Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Tears begin to stream down Celine’s face, and I immediately wrap my arms around her, rubbing her back and making soft, soothing noises. At first, she sags against me, her sobs wracking her body. Ellie wraps her arms around both of us, asking what’s wrong in a frantic tone. “She just got a photo of Eddie cheating,” I say.
“That asshole…” Ellie gasps and Celine begins to laugh in a manic way that is more worrying than the crying, pulling away and resting her hands on her knees.
“Exactly. That asshole. I mean, who the fuck does he think is? He’s been hounding me about staying together. I kept telling him these are our college years, and we should be having experiences, sewing our oats. I kept trying to break up, at least to have a bit of space to breathe, and he kept saying no. And all the time, he just wanted to have his cake and eat it too. Well, fuck him. It’s over. I need another drink.”
Before I have an opportunity to dissuade her, Celine is striding from the dance floor to the bar. She orders an obscene number of cocktails, and Ellie and I watch with dread as she downs them all, one by one. She’s okay at first, dancing like it’s the last night of Cancun spring break, but then suddenly she hits a wall. All the color drains from her face and she clutches her stomach.
“We need to get her outside,” I say. “Fresh air.” I put my arm around Celine’s waist and quickly guide her to the door. The doormen shoot me knowing looks as I bustle past them with Ellie trailing. As soon as we’re in the parking lot, Celine loses the contents of her stomach, groaning loudly. I just about manage to keep her upright while she’s vomiting, but then her knees go out from under her and I’m just not strong enough to manage.
“Shit,” Ellie says, trying to help, but even with the two of us trying, Celine’s a deadweight. She lolls forward, her eyes dropping shut, and I start to panic.
“I think she has alcohol poisoning,” I say, trying to at least keep her upper body upright.
“Should we call an ambulance?”
“I don’t know.” The racing beat of my heart blurs my thoughts. Celine groans and my guts clench, recalling the freshman who died last year from drinking too much.
“I’ll get Colby. He’ll know what to do.”
Ellie rushes back inside, leaving me balancing the deadweight of Celine. The poor thing is totally out of it, making more low groaning noises. She doesn’t respond when I ask her if she’s okay. She’s dazed and confused, lost in a world of her own.
The cold creeps over my skin, my body aching from the position I’m in. But in less than two minutes, Ellie is back with a whole entourage of worried people. Colby is already on the phone calling an ambulance. Micky kneels to check Celine’s pulse.
“Her heart’s racing,” he says, as worry furrows his brow and narrows his lips.
“Shit. Should we get her some water?” I ask.
“She’ll probably just throw it up. Better wait for the ambulance. They might give her an IV.”
“Right.”
Micky rises to speak with Colby and Dornan squats down to check on Celine. “What the hell have you done to yourself?” he asks her softly.
“Eddie’s such a stupid asshole,” I say. “He’s always been so fucking controlling. I just can’t believe he’d be that way and cheat on her.”
“I know.” Dornan pushes Celine’s hair back from her face so tenderly, my brow rises in surprise. “She already knew she’d be better off without him, but just didn’t have the heart to let him go when he was fighting so hard to keep her.”
“It’s for the best,” I say. “I don’t know who sent that picture, but whoever it was did her a huge favor.”
“I’m going to get her up,” Dornan says. “Her knees must hurt on the asphalt.”
In a move that takes Herculean strength, he scoops Celine up into his arms and stands. When Celine’s head lolls, I rest my hand behind it, balancing her against Dornan’s bulky chest. In the darkness, he looks like a Viking carrying his slain bride.
I glance around to find Elias talking with Kain, Dalton, and Blake. Dalton nods in my direction as if to say, ‘we’re here if you need us.’ It’s the sweetest gesture that hurts so bad.
Ellie strokes Celine’s cheek, whispering soft reassurance, and we wait for the ambulance.
It only takes ten minutes to arrive. The paramedics take one look at Celine and decide that she needs to go to the hospital. Dornan carries her into the ambulance, resting her gently onto the gurney. I watch as he smooths her hair back from her face and bends to kiss her forehead. Again, I’m startled by his tenderness. I mean, I know we’re all friends, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dornan act this way before.