Page 45 of Should Our Stars Collide

He releases a shaky breath, gripping the edges of the blanket and pulling it tighter over Kieran’s shoulders.

“Kieran, what do you think happened last night?”

“That should be my line.”

“No, I’m asking you.” Ash’s voice is firm, similar to what he sounded like when he ordered Kieran to get in his car. “What do you remember?”

Kieran grinds his teeth. What kind of sick game is this? Is he asking just so he can try to convince Kieran that’s not what happened? Bastard.

“You harassed me at the pub, bullied me into following you into your sissy car, then forced yourself into my apartment and hovered until I fell asleep.”Then proceeded to sexually assault me. He doesn’t say that out loud, since, technically, he can’t remember that part. Not that he needs to. Now that he’s marginally calmer and has more awareness of his body, he can sense a strange, unfamiliar ache in his ass that has nothing to do with landing on the floor.

This is what you get for being so fucking stupid.

Fuck, what is he still doing here? Why is he still talking to Ash? Why doesn’t he have his hands wrapped around Ash’s throat already?

Ash is suspiciously silent for a long while. He seems even more confused than Kieran and—Wait a minute. His eyes are back to being blue. What kind of mindfuck is this?

Yeah, he’s definitely tripping.

“Who were you at the pub with?”

Kieran pauses at the question. What does that have to do withanything?“None of your business.”

Ash’s hands flex on Kieran’s knees. “Was it your coworkers? Did your mum call that evening?”

Kieran gapes at him. “How do you know that?” Did his drunken ass tell Ash?

A muscle in Ash’s cheek jumps. Closing his eyes briefly, he gives Kieran’s knees another squeeze and stands up. “Get dressed. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“What? Why?”

So…he hasnotbeen kidnapped?

Ash slides into a pair of shorts—where did those come from, he was wearing slacks last night—and goes to the other side of the bed to grab his phone. “Because you fell off a jetski yesterday and it might’ve been more serious than I thought.”

“I don’t jetski,” Kieran counters. “I’d never.”

“So you said.” Ash throws him a pair of underwear. “Now, get dressed.”

Kieran flings the underwear back at him, reveling in the momentary joy of witnessing Ash’s dumbstruck expression.

“I’m not going anywhere, especially with you.”

“Kieran,” Ash says. Slowly. Very slowly.Oh shit.“I’m not gonna ask again.”

Utterly ignoring his survival instinct, Kieran retorts, “Good, because I wouldn’t listen anyway.” He stands up. “I don’t know where I am, but I’m going home.” That shouldn’t be a problem, since it seems he really has not been kidnapped. Now that he’s looked properly, his phone is even on the nightstand.

“Hey, where’s my phone?” he demands when it turns out it’snot his phone. Similar, but bigger.

“You’re holding it.”

“This isn’t my—” The phone vibrates in his hand, the screen lighting up with a newly received email. He’s about to ignore it when he notices the subject line in the thumbnail.

IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON, WATCH THIS!

He drops back on the bed and instinctively presses his thumb to the scanner. It unlocks.

“Huh?” Clicking the email open, he can see it’s been sent by?—