A door clicks open and Demi’s small body appears. Her face is red from crying, she looks terrified. As soon as she sees me a fresh stream of tears roll down her cheeks and I hug her, trying to comfort her as best I can without knowing what the hell is going on.
“Where is she?” I ask softly. She just points to stall she came out of. I let go of Demi and walk into the undersized stall. Huntley is hunched over the toilet, resting her head against her arms. I pull her hair out of her face, noticing how pale she is. Her skin is clammy, her breathing shallow. “Huntley?”
No response.
I touch her sweaty cheek. “Huntley?”
Still nothing.
Shit.
“Is she ok?” Demi asks from behind me.
“I don’t know,” I say, “Who were you guys with? Are you sure she only had two drinks?”
“I swear she only had the two drinks Luke bought her. I’ve been with her since her and Luke came here after their date.”
“Luke Bailey?” My voice comes out starker than I mean it to and Demi flinches. She nods yes and I feel my anger raise a notch. Luke Bailey is bad news. He wants girls to think he’s a nice guy but the rumors about him using date rape drugs are enough to prove otherwise. God help the fucker if he’s given Huntley anything.
“Shit, I think I know what’s wrong with her. We need to get her to the hospital. Now.”
I scoop Huntley up into my arms and her head falls heavily onto my chest. Her arms and legs are completely limp. I walk out the bathroom with Demi hot on my heels and set out for the exit. The music is loud and there are just too many people here. I start pushing people out of my way, earning me a few cuss words. I ignore them. The only thing I give a fuck about right now is the girl in my arms.
“Grayson!”
I turn around at the sound of my name and find Brody and Tommy pushing their way through the throng of people to get to us. “What the hell happened?” he asks.
“I don’t know yet. I’m taking Huntley to the hospital.”
Brody looks at the tiny body in my arms and frowns. We exchange a look and I know what he’s thinking. He knows what’s wrong with her and he knows who’s responsible. “I’ll come with you.”
I nod stiffly and resume carrying Huntley out to my truck. I put her into the back seat and look at a frightened Demi, “Wait right here. I’ll be right back.”
I turn to look at Brody, “Call Coach and tell him to meet us at the hospital. I’ll be right back.”
He jumps into my truck and I stomp back inside the bar, scanning the area quickly before I spot Luke grinding with some bimbo on the dance floor. What kind of asshole drugs his date and then just leaves her? The fact that it’s Huntley just makes me furious.
I tap his shoulder and as he spins around my fist connects with his jaw. He hits the ground and the girl next to him screams. I grab his shirt collar and yank him up again. I know security will be here in less than one minute so I need to make it short. I’m quite a bit bigger than he is so I look down at him and we’re so close our noses are touching.
“Listen here you piece of shit,” I growl so only he can hear me. “If I find out you drugged her I will find you and I will break every fucking bone in your body. You better pray I don’t find you near her again, because if I do, you’ll wish you were dead.”
His face pales and his eyes widen to the size of saucers. “You got it?”
He swallows and nods once before one of the bouncers pulls me off him. I willingly let go and then tell the bouncers to get him out before he drugs anyone else. I don’t stay to watch what they do to him. Instead, I make a beeline for my truck.
All I want to do is get Huntley to the damn hospital.
** ** ** ** **
“Where is she?” Coach Morgan yells while running into the emergency room. Mrs. Coach isn’t far behind and she looks as terrified as Demi was.
“They’re busy checking her out now and running some tests,” I reply. “Demi called me from Nicky’s and I got there as soon as I could.”
“Thank you Grayson,” Coach Morgan says. He wraps his huge arm around his teary eyed wife and kisses her forehead. I look over at where Demi is sitting with Brody, who’s comforting her and telling her it will be ok. I will never forget how terrified she looked. I just hope Huntley is going to be fine.
Just then the doctor comes walking out holding a clipboard. The look on his face worries me. “Mr. and Mrs. Morgan?” he asks, looking around.
“Here,” Coach Morgan replies. The Doctor motions them into the waiting room and I follow behind. “Are you her parents?” the doctor asks.
Coach Morgan shifts a little, looking down at his wife with a sad expression on his face, “No, we’re her aunt and uncle but we’re all she has. Both her parents are dead.”
Something inside me shifts, sinking low into the pit of my stomach. I can’t imagine losing both my parents and the thought alone is enough to make me break. My need to protect Huntley is stronger now, knowing how alone she really is.
“Alright. I believe this is the young man that found her and brought her in,” the doctor gestures towards me. I nod, waiting impatiently to find out if Huntley’s ok.