Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
I pick up the small tablet and examine it. The word SKY is etched on it.
Sky. Give it an E and you’ve got my bestie. My bestie who’s put me on the back burner for her billionaire boyfriend.
“What is this?” I ask.
“It’s the answer to your shitty night,” he says. “It’s ecstasy.”
I place the pill back in his hand. “I’m not interested in drugs. I’m sure I can’t afford it, anyway.”
“This one’s on the house, gorgeous. If you want more after that, you come to me. My name’s Nick.”
“No thanks, Nick.”
“You sure about that?” He drops the pill back into my hand.
Sky.
The word on the pill seems to be a message to me.
Take the damned pill and get over yourself. Get over Garrett. Get over Skye.
Get over your pathetic life. Swallow it all down.
“All right, Nick.” I pop the pill into my mouth and swallow it. “Thanks.”
“If you want more, you know where I am.” Then he stares into my eyes. “But keep it between us, okay?”
“Yeah, of course. Since it’s illegal and all.”
“My employer looks the other way,” Nick says, “but the cops won’t.”
“Got it.” I turn.
He tugs on my arm.
I look over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Whoever made you feel shitty isn’t worth it, you hear me? If I didn’t have to work tonight, I’d be all over you.”
I give him a weak smile. A bartender who takes his job seriously but who also deals drugs. Interesting.
“Thanks,” is all I say. Then I turn to find Betsy.
I spy her on the dance floor with a tall guy wearing glasses.
Just as well. I watch the dance floor and check my phone intermittently. I’m not sure how much time has passed when a guy approaches me.
“You want to dance?” he asks.
He’s dark-haired and handsome. “Sure.” I follow him to the dance floor, waving when I catch Betsy’s eye. We dance through two songs, and then I excuse myself to get some water.
But first, I need to pee. I head to the bathroom, take care of business, and then check myself in the mirror—
A piercing shriek echoes through the restroom.
It’s coming from me.
My reflection in the mirror…
It was me. But I had two red horns coming out of my head.
I grab hold of the counter and look again.
Back to normal, thank God, but my head is swimming. I don’t feel like me at all.
Until I do.
In fact, I feel more like me than I have in a long time, maybe ever. I’m damned giddy, and I can’t wait to get back on the dance floor. I wash my hands quickly and don’t bother checking my makeup because I don’t care. I just want to dance.
I leave the bathroom and force myself through the crowd and back on the dance floor, grabbing the hand of the first man I see.
“Excuse me!” A woman grabs the man’s hand back. “He’s with me.”
I should apologize, but I don’t. The guy I was dancing with previously—I never got his name—grabs me and twirls me into an intricate salsa dance step that I easily follow.
And I dance.
Soon it’s just me on the floor, surrounded by bright moving lights. Some of the lights have eyes and some have noses. Some actually try to talk to me, but I ignore them.
And I dance.
I dance and dance and dance and dance.
One of the lights is talking to me. It’s a red light, but I don’t understand the words. They’re just flashes as I dance.
I dance and dance and dance and dance.
Fewer lights, then.
Fewer still.
The red light is next to me. We’re moving. But I’m not dancing.
I’m in a bed.
But not my bed.
…
“Tessa, thank God!”
My head hurts, like someone’s driving a knife into my brain. Where the hell am I?
“Can you hear me?”
“Yes, for the love of God. Stop shouting, Betsy.”
A sigh whooshes from Betsy.
“Where am I?”
“You’re in my bedroom.”
I look around. The sun is streaming through the window and forces my eyes shut. Yeah, this is Betsy’s place. But why am I here? And how did I get here?
“You were really fucked up last night, Tessa.” Her voice wavers.
Last night. Garrett. Betsy. The club. The margaritas. The bartender.
And the ecstasy.
The little pill that said Sky.
“Oh, shit,” I say. “I took ecstasy last night.”
Betsy’s eyes go wide. “You did what?”
“I was feeling… Garrett dumped me, and Skye and I…” I bury my face in my hands. “Our friendship is a mess. God, what was I thinking?”
“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”
“Thanks for having my back, Bets.” I rub the throbbing in my temples. “God, I feel like shit.”
“I’ve got some tea. I’ll get you a cup.”
“God, no. Just some water.”
She nods, walking toward the door.
“Betsy?”
She turns. “Yeah?”
“Don’t tell anyone about this, okay? Especially not Skye or Garrett.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ben
“What the fuck do you want?” I grouse into the phone after leaving Tessa at our table.