Tempting the Player (Campus Wallflowers Book 4)

I feel like I’m drowning under the weight of the questions swirling in my head. Where am I? What happened to me? Why is my brain foggy? Why won’t my legs work? Why is Ted here? Where’s the rest of the band?

My memory is fuzzy. We were all helping pack up the equipment after the show and then . . . nothing.

The light is off in the living room where I’m sitting on a worn leather couch. The kitchen is to my left. It’s a small space, a sort of galley kitchen with the counter dividing the two rooms. I’ve only been to Ted’s apartment one other time, but I know that’s where I am. But why?

He’s pacing in the kitchen, obviously agitated, three steps forward, turn, three steps back across the kitchen, repeat. He runs his hand through his hair and mutters to himself. I can’t make out the words.

With some effort, I swallow and try to speak. The only thing that comes out is a squeak, but it gets his attention.

Ted comes over with a bottle of water. “Drink this. We have to get the drugs out of your system.”

Panic blooms in my chest. “Drugs?” I’m not sure if I get the word out, but he answers anyway.

“It should wear off soon since you didn’t drink that much.”

I sip the cold water as the memories come back slowly and not in order. I had my phone, and I was about to text Eric. We were done packing up equipment and I went into the tent to grab my things. The water bottle I drank from, then Ted kicking it away from me. The gift basket.

I stop drinking and spit it out. Ted snarls. “It’s just water this time.”

This time. “Why?” I’m not sure if I manage to get the word out.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’ve been fucking everything up for Mackenzie. Before you came around, she was the one everyone came out to hear. Tonight could have been a big break for her.”

I can’t seem to make sense of anything he’s saying and my pulse is racing.

“I tried to warn you to leave town. I just wanted you to go, but you wouldn’t listen. You were supposed to drink the water before the show. Everyone would think you were too drunk to go on, and Mac would get her moment to shine. I should have known you were going to find some other way to fuck everything up.”

“Mac was in on this?” I don’t know why that makes it feel worse, but it does.

“Don’t be stupid. She has no idea. No one does. And it’s going to stay that way. I did what I had to do. Anyone in my shoes would have done the same. Mac’s my girl. I’d do anything for her.”

I might have thought that was a sweet sentiment if he weren’t so deranged.

“I don’t feel so well. Maybe we should call someone.” I’ve never done drugs. I was always afraid that I’d be one of those rare cases where the first time I tried a drug, I’d die from some weird, one in a million reaction. Highly unlikely? Probably, but I’d never been tempted enough to test my luck.

“You’re going to be fine.” His gaze narrows. “Drink some more water.”

“Where’s my phone? I should at least let Hendrick know where I am or he’ll worry.” Each word burns my throat and is barely audible.

“No. No one can ever know about this. Got it?” He leans in closer. “If you tell anyone⁠—”

“I won’t,” I croak out. I don’t need to hear the end of that sentence to feel the darkness of his threat. I sink my teeth into my bottom lip to stop it from quivering. “You could just take me home. I won’t tell anyone what happened.”

I just want to be in Hendrick’s bed with his arms wrapped around me, telling me everything is going to be okay. He must be so worried. Well, maybe. I don’t have any concept of time. Have I been here minutes or hours? I know Hendrick, and he’ll have figured out by now that I’m missing, but how will he know to look for me here?

A knock on the apartment door makes Ted freeze, but hope blooms in my chest.

“Don’t say a word,” he warns before he moves across the room and then down the steps that lead to the front door. It’s a second-story unit, but the entrance is ground-level. I remember thinking I liked that setup the last time I was here, now it’s preventing whoever is at the door from seeing me.

The door creaks open and Lennon’s voice carries up the stairs. “Hey, man. I tried to call a bunch of times. I thought we were going to Prickly Pear?”

“Sorry,” Ted replies. “Something came up. I’m not going to be able to make it. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

No, no, no. Don’t go. I open my mouth, but my voice is quiet and hoarse. I drag my feet along the floor to get them underneath me, then try to stand.

“Wait.” Lennon laughs uncomfortably. “Is everything okay? You look like shit.”

