Page 25 of Ordinary Secrets

“I’m fine.”

“You’re turning red.” Dex catches me with his enormous hand as the room tilts to the side. “And now you’re falling...”

I understand that he’s only trying to stop me from crashing to the floor, but him grabbing me like that makes me want to recoil into myself. I’m close to shoving him away. I don’t because I don’t want to be like that anymore. It’s exhausting to be scared all the time and to wonder if the hand on my body will leave another bruise. I want to be a normal person—someone who can be touched by a man without dying on the inside.

“I’m gonna get some fresh air.” I toss the long strap of my purse over my shoulder, then get to my feet.

Dex puts his beer down. “I’ll come make sure you don’t fall over.”

“No, thanks. I’ll be fine.” The room wavers as I navigate through the crowd from my seat to the door.

Fog settles into my brain as I stumble into the warm night air. The massive line of people waiting to get inside earlier has disappeared. It’s quieter out here than in there, which helps me feel a tiny bit better—right until a car drives by with lights as bright as the sun.

“Be careful.” Someone steadies me with an arm on my waist.

I flinch as my eyes meet with Dex’s. I thought I’d told him I’d be fine, but apparently I’m not if I can’t even walk straight.

Dex keeps me upright as I shuffle behind the restaurant to sit on a patch of grass under a looming palm tree. I pretzel my legs together and throw my head into my hands.

What’s going on? Why does my head hurt so much? Was it something I ate?Wait...Did someone drug me? My head springs up.

“You okay?” Dex squats in front of me with concern etched into his face.

I peer over Dex’s broad shoulders to scan the area for my ex’s car. I wouldn’t put it past him to slip some money to the bartender to drop something into my lemonade, and then when I come outside, he attacks me.

My vision is blurry, but from what I can tell, his car isn’t here.Maybe he parked it in a parking garage?

“Looking for someone?” Dex asks, glancing back.

Was it...? No.It couldn’t have been Dex. I kept my hands and eyes on my drink the whole time, and not once did he reach for my lemonade.

Rummaging through my purse, I pull out my phone. The brightness of the screen makes me screw my eyes shut again. “I’m going to call my friend to pick me up.”

“I could take you home?” he offers gently.

Yeah, right.“No, thanks,” I say kindly yet firmly.

“I don’t mind.”

I mind.“I appreciate the thought, but I?—”

The world tips upside down. All I can see is the back of Dex’s jeans. His hard shoulder digs into my stomach, and my purse flops against him as he steadily carries me across the parking lot.

“Hey!” I shout. The word barely comes out. “Put me down.”

I struggle to raise my arms. My attempt at punching the guy looks like my hand twitched. My leg doesn’t lift when I tell it to. Neither does my head.

No!I scream at the top of my lungs, but it doesn’t reach my ears.

A car beeps, then a door opens. I can’t pry my eyelids apart. Warm leather presses against my cheek. My mind races to all those kidnapped, raped, and murdered women I watch true crime shows about.Am I about to become one of them?

I try to scream again. Nothing comes out. I try to move but fail. My legs are moving, but that’s because Dex is pushing them into the car. I tell my legs to kick him. They don’t.

The door slams shut as a deep voice bellows, “Step. Away. From. The girl.”

“Don’t worry, man. She’s my girlfriend. She’s just had too much to drink.”

“Get away from her,” the other man growls.

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