Surviving the McLane Boys ('On Hold Still...')

Chapter 30 - Secrets

Chapter 30

Thwack.

“OW! What the hell was that for?!” a guy roars.

“You bastard! What have you done to her?!” a girl screeches back.

“I haven’t done shit! Ow! Stop hitting me already, woman! I haven’t done anything!”

I stir, frowning a little as I feel strong arms pick me up and cradle me like a baby. I can’t get my eyes to open.

*

“Hailey… Hailey… Hailey… Hey, your majesty! Get the friggin hell up!”

I scowl and push at the face I can sense in front of me without opening my eyes, “Lemme sleep.”

There’s a sigh and I feel myself being placed onto a mattress, a sheet pulled over me.

“Why do I love you, Hailey? Why?”

*

Someone shakes my shoulder gently, “Hale. Hey, what’s wrong?”

I turn myself towards him as he takes me up into his arms, knowing that he’ll give me comfort. I don’t know how, he just will. “I’m sorry I took so long.” I sob into his shoulder as he strokes my hair, “Please don’t leave me.”

*

The first thing I realise when I come to is that I have a splitting headache, aching limbs, a gurgling stomach and a foul taste in my mouth.  The second thing is that I’m in someone else’s bed wearing nothing but a t-shirt over my underwear and bra. The third is that I’m not alone.

My breathing quickens as situations race through my mind and I feel a panic attack coming on. I can’t remember anything that happened last night. Anything after I found Jake with that girl is hazy and obscure and that’s what freaks me out the most.

Was I knocked out? Drugged? Who the hell have I slept with?!

I’m too scared to think of what’s happened up until now. Usually when you end up in an unfamiliar bed with an USP – unidentified sleeping person – it usually means you’ve probably made a HUGE mistake.

Oh Crap, oh crap. What have you done? What have you DONE?! Oh crap. Oh crap.

My mind’s like a broken record as I pinch myself on the arm to make sure this isn’t a nightmare of some sort. While trying not to think about why I slowly assess which parts of my body hurt the most and I’m relieved to find that it’d probably have to be my feet from those stupid shoes Maddy gave me. Nothing else leads me to think that I actually did it last night… Apart from the fact that I’m still sharing a bed with someone…

Oh Crap. Oh Crap. Hailey you are in BIG TROUBLE.

I freeze as a heavy arm is slung across me, pulling me closer to whoever it is. I turn my head slowly to get a look of who I’ve spent the night with.

“Good morning sunshine.”

I stare wide-eyed at those familiar blue eyes, that self-assured smirk, that tousled never-needs-a-brush-to-look-good hair. His arm pulls me even closer and my body thaws enough to let me put my hands up to put at least some space between us.

“You can’t shout at me.” Jake says, tensing his other arm under my head, “You’ve been an absolute pain in the ass the past 14 hours.” I stare at him like a bimbo caught making out with a nerd and he rakes his hands through his hair in that gorgeous way of his, closing his eyes as he talks, “What do you remember?” My throat’s dry and coarse as I try to swallow, not sure what to say. “Do you remember anything?” He opens his eyes in amazement.