Chapter 25
twenty-five
“She was a good girl. Everyone loved her. Honestly, she lit up every room that she entered. This never should have happened. If the cops would have taken her concerns more seriously, she would be alive. Or at least that’s what I think.”
I scoff at the girl on the TV. Everyone knows that when someone says that on a murder show, it’s not true. The girl either kept to herself and hated people, or she was a raving bitch who thought the world owed her something.
Still, the show has sucked me in. I reach into my bowl to grab some more popcorn but come up short. Looking down, I frown.
Well shit. Did I really eat an entire bowl already?
Biting my lip, I look toward the kitchen. Could I make myself some more? Yes, but I don’t need it. Not really.
Sighing, I set the bowl to the side and focus back on the show. Before the commercial break can end, I hear the lock on the door moving.
Shit.
Ashley walks in but pauses when she sees me.
“What are you doing here?” she asks as she tosses her shit onto the floor, next to the door.
Seriously, would it be so hard to take her shit to her room instead of tossing it on the floor?
“I live here,” I say, not bothering to hide the sass in my voice.
“You’re never here anymore, so I thought you might have moved out.”
“Nope. Sorry.”
She turns back toward me with a wicked smile on her face, filling me with dread.
“Either way, you being here works out for me.”
“Why is that?” I ask hesitantly.
“Because there’s something I want to show you.”
She pulls out her phone and presses a few buttons before handing it to me. I can’t help but cringe when I look at it. Not only is it an older iPhone, but the screen is cracked to hell. In all honesty, I don’t know how she even uses it.
“Press play,” she says, her voice full of excitement.
With my stomach full of dread, I hit play.
At first the screen is black, and then a grainy video of Brett starts to play.
Right away, I notice the blue comforter and the headboard in the video.
This was taken in his room, and he’s wearing the same thing he was earlier.
This video was taken tonight. My breath catches when the video pans, and a topless Ashley lies next to him.
“What was that you were saying about Emery?” Ashley asks.
“Emery,” he mutters, sounding drunker than a skunk.
“You don’t want her, do you?”
His reply comes out a bit clearer. “No. I need to be with her for the baby.”
My heart drops. The tears fill my eyes. I want to look away, but I can’t. It’s like a train wreck. I can’t help but watch even as it is breaking my heart.
“Did you even stop your whoring ways?” she asks him.
“No. Shut up about her now and fuck me.”
“With pleasure,” Ashley says, leaning over to kiss him.
Bile rises in my throat as I watch her lean in and press her lips to his. All of a sudden, the video stops.
What the fuck.
No. No. No.
I need to know what happens next.
“What did you do?” I ask Ashley, trying to keep the tears at bay.
“Aw, you really thought he wanted to be with you, didn’t you?” she coos.
“Why? What did I ever do to you?”
“You exist,” she spews. “You came here on your high horse thinking you were better than all of us. You demanded all the coaches’ and trainers’ time and fooled them into thinking you were their golden ticket.
The one who would bring honor to our school.
Then you treated one of the best hockey players to come here as if he was beneath you.
You used him as a fuck buddy. Then when you got pregnant, you expected him to settle down and play family?
News flash, bitch, that’s not how it works, and you are a nobody.
You aren’t going to the Olympics, and you sure as hell don’t deserve someone like Brett. ”
Standing, I let the blanket fall to the floor. “Fuck you, Ashley. Fuck you.”
“That’s right, run away like a little bitch!” She cackles as I head down the hall.
I walk into my room, and instead of slamming the door like I really want to, I shut it softly. As I walk toward my bed, the tears start to fall down my cheeks. I start sobbing when I crawl into a ball on top of my blankets.
How could this happen?
How could he do this to me?
We were just talking about the future, picking what school he wants to work for, and then this happens a few hours later? I was supposed to be at that party, but stayed behind because I wanted to rest. I told him to go. This is what he does? Is this some kind of sick joke?
If this wasn’t what he wanted, he should have said something sooner. He could have told me when I told him I was expecting. He could have walked after my first appointment. Instead he played me like a fool.
I cover my mouth as I sob.
For crying out loud, we spent Thanksgiving with my family and Christmas at the James’ house. When I told him he could go alone, he was adamant that I went home with him to Mama James’s house.
It was all a lie.
God, what am I going to do?
I look back at our earlier conversation.
Brett
I miss you. Are you sure you don’t want to come over?
Me
No. I need to rest. You have fun.
Brett
It won’t be fun without you, but I will try. I love you, buttercup. See you tomorrow. Call me if you change your mind.
Love me? What a fucking joke.
I fight the urge to pick up my phone and confront him. I know I need to, but I can’t. Not right now. He doesn’t deserve my tears.
No, I’ll take tonight to cry and mourn what I thought I knew, then tomorrow, I’ll tell him I know.
My hand moves to my stomach, and I run it over my bump. Thirty-two weeks pregnant and alone.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry,” I cry.
We will make it through this if it’s the last thing I do.
