“Really?” I ask. “Do we have classes together?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I’ve seen you with my brother.”
“Oh, who is your bother?” I play dumb.
“Seth. Seth Wilson.”
I nod my head. “Yeah. Yeah. He’s friends with some of my teammates.”
Her face lights up. “You play football?”
“No. I’m on the swim team at UT.”
“That’s awesome.” She smiles up at me. “My boyfriend is too. Maybe you know him? Peter.”
Yes, unfortunately, I know that fucker. I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket and pull it out. I drop it on purpose. “Shit.” I hiss.
“I’ll get it.” She leans over and picks it up for me.
“Thank you.” I laugh. “Had a little too much to drink.”
“It happens.” She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a sip.
I look down at my phone and open my messenger.
Cole: Are you almost done? I can’t talk shit with this girl anymore. Fuck, this is why I never hung out with people at parties.
I chuckle but respond.
Me: It’s done. Get ready.
“I know him,” I say, getting back to our conversation. “How long have you guys been dating?”
“It’s new,” she answers with a laugh.
“Is he here tonight?” I ask, looking over my shoulder to see if people are watching us. But nope, everyone is too busy doing their own thing. I don’t even see Shane and Brynn.
“No. He went out of town this weekend to see his grandmother.”
I want to laugh. The bastard is probably shacked up with some bitch. The way he spoke of Demi didn’t sound like a man in a committed relationship. I guarantee this chick isn’t the only one he’s fucking.
“Whoa,” she says.
I pocket my phone. “You okay?” I ask, placing my hand on her arm.
She closes her eyes and sways on her feet. I take her drink from her other hand and see that she had finished it off. “Good girl,” I whisper.
“Huh?” She asks with heavy eyes.
“Nothing. Here let me help you.”
“I … what …?” she slurs.
I walk her out the back door where there are less people, and she stumbles over her own feet. I lean down and pick her up, carrying her in my arms to the SUV parked a few houses down so the partygoers don’t see us. Cole is opening the hatch to my Range Rover for me. I place the passed-out girl in the back. After removing her phone from the back pocket of her jeans, I jump in the passenger seat. Cole gets in the driver seat since he hasn’t been drinking. Bennett already sits in the back.
“Where the fuck is Shane?” I growl.
Bennett pulls out his cell and calls him. “Where are you? We’re ready,” he snaps. “Get your ass out here.” He hangs up. “He’s coming. Pretty sure he was fucking.”
I roll my eyes. “Should have left his ass in Collins,” I mumble.
Seconds later, I see him running down the street, and he jumps into the back seat barely in enough time before Cole takes off.
I smile as I slide her screen and see that she didn’t have a lock on it and go to Seth’s name. I type out a message.
Me: Meet me at the cabin. ASAP. It’s important.
Then I shut her phone off so he can’t contact her.
_______________
I sit on the couch at the cabin, and Cole sits next to me. Shane sits at the kitchen table texting away on his phone. Pretty sure it’s to the girl from the party who works at Silence. Bennett stepped out back five minutes ago, saying he needed to make a call.
“How long has it been?” Cole asks.
I look down at the clock on my phone. “Thirty minutes. He should be here any minute.”
The back door opens, and Bennett steps inside.
“How long do you think this will take?” Shane asks. “I’ve got plans later.”
I roll my eyes. “Would these plans consist of a girl and a straitjacket?”
“Yep,” he answers. “All I need is a tub. Or a pool would do.”
Bennett shakes his head. “I don’t wanna know anymore. Drugging and kidnapping one girl is enough for one night.”
Headlights shine through the front window, and seconds later, they shut off followed by a door shutting.
“Showtime,” Shane says excitedly.
The front door bursts open, and Seth runs inside. He comes to a quick stop when he sees all of us taking up the small area. He swallows as his eyes go to each of us. He looks at the floor and at the chair next to me. He realizes instantly that it wasn’t his sister who messaged him. “Where is she?” he demands.
“Safe. For now.” I stand.
He takes a step toward me. “If you …”
“What?” I ask. “Rape her? Take advantage of her? Like you were going to do Demi?”
He swallows, making his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Funny,” Cole says, coming to stand next to me. “Neither did we.”
His jaw sharpens. “I’ll tell you anything you need to know.” I expected it to be that easy. Too bad it had to be this way.
I reach out my hand. “Give me your phone.”
“No.” He shakes his head, taking a step back. “Anything but that.”
“Shane,” I call out, not taking my eyes off Seth.
I hear the chair he’s sitting in slide across the tile and then his shoes on the floor as he exits and goes to the only bedroom in this small cabin. Seconds later, he comes back into the living room, and this time, he has a woman in his arms. She lies across them, still passed out.
“Melissa!” Seth snaps and goes to take a step toward them, but Cole places a hand on his chest, stopping him.
I walk over to the kitchen area as Shane sits her in a chair. She slumps forward, and I walk behind her, gripping her dark hair in my hand, I pull her head back. With my free hand, I gently push her brown hair off her face, neck, and chest. I slide my knuckles down over her exposed neck, making him think the worst, but really, I’m just checking her pulse. When satisfied, I pull my hand away and look back at him.
“Melissa?” he shouts.
“She can’t hear you,” I tell him. “See, I gave her what GHB you had left.”
Cole holds up the now empty bottle that he found here earlier this morning. “You know, what you didn’t use on Demi.”
“You son of a bitch!” he shouts and goes to walk toward me, but Cole slams his fist into Seth’s face, knocking him back.
“But there wasn’t much left,” I add. “I say we’ve got maybe thirty minutes before she starts to come around.”
“If you hurt her …”
“What?” I ask. “What are you going to do? There’s four of us and one of you.” This guy has no clue what we are capable of.
“And unlike you, none of us are gay.” Shane says, stepping up next to her. “And in case you were wondering, brunettes are my favorite,” he adds, pulling a long piece of rope out of my black duffle bag.
Blood runs from Seth’s nose as he watches Shane somewhat speechless and wide-eyed.
Shane moves behind the chair and pulls the girl’s arms behind it. He begins to wrap the rope around her small wrists, binding them together before tying the rope to the chair. Making it impossible for her to move if she wakes.