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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.
The snick of the lock had always sent my heart racing when Joel brought me up here. He’d kiss me sweetly, then pull back his covers and wait until I’d snuggled in and removed my jeans and knickers before crawling in beside me and wedging himself on top.
I shuddered as memories fogged my brain. Being with Joel had been okay. But being with Aslan was thermonuclear.
The way I felt about him. The way the world caught fire whenever we touched.
He was incomparable.
Aslan.
My eyes welled as his gorgeous face with his bronze-streaked hair, achingly deep-dark eyes, and stern sexy expression popped into my head.
God, I should never have picked that fight.
What was I thinking?
I’d give anything to be with him right now.
