Twisted(52)

Except he already had. He should’ve known she’d be curious about the Feldmans’ party, especially now that she was friends with Stacey. That girl liked to party. Hard. He didn’t know if Stacey had been the one to slip something in Jazz’s drink or if it had been some other creep—like that jerk Toby who’d been watching her dance until Gray showed up—but he recognized the signs of a girl who’d been roofied. Jazz never drank to excess. Though there was a first time for everything, his gut told him this wasn’t it.

Someone had fucked with her, which meant they’d fucked with him.

She curled into his chest. Slowly, she opened her eyes. “Gray?”

Her weak, thready voice rekindled his anger. Whoever had done this to her would wish they’d never laid eyes on those fucking drugs once he showed them the error of their ways.

“Yeah,” he gritted out, brushing his fingers over her cheek. “How’re you feeling?”

“Stupid.” Wincing, she sat up and seemed to realize that she was on his lap. “Whoa. What’s going on? Where are we?”

Just as he’d thought. She didn’t remember the end of last night. Sure, some blackout drunks experienced the same. That wasn’t Jazz. He’d never believe it.

“You’re safe,” he soothed, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Her forehead puckered. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“We’re in the Feldmans’ basement. There was a party. Do you remember any of that?”

“Yeah. I came here with Stacey.” She glanced around. “Where is everyone?”

“It’s the next morning. Everyone’s gone. Well, except for Beth, her boyfriend and a few friends sleeping it off upstairs.”

She rubbed her temple. “My head hurts like I got loaded.” She frowned. “I only had two beers. Why do I feel like this?”

“You’re sure? You remember that part?”

“Yes, I remember. Some parts are fuzzy. The drinking part I remember, because the first beer I drank tasted funny. I took a second one, figuring that maybe I just needed to get used to the taste. The second one was even worse.”

He smoothed his hand over her knee, avoiding her gaze while he hauled his ragged emotions back into line. He wasn’t going to go off in front of her. She already didn’t feel well and she’d had a shitty night.

A coppery flavor filled his mouth and he swallowed it away. He hoped it had only been shitty.

“Who gave the beers to you? Do you remember?”

She pursed her lips and looked off in the distance as if she was struggling to line up the details. “I don’t know his name, but it was the same guy both times.”

“I just bet it was,” he said, idly stroking her jean-clad knee to keep from punching a hole through something. Anything. “Sure it wasn’t Toby? The guy who was watching you dance?”

“I was dancing?”

“Yeah.”

Her cheeks flooded with color. “Like on a table?”

“No, just here, in front of the couch. Unless…” He refused to think about any other possibilities right now. “Was Toby the one who gave you the beers, baby?”

She blinked up at him. “You just called me baby.”

“Don’t worry about that.” That was for him to worry about later—that he’d let himself slip that much—after he made sure she was okay. “If you don’t know his name, describe him to me.”

“I don’t know him. He’s a senior. He was tall with dark hair and big shoulders.” She shrugged. “That’s all I recall. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Tell me what happened.”

“Nothing, really. He gave me a beer and Stacey took one. Then later on, he came downstairs to talk to Toby and he offered to get me another.”

“Did he touch you?” he asked sharply.

“No, I don’t think so. Toby tried to—” She broke off, her flush increasing. “You think he did something to my beers. That’s why they tasted weird.”

“I think it’s a good guess.” He fought to keep his tone level. “He probably put roofies in them.”

“Like…the date rape drug?”

“Yes.” He rubbed his thumb along the seam of her jeans, not looking at her. “You don’t remember anyone doing anything, do you?”

“Toby grabbed my boob but I think you mean more than that.” She shook her head rapidly. “No. I’m pretty sure nothing more than that happened.”

He swallowed, hating that he needed to press the subject but knowing he had to. For her. “There’s a bathroom right down the hall. Can you go down there and…check? Just make sure you don’t see any unusual bruises or anything out of place.”