Page 97 of Hard Rock Deceit

"Only sometimes?" I suppressed asmile.

August let out a short laugh, before groaning, clutching at himself. He curled onto his side. The cloth fell from his forehead. I picked it up and held it inplace.

He stayed in that position for long minutes, his breathing turning labored and pained. Every small shift of his body brought another grimace, another wave of sharpaches.

"I can't believe you went days like this with no help,"Isaid.

"It didn't start getting really bad until yesterday," he mumbled. "I thought I could powerthrough."

"I know you're stubborn, but even you can't just willthisaway."

"I know." He cast his eyes down, averting his gaze. "I was five seconds away from just swallowing all those damn pills before youshowedup."

I inhaled a sharp breath. If I'd been just five minutestoolate…

"I know I have no right to ask this after the shit I said to you," he said quietly. "But I can't do this alone." He lifted his eyes to meet mine. "Ineedyou."

I didn't hesitate for amoment.

"I'll stay here for as long as you wantmeto."

ChapterTwenty-Nine

"August?"

"Mm," came the one syllablegrunt.

"I made yousomesoup."

"Nothungry."

"You need to eatsomething."

"Why, so I can throw it all upagain?"

With a sigh, I set the bowl on the nightstand and sat on the bed next to him where he'd curled into a ball. At least the snark meant he was well enough to speakcoherently.

It wasrough.

August going through withdrawal had been rough on bothofus.

It was hardest on him, of course. I couldn't imagine the pain, the turmoil, he was goingthrough.

But watching him go through it without being able to help wastorture.

After the shakes and the stabbing pain came the nausea. We had to keep a waste basket close by for the times when he couldn't make it to thebathroom.

When the nausea passed, the irritability started up. He turned cranky, yelling at me to go, throwing things at me. Luckily the only things in reach werepillows.

After the irritability came the pleading. That was the worst. He begged me for just one pill. Just one small pill to help him get through it. Just enough to take away some of the symptoms, not enough to actuallygethigh.

I knew better than tosayyes.

When he realized I was going to stand firm, he gave up in defeat. He lay in bed, dull eyes staring into the distance, looking at nothing, saying nothing. Each breath was a struggle. Sometimes I think he wished he would stop breathingentirely.

"Your skin doesn't look as pale," I noted. "You've stoppedshaking."

He ran a hand over his face, pressing his palms intohiseyes.