How Sinners Fight - Eva Ashwood Page 0,5

woman who’s been assaulted and unable to afford prenatal care.

Rich people live in a bubble where they never have to worry about that kind of shit.

I might be part of this world of wealth and privilege temporarily, but I don’t belong here, and the understated elegance of the hospital room only drives that point home.

My heart lurches in my chest suddenly as a new thought takes root.

Oh, fuck.

How the hell am I supposed to pay for this?

As I look around the room again, instead of seeing a nice suite with a pretty view of a rooftop garden below, I see dollar signs coming out of everything.

The IV. The night—nights?—I’ve spent here, in this bed in a private room. The meds. The food. The people who come and check on me every five minutes now that it’s not nighttime anymore.

Fuck.

This is going to cost a whole hell of a lot more than the measly stipend I’m getting from Hawthorne U, probably even more than the several grand I still have stashed under my bed from winning Gray’s bet.

Yeah, I’m fucked.

I’ve got to get out of here this second before they add anything else to my bill. As it is, I’ll probably be paying for this little hospital stay for the rest of my damn life.

Not wanting to waste another second, I slide off the bed. There are a pair of slippers near the foot of the bed, and I slip them on. I don’t see my clothes anywhere, but I’m prepared to walk out of here in my hospital gown if I have to.

I’m still connected to an IV hookup, and although it’s on a little stand that wheels around easily so I can get to the bathroom and stuff, I can’t leave with it still attached. I glance down at the IV and wince. I’ve always hated needles, and I’m glad I wasn’t awake when they put it in me. But there’s no help for it now.

I suck in a breath and peel off the tape that holds it close to my skin, then close my eyes as I—

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Blue?”

The door swings open and Elias walks in, his eyes going wide as he looks at me.

“I can’t pay for any of this.” My voice is still rough, although it’s easier to speak than it was yesterday. And there’s a note of panic in my tone as I grab the needle again. “Gotta get out before it gets too bad—”

Fuck. I really do hate needles. I can’t even stand the sight of the little fucker poking into my skin, and a wave of nausea washes over me at the thought of yanking it out.

“Blue.” Elias steps forward quickly and grabs onto my forearm, giving it a gentle tug. He forces me to look at him, and when I finally tear my gaze away from the needle, I catch a smile as bright and disarming as the sun outside my window. “It’s okay. You’re not paying anything for this, I promise. We all have access to our family’s money, and we’re covering this one. The three of us, not you.”

He puts emphasis on the last two words, as if he’s trying to cut off any argument before I can make it.

My mouth falls open. I snap it shut, but my jaw drops again and just sort of hangs there as if all the muscles in my face have gone slack. My heart is crashing against my ribs, and my stomach is tying itself into knots for an entirely different reason now.

Why would they… why would they do that for me?

I’m thankful, I really am. I want to tell him, want to show him, but I can’t. There’s a lump in my throat, and gratitude wars with panic inside me. I’m not used to being taken care of by anyone. I’m not used to having people care about me at all.

To my surprise, Elias just laughs when he sees the freaked out look on my face.

“What’d you think we’d do, Blue?” he says, pulling me back to the bed. He lifts me up easily, setting me back down on top of the sheets. “Leave you to pay for it yourself? Let you spend the rest of your life in debt because of a fucking accident? We’re doing this because we want to help you.”

He leans up against the edge of the bed, watching me closely. My heart picks up speed, racing in my chest as I