Second Chance Love

Needing to find solid ground, I placed my hand against the wall in front of me, whispering, “What’s happening?”

“Hold onto me, Evie.” Ryan was unexpectedly standing beside me, holding me up.

“I don’t feel so good.”

“Just lean into me.”

“The room is spinning, Ryan. I can’t see.”

“I know, just hold onto me.”

In what felt like seconds, the room closed in on me.

“I think I’m going to fainttt…”

Faster and faster. the world caved in on me, and there was no controlling it. All I could do was hope for the best because the next thing I knew…

Everything. Went. Black.

Chapter 5

Evie

“Mmm…” I groaned. My head was pounding.

I stirred awake, and my eyes fluttered open. Almost instantly I realized I wasn’t in my bedroom, and my body jolted forward, sitting straight up at attention.

“Oh God,” I whimpered, closing my eyes as I grabbed my throbbing skull.

I couldn’t contemplate where I was, my blinding headache wouldn’t allow it. Fear crept its way into my chest, with panic quickly following. I didn’t remember anything beyond talking to that guy.

What was his name again? Ryan?

Sweat pooled at my temples while my body shook. I was freezing, feeling like I was going to be sick.

Where was I?

Seconds later, I heard a familiar voice ask, “So tell me, darlin’. Do you make it a habit of accepting drinks from strangers?”

My eyes shot open, following Caleb’s voice. Although the room was dim, all the blinds were closed. I could see he was sitting in a chair beside the bed, one leg draped over his knee while his elbow laid on the armrest. His fingers were over his mouth, rubbing his lips in a back and forth motion.

“I can’t tell you how relieved I am to see you right now.”

“Really?” he countered. “Seeing as I’m fucking furious with you.”

“I … I … I don’t know what to say.”

“How about you start with answering my question?”

“Caleb.” I anxiously shook my head. “I don’t feel so goo—” My body moved on autopilot. One second I was sitting there, the next I was jolting forward over the edge of the mattress, projectile vomiting all over the floor.

Kill me now! How embarrassing!

I blinked, and Caleb was at my side, placing a garbage can in front of me. His close proximity triggered my nerves, only making me throw up harder. All I wanted was for him to leave the room. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I felt my hair being pulled away from my face, and I realized he was holding it back for me.

“It’s alright, Evie. You need to get it all out.”

“I’m so sorry,” I stressed, resting my forehead on the rim of the can, wanting to feel the cool metal against my clammy flesh. “I’ve never felt like this before.”

Finally, I fell back into the bed. Exhausted was an understatement. I was weak and helpless—this was not my finest moment by any means. As soon as I felt the cold washcloth over my face, I loudly moaned in satisfaction. Caleb let me lay there, wallowing in misery for what felt like forever.

Once I didn’t feel like I was dying, I breathed out, “Thank you so much.”

“Can you sit up? You need to take this medication.”

“What medication?”

He didn’t wait for me to move. Instead, he sat me up against the pillows that were resting on the headboard. I watched as he opened what looked like a bottle of pills. Grabbing the glass of water from the nightstand, he gestured for me to open my mouth. I did, silently praying it would make me feel normal again.

“Lift your arms.”

What happened next was unexpected. He pulled off my dress, but quickly replaced it with what I assumed was his hoodie. It was soft and smelled amazing. His cologne lingered on the fabric.

“Thank you.”

We locked eyes.

“You look good in my clothes.”

I swallowed hard under his predatory regard. Wanting to shift the sudden strain, I asked, “What medication did you give me?”

“I called in a favor.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I drove you back to my place. My friend who’s a doctor hurried over here to check on you while you were blacked out in my bed.”

My eyes widened. “What happened?”

“You were roofied.”

“I was what?!”

“You heard me.”

“I … I … I don’t understand.”

“What part do you not understand, sweetheart? Where you accepted a drink from a stranger, or where he drugged you with plans of raping you?”

My eyes rimmed with tears. “Did he…”

“No, but he did end up in the ER.”

My gaze shifted to his hands, seeing that his knuckles were bruised and swollen.

“What did you do?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

I thought about it for a moment before I questioned, “How did you know what happened to me?”

“I told one of the pledges to keep an eye on you. When you walked to the bathroom pale as ghost, he came and got me. I found you outside with that motherfucker carrying you to his car.