I still remember the day at Vaughn’s condo. The note on his door, and then her phone call right away asking to meet me. She was already in the area.
Maybe I’m overthinking things, but it can’t hurt to check things out.
It wasn’t even something I thought about that day, but the more and more I let the thought fester, the louder the small little detail became, until it was screaming for me to take notice.
The last thing I keep rolling over and over in my head is the fact she doesn’t have the power to bring down Spencer and Vaughn’s construction company, does she?
She orders us both a drink, and then smiles. “I was thinking we could dance for a while.”
“Sure, I need to let off some steam.”
She just eyes me for a moment before grabbing the cosmos off the bar. “Here, this will definitely help.”
I take a sip, and then rock my hips a bit to play the part of someone ready to dance. Don’t get me wrong, I love dancing. I finish off my drink, smiling. “I’m ready.”
My phone chimes in my purse, and I dig to fish it out. Gwen. She’s coming to meet me, which is good timing, because my drink must have been strong.
I’m already feeling dizzy.
“Something wrong?” Jackie asks me, her red hair turning fuzzy before my eyes.
“Did you put something in my drink?” I watched her take the drink from the bar and hand it to me. She had zero time to do anything. Right?
She laughs. “No, of course not. Don’t be silly.”
The bar spins, and the lights are all too bright. But, I keep my hand securely on the chair in front of me.
I can’t let myself pass out, no matter how heavy my eyelids get. I try to stare at my phone, but it all blends together. Gwen. I need to text her.
I push at the screen, not really sure what I’m doing.
“You don’t need your phone to dance.” Jackie grabs my phone from me and plops it back into my open bag.
“I just need to text my friend.” Should I tell her Gwen is on the way? In my foggy mind I decide to leave that detail unannounced.
I can’t show her all my cards.
It’s obvious she drugged me, and I still have no idea how she did it. But, that’s not important right now.
The most important thing is to not pass…
Out. I passed out. Words filter through the air, but I don’t recognize the voices. My throat burns and I want a drink of water more than anything.
I don’t open my eyes, the lids are way too heavy to even try.
I have no idea where I am, and I don’t know if I can even sit up, or move. My eyes open, and I swear it’s like it took all my energy to just do that one action.
“She’s waking up,” I hear someone say off in the distance.
I glance in the direction, but can’t make anything out. Like the things I’m seeing make no sense to me yet. Like a bad Picasso, or Jackson Pollack.
Brown.
That’s all I see.
Brown walls. Brown furniture. Brown-haired woman staring back at me with her big brown eyes. “She’s definitely waking up.”
My mind tries to remember. But my head aches, like a sledgehammer is drilling into my temples. “Where…” I try to finish my question but my throat hurts too much.
Jackie walks into the brown room, and my mind slowly begins to register everything.
The club. The drink. The passing out before I wanted to. My eyes dart around the room, this time looking for my phone, or anything I can use to better my situation.
I spot my purse in the far corner on a wood table near a big door.
“Welcome back,” Jackie sneers. “Thought I gave you too much there.”
The other woman laughs, but I don’t find it very funny. I stare at her. She looks so familiar. Where do I know her from?
Chuck’s wife.
Vanderbitch.
I’m sitting in the middle of a loveseat, in a very expensive looking living room. Only it’s darker, like we’re underground in a basement. “Where are we?” I finish my question from before.
“You, my dear, are in my house. Don’t worry Chuck isn’t here.”
“You’re Mrs. Roberts, I mean Vanderweir?”
“I can see why Chuck likes you so much.” She laughs again, looking back at Jackie. “All he does is blab about how special you are. How you bring in the deals. It’s sickening.”
My legs are heavy, and I wonder if I can stand. “What did you give me?”
“Just a little something to keep you still.”
My mind plays tricks on me, wondering how they got me out of the club. But, in this day and age, they probably looked like they were helping a poor drunk girl out of a rowdy nightclub.
Gwen. My body perks a bit at the thought of Gwen heading to the club.