“Mmm,” Tess groans, turning her head to the side and cracking her eyes open
just slightly. “What time is it?”
“Almost four-thirty.”
A low whine emits from the back of her throat. “What happened? My head is killing me.”
“Someone slipped you something at the party, but don’t worry. I got you out of there before anything could happen.”
Her brows furrow in concern, but then lets her eyes drooped closed again. “My hero.”
I play with her hair, careful not to keep her awake but needing to feel some kind of connection with her. Just when I think she’s fallen back asleep, however, she sighs.
“Where were you the day he took me? Why didn’t you save me then?”
My attention zeros in on her words. I know for damn sure she didn’t mean to say them. She’s still in a drunken and drugged haze, but I don’t doubt for a second that there’s truth to her statement.
What the hell happened to this girl?
14
TESSA
I wake in the morning, feeling worse than I ever have in my life. The comfortable bed beneath me is familiar, but not mine. Asher. I faintly remember him sitting beside me in the middle of the night. At the time, I thought it was a dream. He was playing with my hair and being so sweet. The real Asher would never allow himself to get that close to me—not while I’m still his student, anyway.
As I peel my eyes open, the room instantly starts to spin. It only takes seconds before I’m jumping up and sprinting to the bathroom. I make it to the toilet just in time to empty the contents of my stomach into it. The heaving is so intense I don’t even hear the door open behind me.
Two hands move to pull my hair out of the way. I glance back to see Asher standing there.
“No, go away,” I whine. “I don’t want you seeing me like this. It’s so not sexy.”
“Shush.”
He drops down to his knees anyway, holding my hair back as I continue vomiting repulsively. His free hand strokes my back, and when I’m done, he rubs a wet washcloth over my face.
“How did I end up here?” I ask, still confused.
His brows furrow. “You don’t remember?”
I shake my head slowly. “The last thing I remember is being at the party, and something about you running your fingers through my hair, but I think that was just a dream.”
“It wasn’t a dream, Tess.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No,” he confirms and raises to his feet. “There’s an extra toothbrush in the drawer. Get cleaned up and I’ll meet you in the living room.”
Left alone, I try to rack my brain for any indication of what the hell happened last night, but even the slightest thinking causes my head to hurt more. Instead of putting myself through more pain, I brush my teeth and tie my hair up.
Stepping out into the living room, I become even more confused when I spot Lennon and Colby sitting on the couch. They’re both drinking coffee while Asher fucks around with something in the kitchen. Did Colby end up winning her over last night? No, he wouldn’t even try. Not after learning she’s still a minor.
“Lennon?”
She turns to me with the most relieved look on her face. “Oh, thank God.”
Jumping up, she runs over and wraps me in a tight hug. The action just worries me more. What the hell happened last night?
“What’s going on?” I question lightly.