MY GUARDIAN ANGEL #2
Zee’s such a strict daddy, Antoine says and then laughs when Viktor glares at him. Your ugly face doesn’t scare me. Anyway, nice to meet you when you’re conscious, Evie. He leaves, followed by the quiet Dylan. Rosie and Connor are sitting together and scrolling their phones.
Viktor sits down across from me. Okay, I’m going to drive you to pick up your purse and phone. Did you leave anything else at the party?
Although all my brain cells aren’t yet functioning, the available ones have just blown up. There is no way I can pull up to the Alpha Zeta Mu sorority house in Viktor’s car. The Revenge Squad will think I’ve actually succeeded in attracting him.
Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’ll can go myself. I’m sure you have to get back to your, uh, training. Or studying, I babble nervously.
Viktor is back to looking at me as if I’m some new species of repellant insect. I do, actually. When we took you to the hospital, we promised to return today with all your relevant information. Like your health insurance.
But you’ve already done so much. I don’t want to be an imposition, I protest.
He continues as I haven’t even spoken. And the doctor we saw last night wants to talk to you. He’s in today.
I sigh and resign myself to all the insanity that’s going to happen today. Fine. Thank you.
So off we go. First stop is at the frat house, where I left my sweater. But when we park in front of it, Viktor reaches over to stop me from opening the door. His muscled arm across my body pins me into place.
There’s no way I’m letting you step back in there. What does your sweater look like?
It’s long and pink, I whimper, still processing the sensation of his warm strength.
He lets go and exits the car. Halfway up the pathway, he lifts his hand, and there’s a click as the doors of the car lock.
I look around the car, with its sleek black interior and leather seats.
It’s very Viktor. He’s gone for about ten minutes and finally steps out holding two pink sweaters, one bright pink and the other pale.
I can’t help but smile at the sight of the gruff Viktor holding up feminine clothing.
I point to the pastel pink one and he nods.
He hands the other sweater back to another guy who’s standing behind him.
They fist-bump and Viktor leaves. He gets in and hands me the sweater.
Thank you so much. I pull off Viktor’s sweatshirt and put on my own sweater. It’s comforting to wear something that actually belongs to me. I rub the soft fabric over my arms.
Are you cold?
I look up, startled. Viktor must have been watching me the whole time.
No, I’m good. Sorry to make you wait. I pull on my seat belt, and fold his sweatshirt into a neat square.
Not as neatly as it was originally folded though.
Viktor’s dresser was psychotically ordered.
I keep the sweatshirt in my lap, partly to cover my bare thighs and partly because I like it.
It satisfies the part of me that read about high school romances where girls wore their boyfriend’s jackets.
Given how well my social life is going already, this is as close as I’ll get.
It only takes two minutes before we’re parked in front of Alpha Zeta Mu. I look up at the many windows and cross my fingers that no one is looking out one of them at this moment.
Why is your stuff here if you don’t belong to this sorority? Viktor asks.
How do you know I haven’t pledged here? It’s true, but still how does he know?
We were trying to figure out where you lived, so Mats asked Lana Hillier and she said there were no Evies in their sorority. His voice has a tone of suspicion.
I have friends here, I reply, getting out of the car before he can ask any more questions.
Before I even raise my hand to knock, the door opens and Jordan yanks me inside.
What is going on? Where have you been? She looks out the window. Vik drove you here? Did you spend the night with him?
I’ll tell you what happened later. Right now, I just need my stuff, I plead, looking around for my purse.
Then Des and Angelica appear. Jordan reiterates that Viktor is waiting outside in his car.
You need to tell us what’s going on, Des insists.
Not now. It’s complicated, and I can’t stay. I have a doctor’s appointment. Can I just get my purse, please?
They all frown at me, but I glare right back. I wouldn’t even be in this awkward position if not for everyone here. Angelica grudgingly digs out a large Lululemon tote that has my purse, my clothes, and my phone. I heave a sigh of relief.
Thank you, I reply automatically. Then I look Angelica straight in the eye. Where did you go last night? I needed my phone before I could leave.
She shrugs. I was around. I’m not your babysitter.
I scowl at her. Angelica has no idea what happened to me last night, but at least she should be showing concern right now. At best, she should be apologizing.
When are you coming back? Des demands.
I’ll message you, I call back as I head out the door. I can feel her disapproval radiating at my back, but I no longer care.
