AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I tried to ask him what he was talking about, but my mouth was dry and my throat felt scratchy.
“How are you holding up, Tanner? I’ve called Mum and Dad. They’re on the first flight over,” Frankie told me, her eyes even redder than when I’d seen her at the hotel.
“Where am I? What happened?” I managed to force out. Speaking made the beeping machine next to me speed up, causing me to wince in pain from the excessive noise.
“You’re in the hospital. You collapsed, Tan. Then you had a fit. It wouldn’t stop. We thought—we thought we were going to lose you. What did you do to yourself? What did you put in your body?”
I shook my head because I couldn’t remember anything from last night after coming off stage.
“I didn’t. I don’t know. Someone gave me a bottle of water after we’d finished the set. I drank it and then I went back to the hotel. The next thing I remember was waking up with two women and my dick still wrapped in a condom. There was whiskey and what I assume was coke all over the side. The women were out of it, so I guess we partied pretty hard, but honestly, I don’t remember a thing. I didn’t even want to drink. I’d spoken to Levi and we had a plan. I know I fucked up with Emmy, but I also know I need to do right and get her back. Drinking, drugs, and women aren’t the way to do that. Even I know that. I would never do anything to—”
A doctor walked into the room, and I stopped talking.
“Ah, Mr. Hastings. You’re back with us, I see. Your heart rate is still higher than I’d like, so you need to try to relax and not get stressed, but I’m also concerned about the blood tests we did, so while I explain, I need you to breathe. Nice and deep. Okay?”
I nodded, trying to take his advice. Addi placed her hand in mine and squeezed. “Is something wrong with him, doc? Is that why he had the fit?”
“Miss Stone, you told me Tanner got drunk and had taken drugs. Cocaine, you presumed. Are you sure that’s what it was?”
Addi nodded. “Yes. That’s what the girls he was with told us. They brought it to the hotel. There was still some left. It’s probably still there if you need me to get you a sample of it.” She looked around to find Matt, who nodded, telling her he would sort it.
“That would be helpful. The reason I ask is that there was no alcohol in your system, Tanner, or cocaine. In fact, the only thing we found in your system were high levels of ketamine. It’s a tranquilizer. It’s often used as a date rape drug because it works as an anesthetic. Did you take ketamine last night, Tanner?”
“No. Fuck no. I would never. I mean, I used to love the buzz I got from drugs, but I wouldn’t want them to knock me out. But if I didn’t take it, then how did someone give it to me? I think I would notice if someone stabbed me with a needle full of it.”
“But you probably wouldn’t notice if someone put something in your drink,” the doctor replied.
I paused, looking around the room at the horrified faces of my family. “My water. Are you telling me someone handed me a bottle of spiked water, watched me drink it, and then what… set it up to look like I’d fucked up and got wasted?”
“And it looks like the fit was an allergic reaction to the drug. You were lucky it happened in front of your friends. If you were on your own, the outcome might not have been as favorable. Now, you’re going to need to stay here for a couple of days while we make sure your heart rate comes back down and there is no long-lasting damage.”
“But we’re meant to be on stage tonight,” I argued.
“Enough, Tanner. I’ll sort it. We can shift the dates or cancel them. I don’t care. You’re our priority. I’m so sorry I believed you’d fallen off the wagon. Shit, Emmy.”
“What about her? Is she okay?” I panicked.
“She must have seen you. Her note. She saw you in there with those women. It’s why she left. Tanner, we need to tell her,” Addi begged.
“Don’t. Leave her thinking the worst of me. With everything I’ve done to her recently, I deserve her hatred.” My heart broke as I realized what she’d seen and what she must think of me. “I will make it up to her, but right now, I need to give her some space while I sort myself out. Levi is right. I need to stay sober for me and not for someone else. Never mind that I really fucking hurt her with the things I said to her. Whether she thought I’d chosen to take those women to bed or not, she was going to leave my sorry ass eventually. This just gave her an easy out.”
“God, Tanner. Look at you being all mature and shit,” Gray laughed out.
“And you, both of you.” I stared at Mav as well. “I’m sorry for the things I accused you of. I know you’d never hurt me. I was being a possessive asshole. Forgive me?”
“All forgiven, Tanner. But I do need to talk to you all about something. When you’re out of here. It might… change things between us. I hope not, but it might,” Gray said, looking nervous.
“Nothing you could tell us will change how much we love you, big bro.” Frankie smiled at him reassuringly. “Look at us all talking. Emmy would be proud.”
I sighed because she would be, but right now, she was somewhere, hating me, thinking I betrayed her in the worst way.
“Wait, I was wearing a condom. I mean, it was used. What the hell did someone do to me while I was out of it? Matt, you need to talk to those girls and find out what happened.”
Chapter 29
Tanner
“Tellhimwhatyoutold me.” Matt stood over the two girls that had been in my room with me. He’d found them packing up where they lived and trying to run, while I’d been stuck in the hospital attached to a heart monitor for three days. I’d not had any more seizures, but the ketamine had fucked up my heart rate and sent my blood pressure sky high. The doctor had to prescribe me tablets to sort both of them with a warning that I might have to take them forever. If I was ever tempted to fall from my sobriety, this had been the stark reminder of the danger I was putting my body under.
