takes me into his arms, and my sobs rip from me, for him and for me.
“I’m sorry, Clark, I’m so fucking sorry…” He whispers, tears lacing his voice, and I grip his tee and cry my heart out.
My head hurts, my stomach feels like someone has spent days hitting it, but I can’t stop my sobs, not understanding the evil that would do this to me, to Trick, my friend. I can’t understand how my family, my own father would sit back and allow whoever did this to stay in the club, not if Trick believes he knows who did it.
I feel like we were both assaulted. I feel like I had my virginity torn out of me, while Trick would have been dead if I hadn’t drunk half the drugs.
I don’t know how we can overcome this. I don’t know if we can get past this and be who we once were. I don't know if I'll let anyone touch me again…
Chapter 1
Trick – Five Weeks Later
I sigh as I run my hand through my hair before I look across the yard, my eyes landing on Clark.
