Page 113 of Heartless Heathens

She pressed a trigger into the machine she’d been holding, and Romina let out a surprised grunt.

“You don’t fucking know me,” I grumbled and she let out a laugh.

“I know exactly who you are. Little boys like you grow up to be the same kind of men who destroyed our future.” She wrapped Romina’s arm with a bandage, covering the gauze tightly.

“You don’t know shit. I’m nothing like them.” I looked away, angry at the idea that I might one day end up exactly like the man who raised me. “Your hands aren’t so clean either. A place like this takes a lot of money to keep going. I wonder how you all do it,” I said menacingly but she didn’t care for my shit, ignoring me as if I'd never spoken at all.

“Any questions?” she asked Romina who shook her head, so I went for it instead.

“How are you still getting these anyway?” I couldn’t deny that I was curious as hell.

“I have a colleague in Canada who ships me the expired ones they can’t administer anymore. That’s why two years only, I can’t guarantee it’ll work as well after the second year, after that the risk is on you. Come find me again then.” She was telling Romina, not me.

“And if you’re not here?” I asked.

“Well, if I’m dead then I guess you’ll have to YouTube how to get it out.” She shrugged as if it were no concern to her. “That’s why I’m not doing IUD’s anymore.” She pulled her gloves off and gave Romina a pill.

“That’s just in case it gets too sore, you should be alright though. Expect some bruising. Your periods may get a bit irregular, they might even go away all together.” She told her in a professional tone before shooting that vicious glare at me again. “Now take your fuck toy and get out of my house before my husband comes home.”

“I’m not here to piss off any Diablos.” My upper lip peeled up involuntarily. “And I’m grateful, despite what an insufferable—”

“Thank you.” Romina told her, grabbing her hand with both of hers.

The doctor smiled, softening her gaze while it was directed at my pet.

The ride home was twice as long, with even more things lingering between us than ever before.

“Why did that doctor hate you so much?” she asked without turning her head to look at me.

I gave her the same courtesy.

“Probably for the same reasons that you do, Pet.” I sighed, not hiding my exhaustion at the subject.

“I don’t hate you,” she mumbled, looking down like she wasn’t sure if she wanted me to hear the words.

“Well, maybe that’s your fault then.” I told her, this time burning my gaze through her until I nearly wrecked the car and she was forced to look up at me.

“Would you prefer it if I did?” She asked, rubbing the bandage on her arm.

“It would be easier, wouldn’t it?” I gritted out through clenched teeth and she mulled it over like she was giving it some thought.

I dropped my hand to her thigh without thinking, the soft feel of her skin under my palm reminded me that everything was wrong between us. I regretted it immediately. Wanting to touch her, reach out to her at all times was fucking consuming and now I couldn’t fucking take it back otherwise she’d know that I made a mistake. I didn’t make mistakes.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

We were maybe halfway home when she begged me to pull over. She opened the door hurriedly, throwing up her breakfast on the side of the road. I pulled out my phone to google the side effects of the plan B pill and… shit. There they were. I could be such a dick sometimes.

“You okay, Pet?”

“I don’t feel good.”

“Come lay down in the back.” I opened the door and helped her in.

I stopped at a nearby gas station to get her a bottle of water. She didn’t throw up again by the time we got back to the chapel, but she didn’t look any less miserable for the rest of the ride.