Chapter 23
Andrea woke to a dull, relentless pounding in her skull. Her eyes fluttered open, and she squinted against the faint light spilling through a partially drawn curtain. The room was unfamiliar for a moment, but then the events of the previous night came rushing back in fragmented, blurry flashes.
Liam’s room. His voice, calm and steady. The feel of his hands as he tucked the blanket around her. Her own slurred words, embarrassing and mortifying.
She groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. “Great,” she muttered to herself.
The door creaked open, and Liam peeked inside, his usual cocky grin firmly in place. “Ah, Sleeping Beauty awakens.”
Andrea sat up too quickly and winced, her head spinning. “Don’t,” she said, holding up a hand. “Don’t make this worse.”
“Worse? Last night you practically confessed your undying love for me,” Liam said, leaning against the doorframe with an exaggerated look of mock pride.
Andrea groaned again, burying her face in her hands. “Please stop talking.”
Liam laughed, stepping fully into the room. “Relax, Queenie. Nothing happened. Well, except for me saving your life. Again.”
Andrea peeked at him through her fingers, her cheeks flaming. “I didn’t ask you to.”
“No,” he agreed, tossing her a bottle of water and a small packet of painkillers. “But you looked like you could use the help.”
Andrea caught the items clumsily, her hands still shaky. “Thanks,” she muttered, unscrewing the bottle cap.
“Don’t mention it,” Liam said, his teasing tone softening. “Seriously, Andrea. Are you okay?”
She paused, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. “I think so. Just… embarrassed.”
Liam tilted his head, his grin returning but gentler this time. “You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about. But if it makes you feel better, I won’t mention the part where you tried to kiss me.”
Andrea’s eyes widened. “I did not—”
“Relax,” Liam interrupted, laughing. “I’m kidding. Mostly.”
Andrea threw a pillow at him, her face burning, and he caught it easily, his grin widening.
“Come on,” he said, tossing the pillow back onto the bed. “Let me walk you back to your room before the rumors start flying.”
“I can walk myself,” Andrea said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
“Not a chance,” Liam said, holding the door open for her. “Consider it part of my heroic duties.”
Andrea rolled her eyes but followed him out, her head still pounding as they made their way through the quiet hallways.
Meanwhile, upstairs in Nathaniel’s study, the atmosphere was anything but quiet.
“This is unacceptable,” Nathaniel said coldly, his tone sharper than the edge of the desk he leaned against.
Damien sat in front of the laptop, his fingers flying over the keys as he rewound and analyzed the previous night’s security footage. “I’m working on it,” he muttered.
“Work faster,” Nathaniel snapped.
Gabriel stood near the window, his arms crossed, his expression uncharacteristically grim. “You’re not helping,” he said, glancing at Nathaniel.
Nathaniel turned his icy glare on him. “I’m not here to help. I’m here to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Gabriel shot back, his voice rising. “We’re all pissed, Nathaniel. Don’t take it out on us.”
Aiden, seated in the corner, ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. “Enough,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Let Damien work.”
The room fell into tense silence, save for the clicking of Damien’s keyboard. Finally, he straightened, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the screen.
“There,” he said, pointing.
The brothers crowded around the laptop as Damien replayed the footage. The camera angle showed the drinks table, where Andrea had been handed the spiked punch.
“Pause it,” Nathaniel ordered.
Damien froze the frame, zooming in on a group of students lingering near the table. One of them, a girl with dark hair, was pouring something into a cup before passing it to another student.
“That’s her,” Gabriel said, his voice tight. “That’s the one who handed Andrea the drink.”
“Do you know her?” Aiden asked.
Damien frowned, leaning closer to the screen. “Not personally, but I’ve seen her with Victoria’s group. She’s one of their lackeys.”
Nathaniel’s jaw clenched. “Bring her to me.”
Gabriel glanced at him. “And what exactly do you plan to do?”
Nathaniel’s expression darkened. “Ask her some questions. Thoroughly.”
Minutes later, the girl stood trembling in Nathaniel’s study, flanked by Gabriel and Aiden. Nathaniel circled her like a predator, his cold gaze making her squirm.
“I—I didn’t mean anything by it,” she stammered, her voice shaking. “It was just a joke.”
“A joke?” Nathaniel said softly, his tone sending a chill through the room. “You drugged her. What part of that is funny?”
The girl’s face paled. “I didn’t know! I swear! They told me it was harmless!”
“Who?” Nathaniel demanded, his voice like steel.
The girl hesitated, tears brimming in her eyes. “I—I don’t know. I swear! It was just someone from another school. They gave me the stuff and said it would just make her… you know, a little more relaxed.”
Nathaniel’s jaw tightened, and he stepped closer. “Names. Now.”
The girl shook her head frantically. “I don’t know! I swear I don’t!”
Nathaniel’s glare made it clear he didn’t believe her, but before he could press further, Aiden stepped forward.
“Enough,” Aiden said quietly, his voice low and dangerous. “She’s useless.”
Nathaniel hesitated, then nodded sharply. “Get her out of here.”
Gabriel escorted the girl from the room, her muffled sobs echoing down the hallway.
As the door closed, Damien sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We’re not going to get anything else out of her.”
Nathaniel’s fists clenched. “Then we dig deeper. Someone orchestrated this, and we’re going to find out who.”