I manage to get to my feet while they continue to talk, but my legs are so wobbly, and my head is still spinning. I scan the room, looking for something to help me. Maybe I could go out onto the balcony, but it’s too far to jump and my coordination is shit anyway.

My heart races when I see Ted’s cell phone on the counter. If I could just text Hendrick or maybe I should call the police. This is all too much to make sense of right now. Ted drugged me and then took me to his apartment so no one would know, but he wouldn’t hurt me, right?

A full body shiver crawls up my spine. The Ted I thought I knew wouldn’t have, but I wouldn’t put anything past this version.

Ted and Lennon continue to go back and forth. The latter presses him, but Ted just grows more irritated.

“I said everything is fine. Go hang out with your geek friends, Len.” The door shuts, kicking up my pulse another notch.

It’s now or never. I shuffle as fast as I can to the kitchen counter. Each step is painful and the room sways in a way that makes my stomach churn. My fingers wrap around the cell phone with a jolt of relief. It’s locked, but I hit the emergency call button.

“What the fuck?” Ted’s voice slices through the apartment and his footsteps pound up the remaining steps, closing the distance between us. He takes the phone from me. “You were gonna call the fucking cops?”

“I just want to go home.” My eyes fill with tears and my stomach cramps so hard it sends me doubling over in pain. Bile rises up my throat and I heave onto the carpet.

Ted jumps back, curses again, then grabs me by the arm. He drags me into the bathroom and shoves me toward the toilet. My legs collapse and I fall hard onto the floor, hitting my head against the vanity on the way.

He curses again but leaves me alone.

My breaths come in quick, shallow bursts. Panic and anxiety coarse through me.

You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay. I lie to myself until the panic abates.

When I’m fairly certain that I’m not going to be sick again, I move as quietly as I can to the door and peer out. The living room and kitchen are empty, and there’s a light on across the apartment where the bedroom is located.

I cannot stay here another second. I will go off that balcony if it comes to it. Some of my movements seem easier after throwing up. My legs aren’t quite so heavy and the room isn’t spinning as badly.

When I get into the living room, I can hear Ted talking from the bedroom. He’s on the phone from the sound of it. His words come in short bursts like he’s waiting for a reply. I don’t try to make sense of what he’s saying, I just bolt.

Holding onto the banister so I don’t fall, I take the steps as quickly as I can manage. My heart races and blood thunders in my ears. Every step closer makes me want to cry with relief.

I don’t hear him coming, but as my hand reaches for the doorknob, Ted slams his palm against the door to keep it shut.

“Are you stupid? I said, you’re not going anywhere yet.” He grabs my arm and pulls me toward the stairs.

“Please?” I beg. “Just let me go home. I won’t say anything.”

“You won’t get a block in this condition. You have to stay here.” He tries to tug me again, but this time I hold my ground and yank my arm free. I go for the door again, and this time I get it open.

“Fuck!” He wraps his hand around a chunk of my hair to keep me from fleeing. My scalp burns with pain, but all I focus on is getting the hell out of here.

He’s more frantic now, gripping me anywhere he can and trying to place himself between me and freedom. “Dammit, Jane. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He manages to get in front of me. We’re about the same height and his face leers inches away. With every ounce of strength I can summon, I shove at his chest. He staggers back a step. I ball my right hand into a fist and then attempt to sweep his foot out from under him. It doesn’t work, but it throws him off balance enough that I’m able to land a punch on his jaw.

He recoils in shock. “You bitch.”

My hand screams with pain but I push it all away as I throw open the door and rush out. It’s dark outside, but the streetlights give me some sense of direction. A black truck comes to a screeching halt in front of the apartment.

I see Knox first. His eyes are wide as he rushes from the passenger side of the truck toward me. But then someone else is in front of him. Hendrick.

My Hendrick. His expression is relief and rage, and fear.

I run toward him, even though my legs feel like they’re seconds from giving out. My arms wrap around his middle before I go down, and he clutches me against him so tightly it steals the breath from my lungs. I close my eyes and let my body melt into him. I’m safe. Safe, safe, safe.