Chapter 31
ELLIE
My whole body tightens, heart skipping a beat as Travis groans behind me. A strangled sound unlike anything I’ve heard from him. Then I feel it—the telltale twitch against my ass.
My spine snaps straight. “Travis?” I’m not even sure I say it loud enough for him to hear.
I’m almost too afraid to turn around. The grip on my waist loosens, and suddenly, he pulls away.
I spin to see what he’s doing, but he grabs my arm and drags me through the crowd.
“What are you doing?” I yell as he leads me toward the back of the club.
I don’t bother checking to see if any of the guys are watching; I’m sure they are.
I have no idea what’s gotten into him tonight.
He pushes me against the wall and buries his head against my shoulder, breathing heavily.
I press my hands against his chest and ease him back.
It takes no effort, and he almost falls over.
“What’s wrong?” I whisper-yell. It’s not as loud back here, but people are milling about.
I don’t want to draw more attention to us. Someone could recognize him.
He says nothing, refusing to make eye contact with me.
I snap my fingers in his face, trying to grab his attention.
When he finally looks at me, I notice how glassy his eyes are.
He’s staring at me, but it’s like he’s looking right through me.
I glance down to see if my suspicions a moment ago were correct, and when I find the dark spot on his jeans, my stomach clenches.
He came.
He came in his pants and doesn’t even seem to notice.
“Fuck, I’m thirsty. Can we get some water?” he asks, taking a step but stumbling.
I reach out and steady him. “Woah, tiger.” I carefully usher him back, leaning him against the wall.
Even though I pride myself on being strong, I cannot hold all his weight.
“Let’s have a seat, then I’ll get you some water.
” I slide down the wall, and he follows, his neck hanging to the side. “Travis,” I say, unease clawing at me.
“Hmm.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m soo goo-ood,” he slurs.
I glance at his pants again. He really has no idea. I don’t want to embarrass him, but I don’t know how I’m going to get him out of here. I’m going to need Liam’s help. I also need to ditch Jordan and Josh. They seem nice enough, but I don’t need this spreading through social media.
Pulling out my phone, I send Liam a text, and a moment later, he’s walking toward us. His feet pick up pace when he sees Travis slumped against the wall. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. I think he’s had too much to drink.
Help me get him up.” We pull Travis to his feet while he mumbles incoherently.
“There’s an exit back here, let’s take him that way.
” We drag him as discreetly as possible out the doors.
Luckily, everyone else is pretty plastered and paying us no attention.
“I’ll order us a ride,” I say, digging out my phone again as I struggle to hold one of Travis’s arms up.
“Come here, pal,” Liam says, tugging Travis toward him, taking his weight off me.
We stay in the shadows until the Uber arrives. As we make our way to the hotel, I send Jordan a text with the lame excuse of being sick. I feel bad ditching him, but I had no choice.
When we reach the hotel, Liam taps Travis’s face gently. “Hey, buddy, wake up.”
He grunts but doesn’t move. Liam sends me a worried glance. I do my best to give him a reassuring smile even though my stomach is in knots. I didn’t see Travis drinking much, especially after we left the bar. I don’t think he’s drunk, and weed wouldn’t have this effect on him.
Liam and I cart Travis through the hotel and up to my room. I don’t want to put him on the bus like this. Penn and Tanner would lose their minds.
We dump him on the bed, and he starts laughing. Liam’s eyes dart to mine, and I shrug.
“Ellie, are we about to fuck? Finally! Just you and me. Liam isn’t invited this time.”
My eyes widen, along with Liam’s, as we stare at each other.
“I’m going to get him some water.” I rush over to my kitchenette and back. “Travis, sit up, drink this.”
He doesn’t move, but his hand reaches out and takes the glass, leaning up just enough to chug the water in one go, spilling some down his chin and onto his shirt. “Ah hell,” he says, ripping his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. “It’s a million degrees in here!”
“Maybe we should get some food in him?” Liam suggests.
“Yes, good idea.” I hurry back to the kitchen, only to realize I have no food.
We’re always on the go and constantly eat out, then I remember that I almost always have snacks.
It’s better than nothing. I open the donut box resting on the counter, frowning when I see only one left.
Maybe I can DoorDash something, though probably not at this hour.
“Travis, do you want a donut?” I wave the crème-filled, chocolate-iced goodness in his face. Damn, I was looking forward to eating that later.
He sits up, his eyes glossy and wide. “You gonna share the goods with me, May? You must really like me.”
I smile, holding the donut to his mouth. “Yes, now be a good boy and eat it all.” I meant it as a joke, but as soon as the words are out, I wince, remembering Liam is still here. It’s still a tad awkward knowing what I did with the two of them. Awkward. Hot. All of it.
Travis groans, eating the donut in two bites and falling back on the bed. I start taking his shoes off. “You can go back to the bus. I’ve got him.”
“I…are you sure? I don’t like the idea of leaving him like this.”
“I’ll stay up and watch him.” I toss his shoes to the side, glancing at Liam.
“I’d feel better if I stayed. I’ll sleep on the couch,” he adds quickly.
