Page 52 of The Spider Queen
“How?” I wondered aloud. “How did you get to me?”
There was no answer as I tumbled into blackness.
My body hurt. No. Not hurt. Hurt was tame. My bones felt bruised, my muscles jelly. Every part of me was in pain. Even the end of my nose that was all cartilage.
I cracked an eye to see Hunter asleep in a chair next to the bed. Not my bed. His.
I didn’t know the time, but judging by the light filtering through the blinds it was early day. Mid-morning at the latest.
I liked the idea of moving, but putting it into practice was another story. Hunter’s eyes opened and our gazes locked.
“Poppy,” he whispered, leaping from his chair to the side of the bed.
“Ow. Everywhere.”
My throat was parched, and my voice sounded like I’d eaten a handful of dried leaves.
“I know. A hot bath will help.”
Before I could say anything, he was up and out of the room. I closed my eyes and dozed for the time he was gone. Hearing him opening a dresser drawer, I woke up again but didn’t bother trying to move my body.
I wanted to ask him questions, but my tongue refused to form words.
He eased back the covers and reached under me. Lifting me into his arms, he brought me to his chest and carried me to the bathroom.
My neck wouldn’t support the weight of my head, so I leaned against him.
The bathroom was clean and steamy. He set me down on the toilet and when he was sure I wouldn’t topple over, released me.
I moved my arm—or tried to. It refused.
“Help?” he asked gruffly.
“Yes.” It came out as a hiss.
I’d gone out last night in a blue sweater and jeans. I’d woken up in a T-shirt. Didn’t take a genius to realize Hunter had been the one to undress me. There was no room for embarrassment, not when my limbs refused to cooperate.
He eased me out of the tee but didn’t make a move toward my underwear. When it was clear I still wasn’t able to stand on my own, he helped me up and into the tub.
Hunter sighed. “This is so not how I wanted to get you naked the first time.”
I cracked a smile, gearing up to ask questions.
“I think you were drugged,” he said, voice hard.
Thinking back to the previous night, I tried to remember if I’d set my drink down and some asshole had wanted to take advantage of me. But I couldn’t recall anything. It was all a swirling mess.
“I was with friends,” I croaked. Maybe Francis had seen something.
“Not by the time I got there.”
“Why were you there?” I whispered.
He blinked. “You don’t remember?”
“No.”
“You called me.”
