Harley's Achilles (The Rock Series Book 3) (4 page)

“Maybe.” Harley nodded and tipped his head back, inhaling the cool air.

“Let’s get you home.”

I pulled out of the parking lot and stopped. Something felt off and I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“What is it?” Harley asked.

“It’s nothing, I guess.” I placed his hand on my abdomen. “Hang on, okay?”

Harley wrapped his arms around my waist and I pulled out into the alley behind the diner. I retraced Harley’s path and made it back to his place in ten minutes. I pulled into his driveway and helped him off the bike. Harley wobbled a bit, so I held on to him. I removed his helmet and checked him thoroughly.

“You’re a little warm. I don’t like it.” I peered into his eyes. They were glazed over. “Maybe you should see a doctor.”

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll get over whatever this is. I don’t get sick often.”

“Which is why I’d like you to see a doctor, Harley.” Harley slumped in my arms and exhaled loudly. I held him up and his head fell back, a lazy smile turned his lips.

“S’all good, Achiiilllleees,” Harley slurred.

“Okay, that’s it.” I picked Harley up and carried him into the house. I set him down on his bed and took off his shoes. Harley rolled to his side with a sigh and curled into the fetal position. I covered him with a comforter and headed into the kitchen to use the phone. The phone number for the band’s personal doctor was on the fridge and I called him immediately.

“Doc Mathis here,” he answered.

“Um, this is Achilles Castellanos, Harley’s bodyguard? Um, I think he’s sick.”

“Well, hello, Achilles. Is he running a fever?”

“He seems warm.”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

I hung up and paced the room. Harley seemed fine at the diner and now he wasn’t. Maybe it was food poisoning? I went back to Harley’s room to see him leaning over the side of the bed. I ran and grabbed the trashcan just in time to catch Harley puking out dinner.

“Achilles,” Harley rasped.

“I’m here.” I sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed his hair back.

“Stomach hurts.”

“Lay back,” I instructed him.

Harley did as he was told, and I rubbed his stomach in soft, slow circles. It was something my mother had done for me whenever I was sick and it helped me. I hoped it helped Harley. Harley sighed and his eyelashes fluttered. Even sick, he was the most gorgeous man I’d ever laid eyes on.

“How’s that feel?” I asked.

“Better. You don’t look so hot either.” Harley motioned to my face.

I blinked and tried to focus on Harley. My stomach lurched and my head began to pound.

“Oh shit,” I whispered. I pulled out my phone and dialed Axel’s number. He picked up on the second ring.

“Achilles?”

“Sick…Harley’s… come.”

Harley

“Ohhh fuck.” My head swam and the gurgling in my gut would not stop. Something cool hit my forehead and then a warm hand touched my temple.

“Harley? It’s Doc Mathis. Can you tell me where it hurts?”

“Hurts everywhere. Feel like my stomach’s ripping apart.”

“Seems like you and Achilles have the same thing. What did you eat or drink today?”

“Achilles is sick?” I tried to sit up, but Doc Mathis pushed me back down gently.

“He’s in the living room. He’s already thrown up everything he possibly can and I’m giving him anti-nausea medication. It’s the same thing I’m going to give you. Both of you are hooked up to IVs, so please be careful. I’m going to prescribe you bed rest and don’t remove your IV until all the saline is gone from the bag, okay? If you or Achilles feels any worse, I want you to call me immediately.”

“What’s wrong with us, Doc?”

“I suspect food poisoning. I’m giving you forty-eight hours, and if you don’t improve, I’ll be drawing blood and admitting you.”

“Are you sure Achilles is okay?” I asked, holding my head.

“Yes, he’s got a huge guy in there with him,” Doc assured me. “Get some sleep, Harley.”

As much as I tried to fight it, whatever the doc had given me knocked me the fuck out.

I woke up and felt a presence next to me. I turned my head to see Gareth fast asleep next to me. His long, black lashes touched his skin and his breathing was soft and even. I sat up a bit and realized Gareth and I weren’t alone. Axel was sitting in the corner chair with a cup of coffee and a magazine. He looked up when he noticed I was awake, and smiled.

“Well, how was your 12 hour nap?” he asked.

“Wait. What? I’ve been asleep that long? Where’s Achilles? Is he okay?”

“Whoa, one thing at a time. Calm down, Achilles is fine. I just looked in on him. He’s still asleep.”

“What the hell happened?” I rubbed my head.

“Doc seems to think it was food poisoning. I took out your IV a bit ago, so you can take a shower if you’re up to it. I’ve also made food for you and Achilles.”

“How long have you and Gareth been here?”

