His soft snores graced my ears again and I sighed.
“I guess it can wait until tomorrow.”
But I didn't want to put off telling him about Kline any longer than I had to. I didn’t want it to come off as if I had been hiding something from him. Clearly, he had enough on his plate right now. So, clearing the air as soon as possible would be good for the both of us.
Preferably sooner rather than later.
26
Max
My head pounded a
gainst my skull. Wait, that didn’t make sense. My brain pounded against my skull. My body felt as if it were sinking into the bowels of hell, never to return, no matter how much I clamored for the surface. I tossed my arm over my eyes. My stomach felt as if it were in the Olympics for gymnastics. It tumbled and twirled and swirled and kicked. I felt like I was going to be sick.
“Shit.”
I rolled over as I heaved. I hung my head off the edge of the bed, but nothing came up. Just some spit that dribbled onto the carpeted floor and a bit of bile that fell from my mouth out of nowhere. And with every heave, my stomach shook. It trembled with the need for an apology. I hadn’t felt sick like this after drinking in years. Ever since I’d stepped into the role as president of the Red Thorns, I didn’t do anything that made me feel out of control.
“You’re an idiot.”
I murmured the words before I heaved again. Only this time, I felt something cool against the nape of my neck. I reached up to grab at whoever was in the room with me, but my reflexes were off. I felt as if I were moving at the speed of a panther. With excessive reflexes, quick as lightning.
In reality, though, I barely got my hand over my head. Much less in a position to grab at someone.
“Here. Drink.”
Dani’s voice hit my ears and the night came flooding back all at once. My head felt like it was in a vise grip as I groaned and screwed my eyes shut. I felt something dancing against my lips and I wrapped them around it. A straw. It was a plastic straw that…
“Mmm, my God.”
Holy shit, the ice cold water tasted fantastic.
Dani stroked my hair. “Not too quickly. You’ll throw it back up. Slow gulps. There we go.”
I breathed through my nose and swallowed with my throat. I timed it just right, and my body groaned in disappointment when the cup was empty. I felt the cool washcloth being plucked from my neck and I saw it appear beneath me, wiping up the small stains I made on the carpet beneath my face.
“Can you get to the kitchen? Rupert’s cooked breakfast.”
Her voice was so soft. So breathless. So… kind. I gravitated toward it as her hands threaded underneath my arms. She helped me up as the room spun around me. I draped myself over her as I stumbled out of bed. We fell against the wall and I heard her grunt, shooting me into protective mode. I gripped her hips and pulled her against me before the two of us fell back to the bed.
With her body falling right on top of me.
“Max! Max, are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
I chuckled. “You could never hurt me, gorgeous.”
She sighed. “Okay. Let’s try this again. Rupert! We’re really coming this time!”
He chuckled. “Good! Because shit’s getting cold!”
“All right, Max. Come on. Up we go, big boy.”
I grinned. “You know you like it.”
She giggled. “Never said I didn’t.”
She helped me stumble into the kitchen where the smell of eggs and toast made my mouth water. She sat me down at the table next to John, who stared at me with a look I didn’t even want to process right now. And as I watched Dani go back over to the stove, Rupert handed her the spatula.