Sam

The Garage was awesome! They made awesome Appletinis! And Appletinis made Sam awesome at pool!

“I win!” Sam yelled blowing on the tip of her pool stick like it was a smoking gun. “You have to buy me another drink, Z.”

“I think you might want to finish that one first,” Zander said, trying to steady Sam as she leaned against the table.

She grinned at him and knocked back the remaining green liquid in the martini glass. “Finished!” she called triumphantly.

Zander laughed. “Not quite what I meant, but okay.”

“I’ll get this one,” Dougherty called from the bar. “Besides, I already called next game, Boston. Quit hogging the table.”

“Make me,” she taunted.

Dougherty smirked and brought her another Appletini, snaking his arm around her waist when she took it. “I’d be happy to,” he said thrusting his hips suggestively against her.

“Dougherty, give it a rest,” Zander warned.

But Sam only laughed and slinked out of Dougherty’s grasp. “I can take care of myself, Z.”

“Yeah, Z, she’s a big girl,” Dougherty taunted.

Sam started racking the balls for the next game and Zander threw his hands up, joining the rest of his friends at the bar.

“Who knew you were such a craic, Sam,” Dougherty purred.

She laughed giddily. “I did.”

“Well, why’ve ya been hiding all this time?”

“Dunno,” she slurred. “What’re we playin’ for?”

“How ‘bout a kiss?”

Sophie

Sophie sat in a dark corner of the bar watching Dougherty at the billiards table with Samantha. He was putting on quite a show. She scowled at Samantha impatiently. Tonight was the night everyone would see Samantha Connors for the little slut she was.

Devon

By the time Devon got to Dublin it was almost midnight and there was no parking. Everyone was out celebrating the end of term. He had to park twenty blocks from Temple Bar district. He ran all the way to the Garage, feeling like his lungs were going to burst. He prayed Megan was right about Sam being here, because she wasn’t picking up her phone.

After Devon caught his breath, he went to work scanning the packed crowd. Once inside it took a moment for his eyes to adjust in the dark haze of the bar. He didn’t see Sam, but he spotted Zander and his crew.

Devon marched over to them. “Where is she?” he growled, eyeing Zander’s bruised face like he wanted to take another crack at it.

“Who?” Zander asked.

“Don’t play games with me Zander. I know she came out with you.”

“Yeah, she did. But I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“You fucking lost her?”

“I’m not her keeper, Devon. We’re just friends.”

“If you’re so worried about her, why don’t you ask your mate Dougherty where she is?” Both Devon and Zander whirled around to see Sophie standing a few feet away, her arms crossed and face twisted into a conniving sneer.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Devon asked.

“I saw them go into the toilet together,” she said coyly. “But that was a while ago. You might not want to interrupt. They should be almost finished.”

Devon glared at Sophie and made his way to the toilets. He tried the mens. It was empty. Next he knocked on the ladies.

“Just a minute,” someone called back. It was a man’s voice—Dougherty.

“Open the fucking door, Dougherty.”

“Fuck off!”

Zander was standing at Devon’s side now. They both looked at each other for a moment and then ran at the door. They shouldered it until the lock splintered off the wood and the door swung open. Sam was crumbled on the floor with Dougherty standing over her, his pants around his ankles.

Rage rippled through Devon so strong he could taste it. Dougherty was a dead man! Devon was going to kill him. And he was going to do it with his bare hands, right here and now, if he’d hurt a single hair on Sam’s head. But first he had to get to her. He had to make sure she was alright.

Devon raced toward Sam, but Dougherty must’ve thought he was coming for him, because he cowered and started babbling.

“I didn’t touch her, I swear. She just passed out.”

Sophie strolled into the bathroom behind them. “I always knew she was just another slut. You can’t possibly want anything to do with her now, can you?”

Devon didn’t turn around. He didn’t care about Zander and Sophie’s problems. All he cared about was Sam. He was crouched next to her on the floor trying to get her to open her eyes. “Sam, angel. Sam, can you hear me?”

“Devon!” Sophie stomped her foot. “I’m talking to you!”

Devon turned to look at Sophie. Was Sophie seriously talking to him? He surveyed the scene. Zander was glaring at Sophie, while he held a squirming Dougherty, his arms pinned behind his back. Sam was still limp, her head in his lap. Devon shook his head and turned his attention back to Sam, who was murmuring incoherently. Thank Christ! At least she was breathing. But she was sloppy drunk. He’d never seen her like this.

“For Christ’s sake, Devon! What do you see in her?” Sophie yelled! “She’s a drunken slut! You’re too good for her. All of you are. What do I have to do to prove it to you?”

