The Strings Attached

Chapter 45 - Loni

Loni

Ow.

My head is killing me. I've had bad hangovers, but this, this is so much worse times infinity. It's like I swallowed a pound of salt. The back of my throat burns and prickles with heat. Traces of bile linger in my mouth making my face twist.

I hope I didn't puke on anyone.

Sleep crusts my eyes, I need to use my fingers to pry them open. Muscles I didn't even know I had, ache with every movement.

A familiar smell fills my nostrils but before I can place it, I hear Jace.

"Hey," he says on a breath.

Sunlight burns my eyes and I rub them with the heels of my hands.

"My throat hurts," I husk out, trying to swallow but my mouth is way too dry.

Jace laughs. He's kneeling down next to the bed but when I blink, he's sitting on top of the mattress. His smile falls as his fingers run through my tangled hair.

I probably look like such a mess right now.

"Do you remember anything from last night?"

His words are like a trigger. The images are hazy and I don't have all the pieces and up to a certain point, everything goes dark. I've blacked out from drinking before, but nothing like this. The things I am able to remember are like an out-of-body experience. Like I was yelling at myself to do something, but my body wouldn't respond. And the start of it all was that fucking drink.

Ringing fills my ears as my heartbeat quickens in my chest. Oh fuck, I was drugged. Never in all my life would I have imagined something like this happening to me. I've always been so careful. Never leaving my drink unattended. Never taking a drink from—

No.

I'm so stupid. I'm so damn stupid.

Tears prickle in my eyes and they burn even more. My throat tightens and my stomach fizzes. I close my eyes, forcing back the emotions that are starting to overwhelm me. When I open them, Jace is watching me with absolute concern.

I nod. "I remember," I start, clearing my throat. "I remember taking a drink from someone. It tasted weird."

Jace's eyes close for a moment and his lips tighten.

"Then I was in the room laying on the bed. The guy, with the drink he-- he was on me. He was so heavy I remember feeling like I couldn't breathe. I tried to scream, but I couldn't. I couldn't move. And then he—"

"No, baby" Jace chokes out, standing from the bed. His hands press against his ears but they slide down his face. "No, no, I don't think I can hear this." Agony washes over his face while he puts his knuckle in his mouth. He drops his hands and lets out a breath. "Did he—"

I shake my head. "No." I force a swallow again. I'm composing myself pretty well considering what we are talking about. I honestly feel numb to the whole situation. Maybe it's the lingering effect of whatever the guy drugged me with. "Hadley came in the room before he could do anything. I couldn't understand a thing she was saying to me. Pretty much everything else is black." I close my eyes. "Except," I open them again, "I see you."

His cheeks flush.

"You came to the party. You took care of me."

"Hadley called me. I'm happy she did."

"Why? I was pushing you away. Why did you even want to help me why did you—"

"Because I l—" he sucks in his lips, shoving his hands in his pockets, sitting back down on the bed. "Loni, I'm going to care about you. I'm going to worry about you and protect you. Those are the strings attached. No matter what you say to me, no matter if you try to push me away or suggest we hook up with other people, I'm always going to care about you."