Let’s go, I say the moment I’m back in the car, and he drives off.
He looks over at me. Are you okay?
Absolutely. I face straight ahead.
Did you get your phone back from Angelica?
Yeah, I got everything back. I pat the tote at my feet, then realize what I admitted. Viktor is smirking. I am the worst asset ever.
I let out an exasperated sigh. I’m still recovering from that sleeping pill. You shouldn’t be taking advantage of my diminished capacity.
Normally, I’m sure you’re much smarter than me, so I don’t feel guilty at all. Then his tone turns serious. She’s not the best person to put your trust in.
Why do you say that? I ask, even though Angelica is already at the bottom of my reliability list.
I know her. But he doesn’t say anything else.
I have so much to process. While Rosie thought I was surprisingly calm, the full extent of what happened last night is hitting me now. I wanted to be attractive and now I wish I could go back to being unnoticed. Life was safer.
He pulls up in the hospital parking lot.
I still need to tell you about Dougie. Do you want to know what happened to him?
I nod. I feel queasy but it’s better to have all the information.
The campus police came last night and took him to the police station. He’s going to be charged. And he’s going to be kicked out of the frat.
Oh. Is he going to be expelled too? I ask in a tiny voice.
I don’t know. I would hope so.
It seems like a lot. Seeing as I’m okay. I feel guilty about him because everything turned out fine and everyone has been so nice to me today.
Viktor turns to look at me, his forehead furrowed. Do you understand what could have happened to you if we didn’t get there in time?
Of course I do. Maybe I’m a freshman, but I practically have a graduate degree in anticipating bad outcomes. I know exactly how lucky I am that you rescued me.
He pins me with his dark eyes. If anything happened to you, I would never have forgiven myself.
He sounds so bereft that I reach over and stroke his firm arm. For a moment, he leans back and closes his eyes, then he jerks his arm out of my reach. I shove the offending hand into my sweater pocket.
Viktor looks out the window. If he gets away with what he did to you, he’ll just do it again. And maybe the next woman won’t be as lucky.
I get it, I reiterate. I’ve been so selfish lately, and this is my wake-up call. I wonder if I’ll have to make some kind of statement or testimony. I’m not even the person who saw what happened, but I can describe what happened before.
Also, there were no photos. Graham checked for me.
I murmur my thanks once again.
Oh, and here’s your pen. Viktor reaches into his jacket and pulls out a blue ballpoint pen.
My pen?
Yes, you dropped it last night in that asshole’s room. I thought it was important to you.
When I hold the pen, memory returns. Dougie’s sweaty, alcohol-scented body hovering over me.
My utter helplessness. Then the pounding on the door and shouting voices.
Seeing the pen on the bedside table and hearing my father’s voice: In an emergency, anything can be a weapon.
Fighting lethargy to grasp the pen. Realizing I had just one chance to strike, and I’d have to go for his eye socket.
I open the car door, scramble out, and vomit on the pavement.
Fuck, Evie. Are you okay? Viktor is instantly behind me, stroking my back with a gentle hand. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have talked so much about what happened. Or lectured you.
It’s not that. I stay crouched for a few moments until I feel better.
When I stand, he reaches into the car and passes me another unopened bottle of water.
He politely looks away, as I rinse out my mouth and spit.
Perhaps I should feel embarrassed, but I only feel gratitude.
Viktor is the best person to have around when things are going wrong.
We walk into the hospital emergency room. The nurse there recognizes him—and me, even though I have no memory of this place—and knows what to do. She takes down all my information and then guides me into an examination room, alone.
You might have to wait a bit, since you’re not really an emergency, she explains.
That’s fine. Would it be all right if I changed my clothes?
She directs me to a washroom where I put on my jeans and top.
And I pull my toiletries kit from my purse and brush my teeth.
I return to the examination room, feeling refreshed and more like myself.
I take out my phone and read through the many messages I got from Annie, as well as ones from Des and Mia.
Someone knocks on the door and enters. It’s a doctor in his thirties as well as the blonde nurse I met before.
Hi Evelyn. I’m Dr. Arbor. We met last night, but you probably don’t remember that.
I don’t remember much from last night, I agree.
Well, Suzanna and I examined you last night to make sure that the sedatives in your system were not health-threatening. You seem to be fully recovered now?
I nod.