The Strings Attached

Chapter 44 - Jace

Jace

I don't know what to think. My mind is in a blur as I speed down the pitch-black road. I only had two beers tonight. I'm fine to drive. The only thing impairing me right now is the thought of Loni and what the fuck is going on.

I didn't get much out of Hadley on the phone. She was a blubbering mess. And the music wherever they are was so loud, it's still ringing in my ears.

Hadley sent me her address. That's where I'm going. What I'm going to find when I get there, I have no fucking clue.

It's a decent drive. Thirty minutes maybe. But I get here. I park my truck in the middle of the road, throwing my body out, my feet stumble on the pavement. I'm not even sure if I closed the door.

People stare at me as I run like a maniac up to the house. I push myself through the slightly opened door. There is way too many people in here. Checking my phone, I see another text from Hadley

HADLEY: Bedroom

I'm frantic again. My heart is racing in my chest, I can't get my breathing under control. Each breath is laced with smoke, but I fight the urge to cough as I push through the sea of people.

Each room I check is empty or occupied by other people. No Loni.

Where is she?

I open another door and my heart sinks into my fucking stomach.

Loni is laying in the middle of a bed. Her legs are draped over the edge, her shirt is torn. Is she even breathing?

What the fuck? What the fuck?

I stumble in, unable to catch my footing at the sight of her, everything is unsteady.

"Jace, oh my God," Hadley wheezes, grabbing onto my arm. But I can't even look at her, I'm too focused on Loni.

Breathe baby.

At my silent command, her chest moves slowly and I can finally let out the breath that is constricting my lungs.

"I don't know what happened," Hadley says behind me as I walk to the bed. "I don't even think she had that much to drink." A sob strangles in her throat. "I think someone slipped her something."

I sit on the bed. Rubbing my hand across her cheek I whisper her name, no response. I put my hand behind her head and lift it off the bed slightly. Only the whites of her eyes are showing.

"Loni?" I grunt. Saying her name again louder, I shake her head. No response. "Fuck, baby." A huge knot forms in my throat. "Who did this to you? What did they do to you, baby" My thumb brushes over her pale cheek. Tears sting my eyes.

What the fuck am I supposed to do? Take her to the hospital? Call the police? What? I've never experienced this before.

Hadley is standing next to the bed, a sobbing mess.

Loni lets out a gurgle. Her nose scrunches, but her body remains limp.

"Loni? Loni, open your eyes," I plead.

She gurgles again. Her hand moves over her stomach and her mouth opens. "Hurt," she mumbles. I think that's what she says, I can barely understand her slurred words. She groans, her face contorting into a painful expression.

"Get her to the bathroom. Get her to the bathroom," Hadley orders me, frantically pointing her finger to the other door in the room. "She needs to vomit. Jace, get her to the bathroom."

I scoop Loni up into my arms and rush to the bathroom. I drop us to the floor. Her body is so limp, that she can't even sit up on her own. Positioning myself behind her, she sits between my legs, her back pressed against my chest.