Caitlyn is silent as we walk towards the building. Though she continues to stare at my hand with that same confused look on her face.
The door swings open and the doc is standing there. Guess Aleski called ahead. “Mr. Petrov, come in,” he says.
“Thanks for seeing us, Doc. She was mugged. I want to make sure nothing’s broken… or worse.”
Caitlyn turns to me. “Worse than broken?”
“You’d be surprised what could be worse than broken,” I tell her.
“Probably not,” she says with a frown.
I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about her. Something that makes me want to wrap her up in cotton wool and keep her protected. It’s an odd feeling for me.
Chapter Four
Idon’t like doctors. It’s not just about not being able to afford them. It’s the fact that they usually take one look at me and know my entire life story. I don’t like the pity on their faces, or their offers to help when we both know the only person whocan help me is me. The only person I can rely on is me. The only person I can trust? Well, that’s usually me too. But I did just let myself get into a stranger’s car and am now standing in a house—a very nice house—apparently owned by some doctor.
A doctor who doesn’t charge his patients but has a brownstone on the Upper East Side?Yeah, I don’t buy it.
“You know, I really am fine. It’s just a scratch. I’m sorry I wasted your time. I’ll just?—”
“Sit your pretty little ass down and let the doc treat you is what you’ll do,” Neo grunts.
I swallow, and my hands begin to shake. I know better than to smart-mouth a man. This isn’t my first rodeo. As though I’m on autopilot, I walk over to the chair and sit down. I disassociate, because that’s the only way I can get through this. It’s the only way I won’t open my mouth and say something that will result in me being back-handed across the face.
“Caitlyn, I’m Dr. Ross. Can you tell me about what happened?” the old man asks.
I shake my head. “I was mugged. They came up from behind me. There were two men. One wrapped their arms around me. The other stopped in front of me. I was stupid. I struggled and tried to fight back. It just made them angry. The guy in front punched me in the face. Then the other one pushed me to the ground. I don’t know… It happened fast. They just wanted my bag. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have fought back,” I explain.
“It was not your fucking fault. Those assholes laid hands on you, Caitlyn, and you were right to struggle,” Neo says.
I look up at him and shake my head. “Struggling just makes it worse,” I whisper.
The doctor’s hand reaches for my face, and I automatically withdraw from his touch.
“I’m sorry. Can I touch you? To look at the injury?” he asks.
I close my eyes and nod my head. It’s easier if I don’t see it coming. The doctor’s fingers push at my face a little. It hurts but I stay still.
“Nothing appears to be broken. The bruising will get worse before it gets better.”
When his hand pulls back, I open my eyes. “I know,” I tell him. I’m no stranger to bruising. As much as my face hurts right now, it’s far from the worst I’ve felt.
“I’m going to clean these scratches on your arms,” the doctor says. “Is it okay if I touch you to do that?”
I look down at my arms. My blouse is torn from where I hit the pavement. “Okay,” I tell him.
“Can you remove your top?”
“Absolutely fucking not,” Neo growls before I can answer.
“I… ah…” I don’t know what to say. I don’t know why this man, who claims he wants to help me by giving me a ride home, is so angry.
“It’s okay. I’m going to have to cut the sleeves,” the doctor replies.
I nod. It’s not like the blouse is salvageable anyway.
It takes about twenty minutes for him to finish up.
