Page 6 of Where Daisies Breathe (Star Meadows #2)

CLOVER

I ’m fairly positive Jason is drugging me.

I’ve suspected it for a while but haven’t been able to come up with any proof other than when I start digging in my mind, picking at old, dried-up scabs of memories, I find droplets of images of me lying in a bed, totally out of it.

A shadow of a figure is usually leaning over me, and while I can’t see their face, the scent of woodsy cologne matches the kind Jason wears.

Then comes the pinprick. After that, darkness swims in my mind.

Because of this, I should stay away from him. But I’m still chasing answers, like my body is chasing the next hit of whatever Jason is injecting into me. It’s an addictive drug. In the back of my mind, I know I should be concerned, that this need is so overpowering.

“You good?” Jason asks me over the music blasting through a stereo.

Nodding, I take a sip of my drink and scan the party from over the brim of the cup.

Most of the people here are closer to Jason's age or older. I’d feel out of place, but that’s not really my style.

I’ve always been able to adapt to situations, like when I was younger and had to adapt to my sudden shitty home life.

I was able to exist in the storm of anger that constantly blew through the walls. However, I eventually found solace with Zoey. Being in her world was like stepping out of the clouds into the sunlight. I could finally breathe after feeling like I was holding my breath for years.

But then she was gone, and I was being smothered again.

I miss her so much.

And I’m not ready to let her go yet.

Not until I make every single person who helped kill her pay.

I’m getting closer. That day I went to the house in the woods with Jason gave me a glimpse of the dangerous world he and his friends live in.

I don’t think he’s who killed her, though.

And there’s more to what him and his friends are doing than sexually exploiting underage girls.

I’ve heard whispers of stuff when Jason and his friends think I’m in a state of unconsciousness.

Words like…

Catch…

Chasing…

Hunt…

“Yeah, I’m just bored,” I reply to Jason as I lower my cup from my mouth, wondering how many of these people here are part of this evil world.

All of them? Or are some totally oblivious?

“This party is pretty fucking lame,” he agrees.

He’s in an oddly weird mood tonight. He looks at me, the glow of the fire reflecting in his eyes.

“I have to go talk to some people about some business stuff, but once I’m done, we can go to my place.

” He places his hand on my neck, indicating exactly what he wants to do with me.

Jason likes rough sex. It’s nothing new to me, but he has scared me a few times when I worried he was going to release my neck.

Vomit burns in my throat at the idea of being with him, but thinking of Zoey, I act compliant and nod.

He grins, kisses me on the cheek, and saunters off toward a group of guys, some of whom I’m pretty sure were there the day I let my soul get shattered.

I watch as they talk for a moment, and then they embark into the trees surrounding the fire and party. I stay where I am at first, wondering what they’re doing.

But then I grow tired of wondering and step forward to follow them, knowing it’s dangerous, yet I’ve apparently become numb to fear.