Kazuya was at her side.“May we talk more?”
She sighed and pointed away from the seating area.“It is easier for me if I walk.”
“Really?”
“The pain creates endorphins, and the endorphins fight the pain.”
“Right.May I help you?”
“Thank you but no.I need to balance this way.It’s gross to see, but it’s how I get around.”
“What happened?”
“I was kidnapped for ransom when I was thirteen.I escaped once, so they pinned me down and ran over my legs with a car.Twice.That is where my voice broke.”She continued her slow, uneven walk.
“When the ransom was paid, why didn’t you receive the proper care?”
“The ransom was never paid.I wrapped my legs in vines and crawled to one of the vehicles and drove myself to the police station, where I screamed until someone came out to me.By that point, my legs had been infected for two weeks.I was young and growing, so the shattered bones had begun to heal in the wrong ways.My parents allowed basic repair, but none of the other six surgeries were performed.”
She paused while he absorbed what she was saying.
He caught up with her.“My assistant...”
“Said you had more important clients that day and that my appointment had been cancelled.I booked it under my legal name.Apricot Lane.”She gave him the date and time.“I just wanted to know if anything could be done.I haven’t shown anyone my legs in years.”
“Bone pierced the skin?”
“Everywhere.And then stitches upon stitches all under the casts.”
“Was it financing?”
“The lack of response?No.My parents didn’t want another omega in the family.My sister died when I was eleven.She died in childbirth, and her pack was rough, so she wasn’t in great shape when she finally had her baby.”
He stopped again and stared.“She hemorrhaged to death.”
“Yup.And nobody noticed.Our family wasn’t allowed in the room, and they were busy admiring their son.She just died without anyone watching.”
He rubbed his face.“And they considered your disfiguring to be a boon.”
“Correct.”
Kazuya looked at her legs.“Can I see a little of the scarring?”
“You want me to flash all kinds of ankle.”
He knelt next to her.“Please.”
She sighed and pulled up the leg of her jeans, “You are on your own with the sock.”
He chuckled and eased the sock down.He touched the scars, and pain shot through her.He looked up at her.“It hurts?”
“Yes.”
“I am sorry.This is much more complicated than I had anticipated.”
“I get it.You can’t do anything.”Vine shrugged.
“I did not say that, but this is something more involved than the spa can offer.”
