Page 16 of Finding Redemption

Not wasting time, I started talking as soon as I heard the ringing stop.“Riah, migraine.Excedrin.I’m out.Please.I’ll pay you back.”

My stomach started heaving again, and I dropped the phone in my rush back to the bathroom, hoping Sariah had understood my garbled plea.

A loud crash jerked me from my misery sometime later.I was lying on my bathroom floor, curled into a ball, a damp washcloth over my eyes.From the smell alone, I knew I had stomach acid in my hair.At one point, I’d passed out and come to, retching on myself.This was by far the worst migraine of my life.

Between the warring emotions of meeting my uncle again, the unwanted memories of my father, stepmother, and St.Andrew’s, added on top of my period being close, I wasn’t surprised.My cycle was a huge migraine trigger.Stupid hormones.I’d gotten my first taste of a migraine only days before I’d had my first period at the age of nine.At the time, I’d thought both were signs I was dying.My mom hadn’t started her own cycle until she was twelve, so she’d thought she had plenty of time to prepare me for the monthly visits.

Now, it took too much effort to care if someone had broken in to the apartment, but I whined when heavy footsteps sounded like a herd of elephants charging toward me.

Maybe they would stampede over me and put an end to this agony.

Cursing was followed by someone lifting the top half of my body off the tiled floor.“Jesus,” grumbled a deep voice I vaguely recognized through the migraine haze.The part of my brain that was still able to work told me it was Paxton, but that made no sense.

Keeping my eyes clenched closed, I tried to twist away from whoever was holding me.“I made a mess.”

“Shh,” the voice soothed.“No one cares about that.”

“Hurts,” I whimpered.

“I’ve got you.”He lifted me off the floor, tucking me against his hard body.“You’re going to be okay.I promise.”

Zero part of me believed him, but I was in too much pain to argue.Cool air hit my skin, and I shivered.I didn’t know where he was carrying me or why he was there.Again, my jumbled mind said it was Paxton, but I didn’t believe it.

Every noise was too loud, the dimmest of lights absolute agony to my eyes.I tried to block it all out and focus on what was happening around me, but nothing made sense.

When something stabbed into my arm, I jolted, yet not even that was enough to pull me from the pain-filled stupor I had fallen into.But soon after, the pounding in my head dulled, and I moaned with relief.

A kiss was brushed over my brow.“Sleep.I’m here with you.”

Surprisingly, I took comfort in that.Blindly reaching out, I grasped his callused hand and pressed it to my cheek, allowing myself the luxury of relaxing now that the headache had eased into something tolerable.I couldn’t remember the last time someone had taken care of me.Maybe when I was a kid, before Mom started becoming more obsessed with finding “the one” to love her.

Rough fingers skimmed over my cheek soothingly before brushing my hair back from my face.Another kiss touched just above my right eye, firm but heart-clenchingly gentle.

Reality came back slowly.Smells that could only ever be associated with hospitals.Sounds of wheels rolling on tiled floors, the beeping of a heart monitor in the distance, low voices.Feeling something scratch against my skin, the chill of the room on my face, neck, and arms.There was what I assumed was an IV in my left arm, the tape around the site tugging on my skin.

I missed the comfort of the hand that had been pillowed under my cheek, the gruff promises of making certain everything was okay.I lifted my lashes carefully, taking caution in case the lights were too bright.I found myself in a dimly lit hospital room, a chair placed right beside the head of the bed that looked way too small for someone of Paxton’s size to have fit in.Across the room, the door had been left cracked open.

From the hall, I caught the sound of voices right outside the door, but I couldn’t make out the words until I heard Paxton’s unmistakable voice.“And you’re sure it was just a migraine?”

“According to her roommate, she gets them often.I see no other signs of anything to suggest this was something more.I do recommend a follow-up with a neurologist.If she suffers as often as the roommate assumes, I’m surprised she can function.There are preventatives she can be prescribed, as well as other medications that can combat the headaches more effectively than anything over the counter.”

Pushing my unruly hair out of my way, I sat up.My head felt heavy, a dull ache echoing throughout my entire skull, but it was definitely bearable.Hearing me shifting around, Paxton opened the door to glance in at me.Finding me sitting up, he quickly crossed to me.“How are you feeling?”

“Much better.”Heat filled my face, embarrassment choking me.Although the migraine had passed, I felt like crap.My body hurt, and I could still smell something foul coming from the general direction of my hair.I remembered making a mess in my bathroom, and there was no way I hadn’t gotten vomit in my wild tresses.

Of course the most beautiful man on the planet had seen me like that.He was still looking at me, sincere concern darkening his face.This man had taken care of me when I was at my most vulnerable.I wasn’t sure anyone else would have bothered.Scratch that.Iknewthey would have.

Unable to meet his gaze as he neared, I focused on the end of the bed.“Thank you.For everything.I don’t know how I’ll repay you, but I will.”

He muttered something to himself, low and vicious, but I didn’t hear what he said.Firm fingers tipped up my chin, and I had no choice but to meet his hazel eyes in the low light.“All that matters is that you are okay.How is the head?”

“T-tender,” I whispered and licked my dry bottom lip.Hazel was replaced by moss, liquid gold swirling around inside in a way that had my heart jumping in my chest.“You saved me, Paxton.”

Worry darkened his face while his eyes searched mine.Maybe he didn’t believe I was feeling better, or he was unsure how long the reprieve from my migraine would last.I couldn’t reassure him about the latter, however much I wished I could.This close to my period, I could easily have one every day until my cycle ended.What had made this one so bad was that I hadn’t prepared for it.I would stock up on my over-the-counter meds so I never had to risk this again.

Paxton’s thumb rubbed over my cheek before he dropped his hand.“Riah packed you a few things.Change of clothes and hygiene items.The bathroom is small, but there is a shower if you’re up to it.”

I touched the IV in the back of my hand, but I was surprised to find no line attached to it.

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