The crowd clapped and shouted at whatever chaos was unfolding.
Holding onto CC with a deathgrip, I let her sweet scent and soft lips calm the chaos rising in my blood, threatening this easy peace between us.
Nausea rose in my stomach a dull headache began to throb against my skull. The noise from the stands beat against my ears like a sharp ice pick, needling its way inside.
Unable to conquer the queasiness, I pulled back and wiped my sweat-covered brow.
“You okay, Pax?” Terri’s gorgeous brown eyes widened as she took in my face.
“Yeah. No.” I took another pull from my water, hoping the drink would settle the roiling juices inside. “I’m getting a terrible headache.”
CC leaned forward. “Lana, we’re going outside for some fresh air.”
Lana smirked. “Uh huh. Sure you are.”
Not giving her sister a response, Terri pulled me up and led me through the aisle to the fresh night outside, where the cheers and chatter faded to a low murmur of voices.
I veered off the path into the empty spaces behind a food stand. A few clumps of stunted grass shone in the moonlight. I walked farther into the weeds, desperate to will my stomach and the rest of my body to cooperate.
Should I take another pill? Or is this happeningbecauseI took a couple of Jay’s new medication?I would strangle him when I got back to the hotel. Whatever he’d given me was way stronger than the first prescription.
“Stop, Paxton.” Terri’s voice, high with a note of concern, halted my feet, forcing me to look around.
The circus now lay hundreds of feet behind me, wreathed in artificial light.
We’d gone to the edge of the desert. Small cacti dotted the landscape and boulders jutted from the ground. If I went any farther, I’d risk stumbling into the needles of cactus and snakes trying to keep themselves warm.
As I turned to Terri, the popcorn and water I’d imbibed earlier decided to make a second appearance. I threw myself to the sand and retched, spilling everything onto the sand.
I felt Terri patting my back as I wiped my mouth. “Sorry. Must’ve been something I ate.”
“Here.” She handed me her bottle of water. “Rinse your mouth out.”
With a shaky hand, I did as she commanded.
“What’s really going on, Pax?”
I spit onto the ground, my gaze pointed to the waning moon. “What do you mean?”
“You know damn well what I mean. I’ve been in the music business long enough to see the signs of drug use.”
Her accusation filled my veins with shame and fury, squashing the nausea for the moment. “Howdareyou accuse me of that, especially after knowing what I went through with Dad’s death. I donotuse illegal drugs.”
Letting out a long breath, she moved into my vision, the moonlight playing across her face. She studied me for a long moment, her lips pursed.
I met her stare, my stomach settling a bit.
“Fine.” She put a hand to my forehead, then pulled away. “I believe you. But Pax, you must have a stomach virus or something. You’re pale and feel like you have a fever.”
A virus?Why hadn’t I thought of that? It wasn’t the pills making me sick but probably a common germ I picked up at the hotel.
“Sorry I got angry.” I lifted my elbow and used my upper arm to wipe the sweat beading on my brow. “And sorry I’m ruining your night.”
She shrugged. “You ain’t ruining anything, Pax. Thiswaskind of fun, even though it’s a bit out of my comfort zone. Why don’t we call it a night? You look like you could use some rest.”
I nodded, and we started back toward the bright lights of the circus and its exhibits.
A wave of dizziness hit again and I stumbled.
