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I got to the dining room before fingers locked around my wrist again.
“Hey...where’re you going?”
Pinpricks of fear. I turned to face Ethan. He grinned his huge grin, and his eyes sparkled with something I didn’t like. “I told you. I’m going home.”
“You should just stay here. It’s safer than walking the streets alone.”
“I know those streets like the back of my hand. I’ll be home in ten minutes. I’ll be fine.”
“I could walk you—”
“I’m good.” Yanking my arm out of his grip, I raised my chin. “Goodnight, Ethan. Go find Zara and your friend.”
He sniffed and crossed his arms. He didn’t speak as I left him in the dining room and cut through the snug. My heart hurt as my eyes fell on the slouchy linen couch. How many movie nights had I spent curled up with Zara under a blanket, watching rom-coms? It was those nights I remembered and wanted back. The nights of whispers and secrets and giggles. I wanted those rather than the nights when Joel started joining us and touched me under the blanket right beside his sister.
Sucking in a deep breath, my balance switched to sudden lightheadedness and I swayed into the coffee table. The small bronze elephant that Zara’s mum had bought in Africa wobbled.
My hands shot out to steady it.
The bronze felt strange. Not cold like I imagined but fuzzy and—
My left knee gave out, dropping me to the thick cream rug. “Whoa...what the hell—?”
I swallowed, wincing at the sour aftertaste on my tongue.
I blinked, and the TV wobbled on the wall.
Get up.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed off from the rug, suddenly fascinated with how silky and soft the strands were. I accidentally stood on the hem of my sunset dress, sending me down again.
My head swam, and the music became excruciatingly loud in my ears.
Get up.
You need to go home.
Now.
Groaning under my breath, it took all my energy to clamber to my feet and stay upright. Keeping my eyes locked on the front door in the distance, I balled my hands and fought against the sick dizziness in my blood.
“Ouch...” I rubbed my shoulder as I bashed into the doorway of the snug. The barn door hanging on its black slider rattled, making me trip into the marble tiled foyer and—
“I’ve got you.” Arms circled my waist, pulling me against hard muscle. “You’re okay.”
I blinked and struggled against someone tall and strong. The hazy swirl of a face looked semi-familiar. A guy I just met. A guy my instincts screamed to run from. My breathing became shallow, and I felt like I did when I’d held my breath too long. My stomach ached. My heart palpitated. My head swam and—
“I don’t feel so well—”
“Let’s get you somewhere quieter, huh?” Ethan slung his arm around my shoulder and took my hand with his free one.
“No...I need—”
“What you need is to lie down. Relax. I’ve got you.” Clutching me to him, he gave me support as he guided me toward the sweeping grand staircase with its thousand shell chandelier that me and Zara had made. Months and months of beachcombing to find the shells and then months of hand drilling holes in each for the electrician to thread into a dripping LED masterpiece.
I struggled as he guided me up the first few steps. “No...I-I want to go home.”
“I’ll take you home when you can walk unassisted.” He chuckled directly in my ear. “You’re drunk.”
“No. I-I didn’t drink anything—”
“Yes, you did, remember? When Zara called you a brother fucker and a whore? You downed six tequila shots.” His arm dropped from my shoulders to around my waist, practically picking me up and hoisting me up the thickly carpeted stairs. “You were a beast. Put them away like a maniac.”
“No.” I shook my head, my tongue smacking against the horrid aftertaste in my mouth. Wait...was that tequila? Had I done that? I hated tequila. I’d hated it ever since the night Zara and I raided her parents’ stash and then threw up the following morning.
“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone.” His hand clutched mine as we reached the top landing. He pulled me to the left, toward Joel’s and Zara’s bedrooms.
I squirmed and shook my head, my feet tripping and stumbling, my heart racing and skipping. “Wait. I don’t want to be up here. I’m not allowed up here anymore.”
“It’s fine. Zara’s fucking Cooper in her room, which means...” Propping me against the silver-wallpapered wall, he opened Joel’s door and grinned. “Your ex isn’t here. You can lie down and sleep it off.”
“No. I don’t want to. I want to go home.” I fumbled for my phone. “Call my dad...he’ll...he’ll—” I forgot what I was going to say, my mind skipping. I patted my dress, searching for my phone.
Gone.
Where...where is it?
“Joel will never know you were in his bed. You’re fine.” Dragging me inside, he closed the door and locked it.
