Without You (37 page)

Then, everything went black.

“Will, slow the hell down, man,” Luke said as he and Libby attempted to keep up with me.

I walked into the emergency room and frantically looked around. I didn’t see Grace. “Where’s Grace?”

Luke walked up to the nurses’ station. “Excuse me, ma’am? My cousin, Alex Mathews, was brought in a little bit ago.”

She looked at a chart and back up at Luke. She glanced over to Libby and me. “Are you all family?”

Luke nodded his head. “I’m her cousin.”

She nodded her head. “Your name?”

“Luke Johnson.”

“Mr. Johnson, you can go back there. Your sister, Grace, should be there. I believe the doctor will be talking to her shortly.”

I stepped forward. “What about me?”

The nurse looked at me with sympathetic eyes. “You are?”

“Her fiancé, Will Hayes.”

Libby gasped, and Luke turned and looked at me.

“Mr. Hayes, I can’t allow you to go back there yet. Give me just a few minutes. Mr. Johnson, please follow me.”

Luke said, “Fuck, if I had known, I would have had you—”

I slowly shook my head. “Go. Just find out how she is.”

I watched as Luke followed the nurse through the double doors. My legs felt like they were going to give out.

“Will, let’s go sit down, okay?” Libby guided me over to the waiting room. She pulled out her phone. “Colt is almost here. He can’t get a hold of his parents or Mom or Dad. They all went to some ranch in west Texas. They must not have a signal out there. Jeff and Ari are on their way.”

I nodded my head. “What in the fuck happened, Libby? Grace could hardly talk on the phone.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. Grace was in a state of panic when she called. She kept saying it was all her fault. I don’t know, Will.”

We sat in silence until Luke cleared his throat. He was about to start talking when Colt, Lauren, and Taylor ran up. Meagan had sent a text saying she was on her way from Baylor.

“Where’s Alex? What’s going on?” Colt looked around to each of us.

Luke put his hand on Colt’s shoulder. “She’s okay, Colt. Take a deep breath, dude, and sit down. I was just with Grace, and the doctor came to talk to us.”

Colt sat down, and Lauren sat next to him. I couldn’t help but notice that Colt reached for Lauren’s hand when Luke started talking. She held it and wiped a tear away with her other hand.

“They were at a party. Someone must have given Alex something to drink with Rohypnol in it.”

“Oh God, no,” Libby whispered.

Taylor and Lauren both started crying. My heart was beating so hard and fast in my chest that it almost drowned out Luke’s words.

Luke cleared his throat. “She wasn’t raped.”

Libby let out a sigh and said, “Thank you, God.”

I shook my head. “Raped? Someone tried to rape her?” I felt sick to my stomach.

“They were at some girl named Chrissie’s brother’s house. Grace said she noticed that Alex had disappeared, so Grace began looking for her. Grace walked up to Chrissie and asked her where Alex was. She said Chrissie started acting funny and started frantically looking around. Then, she just blurted out that Blake had promised to get her into some sorority if she slipped something in Alex’s drink. Chrissie admitted that she did it, and then she told Grace where Blake had taken Alex. I guess Chrissie’s brother was standing there, and he and Grace ran upstairs. Grace said she heard Alex screaming out her name, and Chrissie’s brother kicked open the door. Right as it opened…um…”

I looked at Luke. Anger along with tears filled his eyes. I looked at Colt, who had already been crying.

I slowly glanced back to Luke. “What? Just tell us.”

Luke looked down. “Grace said Alex asked her to help her, and then Blake punched Alex. She hasn’t woken up yet.”

Colt and I stood up.

“That motherfucker. I’m going to kill him,” I said.

“What about Alex?” Colt asked.

“The doctor said they drew blood and pumped Alex’s stomach. After Grace explained to them what happened, they’re certain that Alex was drugged.”

“Has anyone called the police?” Libby asked.

“Yes, they were called. I’m going to be honest with you, Will and Colt. I know where the fucker is. He’s still at the party, and Grace gave me the address and said the brother wasn’t letting Blake go until the police get there.”

Libby jumped up. “No! Luke…” She turned to Colt and me. “Will, Colt, don’t do this. Do
not
do this, please.”

I looked at my sister. “I love you, Libby.” I kissed her on the forehead. “Where is he?” I asked Luke.

Libby began crying as she turned to Luke and put her hands on his chest. “Please. Please don’t do this, Luke. I know you’re angry, but please don’t go. I can’t bear the thought of you getting hurt.” She turned to look at Colt and me. “Or any of you getting hurt. Don’t do this.”

Lauren walked up and said, “I disagree. Go teach that asshole a lesson.”

“No! Oh my God, Lauren!” Libby stepped in front of me. “Don’t. Do. This. I understand you’re angry, Will. I am, too. Let the police take care of it. What would Dad tell you to do, Will?”

I looked at Luke and then Colt. They both nodded their heads.

“I’m coming with you,” Grace said in a weak voice from behind me.

“No…” Libby whispered.

“Let’s go,” I said.

Luke and Colt turned and started to head out of the emergency room.

“Will! Luke! Colt! Please don’t do this!” Libby shouted.

I closed my eyes quickly to blink away my tears. When I opened them, I knew what I had to do.

We walked into the house, and Grace immediately pointed to Blake.

Most everyone was gone, and Blake was sitting down, talking to two guys. I recognized him the minute I saw him. I started to head over to him.

