Page 30 of Where Daisies Breathe (Star Meadows #2)

CLOVER

B eing drugged and drugging yourself are two very different experiences.

Whenever I choose to snort a line or inject my veins with a jolt of euphoria, my brain sings to life as a rush of need surges through me.

Realizing I’ve been drugged, though, is different.

It’s happened a few times, but this precise moment is worse because I don’t know who did it to me.

Before, I’d assumed it was Jason. This time, though, Jason isn’t here.

I’m at Jason’s friend’s party, and we came together, but he had to abruptly leave.

“Stay here until I get back,” he had said to me with a nervous edge in his tone.

“I think I should just go home.” I was tired tonight when he told me to come to this party, too exhausted to play undercover. I just wanted one night off. But Jason got pissed when I said that, and I reminded myself that I needed to do this for Zoey, so I went.

He shook his head as he put on his jacket. “I don’t have time to drive you anywhere.”

“Why not?” I asked, trying to contain my suspiciousness.

“Because I can’t.” He swung past me and headed for the front door. “I’ll be back later.” He walked out, leaving me by myself.

I twisted around, glancing at the men occupying the room. Hardly any women were here, and I didn’t know the few that were. And maybe it could’ve been my anxiety, but I swear more guys were staring at me now that Jason had left.

I thought about walking home. But it was cold outside, and my house was like ten miles away. Plus, it was dark. But was I any safer in this place where Zoey’s killer could very well be hiding?

I stupidly didn’t leave, though, and now I’m stuck here, and I’m pretty sure someone drugged me.

I decide to try to find the bathroom so I can get out of this room. As I stumble through the crowd, making my way toward the hallway, a veil of blurriness starts to overtake my vision. I blink a few times, trying to stay focused.

My mind should be dancing on the brink of being tipsy, but instead, it’s sinking rapidly to the bottom of a muddy lake.

Yeah, someone fucking drugged me.

“Hey, you’re Jason’s girlfriend, right?” A male voice whispers through the blurriness of my consciousness as fingers wrap around my arms.

I try to jerk away, but stumble. I land on the floor, my short dress riding up. I roll over, trying to tug it down, but numbness is seeping through my veins like venom. I peer up at the man looming over me. He’s older with dark hair and a smile that makes my stomach churn.

He crouches down in front of me. “Don’t worry, you won’t remember a thing.” He strokes my cheek as my vision spots and my head swims.

It hits me like a wave crashing over my body and ripping me away from the shore.

I’m about to pass out.

This is so fucking bad.

I want to go back in time and never do this, never meet Jason, never come into this world. I want to let go of Zoey. I want to forget.

I want her here with me.

I desperately claw onto consciousness, to not give in to the whispering exhaustion begging me to greet it. But in the end, I tumble into the abyss of darkness.

It’s the most helpless I’ve felt.

And the worst part is there’s nothing I can do about it.