I don’t think I ever will. He should've put a stop to it before it could even start. How can you not see what he did to you is wrong?"
I was tired of it all. "Maybe it's not something that needs to be understood."
"It doesn't work like that in the eyes of the law." He paused, his forehead creasing. "Were you at least using protection? Please tell me you're on birth control."
I gave a subtle shake of my head in answer.
"Bareback," he bit out. "Please don't tell me he fucked you without a condom." I averted my gaze. He continued. "Unbelievable. He's a dumb fuck if I ever saw one. What guy doesn't carry a condom?"
My brows furrowed. "You mean, you always have one on you?"
"Yes!"
"Oh." I paused. "Like right now, you have one on you?"
"Yes!" he exclaimed, like it was an obvious thing. "Don't be so naive, Aid."
I took offense to that. "I'm not naive. I just didn't think all men carried a condom around, it's so cliché."
"Getting an STD is not on my to-do list, and girls don't typically carry them in their purses."
A sad chuckle escaped me. "That's true." My eyes popped. "Fuck!" I took the shot and hastily handed Hayden the little glass. I didn't even have time to cringe from the bitter, disgusting taste.
Jumping up from the couch, I ran to the bar where I left my duffle bag, and shuffled through it. I wasn't a drinker in the slightest, so the vodka had started to flush my blood with warmth and loosen me.
"What are you doing?" he asked, following me. Sighing in relief, my shoulders sagged when I found what I was looking for. I turned around and held the box up next to my face. Hayden glanced at what I held in my hand. His face slowly transformed into a fusion of puzzlement, wrath, and revulsion. His jaw hardened and I bit my lip. The air changed around us.
"He makes you take the morning after pill? Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know how bad that is for your body?" he roared. Hayden yanked it out of my hand and flipped it over to read the back.
"He doesn't make me take it, it was my suggestion since I’m not on birth control. I never needed it before."
"Let me guess, he just happens to keep a stash of these babies laying around." When I didn't say anything, his blue eyes lit up. "I'm right, aren't I?"
I shook my head in denial. "No, not really. He's had to go buy them in the past. Today he just happened to have some on hand."
Hayden shifted from foot to foot. He let out a heavy huff. "So he was prepared for the next quick bang is basically what you're telling me." He paused. "Wait. How many times have you taken this garbage?"
"A few."
"A few," he retorted. "How could you put this in your body after how hard you work?"
"I don't know, Hayden. I wasn't thinking."
"Damn straight you weren't thinking. Do you even know—" he stopped himself, and slowly lowered his arm. Hayden's face paled, twisting into a nauseating clarity. His eyes widened. "When you got sick, this was the cause of it? When I took you to the doctor?"
I clenched my eyes shut. I hadn't planned on telling him that little tidbit.
"I think we need another shot," I suggested, deflecting. I tried to step away, but he reached out and clamped a hand over my wrist. His grip wasn’t painful, but ferocity pulsed through his hand and his eyes were dark with fury.
"It was, wasn’t it?"
"Yes and no. We had an argument that led to some rough…ish sex. It hurt to pee the next day so I held it in, which was stupid because it's what caused the infection. The doctor said it could've been a combo of the pill on top of the kidney infection that caused the severe cramping."
"Un-fucking-real. How many times have you taken this shit, Aid?"
I winced at the bite in his tone. "This would be my third time."
His jaw slackened, and so did the hand holding my wrist. His shoulders dropped, like he'd been defeated for not protecting me sooner. I had no intention of hurting Hayden, but he wanted the truth, and honestly, I needed to get it out.
Dragging a hand through his hair, he tugged at his scalp. He paced the living room, shaking his head, and muttering under his breath. Anxiety clenched my stomach as I watched. His