That was true.
“And no exceptions on the examinations?” I asked.
I didn’t care about the examination itself: itwas nevera bad idea tohave a gynoexam. But the likelihood that all of this information would getback to Luca and his men made my stomach crawl.
This time she couldn’t keep from rolling her eyes.“Noexceptions.”
Sebastian crossed his arms.“Make the exception,” he demanded.
The woman frowned. “I’m sorry. I really can’t.”
Sebastian opened his mouth, but before he could speak I grabbed his arm.
“It’s fine,” I said.
The last thing I needed was to beostracizedforgettingspecialtreatment. I walked towards the door she’dmotioned toearlier and Sebastian followed behind me.
“Planning on joining me?” I asked, trying to force a laugh into my voice.
Sebastianstopped in front of the door.“I’m serious, Selene. You don’t have to do this.”
I shrugged as I opened up the door.
“If you need anything, just yell. I’ll be outside the door,” he said.
An Italianwoman in hermid-sixtiesstood on the other side of the door. She wordlessly gestured to a small daybed, and began her onslaught ofquestions. When she got to the question about how long it’d been since I’d had sex, she looked at me with disbelief in her eyes when I told her it’d been three months. Technically, Sebastian and Ididn’thave sex last night. And there was no way I was volunteeringany information.
The last thing I needed was for the details of how Sebastian haddominated me physically and mentallyto getaround.
While the doctor began the physical examination, I thought back to the last time I’d had regular,standardsex.
Three months ago when Ray’s threats had gotten more serious but hadn’t yet materialized, I’d been in my denial phase. I was in denial that I couldn’t just live a life like Piper. I’d mimicked her life. The normal life I’d always yearned for since I was a kid. I’d gone to clubs with her. Bought bottleservicewith a 500% markup. Bought Chanel like it wascandy. And I didn’t work at all in order to pay for any of it.
I’d also been going for guys like Piper would have. The last one was a junior partner at a prestigious law firm. At the club he’d yelled in my ear about how he was going to the youngestseniorpartner at the firm. And the hand on my leg was a whisper ofwhat he'ddo to me later.
If I’d been more sober, I would have realized that it was a whisper of howunsatisfyingthe sex wouldbe.
An ad on Spotify lasted longer than he did.
I snapped back to attention asthe gynofinished inspecting my IUD. This exam had gotten me more wet than Mr. Junior Partner had. And that was saying something, since I cringed in painwhen themetal speculumwas pulled out of me.
Predictably, all the STD tests came back negative, and I headed back out the door. Even though I’d barely revealed anything, I cringed internally at the thought that all of this information would be relayed to Luca and his men.
Sebastian was leaning against the wall, waiting to make sure I was okay just as he had promised.
“Were you listening?” I asked, leaning against the opposite wall.
“The doors are too solid for that.” True, they didn’t build homes like they used to. It was insane to think that a brownstone from the 1800s had better soundproofing than an overpriced new development.
I shook my head.“You can go. I think I need to get to work.”
His face darkened, as he stepped away from the wall.
“This isn’t like ourgameSelene. I won’t be here to protect you if someone triesanything.”
Chapter 42
“I can take care of myself," I said.
