Cheat [MxM] (Carter Brothers Book 1)

Chapter 23

JAE ▪︎ POV 

I felt like complete and utter shit. I'd never been hit by a car or been involved in any sort of car accident for that matter, but the way my body ached, my head spun and my stomach twisted and turned, made me feel like I'd just been run over by a semi-truck. Minus all the blood and gore of course. 

My throat was dry and sandpaper sore meaning swallowing felt ten times harder than it should've been. My head was pounding, a steady throb that matched my heartbeat, like a rhythmic hammer being bashed into my skull. I tried to open my heavy eyelids, licking my lips and flexing my fingers and toes. 

I had no idea when or how I'd gotten here, but the beep of a slow heart monitor and the faint sound of wheels on squeaky floors, let me know that I was in a hospital. I sighed, my first thought being that I hoped no one had called my parents - whoever had been unfortunate enough to find me. I moved my heavy arms, but froze when I knocked into something warm, small and fleshy. That little something started wiggling and let out a little 'eep'. 

I peeked open one eye, squinting as the blinding overhead lights threatened to burn my pupils to smithereens. After a few seconds, the white fire faded away and I met curious, large green eyes - eyes I'd recognise anywhere. Ollie. His face was red, his curls a little sweaty and plastered against his forehead, hinting that he'd just woken up - perhaps my elbow had done that and I instantly cringed. But what the hell was he doing here?

Ollie struggled up, huffing and heaving against me. I wanted to help him, but my arms and legs failed me, too heavy and sluggish to do any good. Eventually he managed it, sitting up and staring down at me. He bit his pink little lips, wet with drool, and leaned in close. "Got a boo boo, Jae-Jae?" He asked with concern, dropping his little hand clumsily against my face and rubbing back and forth with a tiny, clammy hand. 

My eyes instantly welled with tears. I'd missed that little face, missed those big, perceptive green eyes, those round, rosy cheeks, that caring nature he seemed to embody. I'd missed it all and Ezra had wanted to take it away from me. How could I let go of something so precious, and how could Ezra not know that his actions would be so deeply painful when he knew how I felt about them both. A tear rolled down my cheek and Ollie wiped it away, his frown deepening. 

Ollie leaned in, intending on kissing me, his lips descending closer to mine, but I turned my cheek, letting his open mouth meet my jaw instead. I hadn't had the chance to clean up and the booze on my breath was making my own stomach roil. My mouth didn't need to dirty his own. Thoughts of the tequila made my mind drift back to last night. I'd gotten shit faced drunk and ended up drugged in the club alley, about to be assaulted by my drink spiker. 

It was like something out of a movie and I wanted to laugh deliriously at just the thought. For one, I myself had been catching drink spikers like a hawk during my shifts, determined to bust those motherfuckers before they hurt any of my customers. It was so insanely ironic that I would fall into the same trap I'd dedicated myself to protecting others from falling into countless times. For two, it just so happened to take place on the worst day of my life. I'd gotten too drunk, too careless, too irresponsible. I felt humiliated and well... angry. 

I couldn't blame Ezra and it would be childish of me to do so. I made the decision to go to the club when I should've gone home knowing that my emotions were out of control. I made the decision to drink excessively, even though I was at the club by myself with no one looking out for me. I made the decision to take that shot out of a strangers hand and chug it like a fool. I had no one to blame but myself. Yet it was his neglectful actions that influenced my decisions yesterday and I couldn't forget the utterly broken feelings I'd been trying to escape.