Shades of Sydney (Sydney West #1) by Brittney Coon

condition.
    My stomach twisted in anguish. I didn’t drive here. I took a cab, knowing I was going to get shitfaced. I probably couldn’t walk out of here by myself to the taxi either.
    I drew in a sharp breath and let it go. “New club on Sun—set.”
    “The Heart of the Ocean?” he asked.
    “Yeah,” I said dryly.
    “I’ll be there soon. Make your way to the exit, but don’t leave the building.”
    “Okay...” I hung up and dropped the phone into my purse.
    I stumbled and leaned against the cool glass of the aquarium. My fish found me again, but he wasn’t fun anymore. I used the glass to help me through the crowd. I foggily saw a sign in the distance that had red letters spelling out ‘EXIT’ . I needed to reach it, but the sign seemed far away.
    With my purse hugged to my chest, I made my way there. Bodies pressed together, trying to be joined. I parted them slowly, like cutting into leather. A stranger hit me and I fell onto a man. He smiled and cupped my breasts. I fell back and somehow found an escape from the creep. I collapsed into a booth near the exit and laid my head on the table. My thoughts were spinning. The music danced on my skin, piercing my nerves. I was on edge.
    A hand touched my shoulder, causing me to jump. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m going to take you home.”
    I looked up to see who was speaking. Jason was smiling down at me. My hero, yet I fled from him like the plague twenty-four hours ago.
    He took me in his arms, helping me walk. I wanted to fight and argue, but my body gave up. It was no use. I had worn myself down. At that point, I could’ve belonged to anyone and done anything. I wasn’t myself.
    Jason put me in his Jeep and clicked my seatbelt on. He got in and automatically turned the radio off, as if knowing the music would’ve made my ears want to bleed. Part of me was waiting for his lecture, to tell me what a fool I was and how much trouble I could’ve been in if he didn’t come to save me. But he remained silent, staring ahead at the never-ending road.
    I licked my dry lips, staring out the window. Houses, a handful of cars, the black surface of the ocean, and fields of grass passed by. Maybe I was seeing things. People seemed to change shape and colors were blurred. A unicorn was in a field of blue.
    I closed my eyes. They couldn’t be trusted. My life was in Jason’s hands. If it wasn’t for him, I didn’t know where I’d be.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    “You don’t need…to help me inside,” I said firmly. My voice sounded better, a little less slurry.
    “Yes, I do.” Jason stood at my side, trying to guide me to my front door.
    “No!” I pulled away from him and fell on my ass. The world seemed to be moving too fast, as if I was on a cruise ship rocked by waves and not solid earth. I tried to get up, but couldn’t. It was no use. I couldn’t stand on my own.
    “Would you like help or would you rather crawl?”
    Jason looked down at me. At first I thought he was enraged, but his face was pained in the attempt of hiding his smile. The bastard wanted to laugh.
    I sighed, looking at the distance from where I was to the door. It was at least nine yards, too far to crawl. Plus I didn’t want to drag my body up the steps to the front door. No way could I deal with any more bruises.
    “Fine, you can help me,” I said bitterly.
    “Thank you, your royal highness. It’s such a great honor.” He gave me his hands and helped me to my feet.
    I wrapped one arm around his broad shoulders to keep from falling again. “I sense sarcasm,” I breathed as we moved closer to my house.
    He made a noise that sounded like a muffled laugh. “Maybe a bit.”
    His left arm was around my hips. I could feel his fingers brushing my skin. Images of Jason naked crossed my mind. They wouldn’t vamoose, no matter how hard I closed my eyes and willed them away.
    We made it to the door. I reached for my keys, dropping them to the deck as soon as I