Page 119 of Traded

That’s not right. Because I feel fucking fantastic. My stomach doesn’t seem to agree with my assessment, though.

Bet it was the beets.

“I can see that.” He steers me past a group of people. “Can you get his other arm?”

“Who?” I look over my shoulder. “Fuck off, you hulking bastard.”

“Jesus.” Liam grabs me despite my flailing arm. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

They push me through the door to the blessedly empty bathroom. Someone is talking over the intercom, but my stomach surges and I shove them away. Falling to my knees, I lose the contents of my stomach in violent, clenching movements. “Fucking beets.Hatebeets.”

My head starts to clear. Sitting back, I let my body slump against the side of the toilet and rest my head against the wall. “Fucks’ sake.”

I can hear them muttering behind me. “I’m fine. Food didn’t agree with me.”

Which is a damned shame, because I haven’t felt this good in months.

“He’s on something,” I hear Benji hiss. “Christ, Kessler, you think I don’t recognize it when I see it? What the fuck has he taken?”

“Nothing,” Liam snaps back at him. “You know he doesn’t touch anything. You heard him, it was the food.”

“Food doesn’t make you act like that.”

“Come on, Laine.” I straighten up. “I haven’t drunk for months. Probably hit it too hard.”

He crouches in front of me. “They put you on anything new? Mina?”

“Nah.” I throw out my hand, and he helps me stagger to my feet. “Mina’s solid. You know that.”

“Yeah, I do.” He backs up as I move to wash my hands. I throw some water over my face. “So what the fuck was this?”

“A one-off.” I think I threw the pills up. My shoulder twinges as I stretch it out, and I glare into the mirror at his reflection. “Leave it, Laine. I mean it.”

Liam stops me as I move to follow a clearly still pissed Benji. Practice is gonna be a fucking barrel of laughs on Monday. “What was it?”

“What?” I pull my arm out of his, not looking at his face. I might punch it, and I promised Ro I’d leave it until the end of the season before upending everything. “I told you, I’m fine.”

“Yeah well, Benji wasn’t buying it. And neither am I.” He crowds me when I try to push past, using his sheer bulk to block my way. “Come on, Cart. We’re pack. Tell me the truth.”

Shoving my hand into my pocket, I feel for the pills. “Martin sorted it with the team to put me on something stronger.”

“So it’s legit?” He doesn’t move. “And it helps?”

“Yeah.” I laugh hoarsely. “It’s fucking brilliant. It’ll get me through the season as long as you assholes stay off my back. I’m carrying you all as it is.”

“Fuck you.” But there’s no heat in it. He steps out of my way. “As long as it’s helping, right?”

“Exactly.”

By the time we get back to the table, dinner’s been cleared and the table is empty aside from a single, small figure.

Rosie looks up at me.

“What?” I drop down beside her. “What’s wrong?”

Her eyes flick over me. “Where were you?”

Liam is still hovering, and she glances up at him and away. “You missed the auction.”