Page 83 of Soulless Saint

“No, it’s good.” She waved him off. “You know I don’t do that shit, anyway.”

Toby offered his drugs to AJ, but she declined. “No one else,” he asked.

I swallowed. “I could—”

“The fuck you are,” Grey said, and I remembered the shithead also knew about my past issues with everything under the sun from E to MDMA. “Give it here.”

Toby tossed the bag to Grey, who popped the last two pills in his own mouth before either me or Rook could make a play for them.

I felt a cold sort of relief once they were all gone and Rook, shaken from his reverie, went right back to rolling that coin over his knuckles, taking another pull from his Jack.

“All right, let’s get this party started!”

Becca launched into a redacted tale of how her first few weeks were going in Santa Clarita. She was careful to focus on her schoolwork and her roommates, the topics that would involve me or my brother glazed over at best.

Trying to eavesdrop on her conversation made it hella hard to keep up my own with the guys, and within thirty minutes, all semblance of proper conversation came to an abrupt end.

Grey nuzzled against Rook, humming blissfully to himself while Rook gave him shit for getting nacho powder on his jacket, but made no move to stop him.

Toby danced in front of the open refrigerator, pulling out the ingredients for what he called a lazy man’s margarita while Kate chatted with Ava Jade about the merits of drip versus french press coffee. Kate, I might add, on her second cup of glorified tequila and lime juice. There was no way I was letting either of Becca’s roommates drive her anywhere.

And Becca? Becca did not seem to be having the same kind of trip as the others. Her dark eyes kept shifting about the room, the tension in her shoulders getting tighter and tighter until I could hardly stand to look at her anymore, my stomach in knots on her behalf.

I shook my head, extricating myself from the conversation with Rook and Corvus as I stood from the sofa, grabbed a bottle of water from the counter, and went to kneel in front of Becca. I held out the bottle like a peace offering, no longer caring that she might’ve fucked my brother a few hours ago.

She didn’t look good. Not at all.

“Drink this,” I ordered her, and she tried to paw it away.

Ava Jade, tuning back in to her best friend, held up a hand to Kate to silence her, shifting back over to where Becca sat hunched over herself, her eyelids drooping.

“When was the last time she ate or drank anything?” Ava Jade asked Kate as I finally won out in our silent battle, getting Becca to take the bottle and drink.

“Uh, I don’t know. We came straight from work and I… shit. I don’t think she took her last break, and I didn’t see her eat or drink anything but a few americanos.”

The way Ava Jade looked at Kate could’ve curdled dairy, but shockingly, Kate didn’t cower, she jumped to her feet and went in search of food.

“Hey, Becks? You okay, babe?” AJ was asking her friend, rubbing reassuring circles into her back.

“Tired,” Becca said on a sigh. “So tired.”

Hardin’s phone rang loud in the room, cutting through the low music and the buzzing in my head. Distantly, I watched him answer the call and excuse himself to the far wall. He wouldn’t take a call right now unless it was…

Ah fuck. Not now.

“I need you to drink some more,” I told Becca, helping her tip the bottle up to get more past her lips. Some spilled down her front, and she groaned weakly to herself.

Hardin jerked his chin to me, and I shook my head, not wanting to leave Becca’s side. She looked fucking white. “What was that shit?” I asked Kate as she came back with an armload of snacks.

“It’s just Molly,” she said.

“Where did he get it?”

Kate blanched. “Um, some guy called Minty, I think.”

I clenched my teeth, wanting to ring the fucker’s neck, but at least that meant one good thing. “I know him,” I assured Ava Jade. “He’s a fucking tool, but his shit is as clean as it gets. She’ll be okay, just needs to sleep it off.”

On cue, Becca keeled over, laying her head on the armrest of the sofa, tucking her legs up into her chest.

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