Aleki gently scooted her back, putting some pillows behind her. Then he held up a bottle of water to her lips. She gulped it down. God, she was thirsty.
“Slowly, baby girl. You’re gonna make yourself sick.”
She grimaced. “I’m so sorry about that.”
He frowned at her. “Why are you sorry? You couldn’t help it.”
“I know, but it’s not exactly attractive, right? And then you had to lie with me drooling all over you. I really need to brush my teeth.”
“Here, if you’re really worried, Wolfe found some breath mints.” He handed her a mint and she sucked it gratefully. She closed her eyes for a moment, her head was throbbing in time with her arm.
She was probably due for some pain medication.
“Wolfe thinks of everything,” she muttered.
“How are you feeling? Tummy okay?”
“Yeah. It just feels a bit raw. Like most of me. I’m fine.”
“Fine, huh?” he drawled.
She cracked her eyes open to look at him. He was giving her a firm look. “Baby girl, you’re as pale as a sheet. You’ve got dark smudges under your eyes that are actually getting worse, not better. And you don’t have any weight to lose yet I swear you’re looking more gaunt.”
“Great. So I look like shit. Thanks for the update.”
“It’s okay to admit that you’re not all right, Vivi. It’s okay to ask for help.”
“Asking others to help me isn’t my strong suit.”
“I would never have guessed,” he said dryly.
He grasped hold of her chin, staring down at her firmly. “From now on, no more hiding anything, got me? Your job is to communicate with us. Our job is to figure out how to protect our family.”
She so wanted to be part of their family.
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’m gonna repeat my question. How you doing?”
“I feel like ass.”
He snorted out a laugh. “Ass, huh?”
“I figure this is what someone feels like after they drink a bottle of whiskey and go on a bender.”
“So headache? Queasy tummy? Dry mouth? A wish for a time machine to erase the last twelve hours?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
He chuckled. “I’ll get you some painkillers and another bottle of water. Feel like you could eat something?
“Not really.”
“You know that’s not going to fly with Wolfe, right?”
She groaned. “The food police. What I really want is a shower. I feel all icky and gross.”
He shook his head. “Can’t let you shower, baby, until you’re able to stand. That shower in there isn’t big enough for a seat.”
“I’ll be okay. My ankle feels loads better.”