Page 18 of Craving Oblivion

“Where’s Steve?” I asked. My throat ached. I closed my eyes, hoping I hadn’t destroyed my voice.

“I don’t know. You told us to get rid of him.”

I nodded. Right. I had.

Except…part of me wanted the comfort of a friend. No, what I wanted was for Steve to step up and be the father I needed, but he’d never done that. Wouldn’t or couldn’t didn’t change the outcome. I was alone.

“And Lindsay?” I asked.

“She’s gone, sir.”

I nodded. “Make sure it stays that way.”

I needed to find my phone. I pawed through the sheets, my nose wrinkling at the smell from the soiled bedding. Eventually I found it in the pile of clothes I’d worn yesterday, still on the bathroom floor. My legs were shaky, so I slid down to the tile. It was heated, warm, comforting.

I was supposed to do another show tonight.

I had a fully-booked schedule for the next three months. I’d kept myself too busy to think. Or rather, I’d tried to. Because even drunk or high, I could remember. I could wish for something different.

I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. Once I regained control, I dialed Cam’s number.

“You know a place I can go?” I asked at his gruff hello. “A place that’ll make sure to dry me out completely? I don’t want to do this again.” I laid my forehead against my raised knees. “I don’t know if I can do it again.”

“You’re in Vegas?” Cam asked.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll set it up. Can you make it a couple of hours?” he asked.

I closed my eyes and considered his question. “Do I have a choice?”

“You’ve always had a choice, Nash. Just sometimes they’re absolute shit options.”

I chuckled, which caused my headache to grow. I winced, wishing I could grab a beer, something to take away the shakes.

But that’s what had led me to waking up with Lindsay in my room.

Disgust forced me to lift my head. I gritted my jaw, determination overlaying the growing desire for a drink—any drink.

“I’ll manage.”

9

Nash

After Cam had arrived to collect me at the hotel, we’d taken a short flight to Montana. Psychiatric and rehab facilities always seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere—probably so crazy-ass, entitled celebrities like me had nowhere to run and no way to get our fan fix.

Chuck settled in the driver’s seat of our rental car at the airport, and my eyes ached too much to focus. Usually I bounced back by now, but this hangover had lingered. My entire body felt…off. I squinted as I lifted my sunglasses.

Cam settled into the back seat next to me.

“How’s your wife?” I asked.

Cam had called a few weeks back to let me know Jenna was pregnant. That thought had rattled me, but Cam had been over the moon, so I’d decided to be happy for them both.

His smile widened. “She’s good now that the morning sickness has passed. She’s on a business trip.”

“Oh? Handing off one of her guitars?”

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