Page 10 of Protecting What's His

She said that she did, but then I reminded her that I had dated Lara, and she shouldn’t even think about the two of us like that. For some reason, I didn’t really believe her.

“Is it because you like her and not me?” Ashley wanted to know. It felt like a trick question to me.

“I just don’t want to cause trouble between you two. That’s all.”

Ashley looked to Lara on the dance floor and pointed out that she seemed to be having a good time without me. She was, but then I saw that the guy was touching her rear. I didn’t like the look of that at all.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you are still into her?” Ashley asked bluntly.

Since she asked in such a way, I felt like an honest answer was one that I could get down with. “I thought it was obvious, I never felt otherwise. I have always wanted Lara.”

Ashley smirked. “Well, it looks like someone else is going to beat you to it, stud.”

I didn’t know what to think of her. Had she just pretended to see? Was that some sort of test or was she curious?

I was still looking at her like she had lost her mind. Ashley just grinned and carried me along to go save her sister from the guy that was now trying to take her out of the club. I knew that coming here was going to be a problem, I just didn't think that it would happen the first ten minutes that we were in a place. What the hell was I doing? Ever since I came back to Bogalusa, I seemed to be asking myself that question over and over again.

When I walked up to Lara, she seemed a bit relieved to see me and I was happy for that. It didn't really matter if she wanted me to get involved or not, I was going to one way or another. There was no way I was going to let her take off with some random guy.

The guy acted like he wanted to get into it with me, but after I went to the top with him and made it clear that I didn't mind fighting him, he did the smart thing and walked away. I was so upset with Lara, and she thought it was all funny.

“It's not funny, Lara. I would end up hurting one of these guys if you start something with them.”

She looked at me like I was the biggest jerk, and it wasn't hard to see why she felt that way. I was being defensive of her. I wanted to show her that I cared and wanted to keep her safe, but it really just came out me being a jerk.

“Don’t act like you’re such a bad ass, Nicholas. If you were, why did they kick you out of the military?”

It was a hell of a thing to say, and it wasn't like Lara to say something like that at all. When I started to really look at her eyes, her eyes were rolling back in her head like more than a shot or two would do. Did he give her something?

“What is going on with you?” I asked, nervous that it wasn’t just her being mad at me for butting in. Something else was going on. Lara didn’t look right.

She asked me what I meant, and I just shook my head. “What has gotten into you, Lara? I can tell that you are not with it. Did he give you something? Did you drink something from him?” I was now looking around for the guy she was dancing with. My eyes watched the crowd, trying to find the man that had been dancing with Lara.

It became clear that not only had she picked the wrong guy, but he was worse than I could have imagined. It looked like Lara had been drugged. I was mad that she had let it happen. I knew that it wasn’t her fault, but I couldn’t believe it happened, right under my nose. My mind was already considering what would have happened if I hadn’t been there. I pulled her out of the bar, Ashley tailing behind me.

“I am sorry to break up your little fun, but we need to get out of here. Your sister is on something. Maybe we should take her to the hospital and get her checked out. I’ve never seen her like this before.”

Ashley’s face crumpled and she was close to tears. She looked sad, and I tried to tell her that everything was going to be fine. She was overwhelmed and I was just glad that I was here for it. What if they had been by themselves? Would that guy had been able to whisk Lara away and no one would have stopped him? All I wanted to do was protect her from the world and from guys like that. Lara was too innocent and pure to be messed with. She was a target and I had to make sure no one ever touched her.

I put her into the car, trying to acknowledge the deadly feelings I had toward a stranger. I didn't know how, but I was going to find out who that guy was and make him pay. The worry that I saw on her sister's face was surely the same that was on mine. I was just as anxious for Lara to be okay. She was talking a lot of mess that didn’t make sense. I put my foot down on the gas. I needed to get her to the hospital ASAP. Lara had to be okay, she just had to be.

8

Lara

Iwoke up the next day with a splitting headache. I wasn’t in my room either, which was weird enough. I was still trying to get used to not waking up in my Paris flat. The bedroom I had with the twins was nice, but this wasn’t it.

Sitting up, I could barely see and I winced verbally, which made Nicholas appear out of nowhere.

“What are you doing here?”

He grinned at me and asked how I was feeling. His demeanor was so soft. “I’m fine, but I have no idea where I am or why you are here next to me while I am sleeping. Did something happen with us?” I looked at his bare chest and gasped. “Did we have sex?”

Nicholas shook his head quickly. “When we are together, Lara, I want you to remember it.”

I felt my face getting red and I tried to sit up again. He came to put his hand behind me to help. I felt weak and my head was banging. Had I drunk that much? Why couldn’t I remember anything? I finally asked Nicholas about it, and I didn’t like the look that he had on his face.

“You really don’t remember anything?”

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