The couch is tiny, even smaller than their bunks, and probably way less comfortable, but I can tell he’s worried.
“Okay.”
I grab the spare blankets in the closet and hand them to Liam, who moves across the room to the couch.
I sigh, staring at Travis. He’s sprawled across the bed.
He hasn’t moved since he ate the donut. My eyes drop to his pants again, remembering what happened.
I’m pretty sure Liam noticed, too, but he didn’t say anything.
Undoing the button on his jeans, I begin to work them down. It’s difficult when he’s not helping. I grunt, pulling hard, trying not to draw Liam’s attention. Travis mumbles something I can’t make out and lifts his ass just enough for me to finally get his pants off.
“Scootch over,” I whisper, nudging his knees as I crawl into the bed.
Surprisingly, he does, and once I’m under the blanket, I shimmy out of my leather pants, deciding to just sleep in my top.
As I turn the lamp off, Travis flips over, spooning me.
“What are you doing?” I keep my voice low because, although Liam is across the room, I know he isn't asleep yet.
“Your skin is so soft,” he purrs, running his hands down my arms. When he gets to my bare legs, he stops, groans quietly, then continues stroking my skin. “You feel so good next to me, Ellie. God, I’ve missed it. Missed you.”
I swallow, trying not to stiffen at his admission. I’m not sure how to take it.
His hands skate over my hips, and I clench my thighs, thinking he’s going between my legs, but his hands glide back up, over my arms. He cups my throat gently. Maybe the most gentle he’s ever been with me.
“Perfect fit.” His fingers flex around my neck, then drift over my cheek. “Perfect girl. Perfect for me.” He sighs heavily, letting his hand fall, and mumbling something that sounds a lot like “I’m such a fuckup.”
My mouth opens, ready to tell him he’s not a fuck up, but his hands fly off my body, and he rolls off the mattress.
I turn over, watching him stumble into the bathroom.
Within seconds, I hear heaving. Anxiety claws at me.
I climb out of the bed, intent on checking on him, when Liam jumps off the couch.
“What’s wrong?”
No answer is needed because Travis heaves again, the sound of his loud groan filling the small room. Worry gnaws at my gut, and tears spring to my eyes, realizing his confession wasn’t anything but drunken rambling. He didn’t mean anything by it, and for some reason it’s making my chest ache.
Walking to the door, I tap on it, Liam right behind me. “Travis, are you ok?” More groans are the only response I get. “Do you need anything?” More heaving, and I’m pretty sure this time it’s vomit, too.
“I’ll get him some more water,” Liam says, moving to the kitchen and flipping the light on.
It’s then that I realize I’m in nothing but a shirt and thong.
Even though he’s already seen me naked from the waist down, my hands fly to cover myself, as if it does any good.
I spin around so that my bare ass isn’t facing Liam.
He’s busy filling up a glass and hasn’t noticed, so I rush around to my bag on the floor and tug on some shorts.
Liam knocks on the bathroom door after it’s been silent for a few minutes. When Travis doesn’t open up or say anything, we glance nervously at each other. Without waiting another minute, I push it open. My heart drops to my feet immediately.
Travis is slumped over the toilet, his arm dangling by his side. He’s so still, I’m not sure he’s alive. A scream rips from my throat sharp enough to cut glass. I clutch my chest as my heart caves in on itself.
His head slowly lifts off the seat, his eyes landing on me, confusion and emptiness staring back at me.
An audible exhale comes from both Liam and me.
I hunch over, hands gripping my knees while I gasp for air.
I think I’m going to be sick. I suck in breath after breath, trying to pull myself together, but my heart won’t stop pounding.
Slumping against the wall, I slide down to the cold tile floor and drop my head between my knees as Liam tends to Travis.
After a few more minutes, Liam convinces him to drink some water, and we’re able to get him back to bed, but I’m not the slightest bit tired.
There’s no way I’ll sleep tonight. I don’t even want to take my eyes off him now.
Liam wanted to call the guys, but Travis was adamant he was fine and just needed to rest.
“You can go to sleep. I’ll stay up with him,” Liam offers as we stand over the bed watching Travis’s chest move. I thought he was dead.
“I’m not tired anymore.”
He blows out a rough breath. “Yeah, me either.”
“Do you think someone slipped something in his drink?”
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “I don’t know who would do that. No one was around except...”
My eyes widen. He doesn’t finish his sentence. He doesn’t need to. The only people around were Jordan and Josh. Why would they do that? They’re fans, plus I don’t know if they had the opportunity. Either way, it doesn’t stop the guilt eating at me that this could be all my fault.
“It’s not your fault, Ellie,” Liam assures, pulling me into a hug. “Maybe he just had too much to drink.”
I nod, not trusting my voice right now. The urge to cry in his arms is so overwhelming that I force myself back away.
Liam eventually passes out at the foot of the bed, but I stay up, watching Travis’s chest go up and down. Up and down. He’s been groaning a lot in his sleep, as if he’s in pain, but he hasn’t moved or thrown up anymore.
I bring my knees to my chest and rest my head on them, still watching him. And I watch until my eyelids droop with exhaustion.