Chapter Thirty-Three
Evie
I was sitting at a round table near the raised stage and podium. Maykin was across from me, some random dude at her side. Makin didn’t really date, but she always had guys clamoring to take her to events like this one. I didn’t know his name, but his face was familiar, which meant he was probably in Collin’s fraternity.
“Here. You look pale.” Collin handed me the glass of water sitting in front of me. “We’re almost done, princess.”
I took a few gulps, the cool liquid helping my dry throat. I was getting antsy, feeling edgy. This was usually the part in the day when my pills wore off and I didn’t quit know how to handle it. This was also the part of the day when Nicky would bend me over his bed, or take me to the shop to add to my ever-growing mandala tattoo. But he wasn’t here right now. He couldn’t swoop in and save me.
I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. The former frat president was speaking about duty and honor. He was blowing smoke up his own ass and acting like he was the former president of the United States, not the Pike house. The lights behind him started to blur a little, so I blinked a few times, getting my vision back to right.
Maybe I was dehydrated after all. I drank the rest of my water, clapping politely when he announced Collin as his successor. I let him kiss my cheek, and I smiled as he took the stage. I played my part, and now I was done.
I closed my eyes, reveling in the feeling for a moment. When I opened them, everything was blurry again. My head was swimming a little, and I was starting to feel woozy. Were these all side effects of weaning off the Adderall? Had I not eaten enough? Nicky and I typically ate dinner around seven o’clock, and the last time I’d checked the clock it was almost eight. I’d ask the driver to pull through What-a-Burger on the way home.
Everyone was clapping again, so I joined along. What were we clapping for this time? Oh right, Collin was done talking about himself and his vision. He was done, which meant I could leave. I grabbed my clutch off the table and got to my feet. I held on to the back of the chair, keeping myself steady and I turned toward the row of double doors leading to my freedom.
“E? You okay?”
I could hear Maykin behind me, but I knew doing another circle to answer her would make me fall down. I sent her a wave and focused on the exit.
“I’ve got you, princess.” Collin took my elbow, helping me out of the room. The bright lights of the lobby were almost too much to handle. I shielded my eyes from the glare. “You okay?”
His tone was one of concern, like he was genuinely worried about me. I shook my head, spotting the bathroom sign across the foyer. “I feel like I’m going to be sick.” I barely made it through the stall doors before I was on my knees, throwing up everything I’d eaten that day. I was so dizzy, so out of it.
“Princess? Where are you?”
My skin started to crawl. I didn’t want Collin anywhere near me. I wanted Nicky to come get me. I wanted him to rub circles on my back. Why had I ever come here? I reached for my purse but right before I could grab it, it flew away from me. Was I hallucinating?
“Were you planning on calling the tattooed trash to come save you?” Collin was standing over me, his voice back to its usual snarl. “I told you that you could leave when we were done, princess.”
I retched again, crying the whole time. “We are done.” My voice sounded odd, like it was coming from so far away.
“You think I’d let you off that easy? After all this time, all the shit you put me through?” He grabbed me by the hair, pulling me up and then shoving me back down. I hit my head on the porcelain toilet seat, making me dizzier than I already was. “You had me trailing behind you like a fucking puppy dog, you disappeared for days at a time, you stopped letting me fuck you weeks ago.”
I tried to stand, but my legs gave out and I fell to my knees. There was blood on the toilet from my head, and blood on the floor from my fall. I felt so sick, and so dizzy. I knew I was crying. I could hear my sobs. But when I tried to scream, nothing came out.
“You owe me one last thing, princess, and I’m going to take it whether you want me to or not.” I felt Collin’s hands rip the back of my dress. And I knew then that he’d drugged me. He’d tried to force me to take that pill earlier, and when I’d refused and broke up with him, he’d put something in my drink. He wasn’t bipolar; he was fucking insane. “It’s okay, though, really it is. You let that trash touch you? I was about through with you anyway. The idea of Evie James is much more appealing than the real thing.” His hand connected with my ass. “This body though?” He did it again. “I’ve missed this.”
I did everything I could to roll over. I tried so hard to move my arms. But it was no use; it was like my muscles were no longer working. This was happening to me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I’d trusted Collin, even when I knew I shouldn’t have. I surrounded myself with horrible people and terrible habits, and this was the price I was going to pay.
I wasn’t scared. I knew that I’d survive, I knew that I would never give him the satisfaction of breaking me.
Collin’s hand went around my throat, tightening until I could barely breathe, while his dick pressed against my core. I closed my eyes, willing myself to stop crying.
And then suddenly, I was free.