Chapter 20
Alex
“I don’t think he will press charges against you,” a man’s voice says. His voice slowly rises in volume, as if somebody turned up the volume on a TV from low to somewhere in the middle. “Besides, with what he was about to do, I doubt he wants that kind of attention.”
“Still,” another voice says, a voice I recognize as Alonzo. “Visit his parents and make sure they know—implied, of course—what will happen if their son speaks to anyone about this.”
I try to open my eyes, but they are heavy. In fact, my entire body feels like I’m buried under two tons of soil and rock. All I can do is listen to their conversation in complete darkness.
“I’ll make sure his family gets the message,” the first voice says.
“ Gracias, hermano ,” Alonzo says.
“That kid should consider himself lucky he’s still alive.”
“He should. That fucking bastard,” Alonzo sounds beyond upset. “I’m going to make him disappear when all this cools off.”
“Are you sure? Is it worth it?”
“It is,” Alonzo says.
“I still can’t believe you bumped into that chick from Jacob’s club at a random college party,” the first guy says. “What are the odds?”
Alonzo responds, but his voice fades until there is nothing but silence again.
???
Heavy arms wrap around my body. I kick them off and scream for him to let go. My heart races in my chest, but I don’t let up. I kick and scream until he’s off.
“Alex, it’s okay. You’re okay,” warm arms hold my shoulders.
I swat them away but ease a little when I recognize the voice. I open my eyes and see Alonzo standing beside my bed. He looks terrified.
“You’re okay,” he says again.
Looking around, I see thick bed sheets bunched up toward the middle of the bed. That’s what was on top of me. I was kicking the bed sheets .
How did I get back to my apartment? I don’t remember anything from last night. I was drinking with the girls and then—blank. Nothing.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Alonzo.
“Well, I live here,” he says.
“You live here?”
It’s only when he says it that I realize this is not my bed. The bed sheets are a dull gray. Definitely not the sky blue I’m used to.
The walls are gray, too, with minimal decorations. A closet and a chest of drawers are to the left of the bed. On the wall to the right hangs a large painting of a beautiful woman with wavy black hair.
“Where am I?”
“You’re in my house,” Alonzo says. “Do you remember what happened last night?”
“I’m not sure,” I say. I was drinking with the girls, and then Isabella felt sick. After that…I must have gotten very drunk because I can’t remember what happened next. My head feels heavy on my body. “What happened? Did we?”
“No,” he says. “I brought you here to keep you safe.”
Safe from what?
My eyes are drawn to his hand resting on the bed. His knuckles are bruised. It looks like it happened recently. Did something happen at the party after I blacked out?
“Are you hungry?” he asks. “I fixed you some breakfast. Unfortunately, I can’t stay to eat with you because I have to deal with the situation from last night, but I’ll be back by noon.”
“Noon? What day is it?”
“It’s Saturday,” he says.
“Shit!” I jump out of bed and look for my shoes on the floor. My body feels heavy, like I’m experiencing the worst hangover in my life. But for some reason, I’m not dizzy or lightheaded. I don’t even have a headache. My body is just…tired. “Where are my shoes?”
“Alex, it’s okay. You can stay here for as long as you want.”
“No, I need to get home. I need to prep my mom’s food.”
“Food? Alex, do you understand what happened last night?” Alonzo asks, sounding concerned.
“I don’t remember,” I say. “I guess I drank a little too much.”
Alonzo remains quiet. He looks like he wants to say something but is conflicted.
“What is it?” I ask.
I was thrown off when I woke up here—honestly, I’m still a little confused. But I can’t sit around and wonder what happened last night. I need to buy groceries and prep Mom’s food.
“That blond guy. I think his name is Liam. He drugged you,” Alonzo says. His words are heavy, and I can tell he’s fighting to put them out into the world. “He almost…” he trails off. “But I stopped him.”
An icy chill travels down my spine. Images of Liam flash before my eyes. Alonzo is in some of them. It looks like he’s punching Liam, but I don’t know why. The images are blurry and dark.
It’s hard to remember what happened after I blacked out, but maybe it’s for the best.
“I need to get going,” I say.
“Are you sure? I don’t know how these things work, but you’re playing it a little too cool. Maybe you’re still in shock?”
“Cool? I woke up in a strange place against my will,” I spit out. “Did I ask to come here? No. You just assumed I would be okay with it. And what were you doing at the party, anyway? Were you following me?”
“Damn right I was following you,” he admits. “And I’m glad I was because I stopped that asshole from… I stopped him from…”
Alonzo is too angry to articulate how he feels. Unlike him, I am more confused than upset.
Blacking out and waking up in a strange place is a total mindfuck. I just want to get home and process what happened on my own right now.
Alonzo is probably right that I’m in shock. Later, when my memories return— if they return —I’ll probably feel terrible. But I need to leave and process this on my own.
“You’re right, you saved me,” I say. I can’t exactly remember how, but I know he stopped something terrible from happening to me. “This is just very confusing. Blacking out, waking up here, not remembering what happened. I just need some time alone. Is that okay?”
Alonzo studies my face. In the end, he agrees to drop me off at my car, which is still parked outside the party house.
I wonder what the girls are thinking now, especially Isabella. Did they witness Alonzo beating the living hell out of Liam?