Page 109 of Syncopation
Chapter Twenty-One
Waking up was like fighting toward light and sound. Ray didn’t want to scrape and push anymore, but he kept crawling until he could blink open his eyes and taste antiseptic, too-cold air. There was weird shit on him, and this wasn’t a hotel or the tour bus. He was alone in a tiny bed with metal bars as sides, and there were way too many pieces of equipment hooked upto him.
Hospital. He was in a hospital.
Damned if he knew why—he couldn’t remember.Shit. What had happened? Why couldn’t he remember? Had they been in an accident? Where was everyone else? He tried to push himself up, but every movement felt like swimming through mud.
“Fuck.” It came out as a croak.
Movement in the room, then Zavier’s cracked voice. “Ray? Hey, hey.”
God, Zavierlooked horrible. Hair every which way. Dark circles under his eyes and his fancy dress clothes all wrinkled and askew. He brushed fingers against Ray’s forehead. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”
“What?” That came out as a bark. God, his throat was dry. He tried to push himself up again.
Zavier pressed against Ray’s temple. “Shh. Relax. Wait.”
The pressure was comforting. Known. Like whenhe prostrated himself on Zavier’s shoes. Ray closed his eyes.Wait. He could do that. Zavier was here and he trusted him.
“I’m going to get you some water.” The fingers remained. “Be good and stay put.”
An order. Relief flooded through Ray. He might not remember what had happened, but this was normal. Zavier was taking care of him.
When he closed his eyes, Zavier removed his fingers.More movement in the room. Water being poured.
“Here.” Zavier was close again. “Please drink.”
Might have been couched as a request, but Ray knew better. Opening his eyes was still painful, but he took the plastic cup with the straw, sipped down some water, and swallowed.
Bliss. Pure, utter bliss. Practically felt the liquid flowing into his body and down his veins. Another sip feltbetter, and another. He stopped after that, because man, he wasdizzy.
He tried speaking again. “What—” So far so good. “What happened?”
Zavier, or a disheveled version of him, pulled a chair closer to his bed and perched himself on the edge. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Ray scoured his mind. They’d been getting ready for a party. Some of it came back. Zavier’s lips on hisneck and the braid of thread he’d tied tight around Ray’s wrist.So you remember who you are.He raised his wrist, but the braid was gone and an IV catheter was stuck into the back of his hand and taped down.
“We were getting ready for—there was a party. The album went platinum.”
“Yes, it did. And yes, we went.”
“I don’t remember being there.” He searched and searched, turning thewater cup in his hand. “You’d promised to tie me down when we got back. I remember we got into the limo at the hotel and all I could think about was kneeling naked before you in your tux...then there’s nothing.”
Zavier shifted on the chair, a tinge of color in his cheeks. “And see—I forgot that promise.” He shook his head, looking far, far too tired. “I was so worried about you.”
“Zavier,what happened?”
Silence and a very grave face. Zavier closed his eyes for a moment, then met Ray’s gaze. “Carl drugged you. He dropped two crushed-up pills in your drink while your back was turned.”
Suddenly, Ray was colder than the water had been. The trembles started next when he realized exactly what that meant.
Zavier stood and reclaimed the cup. Stroked his hair. “Shh, Ray.”
The trembling went on. He didn’t rememberanything. Not one moment. “What...what did hedoto me after that?” It came out rough and tight.
“Nothing.” Zavier cupped his face. “He didn’t touch you. No one did.”
“Then why am I here?” In a hospital bed with wires and an IV and machines all stuck to him.
