Nightmare on Broadway (California Dreaming Sequel)

Chapter Twenty One

   I could no longer speak, I had no control over my muscles or the way my mouth moved, but I could still feel his hands against my body, as he dragged me out of the cab and up the stairs of his apartment building. Halfway up the building, I passed out completely, and Tyger was forced to lift me into his arms and carry me the rest of the way. His hand caressed my hips as he searched for his keys in the pocket of his jeans. 

   “I don’t know why I haven’t had you over to the apartment sooner,” he spoke, although I took in very few of his words. “I know I haven’t known you all that long, but I feel like it’s been years, you know? Maybe I’m just crazy,” Tyger chuckled to himself and lifted me into his bedroom, laying me across the bed, my body limp. 

   He perched on the edge of the mattress and stroked his fingers across my forehead, down my jaw. I opened my eyes sleepily and looked around at the room in bewilderment, trying to understand where I was and why this was happening to me. I could see the city skyline out of the window, the city I had loved so much, yet it had allowed this to happen. I thought I was safe here, far away from Beverly Hills. 

   “You’re okay, you’re alright,” he whispered, smiling down at me with those dark eyes, like vacuums, ready to swallow me whole. “I’m sorry about the medicine I had to give you, I just didn’t think you would understand how much I care for you,” he apologized, but all I could muster in response was a weary groan. “Wait here, I’ll get you some water,” Tyger left the room and I looked around desperately, knowing that it would be impossible for me to escape when I was still in such a hazy state. 

   All I could think about as I lay across his bed was where Gabriel was at this exact moment, and Hen and Edward, Remy, Leila, Carter, all of the people whom I cared about more than anything else. I wondered if they knew I was gone, if they were worried, or if it was too soon to say. Would they find me the next day, not able to remember anything of this night, oblivious to the fact it had been a friend who had made me this frightened? It made me distraught to think that this was the second time I had allowed someone I loved to hurt me. I didn’t think I was naive, but maybe I was, maybe this was all my fault. 

   “Jia,” Tyger sat back down besides me and lifted my body up with one of his muscular arms, holding a glass of water to my mouth, “drink this, it will make you feel better, I promise.” I wasn’t sure what he thought he had done to make me believe him, but he tipped the glass back and I could do nothing to stop the liquid from gliding down my throat. “Just lie back, it’s going to be okay,” he let my body fall back against the bed covers and stood, taking the glass back into the kitchen and rummaging about for something. 

   I could feel myself gaining some feeling and I looked down at my right arm, twitching my fingers slightly. I tried to sit up but it was too soon, my vision was still distorted and everything felt too labored, my body too heavy to move, like a deadweight. I bit my lip and closed my eyes, tears falling across my feverish cheeks, stinging. It felt just like when Harry had broken into my house, just like when I’d found his body, the same sense of dread, deep in my stomach. I hated this because it made me think of back then and I hated doing this, I hated reflecting on my past. 

   “I really don’t want to do this, but I don’t want you leaving me, I really don’t,” Tyger arrived back, holding strips of rope in his left hand. 

   “Please,” I managed, uttering beneath my breath. 

   “It’s only for a little while, it will be fine,” he assured me, taking off my coat and leather jacket and resting his hands on my thighs. He slowly started to pull my dress up over my hips, my stomach and chest, maneuvering my arms through the straps. I began to sob then because it felt just like Gabriel that morning, lying in bed besides each other. “No, Jia,” he cooed, pressing his palm against my neck, smoothing his fingers over my collarbones gently, “don’t cry, please, I hate seeing you cry.” Tyger took one of my wrists and bound it to the metal bedpost behind my head with a piece of rope, doing the same with my other. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he lent over and kissed me and that, with the mixture of the drugs and the alcohol, made me gag.