Page 52 of Relapse
“No, what’s rude is whatever the fuck this situation is!” Mina throws her hands up dramatically. “I was having a great night before you two showed up looking like the world’s most toxic episode of Jerry Springer and psychologically waterboarded my high.”
Despite everything happening around us, a rough laugh almost escapes me.
Because honestly?
That’s probably the most accurate description of this entire mess anyone’s ever given.
Blair stirs weakly against my chest while I start forcing us through the crowd fast, one arm locked securely around her.
The foam gets thinner the farther we move from the center of the dance floor, bass still pounding violently behind us while Dagger stays close enough beside me to cover every angle automatically.
Mina hurries after us struggling to keep up through the crowd.
“This is actually insane,” she mutters breathlessly behind us. “Like genuinely criminal behavior.”
“Yeah,” Dagger mutters distractedly while scanning faces around us. “You should probably stay away from us.”
“That feels aggressively obvious now, actually. But unfortunately I’d never forgive myself if I handed my newly adopted emotionally unstable friend over to two men who look like the opening scene of a Dateline episode.”
Dagger snorts quietly beside me.
“That’s kinda dramatic.”
“You literally look like you’ve buried bodies together.”
“Well,” I mutter, adjusting Blair higher against my chest, “we have—”
Mina freezes.
Slowly turns toward both of us.
“…You know what?” she says immediately, holding up a hand. “Never mind. I’m actually not going to ask.”
Probably smart.
A group of drunk guys stumble into our path near one of the bars.
Dagger shoulders straight through them without slowing down. One starts mouthing off until he sees the look on Dagger’s face.
Then immediately decides against it, smart choice man.
Blair makes another weak sound against my chest while her fingers twitch faintly against my shirt. I tighten my grip instinctively.
“Stay with me, baby.”
Her lashes flutter slightly, but theres no real response.
My chest tightens violently anyway.
“She gonna be okay?” Mina asks quieter now.
Neither of us answer immediately.
Because neither of us actually know.
The drugs. The heat.
Whatever the fuck she mixed tonight.
