Page 47 of Wild Tangled Hearts

Suddenly, the man is forcefully pulled away from me. Before fully comprehending what's happening, I hear a loud thud followed by a string of curses.

Alex.

He's punched the guy square in the face, and the man stumbles back, clutching his bleeding nose. Alex steps forward, his eyes blazing with anger."If you ever come near her again," he growls, "you'll regret it."

The man retreats, wiping his bloody mouth with the back of his hand as he goes. "You're both crazy," he mutters, disappearing into the night.

Alex turns toward me, his expression shifting from anger to concern. "Are you okay?" he asks, checking if I'm hurt.

"I'm...I'm fine," I stammer, avoiding his gaze.

As Alex and I stand in the dimly lit street, my stomach lurches, and I suddenly realize I'm far from fine. The combination of alcohol, stress, and the recent confrontation with the persistent guy sends me stumbling towards a nearby patch of bushes. I barely make it in time before I start retching.

My face burns with embarrassment as I empty the contents of my stomach into the greenery, praying that no one else is witnessing this pitiful display. Alex is beside me, gently pulling my hair back as I heave.

When it finally subsides, I feel utterly mortified. I glance at the approaching Uber, hoping the driver didn't witness my unfortunate episode. But my hopes are dashed when the driver rolls down the window and says, "Sorry, but I can't take her in that condition. I won't have puke on my seats."

I want to disappear into the ground, but Alex steps in before I can even form a coherent thought. "Don't worry about it. I'll take her home."

I look up at him, my gratitude mixed with shame. "I'm so sorry," I mumble, my voice shaky.

Alex just smiles reassuringly. "Let's get you home."

My head is spinning, and the world blurs around me as I slump back in the truck's seat. The night's events have taken their toll on me, and I can't help but feel an overwhelming mix of emotions — embarrassment, relief, and a strange gratitude for Alex's intervention.

I manage to tell him my address before the rhythmic motion of the car lulls me into a drowsy state, and my eyes shut. The last thing I remember is the soft hum of the engine and the faint glow of streetlights passing by.

The next time I regain consciousness, I'm no longer in the truck. Panic momentarily washes over me, but as my groggy mind clears, I realize I'm in my room, lying on my bed, a cool washcloth on my forehead.

My head throbs with a relentless ache, and I feel like I might be sick again. I push myself up, trying to regain my bearings.

The room spins for a moment, and I groan in discomfort.

Then, I hear movement nearby, and I turn my head to see Alex standing by my bedside, concern etched on his face. "Hey there," he says softly. "Take it easy."

I blink, still trying to process everything. "Alex? How did I get here?"

He gives me a gentle smile. "I carried you inside. You were out like a light."

Which is a nice way of him saying I passed out in his truck.

My cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I run a hand through my messy hair. "I'm so sorry for all of this."

Alex shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're okay."

But I'm not okay. My stomach churns, and I feel like I'm on the verge of another bout of nausea. I scramble out of bed, stumbling towards the bathroom. This time, I make it to the toilet before emptying the remnants of the night's excesses.

As I sit there, feeling utterly miserable, I can't help but reflect on the series of poor choices I've made. My head pounds with regret, and I wonder how I could have allowed myself to reach this low point.

When I eventually leave the bathroom, I find Alex waiting for me. There’s a slight furrowing of his forehead and a subtle tension around his eyes, and I can tell he’s worried about me.

“Thank you for bringing me home, but you better not stay too long, or your girlfriend might get jealous.” It’s a dig that feels petty and untrue even as I say the words.

“She isn’t my girlfriend, Bella. That was my ex.”

“Are you sure she knows that?”

“I want to talk to you about that. About everything. But right now isn’t a good idea.”

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