Julian (Trinity Academy 4)

“So, we’re back to square one,” I mutter. It feels like I’m stuck on a rollercoaster ride of terror and despair.

“The police are still investigating it,” Julian tries to offer some hope. “Let’s wait to see what they come back with.”

“Have you eaten today?” Layla asks.

I shake my head, giving her a small smile. “I have zero appetite.”

“You should eat, even if it’s something small. Want some candy?” Kingsley asks.

“No, thanks. I’ll just have one of my smoothies.”

Getting up, I go to grab a bottle from the mini-fridge in my room. I take a couple of sips when Julian comes to stand in the doorway.

“Seeing as I’m here, do you want to go to the studio?”

A smile slowly forms around my mouth. “I’ll probably suck tonight, but the distraction will be nice.”

Not wanting to take the smoothie with me, I drink another huge gulp before I place it back in the fridge.

“Let’s go.”

I wave at our friends and get a wink from Kingsley and a chuckle from Lake as we walk out of the suite.

“You do know giving me piano lessons is only making them all speculate,” I say as we get to the elevator.

“Right now, I couldn’t care less.” Julian waits for me to step inside before he follows.

Smiling at Julian, I take in the stubble on his jaw, and how tired he looks from the day’s events. He’s wearing a tan suit with a black dress shirt. “You look nice,” I offer a compliment. “Weird how the stubble makes you look even more like a CEO.”

The corner of his mouth lifts in a sexy grin. “Not badass?”

I shake my head, and as the doors slide open, I step out and tease, “Nah, you’re not badass at all. You’re more the dark and broody type.”

My comment draws a chuckle from Julian, which has me adding, “You should definitely laugh more, though.”

Feeling hot, I wave a hand in front of my face. “I don’t know how you can stand the heat with a jacket on.”

“I feel fine. Are you hot?” he asks.

“Of course, I’m hot,” I joke. “You should know.”

It draws another chuckle from him, but then I stumble, and it wipes the smile from Julian’s face.

Julian instantly stops walking, and grabbing hold of my shoulders, he leans a little down, inspecting my face with worried eyes. “How do you feel?”

“Just hot.” I frown and take a deep breath. “A little dizzy.”

I lock eyes with Julian as dread slithers up my spine. When his face becomes blurry, I mumble, “Crap. I think… it’s the smoothie.”

My legs start to feel wobbly, and I grab hold of Julian’s arm.

“I’m taking you to the hospital. I want them to test you right now while it’s still in your system,” he says, his voice sounding low and dark with concern.

“Please.” Anxiety and terror send shockwaves through my body.

I only manage a couple of steps when an intense wave of dizziness hits. Julian grabs hold of me, and when he picks me up to his chest, I don’t argue. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I bury my face against his cool skin and feeling scared like never before, I whisper, “Don’t leave me alone while I’m passed out.”

“Not a chance of that happening.” When we reach the car, he helps me stand on my feet, and keeping me pressed to his chest, he quickly opens a door, then helps me into the seat.

With blurring vision, I watch him jog around the car.

My limbs begin to feel heavy as he slides in behind the steering wheel. Feeling horribly vulnerable, I can only manage to slur, “Don’t… leave… me… alone.”

“I won’t.”

My eyes drift shut, and it feels like I’m having an out of body experience. I can feel the car move. I can hear Julian’s breaths. But I can’t move a muscle.

So weird. So scary.

Losing control of my body makes panic crawl into every inch of my being. I’ve never felt so unsafe before, knowing I’m unable to protect myself from the danger closing in on me.

I begin to drift in and out of consciousness, and at some point, I feel Julian’s breath on my forehead as he presses a kiss to my clammy skin. “I’m here. You’re safe, Jamie.”Chapter 18JulianAfter Jamie has been placed in the private room, a nurse draws blood, as per my request.

The moment the nurse leaves, I take a seat on the chair next to the bed. I first pull my phone from my pocket before I take hold of Jamie’s hand.

Even though she’s out cold, I say, “They’re going to test for drugs. Rest while we wait for the results.”

Bringing up Mason’s number, I press dial.

“Miss me already? He answers.

“Are you still at the suite with Kingsley?” I ask.

“Yeah, why?”

“You need to call the police. Have them look at the smoothies Jamie keeps in the mini-fridge in her room. I’m at the hospital with her. She has definitely been drugged, and it can only be from the smoothies she’s been drinking.”