Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
JAYSON
“ L iz! Elizabeth!”
I fumble and try to push past Ryder but am stopped when a wave of nausea hits me hard.
Ryder shoves me back, making it worse.
“Get out of my way!”
Why am I slurring?
“You need to calm your shit before you make matters worse.”
Jacinda palms my ass. “Let me know if you want to pick up where we left off.”
“Fuck you.”
“Oh, you were about to, baby,” she taunts. “Here’s your shirt.”
She dangles it in front of me, and it takes me a few grabs before I get it from her. I clumsily shove it over my head.
“Don’t you think that you’ve caused enough trouble?” Ryder says.
She runs her hands up his chest. “If you want a repeat of the bonfire party, come find me.”
I stumble over my feet and fall back onto the bed. “I still can’t believe you let her suck you off.”
Why the hell does my voice sound so weird? It’s like my brain knows what it wants to say but my mouth is refusing to say it.
“Yeah, well, I was having a bad night. Not as bad as the one you’re having,” Ryder replies, his tone full of disappointment.
“Liz. I need to find Liz.”
I don’t know what she thought she saw, but I need to explain to her that nothing happened. Fuck , I don’t even know what did happen. I drag my hands over my face and into my hair and pull.
“What the hell is going on?”
He closes the door to the bedroom to give us privacy and crosses his arms over his chest.
“I think that’s a question you need to answer.”
I stare up at the revolving ceiling. Oh, god. I’m going to puke.
“I feel weird, and I’m nauseous as hell. And dizzy.”
“How much did you drink tonight?”
How much did I drink? I had that one cup, and then maybe another…
Why can’t I remember?
“I don’t know.”
“Then tell me what you do know.”
I shake my head on the bedspread, trying to clear some of the cobwebs, and rub my temples to stave away the headache I feel coming. It takes a moment for my tongue to work.
“We all got here. Maria and I went to get beer. Jacinda and Samantha were at the keg and handed me two drinks. Fallon told me to fuck off when I asked him where you were. I fucking hate that guy. Why are you friends with him again?”
“Focus, Jay.”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay. He told me to check outside. I started feeling bad, like woozy and lightheaded. I heard Marshall say something about Liz. And then things get fuzzy from there.”
Two of Ryder lean over me. “Back up. I can barely understand what you’re saying. You said Samantha and Jacinda handed you drinks? Are you sure you’re not drunk?”
“No. Yeah.”
“Bottles?”
His two faces blur into a blob. “Huh?”
“Did they give you a bottle or an open cup?”
I try to lift my arm. It feels heavy. “Red cup.”
“Did you drink any of it?”
I nod.
Ryder braces over me, getting in my face. “Did Maria drink hers?”
“No. I did.”
His face disappears.
“You stupid jackass. Someone slipped something in the drinks.”
“Nooo.” No way.
“Do you remember beating Marshall until he passed out?”
I did that? Good. The guy’s a prick.
“No.”
“Know how you got up here? How Jacinda got here? How you both lost your shirts and ended up in bed together?”
I fly off the bed, wanting to punch him for even insinuating I would cheat on Liz. Never in a million years would that ever be a possibility.
A wave of dizziness hits me hard, and I sink to the floor.
“Oh god, my head is killing me.” I lunge to the side and grab the waste basket next to the dresser just in time. I think I’m dying.
Ryder pulls his phone from his back pocket and texts someone. I throw up a second time.
“I think we need to get you to the hospital and get your stomach pumped.”
I vigorously shake my head but stop when it makes me want to puke again.
“No hospital. I need to talk to Liz. I need to explain.”
What have I done? What must Liz be thinking? My sweet girl. I just want to find her and wrap my arms around her and never let go. Tell her I’m sorry. Tell her I love her.
There’s a light knock before Elijah walks into the room. “Jesus, Jay, what did you do?”
I stare at him with bleak, red eyes. “Is Liz okay? Where is she?”
“Why is he talking funny?”
“Liz in the car?” Ry asks.
“She’s with Maria and Julien.”
Ryder hands Elijah his car keys. “Give these to Jules. I’ll handle Jay.”
“On it. Hey, Jay?” When I see Elijah’s concerned expression, my stomach churns again. “She’s torn up. She just zoned out and won’t talk, but we’re taking care of her. She’s in good hands. You take care of you now.”
