Forbidden Harmony (Harmony Falls #3) - Elizabeth Kelly Page 0,107

Uber will be here in two minutes. Text me if you need anything.” Nolan squeezed his shoulder and left.

His phone dinged. The aura was so strong now, he was barely able to read Gideon’s reply text. His head throbbing and sick to his stomach, he considered just heading up to his apartment and riding out the migraine alone rather than brave the drive to Gideon’s house, but ultimately headed outside.

He hated being alone when he had a migraine. He needed Gideon there, needed him checking on him every few hours, bringing him water and ice packs, and making sure he wasn’t fucking dead from a goddamn aneurism or something. His not quite articulated fear that the migraine would never end, that he would spend the rest of his life in agony, was dimmed somewhat when he wasn’t alone.

The Uber was waiting for him, and he staggered forward and climbed into the back seat, trying to keep the sudden nausea at bay.

“Hello,” the driver said.

He mumbled out a hello and closed his eyes. He’d be okay. He just needed to get to Gideon’s and then he’d be okay.

* * *

Preacher squinted out the window at the building they were parked in front of.

“What the fuck?” he muttered. “Why are we here?”

“This is the address you gave me.” The Uber driver twisted in his seat to stare at him.

“What?” Preacher tried to think past the throbbing pain in his head. “No, I didn’t.”

“Yeah, you did,” the guy said. His cell phone rang – it was loud and shrill, and Preacher could barely stop from grabbing it and throwing it out the window. The driver stared at his cell as it rang but made no attempt to answer it.

“For fuck’s sake,” Preacher growled. “Answer the goddamn thing.”

The driver stared cautiously at him. “What’s your problem, man? You’re sweaty and you look fucked up. You on drugs or something?”

“No,” Preacher gritted out.

The phone rang again and again and with a small groan of pain, Preacher opened the car door. “Thanks.”

“Sure, yeah,” the driver said.

He nearly fell out of the car in his haste to get out. He shut the door and braced his hands on his knees as the car pulled away. The exhaust made his gorge rise and he fought bitterly against vomiting. After a few seconds, he won, and he straightened and staggered down the sidewalk to the building.

He should call Gideon and ask him to come pick him up but the thought of trying to use his cell phone, of sitting outside with the hot sun beating down on his aching, pounding head made him want to cry like a fucking baby.

He couldn’t do it. He needed a soft bed and darkness before his fucking head exploded. He gave Nolan the wrong address to type in by accident and now he just had to hope that she was home and that she would let him inside.

He buzzed her apartment number. The sound made new pain burst through his head and he lowered it and clung grimly to the wall as he waited.

“Hello?”

“It’s me,” he gritted out. “Can I come in?”

There was silence and he was getting ready to beg when the door buzzed open. He yanked on the door handle and staggered into the blessed coolness of the lobby. In too much pain to climb the stairs, he took the elevator. He rubbed the back of his neck as the fire in his brain burned bright. He lurched out of the elevator and down the hallway to her apartment. Before he could knock, the door opened, and he squinted at her as he swayed back and forth.

“Preacher? What’s wrong?” Even Addison’s soft voice seemed too loud.

He grimaced and gripped the doorframe for support. “Migraine,” he managed to spit out.

“Come in.”

Thank Christ, she didn’t ask more questions or say anything else.

He stumbled into her small apartment and leaned against the wall. He needed to take his boots off, but his stomach was churning, and his head was on fire. If he leaned down, he would either pass out or throw up.

He realized that Addison had crouched and was unlacing his boots. She tugged them off his feet before taking his hand. “Come lie down, Preacher.”

Squinting, trying not to vomit all over the back of her head, he stumbled down the hallway to her bedroom. Sunlight streamed through the window and he groaned and shielded his eyes.

Addison quickly pulled the blinds, plunging the room into darkness. He breathed a sigh of relief as