Page 40 of Fractured Heart

“You’re not going to have any?” I ask, realizing JJ didn’t take a plate of food for himself.

“Nope. Not hungry.” He gives me a lopsided grin. “I made it for you.”

His words should warm me, but they make me nervous. I’m sure he’s sobered up enough not to need breakfast, but I’d prefer it if he ate. Instead, he watches me, waiting expectantly for me to try his creation.

I nervously swallow a forkful. I’m amazed. The eggs are soft and fluffy. Savory juices from the vegetables linger with a perfect balance of salt and spice. It tastes delicious, but what really floors me is that he went to all that effort, just for me.

“This is amazing, JJ.”

“Told you it would be.” JJ smirks knowingly. “I know how to please a girl.”

My cheeks flush at his words, but then he reaches for the protein shake and I feel a wave of fear. What if it's laced with booze?

With one smooth, fluid motion, JJ pops open the cap and raises the bottle to his lips. I pale. He takes a huge sip, his Adam's apple bobbing, and swallows. A careless blue drop slips from his lips like poison. It trickles down his face and splashes onto his naked chest. With disgust, I watch it slide down one of his pecs.

When he wipes it away, I tremble, but with fear, not desire. If there’s alcohol in there, I’m in serious trouble. I’m all alone with him in the apartment and I have to get out of here.

“Are you alright, Roonie?” JJ leans toward me.

“Fine,” I squeak, suddenly unable to move. I pretend to be enthralled with my breakfast even though each forkful suddenly tastes like sawdust.

“Want me to get you more coffee?” JJ reaches for my cup and I instinctively jerk away.

He frowns. For a split second, he watches me, before rounding the counter. As he digs for a coffee pod, I realize that he’s left his shaker next to me without the lid on.

Quickly, before JJ notices, I grab it and give it a sniff.

“You can have some if you want,” JJ says. I nearly spill the contents of the drink.

“No thanks.” I quickly set it down, eyes wide. It smells so odd that I have no way of knowing what’s actually in it. It could have been alcohol, but it could just as easily have been something else.

JJ joins me at the bar. He reaches for the shake, but he must see something in my expression because he stops. “What?”

“N-nothing.” I pale further, my gaze glued to his drink.

“It’s just a protein shake.”

“Right.” I nod, but I can’t help staring at it like it’s poison.

“What going on, Roonie?” JJ asks, suddenly all too serious.

A few minutes pass when neither of us says anything. At first, the sound of the coffee maker fills the room, but even that sputters and stops. The silence grows thick and I get more and more uncomfortable with each passing second.

JJ doesn’t. He continues staring at me, patiently waiting for me to cave. Finally, I can’t take it anymore. “Is there booze in there?”

“In here?” JJ raises the drink in surprise. “No way.”

I nod even though I’m not sure I believe him.

“It’s got protein powder, ginger, honey, blueberries…” JJ starts listing off ingredients, all of which sounds harmless. “See for yourself.”

I take a sip and grimace in disgust. The concoction tastes pretty gross, but is that just the weird mix of ingredients? After seeing what drinking has done to Father, I’ve never touched the stuff. I wouldn’t recognize it, even if it weren’t mixed with a bunch of ingredients.

“If makes you uncomfortable, I can pour it out.” JJ gets to his feet.

“You don’t have to do that. I believe you,” I lie. My heart pounds in my chest and I start to feel light-headed. When JJ walks up to me and takes his protein shake, I think I might throw up.

“I’m sorry I scared you last night. I really didn’t think there’d be anyone on the couch. We don’t usually bring girls around, and if we do, they don’t sleep on the couch.” He doesn’t so much as smirk as he says it, his previously flirtatious tone completely gone. He takes in my obviously pale face and his frown intensifies. “I swear, if I knew you had a problem with alcohol, I wouldn’t have gotten drunk.”