Queen of Thieves

➵ Chapter 5

Liquid spilled from the bottle I grasped in my hand, sloshing all down my front. I took a large swig and threw my head back, laughing, waving my arms around. The music in the frat house was turned up so loud that for a moment in my drunken stupor, I thought there was an earthquake. People moved around, dancing, talking, drinking. Red cups littered the floor. People flung them aside when they had emptied them out.

A couple boys from another fraternity stood around the pool table I was up on, raising their glasses and cheering me on. Their faces were fuzzy, making it impossible to recognize any of them. Not that it really mattered. A couple more drinks and I doubted I'd remember much in the morning.

Coming here may have been to spite my parents or it may have been for my own enjoyment, but at least it was counterproductive. I had tailed Jace here, a frat party on campus. When it was clear that he wasn't coming out anytime soon, I had decided that I may as well have some fun.

And anything, even a party as distasteful as this, could be made enjoyable once enough alcohol had been consumed.

I tipped back my bottle, only to have nothing come out. I stopped dancing and frowned, disappointed by the sudden lack of alcohol. "Aw."

"Want some of mine?" one of the boys offered immediately.

I nodded and crouched down at the edge of the table, reaching out for the cup and draining it once he handed it to me. Redbull and vodka. "Yum," I enthused. Turning my head towards the blaring stereo, I stood up again."I love this song!"

Somewhere in the middle of my dancing, I particular boy passed by, catching my attention. I jumped off the table, nearly falling flat in front of him.

I giggled. "Oops!"

Jace's dark eyes widened. "What in hell are you doing here?"

"Dancing!" I looped my arms around his neck. "Don't you love dancing?"

He looked taken aback, pursing his lips together for a moment. "You're pissed."

I scrunched up my nose. "No, I'm drunk."

"It means the same thing."

"Let me down."

He sighed, but didn't protest. It was a party after all. The last thing anybody wanted was to be a killjoy. When my feet touched the ground, my knees turned to water. He caught me again, looking torn. "I can't leave you alone like this, can I?" It was apparent that I wasn't the only one who wanted to stay.

I grabbed onto the pool table. "I want to dance. And vodka. I want lots more vodka."

He headed for the staircase, pushing through the crowd. It was like fighting a tide that wanted to drag you out to sea. He scowled, looking around. Goosebumps rose up on my skin. I wondered where I'd left my coat. "Hell, Lia. I didn't think you were stupid enough to get so-"

"- pissed?" I finished for him, trying to look sober. "That means drunk, you know." My head dropped against his chest and I shut my eyes. I only opened them when he had me lean against something. I frowned, looking around the filthy bathroom, my back pressed against the shower wall. The solid blue curtain was drawn aside. ''What-''

Jace turned the dial and cold water sputtered out the shower head, raining down on me as he held me still. I stood shivering and gasping. In a few minutes, I had sobered up enough to make sense of what was going on.

Jace looked at me, wide-eyed. His gaze was fixed on my neck. Slowly, he raised one hand, pressing it gently against my neck.

My pulse quickened as I looked at the running water. It had washed away my makeup, revealing the bruises.