Chapter 11 Who spiked my drink
Meanwhile, the moment Emily heard Alex say her brother had been drugged, her heart shattered.
She screamed, emotion tightening her throat. “Holy crap! What kind of father did the universe curse us with, for God’s sake? Why can’t he just leave my brother alone?”
A hot tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away roughly and stormed off toward the lodge passageway, fury in every step.
Her best friend, Diana, who had noticed the sudden shift in her mood from across the room, hurried after her. “Emily! What’s going on? Why are you yelling like you’re about to explode?”
Emily didn’t stop. “I’m tired, Diana, so damn tired. If I had his kind of heart, I swear I would have ended that man a long time ago!”
“What happened?” Diana asked, breathless as she caught up.
“Lucas has been drugged!” Emily snapped.
Diana froze in her tracks. “What?! Again? Who?”
“Who else could be behind it?” Emily said bitterly, her jaw clenched. “The answer got my father’s name written all over it. He’s obsessed with controlling Lucas.”
With rage boiling beneath her skin, Emily quickened her pace, Diana right behind her. They had one destination—Room 443—and Emily was ready for a fight.
Back in the room, Alex sat quietly, eyes fixed on the beautiful man sleeping peacefully on the couch. Lucas looked calm now, the drug finally settling his restless energy. A soft smile played on Alex’s lips as he admired the serene face—so delicate, so unguarded.
Just then, his phone buzzed sharply, snapping him out of the moment.
“Hello, Jason,” he answered.
“Big bro, where are you? Are you okay?” Jason’s voice came fast, tight with panic.
“Of course I’m fine,” Alex replied, frowning slightly. “Why do you sound so worried?”
“I'm worried!” Jason shot back. “It’s Annie—she’s not herself. She drank something bad. We think it was your juice. Can you come back here right now?”
Alex’s stomach twisted. “Wait… what? My juice?” he asked, lowering his voice as he gently adjusted Lucas, making sure he was lying comfortably. Then he stood and began heading to the door. “Jason, are you saying my drink was spiked and Annie drank it all?”
“Yes! She’s sweating, dizzy, and couldn't stand on her own… something’s wrong. And it happened minutes after she drank your juice.”
Alex’s heart pounded as he stepped into the hallway, carefully closing the door behind him. His voice turned cold and sharp.
“I’m on my way, and I'm going to deal with the idiot who pulled off that unfunny plank. Don’t let her out of your sight. And Jason, don’t trust anyone, be very watchful.”
“Yes, that’s what we are doing” Jason replied, worry etched across his face. “There’s no other explanation. She barely drank anything else. It had to be the juice.”
Alex reached the VIP section in quick strides. The moment he saw Annie, his heart twisted. She was laughing and crying all at once—eyes glassy, face flushed. It was a disturbing sight.
“Did any of you do this, Jason?” Alex snapped, his voice sharp with accusation.
Jason raised both hands. “No! Come on, bro, I promised you I’d never mess with stuff like this again. None of us did. I swear. The only person who touched that drink was the waiter who brought it to you.”
Alex clenched his jaw. “Damn it.” His mind raced. “We don’t even know what was in that drink.”
He rushed to Annie, carefully helping her up as she babbled incoherently. “We’re taking her to the hospital—now.”
They guided her out of the club, her words slurred and disconnected. After getting her settled in the back seat of his car, Alex’s hand froze on the door handle.
“Shit... that guy.”
He glanced at Jason. “Give me your keys.”
Jason looked confused. “What? Why?”
“Someone else’s drink was spiked too,” Alex said quickly, snatching the key. “A guy—I don’t know him, but I found him in a room where a masked man left him barely conscious. It was a long story. I stayed with him to keep him safe but his sister’s on her way to pick him up.”
Jason’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“I can’t leave him alone like that,” Alex said firmly. “Take Annie to the hospital. I’ll meet you guys there.”
Without waiting for more questions, Alex sprinted off, vanishing into the club’s shadows once more.
Hurriedly, Alex rushed back to the room where he had left Lucas. The moment he opened the door, his heart dropped—the couch was empty. His eyes darted toward the bed, but nothing.
“Hey, buddy? Are you there?” he called out, voice tight with tension, as he moved toward the restroom.
No response.
He pushed the door open, just splashes of water on the floor. The sink dripped faintly, but the room was empty.
“Shit,” he muttered, spinning on his heel. “Did he come around and leave on his own? Or… did his sister already take him?” His voice rose slightly as confusion and frustration tangled inside him.
Alex strode out of the room, eyes scanning the hallway, hoping to catch even a glimpse of him, but he was gone. No trace. No sign. No farewell.
By the time he made it back to Jason’s car, a hollow feeling gnawed at him. That’s when it hit him hard, he hadn’t even gotten the guy’s name. He was hoping to hear it from his sister when she arrived.
Now the plan was ruined, just like Lucas’s father’s sick plot.
Fury surged in his chest.
“Damn it!” he cursed, slamming his hand on the steering wheel. “Who the heck spiked my damn juice?!”
His jaw clenched, and the car filled with silence, broken only by the sound of his own breathing and the storm building inside him.
BEFORE ALEX'S RETURN
When Emily and Diana finally arrived at room 443, Lucas was still curled up on the couch, breathing softly, deep in sleep. The lights cast a warm glow over him, but the man who had answered Emily’s call from her brother’s phone was gone.
They searched the room quickly, checking the bathroom and peeking out the hallway, but there was no trace of him.
“Where the heck did he go?” Emily muttered, her pulse quickening.
Diana moved to the mini fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and splashed it over Lucas’s face. “Sorry, babe, time to wake up.”
Lucas stirred with a groan, eyes fluttering open—but he still looked dazed, clearly not sober yet. His head lolled slightly as he blinked up at them.
“He’s still high,” Emily said, crouching beside him.
Diana’s eyes sharpened. “Emily, if this was your dad’s doing again, then maybe... maybe we should let him sleep here tonight.”
Lucas muttered, “Who are you people? Where is my cutie, I want him back.”
“What?” Emily and Diana echoed at once.
“Is your brother into guys?” Diana asked in surprise.
“Diana, I'm as surprised as you but we will find out later. Let's get him to safety first but the guy said I should come and take him home.”
“If this is your dad’s doing, taking him home is not the best.”
Lucas groaned, “Not going home, I want my cutie, kiss kiss.” He muttered, puckering his lips for a kiss.
The girls stared at his gesture in surprise before bursting with laughter.