The tension in Alex's body had reached an unbearable level by the time he pulled up in front of Vanessa's apartment. The aphrodisiac coursing through his veins made every nerve in his body hyperaware, his pulse racing as though he'd just run a marathon.
He clenched the steering wheel, his knuckles white, forcing himself to focus.
"Won't you help me inside?" Vanessa's voice was coy, her lips curving into a smile that sent a fresh wave of discomfort through him.
He wanted to say no and snap at her but he needed to know how she intended to carry out her plan.
From the way he was feeling, he had already figured it out. Jake's call had been a distraction for Vanessa to spike his drink.
Perhaps they were hoping for him to fall into their trap of sleeping with Vanessa. Too bad he already figured it out. And even though the drugs effect was taking its toll on him, he wouldn't fall for it, not when it was Vanessa.
Alex stared straight ahead, his jaw tight. "Do I have to?" he finally replied and Vanessa hid a smile, thinking her plans were truly in place.
"Of course," she replied, feigning innocence. "You saw how I hurt my ankle earlier. I can barely walk without help. Please. I know you don't exactly like me but please, help me in, for the sake of anything you hold dear."
He exhaled slowly, his self-control fraying at the edges. His instincts screamed at him to leave, but he couldn't. Not yet. He needed to know the extent of what she and Jake could do to get him.
"Fine," he muttered, his voice laced with frustration.
He stepped out of the car, his movements stiff and deliberate. Vanessa leaned heavily on him as they made their way to her door, her touch lingering just a little too long.
Inside, the apartment was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of her floral perfume.
Alex lowered her onto the couch and discreetly pulled out his phone, pressing the video record button before slipping it into his pocket and positioning it in a way everything would be clear.
Vanessa kicked off her heels and stretched languidly, her movements deliberate. "Thank you, Alex," she purred, her voice dripping with faux sweetness.
She rose unsteadily to her feet and placed her hands on his shoulders, guiding him toward the bedroom.
"Vanessa," he started, his voice strained, but she pressed a finger to his lips.
"Shh," she said. "Let me take care of you."
Her hands moved down his arms, and she leaned in closer, her breath warm against his neck. Alex gritted his teeth, every fiber of his being screaming at him to push her away, but he stayed still, his phone still recording.
As they reached the bedroom, he let his body sag against the bed, feigning exhaustion. His head hit the pillow, his breaths coming slow and heavy.
"Alex?" Vanessa whispered, shaking his shoulder lightly. When he didn't respond, she frowned, frustration flickering across her face.
She muttered to herself, pacing back and forth. "The drug wasn't supposed to knock him out like this… What am I supposed to do now?"
Alex lay perfectly still, his mind racing. Whatever Vanessa had planned, he wasn't going to let her get away with it.
Not sure of what to do now, Vanessa brought out her phone and without thinking dialed Jake's line.
"Is it done?" Jake asked the moment the call connected and Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Not exactly," Vanessa hissed, pacing the room in frustration. She glanced at Alex's still form on the bed and lowered her voice.
"The drug worked, but he passed out before anything could happen. I don't even understand anything right," she said her frustration barely contained.
"What do you mean passed out?" Jake's irritation was palpable. "That stuff is supposed to heighten his senses, not knock him out!" he snapped. The last thing he wanted was to think their plan was going to fail.
Vanessa stopped pacing, gripping the phone tightly. "I don't know, Jake! He's just lying there like a damn log. This wasn't the plan! What am I supposed to do with his sleeping form? I'm supposed to sleep with him so I can go to Claire next month with the pregnancy story and I'm not sure after today, he's going to go on any date with me. Even if he did, we won't be able to carry out this plan again. What am I to do now?" Vanessa asked, not wanting all her efforts to teach this Alex a lesson go to waste.
Jake let out a low growl on the other end of the line. "You need to think of something. We can't let this opportunity slip. He's going to be suspicious of what happened today, and if he finds out....."
"He's not going to find out," Vanessa snapped, cutting him off. "I'll... I'll figure it out," she said, taking a deep breath to calm herself so that she could think properly.
Jake sighed, his tone softening slightly. "You'd better. We've come too far for this to fall apart now. Do something. Anything even if it means sleeping with him in his unconscious form," Jake said and Vanessa ended the call without another word, glaring at Alex.
His steady, even breaths infuriated her. She had imagined this evening going very differently, not the way it was now.
For a moment, she considered trying to wake him, but the risk was too high. If he woke up and saw her acting too eagerly, it would be clear that something was amiss and he'd figure it out.
She resumed pacing, her mind working and going through different ways she could achieve her purpose.
She looked at him, her eyes narrowing as a thought hit her. Immediately, she stopped pacing and rushed to his side.
This plan was going to work whether he was sleeping or not. She thought with a smirk as she began undressing him.