Page 107 of Fallen Princess: Shadow Stalker

“This isn’t just herbal. Don’t start playing the witch with me. Eden is dead to the world. I could cut her finger off, and she won’t wake up.”

“You disrespecting imbecile,” she mutters, resting the cup on the bedside table, grabbing the blanket that’s drifted to Eden's waist, uncovering her breasts. She drapes it back over her body and tucks her in.

“Leave her alone! She’s had a tough day. She needs sleep. This is the only way Eden is able to find peace.”

Thoughts fly through my mind.

Eden must be aware of this.

It can’t be that Catalina’s been secretly giving her heavy doses of barbituates for ten years, and she hasn’t questioned it.

“You need to leave,” I say, my voice getting deep and dark.

She ignores me and sits down on the armchair.

“I’m one second from physically throwing you out,” I say, glowering at the woman.

“Lay one hand on me, and I’ll have you arrested for assault.”

The truth is I have no right over Eden; she isn’t my girlfriend, and neither is this my house.

One glance at Eden lying in that bed, aware that this old bat is responsible for her current condition, sparks a protective fury within me, casting everything in a red haze. I’m one step away from unleashing my anger when a thought occurs to me.

Swiftly exiting the room, I dash downstairs to the kitchen, recalling the sight of Catalina leaving her purse there. Ignoring the presence of the others, my eyes scan the room intently.

Where the bloody fuck is it?

Finally, my sight locks on the brown leather purse on the ground inside the pantry. The door’s been left slightly ajar, and I guess one of the guys had opened it to grab something from inside.

I snatch the purse and empty the contents on the marble counter.

“Mate,” Jagger asks, coming over to me. “What are you doing? And whose purse does that belong to?”

“I found Eden out cold in the bathtub. She was one step from drowning. She’s completely zonked out, stone cold,” I explain quickly as I rummage through everything. “Catalina put something in her tea, and I suspect it’s been going on for a while. Whether Eden’s aware or not, I need to find what the fuck it is.”

“Bruv,” I hear Haze approaching, but ignore them all, determined to find what Eden took.

Inside a small compartment is a small plastic bag. There’s just white powder residue in it.

“Bingo!” I say and hold it up to them. “This is it! She’s drugged Eden with this.”

“What is it?”

All the guys have now surrounded me.

“No idea. But it’s some kind of strong barbiturate.”

“It could be anything. It’s just white powder.”

“Did you confront her about it?”

“Eden? No, she’s completely knocked out. But Catalina hadn’t denied it.”

“There’s nothing you can do if Eden’s got some prescription,” Asher explains. “We all know she doesn’t sleep well.”

“She nearly drowned in the bath….” the realization suddenly hits me. “She doesn’t know about these drugs. Catalina made t her tea. Eden had a bath without knowing she had consumed these drugs. If she needed them to sleep, why would she take the pills and then go take a bath?”

“She’s not someone who would top herself either,” Haze says firmly, and we all agree with that, except no one ever really knows what goes on in someone’s deep mind.

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