Read Online Sticks (Black Addiction #2) by T. Gephart - Free Book Online Page B

to set ten alarms on my phone and left the bastard in a chair on the opposite side of the room so I wouldn’t be able to silence the thing and go back to sleep. I’ll admit, there were at least two I’d shut off that gave me an extra five minutes. Every little bit counted. The main thing was that my system worked, I was on time and ready to rock despite the fact I was running on vapors. I was going to have to be mainlining caffeine if I even had a hope of getting through the day. The two cups I’d had on the way over, weren’t cutting it.
    “You ready?” she asked once I’d climbed back into the truck, her hands knotted in her lap. The on-edge vibe echoed through the interior.
    “Yep, I’m ready.” I fucking lied, thinking it was better than telling the truth. I was so not ready.
    The drive was short with the only noise being the tunes coming out of my stereo speakers. She hadn’t said anything, and every time I’d opened my mouth over the last few days I’d seemed to put my foot in it so I let shit be. So we sat in a weird kind of silence.
    Thank fuck we arrived at the doctor’s office before shit got too awkward. My truck pulled up to the address she’d given me as I cracked open my window to get a better view. It didn’t look like much, just a plain building with a tiny door in front. The sign on the lawn the only thing wising me up that it wasn’t someone’s house.
    I managed to find a spot on the street to park—which was a miracle in itself—and ejected from the car. Kenzie didn’t give me a chance to get around to her door, her feet hitting the asphalt before I’d made my way to her.
    “You good?” I asked, wondering what the hell I was supposed to be doing. Holding her hand? Giving her a hug? Fist bump? The options made my head hurt. I’d never lost my game when it came to a girl, but currently—with her—I was more nervous than when I’d lost my virginity.
    “I was a little sick this morning but I’ll be okay.” She yawned as we walked on the sidewalk the short distance to the doctor’s office. It hadn’t been just me who thought the early hour of this appointment was bullshit.
    “Sick as in . . .” I waited for her to elaborate.
    I’d seen Angie, our singer, blow chunks on more than one occasion. Not on fucking purpose either, but it was hard to miss that shit when you are stuck in a booth recording an album. So as far as the morning sickness thing, I got. It happens, you puke, it’s over.
    What I didn’t know was whether that was what we were dealing with, or if it was something else. Trust me, I had a list as long as my arm of fucking worst-case scenarios. Most of which made my blood run cold, so I knew enough that “a little sick” could mean major bad news.
    “As in I throw up pretty much as soon as my feet hit the floor.” She walked beside me as we made our way to the door. “It’s gross, but considering my last few mornings have been much of the same, I’m expecting it’s nothing to be worried about,” she said with little conviction.
    She gave no clue as to whether she was avoiding or she genuinely wasn’t concerned, her tone dialed down and tight. So rather than push the issue, I swallowed any other questions and opened the door, Kenzie giving me a weak smile as she stepped through the doorway.
    “This gentleman stuff is really throwing me off.” She played nervously with her bottom lip.
    “You and me both,” I admitted, the laugh making its way up my throat even though nothing was really funny. Unless by funny you mean scary as fuck and then it was hilarious. Fuck, I hoped this was over quick.
    Either the ridiculous time of day didn’t affect the baby doctor place or Oprah was in there giving away cars because the room was filled to capacity. Patients in various stages of mom-dom were parked, waiting their turn—most of them not looking too happy.
    Kenz either completely ignored the fact that BabysRUs had exploded in the room, or she had Jedi-mind