I only have Alexei’s number in my phone, though. So he’ll have to put us in touch—no, better yet, he can pass the message on to Lucian. I don’t want to hear his voice. It’s not like I want to hear Alexei’s, either, but either I deal with him or possibly get sick. I might have ten grand in the bank, but that doesn’t mean I want to blow all of it on medical bills. “Alexei, it’s Rowan. Can you do me a favor?”
He grunts. “Why would I do that?”
“Because I need a favor, and you’re the only way for me to get in touch with your boss. I have to go to the doctor to get a tetanus shot after getting stuck with a nail at the cabin last night, and I’m not paying for it.” Sure, that sounds strong and decisive.
He’s quiet for a few seconds, and I’m afraid I crossed a line I didn’t know existed. “Fine.” And that’s it. Call over. What am I supposed to do with that? It’s not my fault Lucian didn’t want me to have his number. It’s okay for him to shove a plug up my ass, but god forbid I call him on the phone.
Maybe ten seconds pass before my phone rings. “Rowan. What is this about needing a doctor?”
The sound of Lucian’s voice makes my heart race, and not in a good way. I feel a little sick, overwhelmed, jittery. “Like I told Alexei, I need a tetanus shot after getting hurt. I have no idea the last time I had one. Probably when I was little.” All that fake strength I had with Alexei is gone. What is it about this man?
“Of course. You need attention. I should’ve thought about it last night.” He sounds snappy, almost angry. At himself or at me? “I’ll have Rick drive me over?—”
“No. I don’t want to see you. I’m not kidding. But I think you should have to pay for it.”
“Right. It’s only fair.” It doesn’t sound like he thinks it’s all that fair. “I’ll send Alexei.” Why do I feel like he’s punishing me? He’s got to know I wouldn’t want to hang out with Alexei, either. I doubt he will take no for an answer, though, so I don’t bother fighting. What matters is getting to the doctor.
I end the call before he can pull me into a conversation I don’t feel like having. What if he shows up anyway, even when I told him not to? What will I do? I’ll have to figure it out, I guess. I don’t owe him anything. He’s not in control. I should be able to tell him to go fuck himself if he can’t take no for an answer.
How much more could he do to me? Maybe I shouldn’t think too much about that.
I’m watching from the window as a familiar black car rolls up to the curb infront of the building. Is he in there? I can’t believe I’m holding my breath, but I am. I don’t even know for sure whether I want Lucian to be in the car or not. No, I don’t want to see him. But… I sort of do. I know that now. I can talk about closure all I want, but the bottom line is, I don’t like the thought of never being with him again.
It’s Alexei who steps out of the car and opens the back door. Nobody comes out. He’s waiting for me. The text he sends a second later confirms it.I’m here. Let’s go.Pleasant, as always.
I take my time, though. Just because he snaps his fingers doesn’t mean I have to come running. I brush my hair, put on a little lip gloss, then slide into a pair of flats before grabbing my purse and heading for the door. Alexei scowls at me when I reach him. “Took you long enough.” He waits until I’m in the back seat before slamming the door.
The energy in the car is sour, heavy. I stare out the window as he drives us wherever we’re going. Why bother asking? It’s not like I’ll get a straight answer anyway. By the time we reach a small, brick office building in the middle of nowhere, we’ve been on the road for almost forty-five minutes. This isn’t like the cabin situation, though. We’re not in the woods. More like a secluded little hideaway with trees and a freshly mowed lawn the size of a football field.
I hesitate rather than getting out of the car right away. Alexei peers at me. “Well? You gonna get out or what?”
“Where are we?” There aren’t any signs around saying this is a doctor’s office or any kind of office. He could’ve brought me to some kind of torture chamber for all I know.
He nods toward the building. “It’s where the doc lives. Boss set it up. She doesn’t, you know, have an office.” He clears his throat, and that sound expresses a whole lot of things he either doesn’t want to say or isn’t at liberty to explain. Either way, I get the message. A regular doctor doesn’t make the sort of house call she did.
Here goes nothing.
He’s waiting for me outside the car, munching on an apple. There’s something so normal about it, I could almost laugh. Sliding his aviators down the bridge of his nose, he looks me over. “You okay?”
“Yeah, she gave me a shot, made sure the puncture was clean. A little ointment for the pain.”
“Good.” He tosses the apple core into some bushes before moving toward the rear driver’s side door—then stops when I hold up a hand.
“Can I sit up front with you?”
“Huh?”
“I hate riding in the back like that. It makes me feel weird.” I can tell this is unusual for him. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to short circuit your brain or anything.”
All he does is sigh, closing the door before walking around the car and openingthe passenger door for me. I climb in, and he closes it, then walks around again, muttering to himself. Probably wondering what he’s supposed to do with me sitting next to him for the better part of an hour.
We’re barely off the property before he asks if I’m hungry. I didn’t expect that question. “Want to go to a drive-thru on the way back?” he suggests as we pull out onto the tree-lined road.
“Yeah, that would be good.” I was a little too distracted to eat this morning. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” He taps his fingers against the wheel before reaching for the radio controls. “You want music?”
“If you want.” He turns it on and finds something surprisingly quiet, sort of nice. Easy listening, I think they call it. It fits with the pretty area we’re in. I can almost imagine we’re on a nice country drive. “I wonder if people take them anymore.”