Groaning, I clutch my head. Jesus Christ.
Why does it feel like a marching band is practicing inside my head? What the hell happened last night?
I try to think back, but everything is blank. I remember talking to the guys before heading up to my room after leaving Emery. Then I went downstairs to hang with them at the party they had thrown. We haven’t had one in a while, so we all agreed to throw one. After that, things get blurry.
Jesus, did I really drink that much? I don’t remember the last time I blacked out. I’ve always watched how much alcohol I consume because I hate waking up the next morning, not remembering what happened.
Ugh, I need to get out of bed, but the idea of it makes me sick to my stomach. Why is my mind so blank?
Water. I need water and maybe an electrolyte packet or ten. Maybe that will help jog my memory.
Rolling out of bed, I grab my phone. I shoot Emery a text.
Me
Good morning, beautiful. I love you.
She’s probably still asleep, but I like her knowing she is the first thing on my mind every single day. Hell, she is all that is on my mind most days.
After doing my business in the bathroom, I head downstairs to find water. What I find instead is Wyatt sitting at the kitchen island, frowning.
“What’s wrong with you? Still pining after that chick you won’t tell anyone about?” I joke as I move to the fridge.
“Brett.”
Something about his tone sets me on edge. Pausing my hunt for water, I turn to face him.
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you remember from last night?”
Frowning, I shake my head. “After I came home from dropping Em off, I hung out with all of you guys. I went to my room for a bit, then joined you again when some people came over. We had some beers and played some games. I assume I headed back to my room at some point. Why? What did I miss?” I say as a little more comes back to me.
“Did you drink a lot? How much do you remember drinking?” he asks.
“I had like two beers. Honestly, I have no idea how I got so wasted off of only two. I didn’t even take any shots last night. I wanted to be sober enough to go to Emery if she needed me. I guess not drinking all these months made me a lightweight.” I furrow my brows.
Wyatt shakes his head. “You need to sit down while I tell you something.”
“I think I’ll stand. Now tell me what the fuck is going on,” I demand.
He knows more than he is letting on, and it’s not making me feel great.
He sighs. “You disappeared at the party, bro. One second you were drinking a beer with Colson, and the next you were gone. I was worried, so I headed upstairs to check on you. I found that figure skater chick in your room, topless. The one Emery lives with.”
My heart stops in my chest. Why would Ashley be in my room?
“I would never cheat on her. I don’t even remember Ashley being here,” I tell him.
He nods. “I never said you did. It was all suspicious. When I pulled her off of you, she grabbed this old shitty phone and high-tailed it out of here. I tried to wake you, but you were out of it, man. I checked your pulse and kept an eye on you all night. You seemed fine, other than being really out of it. I thought maybe you had drunk more than I realized.”
“I didn’t. I haven’t touched a drink in months, and I would never drink so much that Emery couldn’t contact me. Fuck, you think Ashley told Emery what happened?” I ask.
“I think it wasn’t a coincidence that she ended up topless in your bed. Dude, she was kissing you.”
I swallow hard. I need to know everything that Wyatt knows, but not right now. Right now, I need only one thing.
Emery.
“I need to talk to Emery. Explain what happened,” I tell him.
He shakes his head. “No, what you need to do is go to the hospital.”
“What? Why? I’m fine,” I tell him.
“Yeah, but maybe whatever she used is still in your system. We can have them take blood and ask them to rush it. Get the cops involved.”
“You think I was drugged.” I don’t pose it as a question.
Wyatt looks at me like I’m stupid. “Dude, if you only had two beers last night, then I would be shocked by how comatose you were. I don’t think you could have remembered your own name.
Add on the fact that you never would have let another woman into your bed, let alone crawl on top of you, drunk or not? You had to have been drugged.”
Drugged.
My vision blurs, and I feel as if I have a weight on my chest.
Drugged.
Violated. I was fucking violated. I feel like I lost control of something. Like I’m no longer safe. I can’t even reconcile my feelings right now. It doesn’t feel right. How could I have been taken advantage of in that way?
I start to hyperventilate as I consider what could have happened. What if she had gotten my dick to cooperate? She could have ruined my entire life.
Wyatt steps forward and rests his hands on my shoulders.
“Breathe,” he demands.
I suck in a deep breath and then another. Then another.
He keeps patting my back as I try to get myself under control.
“You with me?” he asks after a few minutes.
“Yeah,” I rasp.
“Okay, let’s go to the hospital. We need to get you checked before whatever you were given works its way out of your system. Then we go see Emery and tell her the truth.”
He steps away and grabs his keys. We head outside and get into his car.
As he drives to the hospital, I can’t help but become angry.
Drugged.
Someone fucking drugged me, and for what? To try and tear Emery and me apart? Why? Why would someone do that?
Ashley. It was Ashley. I don’t know what game she’s playing, but she’s not going to win. I won’t let her.
I’ve worked too hard to win Emery over, and I’m not going to lose her now. Not if I have anything to say about it.