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Someone shook me. “Bartholomew?”
I lay there, unable to open my eyes.
“He’s been like this all day,” Bleu said. “You think I should call an ambulance?”
Someone shook me again, this time harder. Then they slapped me across the face. “Asshole, wake up.”
I recognized that voice.
“I’ve never seen him like this,” Bleu said.
“I have.” He slapped me again, even harder than the last.
My eyes finally snapped open, and I almost rolled off the couch. “Hit me again and…” The world spun, and I almost slid to the hardwood floor.
His hand caught me. “You’ll what?” Benton asked. “Slur me to death?” He forced me back onto the couch. “Alcohol poisoning. Call Maurice.”
Bleu took off.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Benton demanded.
The migraine kicked in as I became more conscious. “Jesus…”
“Are you trying to kill yourself? Put the gun in your mouth and pull the trigger next time.” He slapped me again.
“Fuck, I’m awake!”
“That one was just for the hell of it.” He lifted me and forced me to sit upright against the couch. “Your head will feel better.”
I sat there, slouched against the couch, my head throbbing. The bottles and glasses were on the coffee table where I’d left them.
Minutes later, my doctor arrived and stuck an IV in my arm. He hydrated me as well as pumped me with some drugs. It took a couple minutes, but I started to feel better, though I’d never felt so weak.
Benton sat on the other couch, dogging me with a hateful look.
“You didn’t have to come.”
“Apparently I’m the only man you trust, and I don’t even work with you anymore. Pretty fucking sad.”
“Or you could take it as a compliment…”
“No. It’s just a nuisance.”
My head rested on the back of the cushion, and I looked at the ceiling. I was still drunk, so after a couple minutes, I forgot Benton was there.
“Are you going to tell me what happened?”
My eyes opened again, coming back into consciousness. “Hard day.”
“The last time you had ahard daywas when you went to kill your parents but changed your mind when you realized they had more kids and never bothered to look for you.”
“Good times…”
“What happened with Laura?”
“Why do you assume it’s her?”
“Because she’s the only one who has the power to hurt you like this.”