“Since Achilles called me. He got three words out and I was on my way. Gareth insisted on coming and when Doc told him you were sick, he crawled in bed with you and held you while you cried.”

“I cried?” I furrowed my brows.

“Oh yeah. Cried, threw up, shit, you name it, you did it.”

“Oh God,” I whispered.

“I don’t suppose you remember Gareth and I washing you up in the tub, huh?”

“No.” I closed my eyes and sighed. They flew open and I stared at Axel. “I was naked?”

“Well, we tried to clean the shit off you fully clothed, but it wasn’t working out too well.”

I scowled and Axel grinned. Gareth snickered next to me and I pushed his shoulder. He sat up and hugged me so tightly, I thought he’d break a rib on me.

“Hey, now. I’m okay,” I murmured in his ear.

“I was so worried about you!” Gareth practically screamed in my ear.

“Ow, head still hurts a bit.”

“Sorry,” Gareth apologized. “You had us worried.”

I climbed out of the bed and held onto the nightstand to steady myself. I was still a bit woozy and my eyesight was a tad blurry. Axel moved to my side and wrapped an arm around my waist.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I need to see Achilles.”

Axel helped me into the living room and there, wrapped in a blanket, was Achilles. His face was pale, but he looked okay. I sat down next to him and ran my fingers through his hair. His eyelashes fluttered and then his gray eyes were fixed on me.

“Hey,” he croaked. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. How do you feel?” I asked, palming his cheek.

Achilles took my hand and held it. His eyes searched mine and I lowered mine at the intensity of his gaze.

“I was worried about you,” he whispered.

“Um, both of you should shower. I can smell you from here.” Gareth pinched his nose.

I had to smile at the slight flush of color on Achilles’ cheeks. Neither one of us was going to win any awards for our stench. I got up and headed back to my room on much more stable feet.

“Fine. I’ll go shower.”

“Then you’ll eat,” Axel called after me.

Ugh. Food did not sound good right now, and my stomach seconded that with a slight rumble. I stood under the hot spray and just let it wash over me. I washed up, making sure I cleaned my ass crack thoroughly. I felt slightly better as I got out and toweled off. I threw on some clothes and found Gareth waiting for me in my room.

“Hey, Munchkin.”

“You scared me.” Gareth searched my features.

“I’m okay, I swear. Was anyone else sick?”

“No, just you and Achilles.”

“That’s odd.” My brows scrunched in thought. “Is he in the shower?”

“Yes. Axel had to help him there, and I don’t think he wanted you to see him like that anyway.”

I sat down on the bed and rubbed my face with my hands. I was seriously worried about Achilles. He didn’t look good. I looked a ton better, but Achilles? Not so much. Gareth took my hand and I looked up at him.

“He’ll be okay,” Gareth assured me. “Now, come eat.”

I followed Gareth into my kitchen where food awaited me, courtesy of Axel. I stared at it and sat down, grabbing a biscuit first. Hopefully, the bread would stay down and then I could move onto something else. I sipped my juice and took a bite, waiting for the urge to puke to rise again. Axel came into the kitchen and kissed Gareth’s head on his way to the coffee maker. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d see Munchkin married to a former SEAL, but there they were. I grinned as Gareth smiled at his husband adoringly.

“Axel and I went shopping for you while you were asleep,” Gareth informed me.

“Why?”

“Because we don’t know what made you sick. In my experience, it could be anything, so I threw out all your food and bought new stuff.”

“Thank you.” I shoved another bite of biscuit in my mouth. Axel sat down next to Gareth and rubbed his back, kissing his temple.

“Okay, thanks so much for coming by, but I can’t take the two of you and your googly eyes.”

“Are you sure?” Gareth eyed me.

“I feel so much better. Thank you, guys, for coming over and taking care of us. I really do appreciate it,” I said sincerely.

“If you need anything, and I mean anything, you call, yeah?” Axel placed his hand on my forehead and nodded. “You’re much cooler. Achilles is back on the couch. He showered, and I think that was enough for him. Keep an eye on him, yeah?”

“I will.”

I closed the door behind Gareth and Axel, and went to my room. In the back of my closet was where I hid my stress relief. I looked over my shoulder cautiously as I removed my crayons and coloring books from a container in the back. I took them to the kitchen, stopping in the living room to make sure Achilles was still asleep and breathing normally. I sat down and opened the crayon box, checking them to make sure they were still sharp and didn’t need to be sharpened.

Holden and I, when we were kids, used to color all the time and I found that it relaxed me when things were stressful. It was a habit I kept to this day. I must have colored hundreds of books when he died, just hoping I’d somehow feel better. I grabbed my favorite one and opened the page to a smiling bear with honey. The stress ebbed away as I started with the crayon inside the lines and colored them in with even strokes.