What do I have to do? A dark thought clawed its way into Devon’s mind as he slowly turned to face Sophie. Sophie was evil, but this . . . He stood up and walked toward her. At first she smiled, like she’d finally gotten through to him. But as Devon got closer his hate was undeniable and Sophie began to back away.

“What did you do to her?” Devon growled.

“Nothing,” she hissed. “I didn’t have to. Look at her.”

“Yes, look at her. She looks like she’s more than a little drunk. And Sam can really hold her booze. She must’ve had what, ten or so drinks to be this messed up.”

“She only had three,” Zander said, still restraining Dougherty. “I was keeping track.”

“What did you do, Sophie?” Devon asked again.

“Nothing!”

“I don’t believe you.” Devon growled. Sophie shuddered as he snatched her purse from her hands and shoved her into a bathroom stall while he searched through it. He pulled a small amber prescription vial from it, straining to read the label. “Flunitrazepam?”

Devon threw Sophie’s purse on the ground and hauled her out of the stall. “What the hell is this?” He was gripping Sophie’s wrists hard and she started to cry.

“Fuck me! You said it was just roofies, Soph,” Dougherty yelled. “Oh, Christ. What did I give her?”

Zander squeezed Dougherty’s arms tighter behind him. “Start talking.”

“Sophie made me do it,” Dougherty blubbered.

“Shut up, Dougherty,” Sophie hissed.

“No! I’m not taking the blame for this. You said it was just roofies. You promised it wouldn’t hurt her!”

“That’s what Flunitrazepam is, you idiots,” Sophie yelled. Everyone looked at her. “Look it up,” she spat.

Devon took a photo of the prescription label and searched it on his phone. “She’s right,” he said, reading the results he found online.

“Why’d you do it?” Zander asked.

“Because! Ever since she showed up, it’s all you two ever seem to talk about. Sam this, Sam that. She’s not special. And she’s not good enough for you, Devon. You’re supposed to be with me!”

“You?” He laughed. “You broke up with me as soon as I quit the team.”

“That was a mistake.”

“And was dating me a mistake too?” Zander asked.

“Yes! I only did it to make you jealous, Devon.”

“And all of this?” Devon asked pointing to Sam and Dougherty.

“Zander was supposed to catch her with Dougherty. I knew Zander would tell you. And Dougherty was supposed to take pictures so I’d have proof she’s just a slut that doesn’t care about either of you.”

“Well, mission accomplished Soph. We all know who the crazy one is now,” Devon said turning back to Sam.

Sophie grabbed his shoulder and Devon shoved her off. “If you ever touch me or Sam again I’ll go to the police about this. Now get the hell out of here before I reconsider.”

Sophie frowned and looked like she was going to say something, but Devon’s scowl stopped her and she ran out of the bathroom while she still could.

Devon gently hoisted Sam into his arms and carried her from the bathroom. Zander followed him with Dougherty. “What do you want me to do with him?” Zander asked.

“I wasn’t gonna hurt her, I swear,” Dougherty whimpered. “I was only trying to pose her like Sophie said, but I couldn’t get her to stand up.”

“I don’t care,” Devon growled pushing through the crowded bar with Sam cradled to his chest. And he didn’t. The only thing that mattered was Sam. And making sure she was safe.

* * *

Devon had only made it two blocks when Zander pulled up in his car.

“Let me give you a ride,” he called.

Devon didn’t want to take the help, but he also didn’t know if he could carry Sam another eighteen blocks.

“Fine.” Devon carefully laid Sam on the backseat and slid in next to her, holding her head in his lap.

“Where to?” Zander asked. “Home?”

“No, I think she needs to go to the hospital.”

“For roofies?” Zander asked.

“I’m not taking any chances.”

“Right.”

Zander navigated traffic quickly, pulling into the ER bay at St. James Hospital. After the nurses took Sam back, Devon and Zander gave their statements and filled out the paperwork the best they could. Devon gave the nurses Mr. Connors’ phone number and paced around the waiting room while they tried to reach him.

“Boys,” a tired-looking nurse called. “We’ve reached Mr. Connors. He’s on his way.”

“Thanks,” Devon replied. He turned to Zander. “I’ll wait for him to get here. You can take off.”

“I’ll wait with you.”

Devon shook his head.

“I don’t mind,” Zander said, sitting back down.

They both sat silently in the waiting room. Zander finally turned to Devon and spoke. “I didn’t have any idea Sophie was planning this. I swear to it. I never would’ve let her hurt Sam.”

Devon was hunched over, his head resting in his hands. “I know.”