Grace stepped in front of me. “Will, Alex is going to need you when she wakes up. I’m not sure how much she’ll remember, but she’ll need you. You won’t be able to be there for her if you’re in jail. I told the police everything I knew, and I’m sure they will be here any minute to arrest Blake.”

“She’s right, Will. Let Colt and me take care of this ass before the police get here,” Luke said.

I shook my head. “No, he hurt Lex, and now, he’s going to hurt.”

I walked up to Blake and stopped right in front of him.

He jumped up. “Will? What are you—”

“How far did you get?” I asked.

Blake looked at me. “What? Is Alex awake?”

I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled his face close to mine. “What the fuck did you do to her? I’ll fucking kill you if you touched her.”

Blake pushed me, and I stumbled back, but Colt grabbed me. The way Blake was smiling at me turned my stomach.

“What’s wrong? Your girlfriend doesn’t remember how fucking turned-on she was for me? Her pussy sure was wet enough when I slipped my fingers inside her.”

The flood of anger moved through my body like I’d never felt before. One of the guys standing nearby called Blake an asshole. I took two steps toward Blake and pulled my fist back. Blake was saying something to the guy, and when he turned around, he didn’t see my fist coming straight to his face. The moment I made contact, he fell backward and hit the chair.

I started for him when I felt someone grab my arms. “Let me go!” I shouted.

“Dude, the cops just got here. I want to hurt him as much as you do, but calm the hell down,” Luke said.

Colt walked up to Blake and kicked him in the side as hard as he could. “That’s for my sister, you motherfucker!”

Some guy walked up to Colt and said something to him as he backed Colt away.

Lying on the floor, Blake moaned like the pussy he was. I wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of him. When the cops walked up, they asked for Blake Turner, and one of his friends bent down and helped him up.

“Who hit him?” the cop asked as he looked around.

No one said a word. I watched as Blake’s friends all shook their heads.

“Fine,” the cop said as he proceeded to put handcuffs on Blake.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Let me the fuck go!” he slurred.

It was then I noticed how drunk he was. I turned and watched as the cop began reading Blake his rights while walking him out of the house.

Luke walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get back to the hospital. My dad sent me a text. My parents are at the hospital, and Gunner and Ellie will be there shortly.”

I began following Luke and Colt out. I glanced over and saw some girl crying hysterically, and one of the guys who had been talking to Blake when we’d walked in had his arm around her as she talked to a cop. I turned and looked for Grace. She was watching the same scene play out as she walked slightly behind Luke.

She looked up at me and said, “That’s Chrissie and her brother.”

I nodded my head. “I’d like to slap the shit out of her.”

“You’d have to get behind me,” Grace said.

I shook my head as I looked back at Chrissie. She looked at me, and her face said it all. She was racked with guilt.

Good. Serves her ass right.

We piled back into Luke’s truck, and my phone went off. I pulled it out to see a text from Libby.

Libby: Will, the nurse said Alex is sleeping, but she’s calling out your name. Please come back.

Me: We’re on our way now.

“Luke, I need something from our room. Please, it’s for Alex,” Grace said.

Luke nodded his head. “Okay, but be quick, Grace.”

When we got to Duren Hall, Grace jumped out of the truck and ran into the building. I continued to stare out the window. I couldn’t drown out Blake’s words, no matter how hard I tried to block them.

Her pussy sure was wet enough when I slipped my fingers inside her.

I felt the bile building up, and I opened the truck door. I jumped out and began throwing up.

Colt was out and standing there within seconds. “Jesus, Will, are you all right?”

I shook my head and threw up again.

Luke walked up and put his hand on my back. “It’s gonna be okay, Will. I promise you.”

I stood up and wiped my mouth as I looked at him with tears rolling down my face. “You don’t know that, Luke. He touched her. God knows how far he went. I pray to God she doesn’t remember. Oh God, I hope she doesn’t remember.” I felt my knees give out as I began crying harder.

Colt and Luke both grabbed me as my legs buckled from underneath me. Colt pulled me into his arms as I let out every emotion I had been holding in. They helped me back over to the truck, and I slowly got into the back seat where I attempted to get control again.

Grace got back into the truck and asked Luke what happened. When he told her what happened, she wrapped her arms around me.

“I swear to you, he didn’t get that far. Her pants were still on, Will, I swear to God.”

I pulled back and saw Colt quickly wiping away his tears. I nodded my head and looked down at what Grace was holding. She had Lex’s doll.

“Emma,” I whispered as I looked up into Grace’s eyes.

She smiled and nodded her head. “Come on, let’s get back before she wakes up.”

We weren’t that far from the hospital, but it felt like an eternity before I was walking back through the emergency room doors. I overheard as the nurse told Lauren, Libby, and Taylor that Alex had been moved to a room.

As everyone walked to the elevator to head up to the floor where Alex’s room was, Libby grabbed my hand. I peeked down at her, and she smiled at me. My heart instantly felt better from just having Lib here with me. I closed my eyes and waited until the elevator door opened, and we exited.

We walked up to the nurses’ station. A nurse told us that only two people could visit at a time. Colt and I looked at each other.

He nodded his head. “Let’s go,” he whispered.

I looked back at Libby.

She nodded her head and mouthed,
It’s okay.

Colt and I stopped at Lex’s door and looked at each other. I glanced back at the door, pushed it in, and walked inside. Colt followed, and he walked directly up to Lex as I held back.

He started crying. “Oh God. Oh, Alex. I’m so sorry…oh God, I’m so sorry.” His body was shaking as he cried harder.