After the crash, I collect myself and take a deep breath. Realizing I'm still alive, I relax and glance at the damage I caused to his car. He should be thankful it didn't explode. Well, I should be too. It's not that bad—just enough to leave a nasty dent.
I waited over an hour before I heard sirens. Some cars follow behind them. Showtime. I drop my head onto the steering wheel and close my eyes. The smoke rising from the engine is starting to worry me. Hurry up, jerks.
"Sir, is that the car?" I hear someone ask. A group of footsteps approaches.
"Sir, stay back. There's smoke coming from the car—it might be dangerous." Same guy, I think.
"But there's someone inside!" It's one of the jerks, but I can't tell who. My head is pounding from the smoke. I just hope I don't pass out. That would complicate things. A few minutes later, someone opens the door and pulls me out.
"It's KD!" Now that I'm outside, I recognize one of the twins' voices.
"Call an ambulance! Damn it!" That's probably Vaughn.
Then I feel myself being lifted. "No, I'll take her. It'll be faster." Emotionless, so that must be Zeke.
"I'll go with you."
"Me too." Thoven and Vaughn.
"What's she doing in your car?" Vaughn asks Thoven. Silence. Then someone sighs. My head… it's catching up to me. Everything's spinning. As my consciousness begins to slip, the last thing I hear is Thoven saying something about the keys.
***
When I open my eyes, all I see is a white ceiling. The sunlight hurts my eyes, so I squint. Looks like it's already afternoon. I sigh and try to sit up, but the pain in my head nearly knocks me back down.
"Ughh, this is too much," I mutter, hating how the pain still lingers. Once it subsides a bit, I glance around and see Thoven, Vaughn, and Zeke on the sofa, all watching me. I blush. Why am I embarrassed?
Maybe it's the idea that they've been here, watching me sleep. KD, are you stupid? They brought you here. Of course, they've seen you sleep.
Pushing the voices in my head aside, I bow slightly. "I'm sorry." They just stare at me in silence. I guess not all the Demons know what happened—only five of them were at the party. Drowning in awkwardness, I spot a glass of water on the bedside table and eagerly drink it.
"KD, what happened last night?" Thoven asks first.
I don't even need to think. "I went to your party, drank a couple of white wines, talked to a few people. You talked to me, and I said my cousin would scold me if I stayed late. Then I got in my car. That's all I remember. Then I woke up… in the hospital?"
The three of them stare at me, clearly assessing if I'm lying. I avoid their eyes and glance around, trying to look as uncomfortable as I feel. Here's a little secret: when these three are together, they give off this cold, professional aura like you're beneath them. They're the most successful, smartest, and richest guys in the country. Maybe even the world someday. But I pride myself on being the swiftest, wisest, and most cunning person I know.
"Do you remember when you lost your key?" Thoven asks.
I pause, acting like I'm trying to recall. "Yeah... and you dropped yours too, right?" I say slowly.
Right on cue, my head throbs again, making the moment more believable.
"KD, can you tell us what your car model is?" Zeke asks.
This time I don't need to act. Holding my head, I answer, "Tesla Model S P100D. Why?"
They exchange looks. Vaughn speaks, "You have the same car as Thoven. Didn't you notice?"
I blink. "I didn't. It was dark, and I was busy looking for my keys. Then someone called me while I gave Thoven his keys."
I only notice Zeke when he stands to get me painkillers. When he walks toward me, I flinch. Dammit.
He puts the pills on the bedside table instead of handing them to me. Silent stares follow. They must be wondering why I flinched. I wonder that too.
"You didn't drink wine. It was vodka. You might not have noticed you were in the wrong car, and someone tampered with the brakes. I don't know if you remember, but you crashed in Thoven's car. It'd be a media disaster if this got out—"
I cut him off. I already know how these heartless jerks handle situations like this.
"Don't worry. I don't care. I just want to get out of here. And no, I'm not planning to sue or make a scene. I don't want anything to do with you or your names."
My voice is slow, tired. Maybe I really am exhausted. Zeke nods.
"We already paid the bills. You don't have to worry."
I scoff inwardly. I don't need their money, but I can't exactly push it away either. I need their sympathy.
Looking as small and helpless as possible, I say, "I'm sorry for the trouble. And you didn't need to pay my bills. It was my mistake with the keys."
I stare down at my hands, fingers twisting the blanket. Thoven walks closer and gently touches my cheek.
"If it weren't for you, I would've been in that car. Probably dead by now. You saved my life."
His eyes lock onto mine with a softness and warmth I've never seen him give to anyone—especially not one of his whores. I feel... special.
But I pull away from the feeling and look down at my hands, burying them into the blanket as I murmur, "Glad I could prevent someone from dying."