She glanced up at me. “You didn’t wear a condom.”
Shit. I didn’t even think about it. It’d been so long since I’d had sex, I didn’t bother with keeping one in my wallet. “I’m sorry.” I exhaled, feeling like a complete novice who didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. I was twenty-one for Christ’s sake and should’ve known better. “Is there a problem? I can take you to get the morning-after pill.”
“I’m on birth control,” she answered and bit her lip. Somehow I wasn’t averse to the thought of her carrying my child. If I could mark her and make her mine in every way, I would. Was it obsessive behavior? Certainly. I didn’t really give a fuck when it came to her. I never wanted any barriers between us ever again. Then again I also wondered why the fuck she was on birth control. Had she been fucking other people? I shook my head and let that thought go. Again, my thoughts weren’t always rational when it came to her. I knew I was her first, and now I would be her last if I had my way.
She glanced at my chest, tracing my tattoo. “I’ve never seen this before.”
“I got it a few weeks before I started college.”
“What does it say? It’s scripted in Spanish.” Her eyes drooped into slits as she yawned.
If we stayed up and kept talking, she’d never get any rest, because my dick wanted to join in the conversation too. “Sleep, Theodora. We have a long day ahead of us.”
I curled her to my chest stroking her hair, relishing the scent of fresh spring and her warm body clinging to my side. Long ago, she’d called me her hero. Today, she’d trusted me to help her and take care of her. I thought about how she caught me in her mother’s room, as I searched for any information that my father said she had. I didn’t find anything but more prescription medicine. Theodora’s mother had a big problem, which wouldn’t be easily resolved. Did my dad already know this and had something to do with it?
I couldn’t stop the nagging in my brain that there was something else going on here. I didn’t know what, but I could feel it in my gut. I was beginning to have doubts about Theodora being a part of a scam to extort money from our family. She was defensive about the money my father told me he’d given them. Maybe she truly thought her mother received a legit severance package. I rubbed my eyes and stared at the ceiling. I needed to do another search of the place. If Theodora found out…I shook my head. She wouldn’t find out. This was the last time I did my father’s dirty work for him.
Theodora
“She’s conscious,” the doctor said as I walked up to her room pulling me aside as Roman followed.
I nodded saying a silent prayer of thanks.
“However, she needs to remain here to detox since she had dangerous levels of oxycodone in her system. We need to monitor her as she battles withdrawal and since she went into cardiac arrest…it makes it more critical to check her vitals and keep her stabilized. It’s not going to be pretty the next few days.” He glanced between both of us with a serious expression that never wavered. “The best-case scenario is for her to be transferred to a rehab facility as soon as we can deal with her physical symptoms, and I have some places to suggest.”
“Thank you. Can I see her?”
“Yes.” He paused. “Just know it’s not going to be pleasant. She’s going through withdrawals and will say anything to you to get her out of here so she can continue back to her old habits. She may lash out at you, but know it’s not her. It’s the addiction. And she’s somewhat disoriented and anxious. Again, that’s the effects of withdrawal. It’s normal.”
I was scared to see her, but I stepped to the door and squared my shoulders preparing myself for the unknown. As I drew closer, I had to hold back my shock. She looked so frail and pale. Sweat beaded her forehead and her once vibrant golden strands looked drab and dirty plastered against her temple. Her usually sparkling hazel eyes were dull as she stared at the wall.
“Mom?” I peeped tentatively while fear and concern filled my heart.
She shifted her head and tried to force a smile that looked more like a grimace. “Theo. Thank God you’re here. I don’t know what happened, but there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m fine, and I want to go home.” As if a switch flipped, she started grappling one of the IVs trying to take it out, but I stopped her before she could.
“No. The doctor stressed you need to stay a few more days.” I didn’t know exactly what to say to her, not wanting to say anything that might trigger an adverse reaction.
“I can’t stay here. I’m going crazy, and I hate hospitals.” She looked frantic, and I held her hand hoping I didn’t have to restrain her. “I feel claustrophobic and I need to get out. Please, Theo, help me.”
“Just a few days, Momma, you can do it. Please, be strong for me.”
She glanced over my shoulder, and her eyes widened with fright. “Get out!” Her already pale face drained of more color if that were possible. She looked like she’d seen her worst nightmare. I turned and watched as Roman paused at the door with a look of mild surprise. “Get out,” my mother yelled louder. “You’re the reason. It’s all your fault.”
Roman’s brows drew together.
“Get away from my daughter.”
His eyes darted to mine in question, and I gave a slight shake of my head. Without words, he turned and stepped out of the room closing the door behind him. I glanced at my mom. “It’s fine, Momma. Whatever happened in the past was a misunderstanding.”
She clasped my hand in desperation with a strength that negated her weak appearance. “Stay away from him. He’s poison, Theo. That family will destroy you. Just like they tried to ruin me.”
A week had passed and my mom was settled in a sixty-day rehab where she couldn’t have visitors. It wasn’t too far from my campus, only a couple of hours. True to his word, Roman still wanted to help me with the arrangements despite my mom’s reaction in the hospital. I felt the need to explain her behavior, but he told me there was no need. He coaxed me into allowing him to help with the down payment and assured me he’d cover the medical expenses. I told him I would get a loan and pay him back wondering if I’d made a deal with the devil. He just smirked and told me to focus on school and him. I rolled my eyes, but a smile lingered on my lips for the first time in days.
Unfortunately, the words my mother had said were still running around rent free in the back of my mind, and I reasoned it away. She was just being an overprotected mother who thought her daughter had been compromised, which we’d argued about so many times in the past. I even told her I was the one who initiated it, but she never wanted to hear it. She would never understand how much I loved him and always chalked it up to me being too young to know what love meant. But she was wrong because I knew. I knew since the first day I laid eyes on him.
“We still meeting tonight to put together our presentation?” Axel asked after class.
“Yeah our place after I pick her up from work,” Roman said and yanked my ponytail with a grin. Somehow, he’d shoehorned his way into our study group. Just like everything else he did.