Nevaeh.
What the hell were they talking about? Me?
I didn’t know if anyone was in the room, and tried to stay still in case anyone was close by. Prickling unease and fear made me hold my breath so they wouldn’t know I was awake, but the pain in my chest became too great, and my breath whooshed out of me in a fast stream.
My eyes flickered open and I glanced around the room.
Why was I on a bed? In a strange room?
My heart beat so loudly I could barely hear the people talking over the thumping in my ears.
I rolled onto my side and sat up slowly.
The bed creaked under my weight and I froze. Not breathing, listening, waiting for someone to come.
But no one did.
They’d left the door partially open and as I got to my feet and moved over to the door, the voices became more distinct.
It was Claire.
I was still at her house.
Thank God for that.
Had I fainted? Or fallen over, or something? I didn’t remember.
But it was definitely Claire and she was talking to a whole group of men from the sounds and deep throaty voices I could hear.
“So, we’ll wait for her to wake up, and then I’ll explain what’s going on here.” Claire laughed awkwardly. “It’s gonna shock the pants off her, though.”
I grimaced. I was keeping my pants on. No matter what they put in the water out here, I was not becoming a version of Claire. Shacked up with three men, pregnant, and letting my career slip through my fingers.
I’d worked too hard to get through college and get away from my trailer-park-parents to let go of my job now.
It gave me purpose, happiness, not to mention the money to pay my rent and save for the house I’d one day buy myself.
A house. My greatest dream.
One day.
I took a deep breath, and put my hand on the bedroom door. I had to go to work so I needed to come out and face the music, so to speak. But the idea of walking out into that room with all those men made my heart pound and my throat thicken with stress.
Time to pull myself together. I’d handled much worse.
I grabbed the handle and opened the door.
The room went suddenly, deathly quiet and I stuck my head out.
My breath caught in my throat as my ribs tightened around my heart.
Damn...
“Oh my God.”
There were four of them! When had that happened?
“Nevaeh!” Claire rushed to my side and grabbed my hand with her good arm, resting her fingers on my ulnar artery and looking into my face. “Are you okay?”