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Elijah drew back, licking his lips as if he could still taste me on them. “Good girl.”
My gaze stayed locked on him, and I pressed my legs together. Holy fuck. Did he know what he’d just done to me?
If he did, he was gentleman enough not to mock me for it. He just ran his thumb over my lips once and smiled at me.
They passed the joint around until it was finished, and when it came back to me, Elijah repeated the action, inhaling first and then breathing the smoke into my mouth. The guys all laughed and assured me I was in good hands, that Elijah was an old pro at this, but I thought I caught a look almost like jealousy on Finn’s face as he watched us.
After a while, he disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a bottle of tequila. It burned more going down straight than when mixed with orange juice, but the happy buzz in my mind drowned out any discomfort.
I felt utterly relaxed and strangely safe as I rested my head back against the couch, hands laced over the patch of bare skin on my stomach.
Four distinct, deep voices surrounded me. Elijah’s was smooth, Cole’s gruff, Finn’s teasing, and Mason’s low and serious.
Together, they created a pleasant hum that faded into the distance as my eyelids dropped shut.
Chapter 19
A loud beeping sound pierced my blissfully quiet brain, and I groaned, rolling over and throwing an arm over my face. Light was coming from somewhere, and I hated it.
Kill light. Must… kill… light.
The beeping stopped for little bit, but a few minutes later, it started up again, and I groped blindly around me until my hand settled on my phone. Cracking my eyelids, I squinted at the screen as I turned off the alarm.
7:35. My first class was at eight. I could just make it in time… if I could get my body to fucking move.
My head felt stuffy, like I’d poured cement between my ears and let it harden, and my clothes and hair reeked of weed. That meant showering before class wasn’t optional.
I was tempted to blow it off and
go back to sleep, but Jacqueline’s warning about attendance flickered through my brain. Goddammit.
Grimacing, I sat up. On the nightstand where my phone had been, a glass of water sat next to two small pills and a handwritten note. I picked up the paper and the pills, cupping them in my hand as I read.
Morning, Princess
These will help. Drink the water even if you don’t feel like it.
~F
A warm feeling expanded in my chest, and I traded the note for the glass of water, using it to swallow the pills before gulping down the rest. Finn had been right. I didn’t feel like it. But as the liquid hit my stomach, it seemed to radiate through me, clearing out the gross, heavy feeling the tequila and weed had left in my body.
I stood unsteadily, glancing at the clock again before moving toward the bathroom. My body was sluggish, and time seemed to be racing, but I showered as quickly as I could, skipped blow-drying my hair, and threw on my uniform. Then I snatched up my books and backpack and hustled across campus.
By the time I rounded the corner of Hammond Hall, the Aspirin were beginning to take affect, and the slight throbbing in my head had subsided. All in all, I didn’t feel that bad, considering I wasn’t sure how much I’d drunk at the party. I didn’t even remember getting back to my dorm.
I’d cut it too close, and first period was already starting as I approached the entrance to Craydon Hall. All four of the Princes were lounging at the bottom of the steps, and they straightened when they saw me walking up.
“She lives.” Finn grinned at me.
“Yeah.” I smiled tentatively. “Thanks to you. And thanks for setting my alarm too.” I glanced at the others. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”
“Wanted to make sure you didn’t throw your phone against the wall and sleep through the alarm.” Mason shrugged, turning to lead the way up the stairs. He glanced back at me over his shoulder. “I told you, Princess. You’re one of us now, and we take care of our own.”
We broke off once we entered the building, each heading to our own classes. All of us were late, although I was the only one who’d had to be.
I zoned out hard during Pre-Calculus while Mrs. Stinson wrote numbers on the board with a squeaky marker. The last solid memory I had of the previous night was resting my head lightly on Finn’s shoulder and feeling his voice vibrate in his chest. How much longer had I been there?
Jesus, I hope I wasn’t a sloppy mess when they brought me home.