“What are you doing?”

I almost jumped sky-high at Achilles’ voice behind me. I tried to cover up what I was doing, to no avail.

“Are you…coloring?” Achilles bent over me, staring at my coloring book.

“Yeah? What of it? I find it relaxing,” I defended.

“Relaxing, eh?” A small, sly smile formed on Achilles’ lips.

“Don’t judge me!” I pointed at him with my crayon.

“Fine, I won’t. Let me try it then.”

“No. You’ll probably color outside the lines and break my crayons.”

Achilles chuckled and sat down across from me. “I promise not to press down too hard, and I’ll stay inside the lines.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and held my crayons to my chest.

“Come on.” Achilles motioned to the coloring books. “Just give me one.”

“Fine. You can have Eeyore.”

“What if I want Pooh?”

I shot him a look and he grinned.

“Fine, Eeyore it is.”

“You look…better.” I let my eyes wander over his face.

“I feel better.” Achilles removed a blue crayon from the box and began outlining his character.

I watched in fascination as his big hands gently colored inside the lines, the way his fingers glided over the picture effortlessly.

“Harley?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if his bow was pink or red.”

“Oh, um, it’s pink. I think.” I bit my lip in concentration as I worked on my honey pot.

“That’s really good.” Achilles motioned to my picture. “What other books do you have?”

I pulled my stack off the chair and Achilles thumbed through them. He finished the one he’d started and scribbled his name at the bottom. I smiled and looked up at him.

“I do that, too.”

“Well, people should know who created this masterpiece.” Achilles lifted the picture and smiled.

“That’s really good. I’m surprised.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re this huge guy, it just seems weird.”

“You should get newer ones. I think they have some online.”

“I just pick them up at the store. I don’t really order stuff online, mostly because I’m not here enough to get it.”

“Well, I’m going to get you some new ones.”

“Why?”

“Because it is relaxing, and now I want to do it.”

I chuckled and Achilles smiled at me. Jesus, he had a great smile. I ducked my head and finished my character, scribbling my name at the bottom.

“What do you think? Is it fridge worthy?” I asked.

“I think it is.” Achilles stood and took my paper to the fridge. He placed magnets on the four corners and stepped back, admiring it. “Now this is art.”

My smile faded as I recalled my parents taking down my English paper from the fridge. I’d been so proud to get an “A” that I put it up, hoping they’d see it and tell me how proud they were of me. It ended up in Holden’s room on his “this stuff is awesome” corkboard. Then, Holden had made me a cake and we celebrated on the floor of his room.

“Hey, are you okay?” Achilles asked.

“Just remembering some stuff.”

“Oh?”

“It seems like every good thing I did, Holden was the one who celebrated with me. If I got an ‘A’ he made a cake. If I got a ‘B’ he’d make a cupcake.” I chuckled at the memory.

“He was an extraordinary man, wasn’t he? I wish I could have met him.”

“He would have loved you. You guys had a lot in common.”

“We do?”

“Holden loved guns and explosives, it was one of the reasons he couldn’t wait to join the military. He skipped college and went right in. I thought for sure my parents would have a coronary, but Holden could do no wrong.”

“They favored him, didn’t they?”

“Yes, they did. Funny thing? I didn’t care, I loved him so much and he treated me like I was the best thing that ever happened to him.”

“I’m not a big fan of explosives, but I can hold my own with a gun.”

“You and Rebel should hang out.” I laughed. “He’s got tons of guns. His grandfather thinks we’ll be at war with ourselves soon.”

“Grandfather?” Achilles asked.

“Yeah, Rebel had it rough, but he’s managed to jump over some very high hurdles. I’m in awe of him.” Achilles’ stomach growled and I smiled. “Hungry?”

“I am, which is surprising.”

“Axel made food. I put it in the oven for you. He said they went grocery shopping. They threw everything away that was in the house.”

“Makes sense.” Achilles brows furrowed.

“What is it?”

“No one else got sick, just the two of us. We all ordered almost the same exact thing, so why us? I hardly ever get sick, and food poisoning isn’t something I’ve ever had. My stomach is like iron after the hell I went through in the military.”

“Don’t know. I just know I never want to feel that way again.” I shuddered.

“Well, we can both eat and then maybe hang out and watch some TV?”

“Don’t you have someone else you’d rather hang with?”

Achilles leaned forward and gave me a sparkling smile. “Maybe I like hanging out with you.”

I glared at him, but he wouldn’t budge. That damn smile still in place.