Page 2 of The Mountain
“Shh.” The mattress groans, springs shuddering as Liam climbs in on Antoine’s other side. “Give her a chance to wake up first.”
“I am awake,” I grumble, then cringe at how annoyingly petulant I sound.
“Baby.” Matty presses my hand against his cheek, and I can feel the rasp of stubble against my palm. “I’m… you have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice.”
“Fuck. Same.” Liam clears his throat. “So fucking glad.”
And just like that, the hollow dread pooling in the pit of my stomach is gone, replaced by a rush of warmth, of gratitude. And also, a little confusion. Because, did they not just hear me tell them that I’m into all of them?
“Here. We got you some water.”
The door thuds against the wall, and I look up to see Seth rushing in, a glass of water clutched in his hands, Eddie at his heels. Seth drops to his knees, practically draping himself over Matty’s prone form as he thrusts the water toward me, barely giving me time to lift my head before he’s pressing it to my lips.
“Easy, mate.” Eddie grabs the glass from Seth’s hands, some of the water sloshing out in the process. Matty flinches when a few drops land on his face, and Eddie gives him an apologetic look. “Let her sit up first, yeah?” He squats down, bringing his face level with my own, then offers me the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen. “What do you think, Missy? You all good to sit up and have a drink of water?”
I nod, offering Eddie a weak smile, before trying to lift myself to my elbows. My arms tremble though, and my heart thunders wildly against my ribs.
“Let me help you.” The bed dips, and then Antoine is scooping me up, pulling me to a seated position, my back flush against his chest. “Is this okay?” he asks, his breath hot against my ear.
I nod, hands trembling as they wrap around the glass as I bring it to my lips. Seth, Eddie, and Matty stare at me intently, and even though I can’t see Antoine and Liam, I can feel them watching me. I close my eyes, take a long drink, and silently take stock of my body.
I’m exhausted, a little nauseous, and my right arm feels bruised and sore. I also have to pee. But mostly I just feel weak.
“How long was I out for?” I ask, lowering the glass to my lap. “And what happened?”
For some reason, I look at Eddie when I ask this question. Maybe because I remember him finding me, remember thelook on his face as I lay sprawled across the bathroom floor. Or maybe it’s because he’s the only one meeting my eyes, his chin lifted with the defiant honesty of someone ready to tell an uncomfortable truth.
And that’s what I want right now. Truth.
“Tom drugged you,” he says, and even though his voice is calm, there is no missing the flash of rage in his eyes, or the way his jaw ticks before he hurriedly adds: “We stopped him before he could do anything to you.” His gaze flits to Seth, the hint of a feral grin cutting across his somber expression. “Terminator here might have had a role in that.”
Seth groans and buries his face in his hands—hands with cut and swollen knuckles, stained with what looks like blood. Eddie’s dark grin turns downright gleeful. “Don’t worry, mate.” Eddie clasps Seth on the shoulder. “You didn’t kill him. Came close, probably, but he’s alive. Who knows, maybe you did him a favor rearranging his face, since it was ugly as fuck to begin with.”
“So he’s able to talk, then?” Liam asks, and though I can’t see his face, I can practically hear the wry smile curving his lips.
Eddie nods, amusement falling. He shifts, reaching into his pocket, pulling out his phone. “I got him to admit what he did, and I recorded it.” He holds out his phone meaningfully, brown eyes fixed on me. Not on Liam, who asked him the question. Not on any of the guys. Just me. “You can listen to it if you want, but honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it. He just says what you’d expect—complained like a little bitch before admitting what he meant to do to you,” Eddie sneers in disgust, then pockets his phone. “But it’s there. In case you want to press charges or anything.”
I stare at him, my heart in my throat, my fingers tightening around the glass in my hands.Press charges. Just the thought of it has wild panic building behind my ribs.
“Anyway, he’s moving out today.” Eddie turns, giving Seth a meaningful look. “Should be gone in the next hour or so. He might need some help getting down the stairs though.”
Relief surges through me at his proclamation. “Really?” I say, a hopeful smile making my cheeks ache. “He’s leaving?”
“Shit yeah,” Eddie snorts, then shoots me an incredulous look. “You think we’d let that piece of shit stay here after what he did to you?”
I shake my head, gaze dropping to my knees. To the jeans I’m still wearing, the same ones I was in the night before, at the party.
Eddie rises to his feet, brushing his palms over his thighs. “You should rest.” He looks toward the small window, where dawn light filters through the blinds, thin and cold. “The guys will look after you. My sister said you’ll need lots of water, mild food, and rest—basically like a bad hangover.” He pauses, then turns to give Seth a conspiratorial grin. “You want to be my hired thug again?” he asks. “Help me light the fire under Tom’s ass and get him out of the condo?”
Seth’s forehead dips in consternation, his lips pursing. “I don’t know…” He scrubs one hand down his face. “I probably shouldn’t…”
Eddie gives a dismissive wave. “Come on. You’ll be fine. All you have to do is stand there and stare at him. Should be enough to get him moving.”
Before Seth can argue, Eddie is practically hauling him to his feet and pulling him out the door.
“Well,” I say when the door swings shut behind them. “That was…”
My voice trails off, my hands trembling so much that water spills onto my denim-clad knees. It suddenly feels impossible to meet Matty’s eyes, and I’m thankful for Antoine at my back, his arms keeping me upright, his silent, undemanding strength.