“Come on. I’m taking you to the hospital just to make sure.”
Ryder helps me off the bed, and I lean on him as we walk downstairs and out to my truck. Everyone looks at us, whispers, laughs. They can all go fuck themselves.
Ryder fishes my keys out of my pocket and opens the back passenger door. He none too gently shoves me inside.
“I think it may be better if you lay down.”
“My parents are going to kill me.”
“That may not be the worst of it. I’ll explain later, after we get you checked out by a doctor.”
Ryder gets into the driver’s seat and turns the engine. I take out my phone.
His eyes find me in the rearview mirror. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“She needs to know I love her and that I didn’t cheat on her. She needs to know. I can’t lose her.”
Great. I’m all weepy on top of everything else.
“We’ll figure out what happened. You won’t lose her. I’ll make sure of it.”
I drop the phone when the truck hits a pothole. Bile rushes up my esophagus, and I swallow it down.
“Why would you do that for me, after what I did to you?”
Ryder slows down to stop at a light and twists around to look down at me in the back seat. “Because I love her, and she chose you.”
The light turns green, and we drive in silence until we get to the ER. Ryder walks me inside, and after he tells the check-in nurse that I may have unknowingly ingested a date rape drug, they immediately get a doctor and rush me back into a room. After the nurses take several vials of blood and a urine sample, I’m hooked up to an IV. Then I pass the hell out.
“How are you feeling?” Ry asks.
I groan when my eyes crack open, only to be blinded by harsh fluorescent lights. It takes me a long minute to remember where I am.
“Like crap. What’s going on?”
“Just waiting for the doctor to come back with the lab results.”
More lucid and able to think clearly, I tell him, “Thanks for staying with me.”
His loyalty compounds my shitty mood because his support and friendship are just two more things I don’t deserve.
“Can I have my phone?”
“You sure that’s wise?” But he hands it to me anyway. “I called your parents.”
That’s a conversation I’m glad not to have overheard.
I check my messages, hoping to see a text from Liz. Nothing.
I adjust my position on the bed and the IV line tugs on my hand. I hiss at the sting it creates and stop moving. The automatic blood pressure cuff attached to my arm decides to turn on and squeeze the life out of me.
“Why is it taking so long?” I complain, sounding like a whiny bitch. I can’t help it because that’s exactly how I feel right now. “Did Jules say anything about Liz? Has she asked about me? Does she know I’m here?”
I’d give anything to see her beautiful face walk through my hospital room door.
Ryder drags a chair to the side of the bed and sits down.
“He said she fell asleep in the car, and he didn’t want to wake her. He carried her upstairs to her room. Her parents were out, but Hailey was home and will keep an eye on her.”
My hope deflates like a popped balloon. She doesn’t know. She’s not coming.
“Are you going to finally fill me in on what the hell happened at the party?” I ask.
“Are you sure you’re ready to hear it?”
I nod yes, even though my mind screams no.
I listen as Ryder tells me what went down outside when I was inside with Maria. When he describes how that sleazy bastard kept taunting Liz to get a reaction from Julien, my blood rages and causes the heart rate monitor to rapidly beep. A nurse is in my room a minute later to check on me. I want Ryder to be able to get everything out before my parents arrive, so I focus on calming down. I don’t want any more interruptions from the hospital staff thinking I’m having a heart attack.
As soon as the nurse leaves, I ask, “What happened next?”
“You came charging out and knocked Marshall to the ground. We didn’t know what was going on at first because it all happened so fast. As soon as we realized it was you, we jumped in. But fuck, man. You wouldn’t stop. You beat on Marshall until he was no longer moving, and you still didn’t stop.”
I cringe. “I don’t remember.”
I look down at my hands. The nurses cleaned them up and bandaged them. Why can’t I remember what I did?
“That may not be the worst of it.” Ryder hands me his phone. “Hit play.”
I watch the video, and even though it’s dark and you can’t make out who is who, I know what I’m seeing. An obscured form sits on top of a body on the ground, assailing it with punch after punch. Jesus.
Once the video ends, I hand Ry back his phone.
“They could press charges. Marshall’s family could sue you. This may get worse before it gets better.”
I release a disgusted laugh. That’s not the half of it. If colleges and scouts see me on the video, I can kiss my chances of getting a swim scholarship goodbye. I could face jail time and have a permanent record if they charge me as an adult.
