What The Heart Needs - The Heart #3 (Complete)

Chapter 16 - Part 2

Aiden tried to call me back but I couldn't bring myself to answer his call. I was hurt and I didn't want to speak to him. Maybe I needed time to calm down before I could talk to him again. Or worse there was no way to come back from that conversation, and that meant we were over before we even really had a chance.

I smiled through my pain, making sure I didn't show any of my inner turmoil to Lacey. She was dealing with enough, I wasn't going to load my problems off on her. Besides I didn't want her to know that her well being was the reason for my latest argument with Aiden. He was her friend and out of everyone I would have thought he would have understood, where others couldn't. But right now he didn't and it was upsetting me.

I sipped my drink watching Lacey closely as she took a shot with a couple of guys. She was really hitting the bottle hard tonight and I felt a little out of my depth. I had already tried to get her to slow down but my words had fallen on deaf ears. She was set on a destructive path and there was little I could do sway her.

I bit my lip and wondered if it was time to tell someone what was going on with Lacey. If she passed out I would not be able to get her home on my own, I didn't know anyone at the party to ask for help and I didn't feel safe asking a stranger to help.

She was already unsteady on her feet so I approached her with a smile.

"You have to have one of these," she shoved a shot into my hand. "These are awesome."

I shook my head. "I can't, I'm driving us home." I had already hit my limit. I put the drink down on the table.

"She is such a party pooper," she moaned to one of the guys standing beside her. He put an arm around her shoulders and I didn't like it one bit. It was time to get her out of here, or I would have to call someone to help me. It was my last resort.

"We need to go," I told her, looking down at my watch. It was after eleven already and I just wanted to get her home safely, without incident and that wouldn't be possible if she continued to drink alcohol like cool drink.

"I don't want to go," she whined. "I'm having fun."

"Don't be a party pooper," the other guy said.

I was in hell, there was nothing fun about any of this. My nerves were shot and I had hit my limit.

"I'll be back in a moment," I said to Lacey and went to a corner where the music wasn't too loud so I could make a call and still keep an eye on Lacey.

There was no way I was leaving her alone with those guys, even for the few minutes it would take to call someone to help me.

I called Aiden, checking my watch again. He would still be up, but I wasn't sure if he was still talking to me after I had refused to pick up his calls.

It rang and rang. I bit my lip as I watch Lacey become more unsteady. Where was he? And why wasn't he answering?

When it finally went to voicemail I called again but he didn't answer. This wasn't working out the way I had hoped or anticipated. What was I going to do?

There was only one other person I could call. I called Max. He answered.

"Hey Reece," he said.

I was relieved to hear the quiet background, if he was at a party he probably wouldn't be sober enough to help me.

"I need your help," I said, cutting right through any pleasantries. I didn't have time.

"What do you need?" he asked.

"Lacey and I are at a party and I need help getting Lacey home." I wasn't even sure he would help. He was my last resort before I would be forced to call Alex.