Page 66 of Fractured Frets

Shit. “Um...yeah. I am. Jade’s had trouble filling my prescription overseas.” Fuck. Bile flooded my gut. I hated lying. I truly did. I’d been seeing my doctor here in LA to fill my other prescriptions. I was popping Drizodone between my twice-a-day oxycodone pills since I’d hurt my hip. But I was good. A few extra pills here and there...and a bit of coke...had kept the pain at bay. I had my meds and the drugs under control. Kind of. Maybe. No. Yes.

Yes! I fucking do.

“If you need to rest, we can just stay at home. I meant it before at Mom’s when I said I wanted an early night.”

I snaked my arms around her waist and drew her body against mine. “We could stay in, but I’d prefer to take you on a romantic stroll along the beach, watch the waves, get some fresh air, and maybe make love underneath the moonlight.” Yeah, I was a softy at heart. I flicked her hair back over her shoulder and kissed her forehead. “So for that plan to come to fruition, I’d like to not stop because I’m in pain.”

“No. Me either.” She placed her hand on my chest and arched a sexy eyebrow. “Good thing your sore hip doesn’t hinder your performance in other areas.”

“Nope. Never.”

“Really?” Cute wrinkles formed across the bridge of her nose.

“Truth.” I kissed her sweet pink lips. “Shall we get going?”

“Yes.” But she smacked the bottle of pills against my chest. “But promise me you won’t get hooked on this shit. I already have to deal with one person addicted to meds—I don’t want to worry about you too.” Fear swallowed the light in her eyes. “Mom’s been on a plethora of daily anti-inflammatories and immunosuppressants to relieve her condition for years. But it’s the Xanax and prednisone and Tramadol she swallows like candy that have messed her up. Add in all the alcohol and it’s one fucked up cocktail. She can’t live without any of them. She won’t admit she has a problem. I don’t want you to end up like that.” Her shaky voice cut me deep. “I couldn’t handle it.”

She didn’t need to remind me. But still, her concern punched me low in the guts. “Mads.” I eased the bottle from her grasp before she shattered the plastic. “After the tour, I won’t have to take them. Please, don’t worry.”

I’d popped too many pills and dabbled with coke over the past couple of weeks. It was so hard not to take them when it stopped the agony for a few hours. But I didn’t want to end up like Phil. I had too much to live for. Maddy. My band. The tour. My family.

I tossed the bottle back into my toiletry bag. “Let’s go for that drive.”

She wrapped her arms around me and rested her chin against my shoulder. “When’s it going to get better, Slip? When is life going to be fun again? It feels like forever since we did something crazy and laughed and danced, and I felt alive.”

“What? Like in Vegas?” I chuckled softly against her hair.

“Maybe not that crazy.” She smiled against my neck. “But yeah.”

“Then I hope you can come to Italy so we can spend a week together.”

“I hope so too.”

I rubbed her arms. “But I promise the rest of this weekend will be fun. We always have a good time when we’re together. It’s the time apart that sucks.”

“Maybe we should just stay with each other,” she murmured against my T-shirt. “Let’s pack a bag and drive east and not stop. Walk away from everything and start again somewhere new.”

My heartbeat synced with hers. “If that’s what you want, Maddy, I’d do that right now and follow you anywhere.”

Why did that sound more and more appealing by the day?

What would happen if we walked away?

Fuck . . .

Was I prepared to find out?

Chapter 19

MADDY

THE PAST – EARLY AUGUST – 10 MONTHS AGO

At Hayley’s Bar in Pasadena, I stepped out of my town car in towering stilettos, a short, tight black party dress, and the need for some fun. I was near the end of the publicity tour for my show’s new season and would spend the next few days in LA jumping from TV talk shows to radio guest appearances to interviews with magazines to photoshoots. Vancouver Heights was now one of the Top 100 prime-time TV shows across the USA. Totally freaking awesome.

But I had tonight off.

Bridget was with Mom.

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