True Body Rock (Rockstar Romance) (The Body Rock Series Book 4) by Nora Flite Page B

unconscious for?
    A vibration rumbled loudly to my left, paralyzing me with new fear. From where I sat, I saw the shiny device and knew what it was. Calm down, just my phone. Someone was trying to call me! That brought a new, sickening thought with it. He took my phone out of my pocket.
    The strange dream about Drezden, his face turning into Johnny's, surfaced. Heartburn and bile worked up my throat; I struggled to keep it down. If he took my phone, that means he touched me... searched me.
    Had he done anything else while I was so vulnerable?
    “I didn't have any choice but to do this.”
    My attention jumped up, into his stubble covered jaw. Trying to convince me, or him? I was in the hands of someone more unstable than I had originally thought. Rocking in my bonds, I tested everything. Figuring out what tied my wrists was impossible. It felt sticky, like old candy.
    Rubbing the side of his nose, he took a swig from a bottle. “I was getting worried. You were out so long, I wondered if you had a concussion.”
    And he didn't take me to a hospital? A tremble went down my knees. Fuck fuck fuck. Johnny wasn't concerned for my health. If something went wrong under his control...
    I could die here.
    His palm touched my forehead, unnerving me. “You look pale.” Scrutinizing me for a long moment, he hummed. “I'm really sorry if you don't feel well. Seriously, none of this—I didn't plan to do this.”
    No, I don't think it was planned. The way he'd followed me, freaked out in my room, had all been too spontaneous feeling. I'm not captured by some vaudevillian character. Just a crazy, unhinged, selfish prick.
    Wonderful.
    Coughing against my gag, I moaned. Johnny pulled away, lips pinched. “What is it? That too tight?”
    Freezing my muscles, I considered his question. If I can get him to ungag me, maybe I can find a way out of this. My nod of agreement was patiently slow.
    “Okay. But listen. You make any loud noise, and I'm putting this on even tighter. Okay?” When I nodded again, he reached behind my head, loosened the tie. With the ability to move my mouth again, I noticed how badly my jaw ached. “There. Better?”
    My voice cracked, parched to hell. “Can I have a drink?” He edged the open bottle towards me, the strong scent of alcohol burned my nostrils. “Water, do you have water?”
    “Oh.” Swallowing more of the liquid down, he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. Moving around, out of vision, I heard water running; a sink. The paper cup he brought to me smelled like chlorine, but I drank it carefully while he tilted it.
    Tossing the cup aside, its purpose done, Johnny dug a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “You smoke?”
    I curled my lips back. “Why did you do this?”
    “Take that as a no.” Cupping his lighter close, the fire turned his lips cherry-red. Smoke billowed, the smell making me think of Drezden. “Like I said, wasn't planned.”
    On the table, my phone buzzed again. We both glanced at it; him, with disgust—and fear? Me, well... I couldn't bury my hope. “Johnny, just let me go. You don't need to keep me here.”
    Waving smoke away, he rolled the cigarette to one side, spoke around it. “Fuck, yes I do. I tried to talk you out of that band. Tried to fucking tell you how awful Drez was. You didn't want to listen.” Ash fell to the rug. “This was the only way to keep you from playing.”
    Shifting in the chair, I winced at the twinge in my shoulder. “Why do you care if I play or not? You aren't in the band anymore, what does it matter to you?”
    He turned his head suddenly, listening for... something. Taking another drag, Johnny let the grey haze flow around him. “You talk too much. Want more water?”
    Why did he want to convince me to leave the band? To abandon Drezden? I'd figured out why Sean had been struggling with it, but Johnny—no. My eyebrows shot up to my scalp. “You wanted me to leave so you could take my spot again!”
    “ Again? ” His foot kicked