“I know what you’re thinking. Don’t jump to any conclusions. I’ve already spoken to Fallon, and he assures me that he’ll take care of it. Marshall and everyone at the party won’t go against Fallon. They know he’ll fuck them up if they say anything.”
I’m sure Ryder’s right. As much as I can’t stand the guy, no one in their right mind wants to be on Fallon’s shit list. He just doesn’t go after you, he’ll go after your family and friends, too. He has enough money and resources to ruin you in every way possible. It’s why I stay out of his way and hate him from afar.
Our conversation ends when we hear the sounds of heavy footfalls outside in the corridor, followed by Mom’s voice. There is nothing worse than facing the wrath of my mom when she’s angry, and as sure as I am that the sun will rise, she’s going to be very, very angry.
My hospital room door flies open, and Mom rushes inside, followed thirty seconds later by Dad, Julien, and a doctor.
Mom runs her hands over my face and shoulders, making sure I’m in one piece.
“What happened?”
“Are you Mr. Jameson’s parents?” the doctor asks, electronic tablet in hand and stethoscope draped around his neck.
Dumb question. Of course they are.
“Yes, and this is his brother, Julien,” Dad says. “Ryder, thank you for calling us. Can you please tell us what happened?”
The doctor clears his throat, and all eyes turn to him. “My name is Dr. Dukovny. I’m the doctor assigned to your son’s case.”
He sets the tablet down and shines a thin flashlight in my eyes to check my pupils. Next, he listens to my heart and checks the IV drip line. Once he’s satisfied, he sits down on a rolling stool next to my bed.
“Your vitals look good. The lab work did find trace amounts of GHB in your system.”
Mom’s hands fly over her mouth in horror.
“But I only had one drink.” I think.
“If you had waited to come in, it wouldn’t have showed up at all, so be glad that your friend brought you in when he did. From the timeline you both gave the medical staff and your symptoms, along with the blood results, it’s safe to say you didn’t ingest a large amount. You should recover quickly. We’ll keep you on a drip overnight to continue to flush your system and rehydrate you just to make sure. Any questions?”
“Shouldn’t my son report this to the police?” Mom asks. “If someone put it in his drink without his knowledge, isn’t that against the law or something?”
“The hospital is not required to report instances such as this. It’s up to your son if he would like to speak with the authorities regarding this matter.”
“No police.”
“Jayson! Why?”
“No police, Mom.”
“I’ll leave you to discuss matters privately. Mr. Jameson, if you need anything, just press the call button. I’ll come back and check on you again before my shift is over.”
As soon as Dr. Dukovny exits the room, four sets of eyes turn toward me.
“I can’t believe you were drinking alcohol. You’re eighteen years old!” Mom shouts.
“Freda, honey, I don’t think yelling at him is going to help the situation.” Dad wraps his arm around Mom. “Let’s let him explain.”
Julien comes to my bedside. He places his hand on my arm in a show of support.
“Yes, Mom, we drink. We party. We have sex.”
My parents’ eyes bug out like it’s the most shocking thing to hear that their sons are having sex.
Oh, hell . Now they know that Liz and I are having sex. Fucking fantastic.
“We use protection, we don’t do drugs, we would never drink and drive, and we always have someone as a designated driver. We try to be responsible and look after one another. It’s not Jay’s fault that someone slipped him something without him knowing. What is his fault”—he stares me down—“is that you took an open drink. You know better.”
He’s right. There is nothing I can say to refute that.
“Wait a minute. You were with Lizzie tonight. Where’s Lizzie? Oh, dear, is she here, too? Did anything happen to her?”
Mom frantically rummages through her purse to find her phone.
Julien stays her hand. “Don’t call Ann. Liz is fine. She doesn’t drink. I drove her home, and she’s fast asleep, safe in her bed. Hailey’s with her.”
I tap the bed railing to get Ry’s attention. “Can you go check on her for me?”
He looks down at his shoes. “I can do that.”
“Tell her that I love her. Tell her?—”
“I know. I’ll take care of it. Just rest. I’ll see if she’ll come back with me before you’re discharged tomorrow.”
Mom launches herself at Ryder and fiercely hugs him. “Thank you. Thank you for bringing Jay here and thank you for looking out for him.”
She kisses his cheek. Dad is next and gives him a quick hug and a handshake, and then Ryder leaves to go talk to my girl.