He didn’t like Zander and he disliked the thought of him with Sam even more. Zander was many things, but Devon had never known him to be someone who had to drug his dates. Sophie, on the other hand, had always been vindictive and possessive. There were plenty of rumors about her viciousness. Sophomore year, while they were dating, Sophie shaved off a girl’s eyebrows at a sleep over because she caught her talking to Devon in the lunchroom. The summer before that she got another girl drunk and took pictures of the poor girl in her underwear with a bunch of blokes and plastered them all over the internet until she dropped out of Eddington. The girl claimed Sophie drugged her and she didn’t even know any of the guys. Of course Sophie and her bitchy friends said the girl was lying and just pissed the photos had gotten out. But after what Devon had seen tonight, he was certain all the rumors about Sophie were true and he found himself wishing he hadn’t let her off so easily.

“I should have made sure Dougherty didn’t get any photos of Sam.”

“He didn’t,” Zander replied. “I wiped his phone before I let him go.”

“Good thinking.” Devon shook his head, still not quite believing how bad this was. “Sophie’s fucking batty.”

Zander huffed a breathy laugh. “Certifiable.” He shook his head. “Well, at least I don’t feel bad about dumping her now.”

“You broke up with Sophie?”

“Yeah. She was giving me hell for spending so much time with Cara and the kids after Henry died. Said I wasn’t putting her first. I told her if she couldn’t see that family needed to come first right now then I didn’t need her in my life.” Zander sighed. “She told everyone she dumped me. I let it go. You know how she is. Didn’t seem worth it to argue. Makes sense now that I know she was only ever using me to get back at you.”

“But I don’t get it. She dumped me as soon as she heard I wasn’t football captain.”

“Yeah, she was worried she’d lose status if she wasn’t dating a baller. But I knew she still had her eye on you. When she saw you snogging Sam at Finnegan’s she flipped. Chewed my ear off about it for an hour after you left.”

Devon shook his head. “Christ, she’s crazy.”

“Yeah. If she’d just been honest about her feelings she could’ve probably had either of us.”

Zander’s words hit home. How could he fault Sophie when Devon himself had been dishonest about his feelings too? Of course he hadn’t deliberately tried to hurt people, but he’d still managed to mess things up pretty bad anyway. He’d definitely hurt Sam. Devon rubbed his temples. “I just keep thinking Sam wouldn’t have even been in this mess if it wasn’t for me.”

“Don’t blame yourself.”

“Who else can I blame?”

“Dunno. But that girl in there loves you, Devon. She asked me about you every day you were home. I know you care about her too. I see what staying away is doing to you. We all do. Cara’s worried sick about you. She keeps redecorating the house because she doesn’t know how to talk to you and it’s the only way she can keep busy. She’s driving me mad. I really hate being everyone’s in-between man. We all just need to talk to each other. We’re family.”

Devon looked at Zander like he had two heads. “Cara’s worried about me?”

“Christ, Devon. Are ya that daft? I know you don’t like her, but she’s not a monster. You lost your father, but she lost her husband, too. You’re not the only one who feels alone in that big old house.”

“What about you?” Devon asked.

“What about me?”

“Do you still hate me?”

“Devon, I’ve never hated you. I’ve been jealous of you, but I’m not gonna kick a man while he’s down. Christ, what do ya think of me?”

“I just always thought you hated me.”

“Sometimes I think I might have. But I was wrong. I more hated myself. Maybe even Cara a little. I felt like she left me for your dad and a big house. And I always had to struggle for my place in life while I watched things just handed to you. But it wasn’t your fault. I know that now. It was just life.”

“So what do we do now?” Devon asked.

Zander laughed. “Hell if I know. Try to put our mess of a family back together. That’s all Cara wants.”

“Really?”

Zander nodded.

“Do you want that?” Devon asked.

“I think being a part of the family might be nice.”

“What about all the things you said about stealing Cor-Tec?”

“I was just trying to take the piss outta ya. I got it into my head that I had a shot with your girl, but I know better now.”

Devon smirked. “Well, I really have no interest in my father’s business. Maybe, if you’re open to it, you could help me run it.”

Zander raised his eyebrows and then extended his hand. “I’d be honored.”

Just then, a frantic-looking Mr. Connors came racing into the waiting room. “Where is she? Where’s Sam!”

The nurse quickly tended to him before he could get any closer to Devon and Zander.

“You better get out of here, mate,” Devon said after Mr. Connors was escorted back to Sam’s room. “He’s probably going to lay into me when he gets out.”

Zander nodded. “Want a ride home?”

“I can’t leave yet. I need to make sure Sam’s okay.”

“Then I’ll wait with you.”