Page 73 of Ice Cold Heart

I ordered my legs to shuffle back, and they listened, but I ended up with more water soaking my sweater. A slurred curse slipped out, and the room started tilting.

Scott caught me when I tipped too far sideways. “Whoa there. I don’t remember you being such a lightweight. Let’s get you outside.”

He plucked the bottle from my hand and set it somewhere to the side. The room spun slowly as we stumbled to the back door. Where were all the people? My heel caught on something, and I nearly toppled forward.

Scott’s grip tightened, and I was glad when cold air brushed my face as we cleared the sliding glass door. Maybe I just needed some air. I hadn’t eaten since lunch. We circled the house with my heels sinking into the grass and went out through the side gate.

The front of the house pricked my memory—I was supposed to do something at the party. With considerable effort, I glanced around and the sight of a tall guy with dark shaggy hair reminded me. Marco. I was supposed to meet Marco before Scott.

Whoops. I giggled again and tripped on the sidewalk. My stomach didn’t like the sudden shift and twisted violently. I let out a groan, but Scott kept dragging me down the street. It would serve him right if I threw up on him. He hated being messy.

When he opened the door to a black sedan I didn’t recognize, I tried to pull back. My muscles refused to work, and I ended up sliding down his chest until he caught me around the waist. Scott laughed and shoved me roughly toward the opening. I landed on my hands and belly with my legs sticking out of the car.

“Careful there, honey. Don’t want to start any rumors about drug use. Shit like that could ruin a person’s career.”

I frowned as Scott’s comment rang a bell. I’d exposed his “recreational” drug use in the article along with all the other ways he was a horrible person. My mind finally caught up to my body as Scott shoved me forward on the seat. Dread crept through me like molasses.

This wasn’t my car. I didn’t want to go anywhere with him.

Scott tucked my legs in, then patted my ass as he leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “I know it was you.”

Somewhere far away, my brain screamed at me to make a scene, but I couldn’t transfer the order to my mouth. I was watching my own kidnapping as if from a distance. Darkness started to encroach on the edges of my vision, and I had two distinct thoughts.

I was totally right about the danger of small towns, and I really hoped I puked on the shiny new interior of his car.

29

Islept like shit and woke up to someone ringing the doorbell repeatedly. If it was those fucking kids from down the street again, I was going to sick Mrs. Lipnicki on them. I pulled a pillow over my head hoping whoever it was would go away, but Avery’s sweet scent surrounded me.

The reminder of last night got me out of bed. Avery had asked for time, and I planned to give it to her. But what if she’d changed her mind? She could be outside right now. Without texting or calling. And without walking right in like she’d been doing for months.

Probably not Avery.

I was suddenly way less motivated to get the door. No one else was in the hallway, which was suspicious. Reece slept like the dead, but Eva at least should have been out here ready to castrate someone.

Not surprisingly, Henry was absent. She didn’t like loud noises or drama she didn’t cause.

The ringing stopped only to be replaced by pounding as I came down the stairs. I scrubbed a hand through my hair and checked to make sure I was still wearing my sweats before I opened the door.

Sunlight streamed in as I squinted at the offender. Marco stood with a fist still raised as he ogled my chest. I appreciated getting checked out as much as the next guy, but I wasn’t even fully awake yet. My poor brain couldn’t figure out a reason why he’d be on my front porch.

“What’s up, Marco?”

He blinked twice, then pushed past me to come inside. “Is Avery here?”

“Come on in,” I muttered. “No. I haven’t seen her since last night.”

I nearly tripped over the Louis Vuitton travel bag I’d missed on my first pass through the living room. No wonder I was the only one answering the door. If Stephen was here, he’d make Gavin and Eva go out for brunch.

Marco paced to the stairs as if he’d go check himself to make sure I wasn’t hiding her in my bedroom, then turned and glanced around for the first time. “I thought you had roommates.”

“So did I, but apparently, I’m the only one willing to answer the door. Why are you looking for Avery?”

“I was supposed to meet her at the Kappa party last night, but she never showed.” He shoved a hand through his hair, making part of it stand up. “I assumed she came back here and made up with you.”

I winced. “She told you about last night.”

“Nah, she texted me for backup at the party. When I suggested she just stay snuggled up with you, she got all stiff.”